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Do you want to economize AND own a new custom made beach villa with marvelous ocean views in Brazil? Here is a comprehensive new-build package for overseas investors. These are just some of the advantages of building a brand new home in Brazil

• Can be cheaper than buying a re-sale home
• Built to your specifications, taste and budget
• It`s new! Cheaper option over the long term
• Significantly lower maintenance costs
• Higher rentability potential
• Better investment returns on re-sale

Common Objections to building a new home in Brazil

• How am I going to take care of the project as I can`t be in Natal to oversee the build and don`t know enough about construction
• I can`t speak Portuguese and construction companies are a headache to deal with.
• It`s too big a responsibility. All kind of things could go wrong.

The highly professional project team of Brazilian architect, engineer and project manager, all speak fluent English and have extensive experience building residential/commercial properties for international investors all over Brazil.

You make the decisions and dictate the price. BrazilBeachHouse take on all the responsibility and have contractual guarantees in place to ensure your new Brazilian property is delivered on time and on budget.
Here are the basic steps they follow to help build your brand-new Brazilian home;

1)Consultation on design,price
2)Design chosen, Project submitted for planning permission
3)Materials and fittings decided on
4)Itemized cost analysis of all materials used from the kitchen sink to the door knobs!
5)Construction work begins. Length of time for house completion can be between 4-6months depending on size of your project
6)Project completed. Keys delivered.Champagne uncorked!

Building Costs in Natal, Brazil (R$ = Reals)

STANDARD: cost for a high-quality build is R$1000 per m2 or
ECONOMY: If you would prefer to economize on the building materials the price can fall to R$750 per m2.
LUXURY: standard with the very best of fittings and finishing will cost you in the region of R$1500 per m2.
(click here for currency converter)

To lean more, visit Brazbeachhouse.

CNN Money answers the question "Are You Better Off Than Your Mom and Dad?" The good news-young people still believe in the American Dream. The report shows that young women are slightly better off than their parents while young men are slightly worse off than their parents. American IRA wants to get the word out that Self-Directed IRAs may help bridge that gap.

Charlotte, NC (PRWEB) December 14, 2011 - Jim Hitt, CEO of American IRA-A National Provider of Self-Directed IRAs, says "Things are pretty spooky. The United States, fresh from a downgrade on its bonds, was unable to come to an agreement to cut the ballooning deficit. Meanwhile, the European Union is teetering on the edge of collapse because of its own inability to get its fiscal and monetary house in order. And Iran is building nukes - and inviting a military response that could disrupt the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf.

With all this negativity it is encouraging to see that young people still believe in the American Dream and why shouldn't they?! It's within reach especially with the right tools at their disposal-Self Directed IRAs are an important part of that tool box."

Successful gold investors feel that gold is the perfect hedge against chaotic times. When economies zig, gold zags. The value of gold, priced in dollars, tends to rise under conditions like these:

• Economic or political chaos or uncertainty


• Runaway government spending


• The debasement of currency by central banks (i.e., 'quantitative easing')


• Wars and the threat of wars


• High oil prices or the threat of a disruption in supply


• War


• Inflationary periods


• Poor investing environments in stocks and bonds


• Low yields, thanks to "easy money" policies and/or a 'flight to safety'."

While gold doesn't pay a dividend, in some ways it is the ideal retirement asset: It has intrinsic value. It is reasonably liquid; it is volatile enough to warrant being a long-term holding. It provides a diversification benefit against stocks, bonds, real estate, small businesses and employment fortunes. And together with real estate, it may be among the few assets in their portfolio that can never go to zero. In fact, the worse things get, the better gold is likely to perform.

Owning Gold in an IRA?:
Individual Retirement Arrangements aren't limited to stocks, bonds and mutual funds. IRA's can invest in a wide variety of valuable assets, including certain kinds of gold. No, they can't use an IRA to own jewelry or other collectibles. But they can own gold bullion and coins, including American Eagles, Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins, American Silver Eagle coins and American Platinum Eagle coins. They can also own gold and silver bars, provided the purity is at least 99.9 percent. They cannot own South African Kruggerands, however, among some other prohibited coins.

Restrictions:
They cannot own jewelry in an IRA. And they cannot take physical possession of the gold. Otherwise the government will consider the amount they take possession of to be a distribution - subject to taxes and penalties.

Instead, investors who want to own gold within an IRA must find a trustee who will set up a special account called a 'self-directed IRA.' The trustee will help them select a custodian, who will hold the gold on their behalf.

Like all other IRA accounts, they can only contribute a maximum of $5,000 in new money per year ($6,000 for those over age 50) to all their IRAs combined, subject to certain income requirements (see IRS Publication 590 for details on contribution limitations to IRAs.) They can roll over an unlimited amount from other IRA accounts into a self-directed IRA. If they want a higher contribution limit, they may consider establishing a self-directed SEP IRA account or solo 401(k) plan.

Alternatives:
Of course, just because they have a self-directed gold IRA, they aren't limited to physical gold. They can also invest their gold allocation in gold-linked securities, including gold mining stocks, ETFs and mutual funds.

Gold may be a good choice for those in businesses that are very cyclical, who are very closely tied to the stock or bond markets in other areas of their portfolio, who does not need to generate immediate income from that portion of his holdings, and who may be pessimistic about the U.S. or global economy.

Jim Hitt, CEO of American IRA-A National Provider of Self-Directed IRAs, cautions "We do not give investment advice. We share this article to give investors information on how gold investments work and, while these investments have been largely successful for our clients, we advise anyone thinking about this or any type of investment to meet with their financial advisor and/or financial professional before making any investment decisions. It is also critical for every investor to do their "due diligence" in researching investments before making any investment."

According to many industry professionals in the Middle East, the Dubai Property market is finally on the road to recovery. This has certainly been helped by the huge increase in demand from international buyers, many from the UK and the rest of Europe that are looking for a cheap investment property with good rental yields. Many Middle Eastern buyers have put a lot of interest in the higher end properties such as the Burj Khalifa and the Old Town Dubai.

Property World Dubai is adamant that the Dubai property market is close to the bottom of the down turn. Now the big question for so long time has been - how far can it go down? The answer is simple. It depends on who you talk to about it. Many brokers and landlords in Dubai still have properties advertised at old prices. So, if you have two identical properties available on the same floor in the same building, one is priced at 500,000 dirham the other is priced at 650,000 dirham, is the market going to continue to come down for the later owner? Yes it is.

Properties in Dubai are selling like hot cakes according to Peter Twist of Property World Dubai. "As long as the property is priced correctly, it will sell. There is no shortage of buyers in the Dubai market at this time, many of our buyers are from the UK or at least have been resident in the UK for some years".

Many owners of Dubai Property have seen huge drops in the prices since the crash; some report up to 60%. Buyer interest has been weak for the last 2 years however, due to a very stable market for the last 6 months; it seems buyers feel more confident in the Dubai property market once again.

Property World Dubai has seen an increase in the rental market, especially Jumeirah Lake Towers and Dubai Marina as these areas have now become more affordable to the majority. There has also been an increase in the higher end properties as more companies have relocated their offices to different areas in Dubai to capitalise on the low commercial rental prices.
Many relocation companies are reporting that they have a very big demand from high end corporate clients that are relocating from huge companies currently based in the likes of Singapore and Hong Kong.

The upturn in the market will surely be welcomed by the Dubai Government who has recently announced that they will once again be providing resident visas for investors in Dubai. This news will have a huge impact on the Dubai property market. The issuing of the Dubai residency visas will be finalised over the forthcoming months.
About the Author

Source: Dubai Property World

What is it about Antigua that brings everyone there, searching for the ideal piece of property? For starters, the weather is close to perfect. The winters are nice and warm and remain in the mid-seventies. And although most people would assume that the summers are unbearable, it generally does not get any hotter than somewhere in the mid-eighties. This means that it is never too hot and it is never too cold which means that it is just about perfect all year round.

When most people think of Caribbean islands, they assume that there is a lot of rain. In Antigua, that could not be further from the truth as there is only about forty five inches of rainfall during an entire year. This means that your beautiful weather is not always going to be ruined by passing storms. But the weather is not the only thing that makes purchasing property in Antigua such a popular idea.

The native people of the island are extremely friendly and the local government welcomes new people to the island. The purchase of their land from foreigners is not looked down upon, which is something special compared to all of the places out there that would never allow such a transaction to take place.

And besides just the natural beauty of the land and the friendliness of the people, there is a beauty that is found in the culture, the carnivals, and the night life that simply cannot be found anywhere else. You can lay on the beach one day, learn about the history of the island another, and then take up sailing on another day. There is what seems to be an endless list of things to do and sights to see in Antigua.

Since there are so many positive points to purchasing property in Antigua, what is stopping you? It is a beautiful island that many people are already running to in order to have their own little personal piece of paradise, make sure that you are not missing out.

Paradise Properties Connection Ltd. is a professional, full service personalized real estate company and has been in existence for 5 years dealing on a one-to-one basis with exclusive clients. Paradise Properties Connection Ltd. has comprehensive Antigua real estate listings. Properties and villas for sale, land for sale and luxury villa rentals are available across the entire island of Antigua.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2626401

Entrust to Teach Investors About Offshore Real Estate Investing with An IRA

Paradise isn't lost, even in the wake of a devastating financial crisis that saw many Americans' retirement savings vanish. It's still possible to retire in a dream destination, and The Entrust Group will show IRA investors some of the ways to get there with "Offshore Real Estate Investing," a live webinar scheduled for June 14 at 10 a.m. PDT. Host and Entrust Principal Catherine Wynne will explore different approaches for purchasing foreign property in an IRA, and how IRA-holders can live in the property once they've retired.

"Many people may think that offshore IRA real estate investing sounds complicated. Like any other offshore investment, it takes research and due diligence," says Catherine Wynne. "With this webinar, we aim to provide investors key information to assist with informed decision making. International investment opportunities abound for those with the skill and patience to work their way through the process."

The June 14 webinar is the third in Entrust's national webinar series, which addresses a range of topics from the basics of self-directed retirement plans to the multitude of investments possible within them. Each 60-minute webinar, hosted by a knowledgeable presenter, includes an interactive question and answer session so attendees can get the most out of the curriculum. "While we offer an extensive local network of educational events, we're excited to be promoting a new series of national events online," says Hugh Bromma, Founder and CEO of The Entrust Group. Other upcoming webinar topics include Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), and prohibited transactions.

About The Entrust Group
For 30 years, Entrust (theentrustgroup.com) has provided account administration services for self-directed retirement plans. Entrust assists clients in purchasing alternative investments with their retirement savings and administers investments that are typically unavailable through a brokerage firm. Entrust's goal is to educate and empower individuals to take charge of their retirement through the use of self-directed IRAs and tax-advantaged plans. The company provides administration and record keeping services so that individuals have more time and freedom to determine their financial future through a wide array of tax-deferred or tax-free options.

Residential properties are one great way of owning a piece of real estate for investors, but it is certainly not the only way. Investing in commercial real estate such as malls, medical office buildings, large properties, and hospitals - may provide investors with an income stream, potential tax benefits, protection against inflation, and substantial growth opportunities. In addition, real estate is a great way to add diversification benefits when combining it with other types of non-correlated investments such as equities and fixed income securities. Therefore, commercial real estate can provide investors with a way to shield against volatile market conditions.

An investment opportunity
Years ago, commercial real estate investments were only attainable by institutional investors, wealthy individuals, and trusts with significant financial resources. Today, with the advent of products such as real estate investment trusts (REITs), many investors now have access to commercial real estate investments and opportunities that were once available to only the cream of the crop.

How it works
The most often used vehicle for investing in commercial real estate is the REIT. Although investing in commercial real estate was restricted to wealthy individual and corporations 50 years ago, since the REIT was created, the real estate market has attracted a much broader and much larger group of investors because it allowed regular investors to participate. REITs are like most other funds in the way they get capital for their operations. They raise money from investors and pool all the funds to acquire properties such as hospitals and office buildings. As long as REITs closely adhere to the laws applicable to them, most notably distributing at least 90% of all their taxable income to investors, they avoid double taxation of its income at the REIT level. This distribution is the major source of the income that REIT investors receive.

When investors place their money in any REIT, they are putting their money in the hands of real estate professionals that monitor changes and trends in the real estate market, mortgage rate movements, regional trends, and other factors. In addition to all the external factors, the REIT's success will also be affected by the fund manager's skills, experience, and talent.

REITs come in two forms: traded and non-traded fashions. Each has its own advantages and risks. However, this article concentrated on non-traded REITs.

Potential benefits

Non-traded REITs may offer:

Steady income streams. Non-traded REITs may provide a revenue stream in the form of monthly or quarterly distributions. This gives fixed-income investors with a steady cash flow.

Protection of principal. Although the economy's ups and downs can affect real estate values, REITs that invest in high-quality real estate assets can maintain their values.

Capital appreciation. With a sufficiently long time horizon, real estate can provide investors with back-end appreciation which can translate into significant rates of returns.

Inflation protection. Real estate typically withstands the erosive nature of inflation.

Tax advantages. Many investors benefit from holding real estate investments because the investor's taxable income is reduced by taking advantage of depreciation deductions. When the asset is sold, the income that was protected by the deductions is taxed at potentially lower capital gains taxes.

Warren Buffet one of the richest men in the world has some sage advice when it comes to investment

"Be fearful when others are greedy and be greedy when others are fearful".

There is no doubt that the crash of the real estate bubble has burned investors and banks worldwide, it is at this point however where the smart investor gets in.

Although in these times a different view should be taken on a property investment. The investment should be viewed upon its return from an income generating perspective rather than just an expectation of future capital growth. If the last couple of years have thought us anything is that world events can change investment markets in a heartbeat. So aim for properties with good returns on investment with a strong rental covenant (Long Term Tenant).

The Rule of thumb is that rental income minus costs as a percentage of the price of the investments (including taxes and fees) must be 2 -3 % above the prevailing interest rate. This gives us a good risk buffer to work with.

Top Two Reasons for Investing in Real Estate Now!

1. Safety

The rule of thumb as mentioned above would have been very difficult to achieve in the middle of the economic boom but now it is quite common to have properties yielding up to 6%. Take advantage of this but be sure to invest in areas where there is a strong rental market. As prices rise property will become a more risky asset. This is the time to invest while prices are low to give you that safety buffer than investors who are late to the market will not receive.

2. Leverage is on the way back

Although it is not at the level it was at before leverage is slowly coming back. Leverage refers to the level of debt you can receive on your investment. In order to explain this further here is a real world example.

Say you buy a piece of real estate for $100,000 and you borrow 60% of this @ 4%.
You have put down $40,000 and are due to pay back $2,400 interest to the bank per year.
You receive a 6% income on the investment = $6,000 - $2,400 (bank debt) = $3,600.

An income of $3,600 on a $40,000 investment represents a 9% return. With this simple example we can see how a little leverage can turn a 6% return in to a 9% return.

Now imagine 80% leverage, this generates a 14% return. Leverage is slowly on the way back and the more leverage in the market the more investors will come in to market pushing prices higher. Get in the market now and when banks become more leverage friendly you will have most likely have two favourable options.

1. Sell your property to an investor for substantially more than you paid.
2. Remortgage your property in order to increase your percentage return on funds invested.

These are just two of many aspects of why you should invest in the real estate market now. With people being fearful about purchasing it is your chance in snap up a bargain that produces real income in the short term and the prospect of a huge payoff in the long term.

Sao Paulo, Brazil has a substantial Expat community and a site called Gringoes.com is at the center of it, there I've met some of the most interesting people through my relationship with the Founder of this Brazilian expat community online hub. We've been friends from about the first year I moved to Brazil in '02, we've attend the occasional seminar together, but mostly communicate online, through LinkedIn. We became associated with the man behind my favorite Brazil, real-estate website called "BrazBeachHouse.com". What a great hook-up, this team of realtors working the best beaches of Brazil, to showcase the most mouth-watering ocean properties. They've earned a tremendous reputation amongst our friends and contacts, by providing world-class service, plus earned the highest accolades for being super helpful. Mike Smith should be followed on Twitter, or better yet, surf the site and make contact.

Here's a revealing statement from the Brazil Beach House website:

We can empathize with our clients as we were in the same situation when first purchasing property in Brazil. After overcoming the challenges of buying property in Natal, setting up a company, gaining permanent residency and learning the language we feel that we are in a strong position to help international investors wishing to do the same.

My full disclosure is that I am not paid to recommend Brazil Beach House and my opinions of beach-front property in Brazil is very bias, always favoring the exceptional over the ordinary. I believe that with over 3,000 kilometers of ocean property it's more likely to find your ultimate place in the sun here in Brazil. Also, I'm partial to this culture. Hope you remember to bookmark Brazil Beach House and tell your friends to Digg it, Tweet it, and get the word out.

For many years, investing in the stock market was anything but easy. As an investor, you had to carefully research which stocks to buy, decide how much weight to give to the advice of your broker, then monitor the ticker carefully to determine whether to hold, and when it was time to bail out.

But the advent of mutual funds provided a much more hassle-free path to stock market investing for individuals who liked the idea of turning over the decision-making to experts. By buying shares in a mutual fund, the individual investor placed his money in a pool, alongside the funds of many other shareowners, which was then used to purchase a large portfolio of securities chosen by market professionals. If the fund managers did their homework well, the value of shares in the fund would grow nicely; inevitable losses from some holdings in the portfolio were offset by broad gains elsewhere. And the mutual fund share owner had no day-to-day decisions to make, once he selected the fund that looked right for him. Finally, mutual fund shares were liquid - the individual investor could pull money out of the fund much more easily than a conventional securities owner.

Today, the REIT - Real Estate Investment Trust - brings the mutual fund idea to the field of real estate investing. REITS are perfect for Individuals who would like to position their investment dollars to take advantage of real estate's profit potential, but are wary of the complications of conventional investment choices like rehabs or new construction, or are too busy to acquire the skills needed to navigate the real estate mine field. Instead, they can now buy shares in a REIT and let a team of professionals navigate the mine field.

Almost all REITs fall into two categories. They are either Equity REITs or Mortgage REITs or a hybrid of the two. Equity REITS use their pooled funds to acquire income producing properties - residences, office buildings, shopping centers...etc.. Mortgage REITs invest in income producing paper, by providing mortgages directly to property owners or operators or by purchasing existing mortgages. In both cases, whether from rents or mortgage payments, a REIT must annually distribute as dividends to its shareholders at least 90% of its taxable income.

As with mutual funds, REIT shares are liquid; shares can be sold at almost any time. And, again like mutual funds, the investment is passive - the individual shareholder is only faced with one decision: which REIT to own. All other choices are left to the REIT administrators.

On the other hand, a REIT doesn't give an individual owner any choice in which properties or mortgages are purchased - once you invest in a REIT, you accept the decisions of others.

How Law Changes Have Drawn in More Foreign Real Estate Investors

by Nadine Davis ~ Thanks mostly to new laws regarding the foreign ownership of land in Australia, there are more offshore investors in Queensland property than ever before. The Foreign Investment Review Board changed laws concerning foreign ownership in late 2008. Before that, offshore investors could only own up to 50% of any Australian property. Under the new laws, full foreign ownership in brand new residential construction is now permitted.

The Allure of Australian Real Estate:

Although the pace has picked up significantly in recent years, foreign investors have long been enamoured of the Australian real estate market. Indeed, buyers agents Brisbane are regularly hired by investors from Russia, China, Malaysia, South Africa and other far-flung places. Along with the assistance of a buyers agent, investors like these are able to make extraordinary money from well-chosen investments in property in Qld - especially in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. With full ownership now possible, it's clear that foreign investments in Australian property are only going to escalate.

Who's Doing the Investing?

There are two main players when it comes to offshore investing in Australian property: Russia and China. The Chinese invested approximately $22.76 million in the last year alone; Russians invested approximately $22.7m themselves. Since it's only been a little more than a year since the new laws went into effect, it is quite likely that these numbers are only going to grow going forward. It's easy to see that the Russian, Chinese and many others are experiencing very favorable outcomes from their investment in Australian property.

The Chinese have been investing in Australian property for quite some time. and continue to be the biggest foreign buyers of property in the country. Russia is quickly catching up, though, as its economy and changing demographics prompt more and more of its citizens to get into the real estate market. Success in the mining and oil industries has armed many Russians with the means to invest seriously in real estate - and Australia is a natural choice. Furthermore, a growing middle class in Russia means that there are more people with expendable income than ever in that country.

The Dubai Connection:

In addition to the changing laws in Australia, developments in Dubai have also played a role in the increasing popularity of offshore investing in Australian property. The real estate market in Dubai collapsed, leaving many investors high and dry - and scrambling for new, more reliable opportunities. For many of them, Australia was a natural choice. Close on the heels of the Dubai real estate market crash, Australian rules and laws changed, opening up the playing field to more foreign investors. All of these converging factors have created key opportunities for offshore investors in the Australian real estate market.

About the Author

There's no doubt that Buyers Agents Brisbane assist local residents with property investment. Did you realise, that it's very common for a foreign investor to hire a Buyers Agent Brisbane like Hot Property Specialists www.hotpropertyspecialists.com.au/ to assist in the purchase of their investment?

The Asian Development Bank launched a $9 billion solar power initiative to develop projects generating 3,000 megawatts by 2012.

The announcement, which came at the regional lending agency's annual meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, said that Central Asian countries would be prime candidates for siting the projects.

"Given Central Asia's growing demand for electricity, the availability of desert land for large- scale solar energy development, and their stated commitment to offset high carbon emissions, several countries in the region are excellent candidates for ADB support through this initiative," ADB managing director general Rajat Nag said.

The development bank will provide $2.25 billion in direct financing, expecting to leverage another $6.75 billion in private financing for the projects. It will experiment with other methods to attract private-sector investment, such as soliciting $500 million from donor countries to "buy down" some of the up-front capital costs in solar power projects.

"With energy demand projected to almost double in the Asia and Pacific region by 2030, there is an urgent need for innovative ways to generate power while at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions," Nag said. "Sustainable solar energy can be the clean power of the future if there are appropriate incentive and financing mechanisms in place."

The initiative also includes a Solar Energy Forum to function as a knowledge-sharing platform. This forum will hold a conference in July in Manila, the headquarters of the ADB.

National Bank of Abu Dhabi Added to Sponsor Roster for Next Week's Latin America Mid-East Investors Forum in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, April 21, 2010 - The National Bank of Abu Dhabi is the newest sponsor of next week's Latin America Mid-East Investors Forum, a move that reinforces the growing bond between Latin America and the Middle East in a number of areas including agribusiness, real estate, infrastructure, oil, renewables and more.

The Forum takes place this coming Monday and Tuesday, April 26th and 27th, at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi, and features senior-level executives from Latin America's corporate and investment community, as well as public sector leaders such as the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) and the head of Public Credit for the Republic of Mexico.

Registration to the forum is nearly full, with a few seats left for qualified institutional investors representing SWFs, family offices, asset managers, private equity and direct investors, and high-net worth retail investors. Registration for these delegates is free of charge and must be confirmed before the event starts.

Press is also invited to attend and cover the event at no cost. Visit www.latinfinance.com/la-meif or contact Alex Rubin on
arubin@latinfinance.com, +1-305-357-4216, to register.

When you want to invest in the Cayman Islands, the place that you should be contacting is the Chamber of Commerce, as this is the best center to get any kind of business related information. This island has been a favorite spot for most business ventures for a long time now, since it has many potentials for investing in a Cayman Company.

There are many options to choose from in the Caymans, whether you want to invest in real estate, mutual funds or perhaps a business partnership, as any investments done on this island would be a lucrative venture. It is said, that investments flourish on this island simply because of the expansion in the population and the tourism industry.

In addition, there are also some key factors such as:

The stability in the government; the strong economic climate based on tourism; the intercontinental banking options and also the cutting edge national infrastructure.

The fact that investors would not have to pay the local taxation, such as capital gains, non-resident tax, income tax or any other comparable taxes that you will find in Cayman.

There are absolutely no restrictions on investors in regards to purchases.

There is maximum privacy and the investors don't have to worry about reporting earnings or ownerships to the government agencies.

Socially responsible investing (SRI) also sometimes referred to as sustainable investing or ethical investing, is the practice of making investment decisions based not solely on financial consideration but with a social consciousness at work. SRI looks at ethical, environmental and social concerns. SRI is not a new strategy, in fact people have been doing it for years and anyone who has been looking into opportunities lately will see an abundance of different projects.

There is little doubt that we face major global challenges in the decades ahead - global warming, burgeoning demand for resources, transport congestion, trading imbalances, an expanding global population and so on - but these challenges present equally major opportunities for those companies that have the foresight and capability to deliver solutions to these challenges.

In order to make the best picks for the companies you choose to invest your green stocks in, you need to be knowledgeable about the companies and to do thorough research. This can be incredibly time consuming in order the find the right investment.

The key factor which determines whether an investment is a fair deal is the risk vs the reward element. Don't be blinded by emotion, or sucked in by sales tactics talking about "potential" or "position" or "future growth"... Unless you can quantify the investment's potential to make money BEFORE you commit, you're leaving your chances of success up to chance.

Fair Deal Investments (FDI) has built a reputation of only recommending secure investment opportunities that have passed rigorous due diligence procedures and moreover, have a real chance to provide investors with a higher than average return on their investment whilst carrying a low risk factor.

For more information on FDI and their latest recommendations please visit www.fairdealinvestments.co.uk

Uruguay is a place that people fall in love with. The extensive, untouched beaches, old-world charm of capital Montevideo, and warm Uruguayan attitudes towards foreigners all play their part. In fact the most trouble tourists have in Uruguay is when trying to leave!

But there's something else which is attracting alarming numbers of visitors. Uruguay real estate. To Europeans and Westerners Uruguay real estate is looking so attractive that it's even getting the Uruguyans worried.

The problem is, Uruguay house prices refuse to fall. Why is it that when real estate has been dropping like a stone in the US, Uruguay has carried on as if the financial crisis had never happened?

Low base prices - Uruguay had its own fiscal crisis in 2002, the effects of which have knocked real estate values down to what others might consider ''unnaturally low'' levels.

Low carrying costs - It's very hard to get financing in Uruguay - but the lack of debt and low insurance (from low debt and infrequent incidence of natural disasters) keep house prices down.

Low Taxes - Uruguay taxes are comparatively low, and, best of all from an expat view, you only pay tax on income derived in Uruguay,

Liberal laws toward foreign ownership - this has made it a haven of sorts for Brazilians looking for a safe place to park cash and Argentines looking for anywhere to hide funds outside the clutches of a government that appears to be in trouble. In fact, the Uruguayan government even offers fast-track citizenship for foreigners that purchase real estate over a certain value.

All these factors mean that property prices continue to grow across the spectrum in Uruguay. From, campos (large traditional farms) to chacras (cottages with 10-15 acres of land) to city centre apartments, prices remain level or rising. Increasingly, foreigners are getting in while prices remain affordable. It's still possible to get a city centre apartment (or even a small house) for around $30,000 dollars. You don't have to pay with Uruguyan currency, in fact native Uruguyans use dollars far more frequently than pesos when buying property.

That said, investors looking to make millions should look elsewhere. The most meteoric growth has been seen in the coastal ''balnearios'' and holiday towns like Piriapolis and Punta Del Este - growth fed by mostly by Uruguay's neighbours. Argentinians combine both a holiday house and a ''safe'' investment when they buy into Uruguay real esate. But in the capital Montevideo, prices have risen more steadily than dramatically.

Compared to most developed countries, Uruguay is manna from heaven. For a stable property investment, in a country where friendliness and good weather come as standard, Uruguay's hard to beat.

Get the inside scoop on uruguay real estate. Beautiful houses at the best prices. Find the latest news on property purchases and rentals in the real estate section of Uruguay's only English news digest.