If you are the financial controller in your business, you may be interested to know that many corporate clients are using a relatively small foreign exchange company and are retaining more of their profits today, than their competitors.

How?

They are using the services of a specialist currency conversion business to buy, or sell, their currency in a pre-planned manner. By doing this, the currency service provider is managing to shave off large amounts of profit that their usual fx supplier makes.

Because the currency exchange company only converts currency for physical delivery, they trade considerable volume every day. Because they trade large currency volume, they can buy at a discounted rate from their treasury provider, in this case, HSBC.

Bottom line? …. Buy your currency through a FX dealer who buys in bulk and use their discount to get a much better rate than at your own bank.

Most businesses don’t have the time to consider how much of a difference it would make to their bottom-line if they used a foreign exchange dealer, other than their bank. One phone call, or email, could save thousands on each transaction.

• Easy Online registration
• Dedicated corporate dealers
• Client segregated accounts
• Competitive transfer fees, in some cases, no charge.
• Inbound & outbound payments
• No contractual obligations

More information on FAQ’s for corporate foreign exchange transfers here.

Save your company money and make life easier.

The Silver Coast hugs the North Atlantic coastline and stretches from Porto down to Portugal’s capital city, Lisbon.

Until recently the region of the Silver Coast was a well kept secret that only the locals knew about. But now this area, with its rolling landscape, beautiful beaches, great sporting facilities and affordable real estate is a popular destination for tourists, golfers and property investors alike. Listed as the third most profitable location in Europe to invest in (by “A Place in the Sun”), the Silver Coast could be the ideal place to buy a second holiday home investment. The Silver Coast offers good prospects for rental from both the local market and from holidaymakers. The area is cheaper than the Algarve and has the potential of significant property price rises.

For properties for sale on the Silver Coast…… click here

The Silver Coast (locally known as Costa de Prata) is less than an hour’s drive from Lisbon International airport along ….. Read the rest of this article here

Better Homes Plus has been leading the Dubai real estate revolution for over 20 years in the Emirates and given the young history of the country, this really means that they’ve been around longer than most buildings in Dubai. With over 15 branches throughout the emirates catering to property in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and a team of over 700 professionals, it’s no wonder Better Homes Plus is the region’s premier real estate company with the largest selection of Dubai property. So, whether you want to buy, sell, or rent a property in Dubai or anywhere in the UAE, they’ll be happy to assist you. 

Their comprehensive range of Dubai investment property services and Dubai property for sale listings that cover all types of residential and commercial real estate including villas, apartments, short-term rental properties, and office spaces combined with our fun and friendly attitude mean that real estate just isn’t as boring and complex as it used to be. After all, we know property - he’s a great guy!

Better Homes Plus cover a wide range of comprehensive services that cater to international, residential, and commercial markets. But that’s not all we do, we also offer property management and marketing services so that you can rest assured you’re dealing with a thorough and trusted property partner.

The list of services Better Homes Plus offer, include:

Residential Sales and Leasing. Whether you are looking to rent, buy, or sell property, their experienced team of consultants can help you identify a list of potential properties best suited to your requirements. So if it’s a slick city apartment, a dream home in the suburbs, or a holiday home overseas, they’ve got it all covered.

Commercial Sales and Leasing. Offering leasing and sales brokering services for commercial properties, they help you find the best place or return for your business. Their international network, considerable market experience, and sophisticated data system ensures that the requirements of both occupants and landlords are fully met. So whether you need an office, shop, warehouse or labour camp, their Commercial team has the market insight to find and prepare a property that allows your business to achieve its full potential.

International Sales. Better Homes’ specialised team, with its offices and liaisons worldwide, provide strategic advice and sales services to a wide range of commercial and residential clients including developers, investors, and corporate institutions. If you’re interested in buying property overseas, whether in Europe, the Middle East, or the Caribbean, you’ve found the right property partner with Better Homes.

Property Management. From maintenance, lease, and tenant management right through to marketing, financial advice, legal guidance, and a whole host of extra value services; Property Management looks after everything to ensure that your property has and retains a competitive edge.

Short Stays. If you’re looking for a short-term living solution while on holiday or business, they offer tailor-made accommodation in the most attractive residential districts of Dubai.

Find out more about Emerald Hotel Apartments by Better Homes.

Project Sales and Marketing. The Better Homes Plus team provides specialised sales and marketing services for select clients launching prestigious developments. From developing a unique selling point to formulating pricing strategies and achieving the right unit size and mix, the team has the expertise to make a good project a runaway success.

Better Plus. Better Plus, Better Homes’ one call service provider, offers its clients reliable, high quality, and best-price home and lifestyle services. By sorting out your requirements, no matter how simple or diverse they may be, we help you improve the quality of your life and find ways to bring you convenient peace of mind.

The International real estate agent today, will need to offer their better homes, plus better web marketing. Most International property agents just settle for a nice looking web site.

One site that looks like it’s set to outperform other global property sites is Globalprops.com. Their web marketing skills allow them to create a brand new site for an estate agent, then make the site rise through the ranks until it reaches the top of the major search engines on almost any given keyword, or phrase.

How do they do it? Well, that will remain with their web master. But if you want a better site, for for your homes for sale, the surprise is IT’S ALL FREE!

So,

• you get a free web site for your International homes for sale
• you get your properties listed on another international property portal for free
• and, you don’t have to lift a finger!

Read on here….

Looking for the dream Italian property for less than £250,000?

How about this fantastic restored villa, set in a sublime location, in the untouched area of Italy, known as Puglia ( Apulia ).

The Italian property is set in the  area of Fasano. It is a trulli of 180 sqm in a sublime panoramic location. The property has 3 bedrooms, off entrance hall/lounge, large kitchen, large storeroom or additional bedroom, bathroom. A Plan is available at the featured Italian property estate agent site.

There is additional accommodation in a converted stable, currently an apartment with 1 bedroom, kitchen bathroom and cellar.

The Trulli also has a car port and the external patio areas all have stone paving. The land, with various trees, extends for around 8,000 sq m. Short distance from the sea.

View this bargain trulli villa in Puglia here.

One development that has successfully offered fractional share property in the Algarve is Pestana Golf Resort.

The dream of owning a beautiful holiday or retirement home in the Algarve with its warm climate the unique and superb beaches and golf courses involves a major financial investment and is sometimes difficult to justify if the property is only used occasionally. There is an Alternative: The Four Owner Plan at the Pestana Golf Resort Carvoeiro a convenient rotating system gives each owner the opportunity to enjoy the mild climate of the Algarve throughout the year. For a relatively small investment you become part owner of a freehold property which is yours to enjoy throughout the year on a rotating basis. With three other independent parties you own a luxury apartment at Pestana Golf & Resorts each quarter secured by individual title deeds.

Prices range from €85,250 to €145.900 for Apartments to Linked Villas with the popular four owner plan. The owners can use the property for thirteen weeks of the year. Pestana Golf Resort Four Owner Plan is a freehold purchase and the Title Deeds are registered with the Land Registry in Portugal.

Buying fractional ownership property, through this well proven system, considerably reduces the cost of ownership as it is split into four equal parts each owner using the property for thirteen weeks of the year. This system has been devised whereby each owner is not limited to any one period of the year. For example during one year they may occupy the property during April August and December and in the next year March July and November. Each property is purchased fully furnished the interior being designed to ensure comfort and luxury using the highest standards of furnishings and fabrics.

Pestana golf resorts professional management team takes care of the maintenance and administration of your property. These personalised services allow you to fully enjoy your leisure time in your home. With each purchased period ownership brings a range of generous reductions within the group which include reductions on green fees reductions for your guests etc. Golf membership for two people is offered with each period membership also brings reduced bar & restaurant bills at the three clubhouses.

Elite Realty are members of the International Estate agents Global Property Network called Globalprops where there are estate agents from all over the World offering a wide choice of properties for sale including fractional ownership offers.

To view an example of a fractional ownership property in the Algarve, on the Pestana Golf Resort, go here.

Priced at just €99,000 ( about £80,000 … go here to make an accurate currency conversion), this 2 bedroom golf apartment is an absolute bargain.

This first floor apartment has just been reduced, as it’s now a distressed property sale, and is set in the sublime location of Valle del Este golf resort in Andalucia, Spain. The apartment is fully furnished. The golf is great and superb value. Access to the Mojacar area is fantastic by air, land or sea and it’s difficult to find a cheaper golf property for sale.

The course is around 15 minutes to the beach and Valle Del Este has its own beach club offering a very good restaurant/bar and outdoor pool. The airport of Almeria is around 45 minutes and Murcia is 1 hour and 10 minutes away. The development of Valle del Este offers great facilities such as a luxury hotel, an 18 hole golf course, golf club, pro shop, driving range and practise putting area. The hotel offers a fitness club and spa treatment centre. Valle del Este also has a Commercial centre with bars, restaurants and shops. These facilities are a short walk from the apartment AN AMAZING OFFER!

The International Property agent’s network, Globalprops, has this Spanish based estate agent as part of their global property network. They have many distressed bargain properties for sale in the Almeria region of Spain.

View the apartment here.

They are based in the Western Algarve town of Lagos and offer a wide range of luxury properties for sale. Whether you are looking for an Oceanside villa with far-reaching seaviews, a farmhouse in the country, a holiday home or an investment home, the ladies at Elite Realty will be able to help.

Sara and Sandra are both Portuguese and, if they don’t have what you are looking for already on their books, they will use all of their local contacts to find you that perfect home in the sun. Offering homes for sale in Western Portugal makes their job relatively easy. The location is stunning. There’s miles of sandy beaches, small private coves and gorgeous private villas set in sublime locations.

Visit Elite Realty for great value luxury homes for sale in the Algarve.

Ocean Country have offices in Lagos and about 6 km west of Lagos, at Praia da Luz - an hour’s drive from Faro International Airport. Luz has a superb sandy beach and the village is set within a gorgeous bay of safe clear blue water. At Praia da Luz you will find a broad range of water-sports and will be spoilt for choice with the many charming beachside bars and restaurants. The cliff pathways above the beach afford excellent walks.
Passing westward from Portimão along the glorious 4 km long beach of Meia Praia that comprises about half of Lagos Bay, the beautiful walled historic city of Lagos, marks the beginning of the western Algarve which includes the Costa Vicentina Nature Reserve. With a lively cosmopolitan atmosphere and within walking distance of several splendid beaches, Lagos possesses a busy marina, a choice of attractive bars and restaurants, and a delightful palm-tree lined promenade that comes into its own on those long hot summer evenings.

The pleasant fishing port of Sagres in the Algarve’s southwest corner, comes to life during the summer months as a centre for ‘serious’ surfing, diving and fishing. Close by are the dramatic and historic rocky headlands of Cape St Vincent and Cape Sagres, on the horns of the windy crescent of the Bay of Beliche. Cape St Vincent is Europe’s most southwesterly point and, up to the end of the 15th century, was considered, literally, the “End of The World.”

All west-coast beaches are excellently suited to all types of surfing, body-boarding, kite-surfing or wind-surfing. Spectacular west-coast beaches include, Martinhal, Amado, Bordeira, Arrifana and Odeceixe.
Moving inland you will find the Monchique mountains, and the small highland town of the same name lies some 2000 m above sea level in the midst of rich green forest. With spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and the coastline, Monchique provides an often-welcome break from beaches, holiday resorts and the general hubbub of the coast. Here you can breath in the clean air with its delicate perfumes of wild thyme, arbutus, eucalyptus, bougainvillea and mimosa.
To choose from a selection of coastal and inland properties for sale, visit Ocean Country’s site, Algarve Ocean Property.

While you may be stepping into relatively unknown territory by buying property in the Algarve, plenty of foreigners have done it before you. There is a well- established procedure and there is no shortage of sound advice available on all aspects of buying a home in the Algarve.

The Algarve climate is one of the healthiest and most pleasant in the world. There is sufficient seasonal variation. The winters are never too cold and the summers never too hot. The skies are predominately blue all year round. The ideal place to buy a property abroad, you might say.

The Algarve has managed to retain its timeless “old world” charm and traditional values even though it is an integral part of an ambitious, forward-looking nation, and tourism is its major economic activity.

The nation’s constitution and well-founded legal system give overseas buyers and property owners the same fundamental rights and protection as those enjoyed by Portuguese citizens.

Air links and telecommunications facilities are excellent. Faro and Lisbon international airports serve buyers of property in Portugal well. With the internet, you can be as globally in touch as you want to be.

The Algarve region is best known for its spectacular coastline, including scores of glorious beaches. Less known, but equally attractive, is its hinterland of vineyards, olive, almond, carob and fig trees, rising to rolling hills and the plains of the province of Alentejo beyond.

Language is generally not a problem and, anyway, you will enjoy picking up at least a smattering of Portuguese. You can get by in English or German, as long as you understand the Portuguese all purpose expression that sums up any and all of life’s minor travails: “não faz mal” - “it doesn’t matter.”

A cost of living table compiled by the London Sunday Times on prices in the UK, Holland, Belgium and Italy, augmented by a fair comparison made in Portugal, showed that the same basket of 22 groceries cost much the same-around £50 - in Portugal, Holland and Belgium, £10 less than in Italy and over £30 cheaper than in the UK.

The only things completely missing here that you may find in sunny places such as Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Florida or the Caribbean are …. hurricanes, sweltering summers, pollution or high crime rates.

To deal with a Global Property Network agent, when looking for properties for sale in the Algarve, visit TheAlgarveProperty.net and choose from some of the best value properties for sale in the Lagos and Luz region of West Algarve.