JULY & AUGUST 2012 |
www.opp.org.uk Contents
CONTENTS ON THE RECORD THIS MONTH... THREE WISE (WO)MEN (PAGES 14-15)
Fractional ownership has been promoted as the way to own a holiday home and even as a sensible way of buying property as an investment. Can you make a success out of fractionals? Some companies have been making good, steady sales yet others have really struggled. What makes for a successful fractional? How do you sell it? What facilities does it need? This month’s Three Wise (Wo)men have their say
LEGAL ROUNDUP (PAGE 20-21)
Everybody in the international property industry needs to keep up to date with the developments in the law in the countries where they’re doing business. We have invited our 70 correspondent lawyers around the world to let us know when something interesting happens. This column is the result. This will be the fi rst of a series of regular monthly columns aimed at keeping you in the know
COUNTRY REPORT: CROATIA (PAGE 29-32)
If you’re thinking of selling in Croatia, this report contains all the basic information that you need to know. The economy. The climate. What’s happening to the currency. Availability of mortgages. Who can get visas. Yet again, there seems to be an upsurge of interest in Croatia – a country with so much potential and yet which has never quite hit the mainstream. We hope that this report will help you make it happen
SUPER HOMES FOR THE SUPER RICH (PAGES 40-41)
Even in the toughest of economic climates properties for the rich seem to sell well. What’s on off er and how much do you have to pay to get into this exclusive club? As you will see, it is perhaps not as much as you might think. If you fancy catering to this niche market, have a quick look at this report. We hope that it inspires you to join the jetset. We only ask one thing. Once you’ve made a fortune, don’t forget the editor.
THE ROUND TABLE (PAGES 42-45)
A panel of six respected names in the industry gathers to discuss an important issue: the formation of an international association for the property world. It’s a tricky subject – and one that raises a lot of questions. What would we want from such an organisation? How would it work? What standards would we set for the industry? This month’s Round Table panel tries to fi nd answers to these queries – and to many others.
THE LAST WORD (PAGE 62-63)
OPP interviews Andrew Batt, regional group editor for PropertyGuru group. Relocating to the East, Andrew’s challenge would have made many men recoil: he was to capture 10% of Southeast Asia’s real estate advertising market and 25 million regional users in three years. He tells us the challenges and rewards of being part of the vibrant property world in South East Asia – stretching from Thailand to Singapore to Vietnam.
62-63 THE LAST WORD Talking to Southeast Asia ‘property guru’ Andrew Batt
64 65 66
COMING UP: NEXT MONTH A sneak preview of the next issue of OPP
PROBLEM PAGE A developer’s issues in Turkey
STAND IT UP An off er that looks too good to be true? OPP says “Prove it!”
07
EDITORIAL COMMENT Can’t tell if we’re up or down...
08-09 NEWS: WORLD ROUND-UP The month’s biggest stories at a glance
10-11 TOP TEN OPP looks at the month’s top ten industry stories
13 NEWS REVIEW How can you tell what is right from wrong?
14-15 THREE WISE MEN Making a success out of fractionals
16 18
YOUR SHOUT Murcia is defying Spanish trends
DIARY OF A... Changes in the work of a Portugese estate agent
20 LEGAL ROUNDUP Legal news from around the world
23 24 26 27
BUSINESS Key points from the Global Trasparency Index 2012
TECHNOLOGY E-training – will it work for you?
TRAINING Preparing for the unpredictable in sales
NEW IDEAS Face-to-face meetings made practical
28-32 COUNTRY REPORT: CROATIA All the need-to-know facts and fi gures
34-35 LETTER FROM BEIJING What the Chinese investor really wants
38-39 WISH YOU WERE THERE? The India Homes Show 2012 in London
40-41 SUPER HOUSES FOR THE SUPER RICH What does it take to sell incredible properties?
42-45 ROUND TABLE What do we need in an international regulatory body?
47-49 LETTER FROM... Updates from our global correspondents
51
SUSTAINABILITY Save energy and money by modifying the source
52-53 MORTGAGES: SOUTHERN CYPRUS Data and comment from specialists Connect Overseas
54-55 VISA REPORT Up-to-date information on US visas
56-61 FX REPORT Exchange data on the Australian dollar
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