Cantabria, Andalucía, Asturias, Balearic Islands, Catalonia and Extremadura are the Autonomous Communities which have announced that the ITP will rise from 7% to 8% more expensive home purchases for tax purposes, compared to the rest of Spain.

As always, there are exceptions to the rule:

• Rate applied by Canary Islands is 6.5%, because here the IVA does not apply and instead, there is an excise tax at a lower rate.
• Cantabria and Andalusia only taxed at 8%, the sale of houses from € 300,000 and € 400,000 respectively. Here we can guess that could appear rogue …

If we assume a home purchase of 300,000 €, Catalonia, Asturias, Baleares, Cantabria and Extremadura would pay € 24,000 in taxes, while the rest of the country would pay € 3,000 less.

In Catalonia, in addition to this, we must add the payment of stamp duty (which so far was 0.1% of the total loan) and that the Government has announced a 0.2% rise, which no other Autonomous does it.

In summary, Catalonia has the highest personal income tax and it is also the territory where to buy a new house or second-hand is more expensive.

Rarely could be made an optimistic forecast about it. But maybe today I would at least contribute something more positive after having reflected on past crisis.

… And considering some of the ideas of Warren Buffett, the Oracle of Omaha, which broadcasts to their customers / shareholders, where:

• It makes the anticipation that the U.S. housing market in 2011 will be out of the crisis, although prices are not still the ones of 2005.
• Advises that people always has to have a good cash position to take advantage of investment opportunities when they arise.
• Indicates that it is much better to invest in business models, which are easy to understand. 

ABOUT HOUSING, if we make a historical note that after previous downturns, people in general turned to buying a house or brick, whether to make a safe investment, have wealth in their old age, leave a legacy or make a donation their children.

For any reason whatsoever, prices are now falling. The problem is not to know if we bought an appartment or brick which is purchased from a market price today and is well bought, or bought only half right, since it is difficult to set prices in today’s market, in recession, because today taxation prices for sure in a month or two are no longer valid, and in most cases should be aware of the offer that makes you a potential purchaser to come to negotiate.

The good idea is to have purchased at the time the market price was low, so that in time, as happened after the other crises, we may see that real estate property will be worth double or triple.

I’m just speaking from the point of view of the experiences had during the time and that is expected to be repeated within + / – long time, as the housing market is cyclical, plus being one of the engines of our economy.

But always thinking in case that a real estate purchase has been made with an accouracy study, for example, in a city like Barcelona, buying in any of the areas that usually have been easy to sell, foreseeing that in future there will still be enough demand (in streets such as Passeig de Gracia, Diagonal, etc.).

ABOUT CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSES, reflecting the thinking that makes Garcia-Montalvo, economics professor at 23.05 Vanguardia, whether it is right to build in a place where there are many houses to sell, the immediate response that comes to the head is not.

But he believes it, and the example is Las Vegas, where despite having a large portfolio of empty houses, and prices suffered a decline of 60%, construction has doubled. And the trick? since the fall of the price of land and construction costs of the new homes are very competitive against surplus product already on the market.

This is a warning to Spanish developers who have not reduced prices below the mortgage value.

… Let no one take it as a council to follow, since it is only my view … a feeling + the history of past crises + the pulse of the street + how to invest today for wealthy + opportunities market price + Euribor down + …

The sensations that caused us Natal just when we arrived in the city, is that it’s in urban development, where currently are construction a large number of apartment buildings, condominiums and other real estate developments, both to the consumption of Brazilian emerging middle class to foreign investors who see Brazil as a rising economy and potential return on investment within a short period.

Natal is the capital of Rio Grande do Norte in northeastern Brazil. Those who live here can enjoy over 400km of magnificent beaches, many of which are protected by reefs and natural pools, interspersed with rivers, freshwater lakes, sand dunes and cliffs of colors. Natal is very clear, cheerful and sunny.

In the real estate fair, we could see ourselves that Brazil is in a great economic growth. Building contractors, property developers and real estate companies were present to offer visitors the many real estate developments for sale in Natal city, as in the rest of the state Rio Grande do Norte.

All these real estate developments will be announced very soon in the New Homes Real Estate Portal.

On the New Homes International Portal you will find details of new property developments currently under way all over the world. You will also find a large number of property development companies providing information about their latest new property projects, together with individual property owners advertising new homes for sale.

In addition to the advertised real estate developments, this site is offering helpful information to the buyer in the different
countries: legal steps to buy real estate, taxes, socio-politic, economic and general ideas of the choosen country to invest in. All together will be a basic tool for investors to decide between the different countries.