President Lula launched the ‘Brazil is Calling You!’ campaign recently. The aim of this campaign is to attract tourists to the country in advance of the 2014 World Cup. It is hoped that the promotion will reach 100 countries and 400 million people worldwide.

Some $30 million will be invested into the campaign by the end of 2010, through advertising, public relations activities, the distribution of promotional material in the 12 host cities of the 2014 World Cup, social media activities, mobile phone applications and promotional events in around 30 countries.

Felipe Cavalcante, ADIT Brasil’s President, says: “The 2014 World Cup will be a great opportunity for Brazil to showcase itself to the world. Investment into the country from foreign companies is encouraged to supplement the $50 billion to be spent on preparing the 12 host cities.”

For more information, go on-line: www.aditnordeste.org.br

UK buyers send £30.1 million to Brazil for Real Estate in 2009

The beach by Tambaba Country Club

The holiday homes market for UK buyers is beginning to boom in Brazil.  The Central Bank of Brazil has recorded £30.1 million of personal money from the UK arriving in Brazil for property-related purposes. In 2004, just £4m was sent to Brazil from the UK for the same reason.

Now a new foreign exchange service is helping to revolutionise the way foreigners can send money to Brazil. Moneycorp says it has completed hundreds of transactions on behalf of customers since it launched its Brazilian Real Service in September 2009 and since 1 January 2010, enquiries about Brazilian real estate have increased 40% on 2009.

The Moneycorp Brazilian Real Service cuts through Brazilian Bureaucracy, guarantees a fixed exchange rate, significantly speeds up the process, guarantees a delivery date and keeps costs low.

The success of the service is Moneycorp’s unique partnering with one of Brazil’s most reputable Banks. Banco Rendimento fixes the Brazilian Real rate of exchange throughout the transaction so that clients know exactly how many Reals will be delivered. It also reduces the time between transfer and receipt of funds, while guaranteeing that each trade will be registered with the Central Bank to facilitate the future repatriation of funds.

The partnership with Banco Rendimento means it is easy for Britons to open a local bank account. Rental income, for example, can be received here in the local Real currency.

Vasilios Dimarakis, Moneycorp’s head of overseas operations says: “The process for moving money into and out of Brazil is extremely bureaucratic, costly and time intensive, with UK investors and property developers losing out on an average of £5-£10,000.

A home at Pipa Hills

Moneycorp’s service speeds up the transfers and secures a guaranteed delivery date for peace of mind, and it’s helping clients to get the best deal possible when looking to invest in Brazil. This is a practical step that people can take to maximise the value of their investment and not waste their hard-earned cash.”

Brazil has been experiencing economic stability and growth and inflation is under control, which makes planning and developing projects possible without fluctuating values. In the northeast of the country alone, the most popular destination for UK buyers, foreign investments in the region in the next 10 years are predicted to reach R$ 20 billion. According to research by HVS Consulting & Valuation and Newmark Knight Frank, by 2014 more than 7,200 new units for second residences will be built – 480 of them aimed at the luxury leisure sector.

Go on-line at http://www.moneycorp.com/Individuals/CFX-Personal/Overseas-property/Country-guides/brazil/ for more information.

PROPERTIES

Land Plots – Tambaba, Brazil

The pool at Tambaba Country Club Resort

Tambaba Country Club Resort is an idyllic, 150 hectare tropical paradise located in north-east Brazil, 20 minutes south of the historic city of Joao Pessoa. Tambaba presents a time-limited opportunity to invest in premium land for sale in Brazil, one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Strategically positioned directly between two host cities for the 2014 Football World Cup (Natal and Recife) Tambaba will directly benefit from the high speed road infrastructure currently underway connecting both Recife and Natal with Joao Pessoa city, reducing the time from Natal and Recife International airports by over 30%.

Invest from only £3,600, with a cost from as little as £18,333 per plot. (148% ROI after 5 years).

Pipa Hills

The luxurious 3-bedroom villas of Pipa Hills are secluded and situated on Pipa Beach, a stunning beach town. In the middle of the exuberant Brazilian Atlantic Forest, Pipa Hills is located just 200 metres from the centre of Pipa and is in close proximity to Pipa’s pristine beach.

With luxury amenities that include a beautiful lagoon, swimming pools, bars and restaurants the area has much to offer and these completed properties come fully furnished and boast exotic gardens and landscaped areas.

Prices start from £146,000 and for more information contact Experience International on +44 (0)207 321 5858 or visit www.experience-international.com.

Basic precautions

Bad news stories tend to arise only when buyers fail to take the most basic precautions. For example, one of the most elementary mistakes that careless buyers tend to make is to fail to check whether the property is still carrying any debts left over from the previous owner.
These can come from a number of different sources but they’ll hang like the proverbial millstone around the property – and your neck – unless you are very careful. The last thing you want, having just moved in, is to find yourself paying off someone else’s debts because you failed to ask a few simple questions. Of course, many people will follow up that statement with, “How can I ask questions if I don’t speak the language?” and the simple answer to that is, “You should have an independent legal and/or financial representative and he or she ought to speak the language of the country in which you are buying.” Buying a freehold property outside the UK can be fun and a sound investment but it’s sensible to ensure you have a legal and financial safety net.

Developing markets

In the last decade we all heard stories about how cheap properties were in what were called developing markets. This caused such a stir that people I’ve known for years rang me and one in particular said, “Come on, you write about overseas property. Why have you been keeping this to yourself all these years? Which is the best place to buy and how do we go about it?”
The answer is that yes, partly as a result of the international financial crisis, you can now buy properties in loads of countries for what seem like knock down prices. On the other hand, an English solicitor who works in the overseas property industry commented to me a couple of years ago, “Some people simply go abroad, see property they like, don’t check to see if they can get a mortgage; whether the property has full title deeds that will show that they have bought it and whether the person who sold it to them had any right to do so.”
It’s a shame to sound like a wet blanket because of course you can buy a home in an ever-increasing range of countries and end up with something that you will enjoy for years to come. But the fact is, as I said, you might well be walking into a barrel load of problems unless you expend the time and trouble to go through the process in the same way that you would back in the UK.”

Unusual destinations

I was writing about properties for sale in unusual destinations such as Northern Cyprus, even India as far back as 12 or 15 years ago. In the late 1980s I was commenting on the new phenomenon of Australians and New Zealanders buying holiday homes in Europe and Europeans looking for properties Down Under. The truth is that I know of people who bought in some pretty out-of-the-way places at that time who are perfectly happy. Let’s face it, in the 1950s and early 1960s you could have said that Spain and Portugal were emerging markets.
All property is cyclical, and what has tumbled down in price in the last 12 months will, eventually go back. And then we’ll see a rush to grab bargains – yet again. The golden rule to remember is: wherever you buy, only do it if you can really afford it. Take advice and ask questions. And it might be wise to leave your credit cards at home when you go on holiday – your plastic might be a touch too flexible for your own good.

The findings of a comprehensive survey by Halifax Estate Agents reveals that two out of five homes in England and Wales (44%) rate ‘average’ for energy efficiency, falling into B and D of the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) which grades the energy efficiency of a house.

New homes being built today, however, are at least a quarter more energy-efficient than existing older homes. At North Chase, Newhall in Harlow, Essex, the new mid-terraced houses have an average EPC rating of B, which only 1% of homes in England and Wales have attained. For all new house types at Newhall the EPC ratings exceed the average for all homes, as found by the Halifax Survey.

North Chase, Newhall in Harlow, Essex

The homes’ energy efficiency is one facet of a broader sustainable agenda being practised at Newhall, set in the Essex countryside several miles from Harlow town centre. The design and layout of every street at the latest phase, North Chase, has been carefully considered to maximise passive solar gain that enhances the homes’ natural light and provides super warm buildings.

Additionally, sustainable and renewable materials have been used wherever possible in the construction of the properties, including timber specifically chosen for its insulation qualities. Using modern methods of construction, the houses are constructed off-site and erected on-site. The practise saves time, money and lessens CO2 emissions. Prices at Newhall start from £185,000.

Old Apple Store, Stawell in Somerset

At the Old Apple Store, Stawell in Somerset, the new detached houses have an average EPC rating of C, falling just one point short of a B rating which only 1% of homes have attained. The EPC rating exceeds the average for all homes in the survey, as found by Halifax Estate Agents. Prices at the Old Apple Store start from £275,000.

The homes’ energy efficiency is outshone by its A rating for environmental impact. The detached homes at the Old Apple Store score 102 points, emitting just 0.3 tonnes of CO2 annually. The average household in the UK emits 6 tonnes of CO2 each year. The marker for the A Band is 92 points. Even among eco homes it is the best score yet seen to date.

Fairglen, Hayle near St Ives in Cornwall

At Fairglen, Hayle near St Ives in Cornwall, the new three-bedroom houses have an average EPC rating of C, scoring 80 on the scale which is only 1 point away from being awarded a B rating. Other eco-initiatives being implemented include heating and hot water from ground-source heat exchangers, photovoltaic arrays, and rainwater harvesting.

The energy efficiency at the homes in Fairglen is so good that projected per annum running costs amount to only £358 – lighting £44, heating £207, hot water £107. The annual bill for heating, lighting and hot water in the average three-bedroom house in England would be in the region of £1,000 per year. Prices at Fairglen start from £250,000.

© Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Southwold's famous beach

It’s been a family favourite for several decades, and as children grow up and have kids of their own, so another generation returns to the beaches, the annual crabbing competitions, the ferry across the river, Adnams ales and some of the friendliest people you’ll meet anywhere. In the summer, parking can become a distinct problem and the sensible visitor leaves his or her car on the outskirts or near the Common where there’s plenty of space. At the moment, residents only have to struggle with parking during the summer months and then only in the streets around the High Street.

A new look?

Architecturally, the town has changed little for many years, which is all part of its charm. The town’s buildings are essentially rural so, for me, the look of the new development, Tibby’s Triangle, and the Adnams Cellar and Kitchen Store located on the site of the old Adnam’s distribution centre, is completely out of character with the rest of the town.

The front of Cellar & Kitchen, Tibby’s TriangleA local resident commented recently, “I’m all for architect-led, contemporary and sustainable development but Tibby’s Triangle appears to be a 90′s throwback – too dense, retro-building technologies, and with no understanding of the local vernacular.”

The Cellar and Kitchen Store is clad in shiny corrugated aluminium and the front of the building is sliced away at a weirdly acute angle and frankly, it’s hard to believe it ever received planning consent, so little does it blend in with it’s surroundings.

The front of Cellar & Kitchen, Tibby's Triangle

This is industry plonked down in the heart of a traditional-looking East Anglian coastal town. In addition, why there is a four-storey apartment block in the heart of the development is quite beyond me. Prices in the development are in the region of £489,995 for a 2-bedroom terraced house.

The High Street

Fortunately Tibby’s Triangle is sufficiently near the outskirts of Southwold that I’ve found it possible to hurry past and into the High Street. These days, the shops range from smart delis to uber chic women’s boutiques, but there are plenty of old friends such as the Amber Shop, Denny Clothes and Bookthrift that blend in with the quiet nostalgia of the Market Square.

Property prices

In earlier real estate downturns, property prices in the town stayed fairly level, dropping only slightly and once again, this seems to be true. Southwold is definitely a desirable niche for homebuyers and while some homes get stuck in the estate agents’ windows for a while, on the whole there’s quite a decent turnover of houses and flats.

Southwold's famous lighthouse

A 4-bedroom terraced house at the pier end of town sold recently for £500,000 while a 2-bedroom first floor flat overlooking South Green is on the market for a guide price of £410,000. Renting and buying beach huts is certainly a costly affair with prices for one of the larger huts starting anywhere in the region of £40-50,000.

A family home

To me, Southwold seems to have a micro-climate. Drive round Ipswich on the A14 on a horrible day with a gale blowing, the rain lashing down, the windscreen wipers fighting all the way. Then take the A12 north east towards Lowestoft and you’ll notice a slight brightening of the sky.

It’s about 30 miles from Ipswich to Southwold and by the time you go over the level crossing at Darsham the rain will probably have ceased and the wind eased off. Turn right onto the B1126, the sky will have cleared and the lighthouse will have appeared in the distance.

The ferry across to Walberswick from Southwold

If you have time, turn off to Walberswick from the A12, drive down to the harbour and enjoy looking back at Southwold before going off to the Anchor for lunch.

This part of East Anglia has so much to offer  visitor or second home owner alike, it’s no wonder that over the years so many people have returned to Southwold time after time.

It’s the winter of 2014; UK plc is on a three-day working week; troops have been called in to aid the police in quelling riots and preventing looting; petrol stations and petrol depots are under armed guard; power is supplied on the National Grid for eight hours a day – priority is being given to the manufacturing base and superstores in an effort to keep the economy going and the populace fed.

The winter of discontent...

Constant interruptions

Problems are particularly bad in large conurbations where there are the tallest tower blocks and sink estates with no lighting and constant interruptions to power supplies. The unemployed are turning to violence and intimidation in their frustration. The old and single parent families are suffering particular depredation. These are dark, disturbing days of despair.

On mainland Europe there is a different story. France is sitting pretty. Their investment in nuclear power has paid handsome dividends. Along with most of the EC their supplies are secured. Britain regularly has to go to Brussels with its energy cap in hand to beg for help. Once again it is regarded as the ‘sick man of Europe’.

Other methods

Meanwhile in households up and down the UK, people who are fed up with constant interruptions to their power supplies are turning to other methods of generating their own electricity. Small, efficient wind turbines capable of supplying power to single buildings are selling like hot cakes; air source and ground source heat pumps are in high demand; photo voltaic and solar panels are appearing on roofs and beginning to outnumber satellite dishes.

Surplus energy is piped into the national grid from those fortunate enough to produce it and an ‘I’m all right Jack’ mentality has taken a grip on society. And with the exception of these ‘off -grid’ generation technologies, there’s no prospect of relief until 2020…

A flight of fancy? Impossible? Don’t bank on it. Welcome to the ‘Energy Crunch’! It may be an extreme view of our future in the global gas greenhouse of the next couple of decades, but the prospect of it has forced our Government to get its finger out and finally declare that ‘nuclear’ is an option – and a low carbon one at that – in the portfolio of energy production techniques that will be necessary to mitigate the effects of the energy crunch.

The reality is that we have been dithering about what is the best way to power the nation while our ability to do so has been diminishing. Currently, nuclear accounts for around 19 per cent of our energy production; by 2020, we will be lucky if even one of our existing 10 nuclear power stations is still in service.

It takes five to six years to design, build and commission a new one and about the same time (Sizewell B took six years to get planning consent) to steer a course through the local planning minefield. Do the sums: that means that we should be designing by 2014 and planning from last year! The Government is introducing legislation in an effort to short-circuit the planning obstacles, but we are all well aware of public inquiry pitfalls (try planning a new airport).

Security of supply

And similar decisions need to be made on energy generated by fossil fuels. At the same time as our existing nuclear production capability reduces, so does that from coal, oil and gas. All of these commodities are risky; not so much because they are finite resources and will eventually run out (although that is a serious consideration in the longer run) but in terms of security of supply.

This manifests itself in the vulnerability of the supply chain and the fragility of price fluctuations on world markets. Britain has got to the stage where it is becoming reliant on imports for all three categories of commodity.

We're an energy hungry nation

Not a happy place to be in an uncertain world with a voracious appetite for electricity. Alternative sources of power are, by and large, complementary to the core nuclear/fossil fuel methodologies. Sun, wind and sea technologies all provide useful additions to the mix, but they are, by their very nature, intermittent and at best offer a ‘top up’.

This is not to belittle the valuable contribution they offer, for there is a convincing argument to be made around diversifying energy generation to the maximum extent, so that reliance on a single or few sources is avoided, thereby minimising the risk of wholesale disruption. Going off grid is also an option and Combined Heat and Power systems, delivering electricity to communities, or for discrete industrial purposes, is highly efficient and importantly, a low-carbon means of doing so.

For individual domestic purposes the pundits say that the next generation of UK millionaires will be those who come up with micro-generation techniques that make homes energy self-sufficient.

The fact remains, though, that we are not there yet. We are faced with an energy crunch of enormous proportions. Some estimates put it at 40 per cent of peak national demand in 2020.

We need an alternative way to save the planet

Contact Details

PSG Solutions plc

t +44 (0)1484 773295

e tweediebrown@propertysearchgroup.co.uk

w www.psgonline.co.uk

Tweedie Brown CBE, Deputy Chairman

PSG Solutions plc and its subsidiary PSG Energy Ltd have been involved in the domestic and commercial energy assessment business for the past two years. We have seen the necessity to deliver, to a sometimes sceptical and often naïve client base, a reliable service that is based on trust and loyalty.

We have been closely following developments in the energy marketplace so that we can offer informed and impartial advice to our customers. We have seen a vision of the future that we don’t like and we want to make sure that it doesn’t happen.

Troops on the streets quelling energy crunch riots…?

TTA Contact details: 020 7886 0300 or go on-line at www.ttagroup.co.uk