Looking to expand your offshore property portfolio? If you want a stable, low-risk investment that gives you a fixed income on your money year after year, offshore real estate is still one of the top performers.
There’s no doubt about it. Property, as an investment, has consistently performed over the years. The benefits of offshore real estate are many: long-term wealth generation, a tangible asset class, stable currency exposure, rental income and low cost of finance in some of the key markets.
A big attraction for investors from Africa is the exposure to a stable economy. “We are exposed as Africans to volatility in our countries – volatile currencies and volatile political situations – so offshore real estate is a very attractive proposition. Investing in property in a first world economy in a stable political environment just makes sense,” says Brad Bendall, Group Sales Director at Carrick. One such environment is France, where Carrick has just released an exciting offering for potential investors.
Why France?
France attracts high numbers of tourists for many reasons: the romantic attraction of Paris, the capital city; art, history and culture; its reputation as a culinary destination; the combination of mountains, country and beaches; and strategic location to the UK and 11 bordering countries. So when the Halcyon Group approached Carrick about exclusive South African rights to market a prestigious development in France, it was a no-brainer.
“We were delighted to be approached by Halcyon,” says Bendall. “They knew our reputation for putting our clients’ interests first, and this project provides us with something really special and exciting. It is very different to the properties we market in the UK, Germany and Portugal, and adds another layer to the real estate investment portfolio we offer. This is a premium product which can be rented out or used by clients to spend a fantastic holiday with family and friends.”
About the resort
The Halcyon Retreat Golf and Spa Resort is located in Limousin, in the heart of the French Lake District. Centred around a 16th century château, which was the home of the French Resistance in WW2, the 5-star luxury resort is part of the Wyndham Hotel Group, the largest hotel group in the world, which operates over 9 000 hotels in over 90 countries. The 90ha grounds feature an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, forests, fully stocked fishing lakes, a magnificent spa housed in a smaller château, fine-dining restaurants, a 1600m² themed children’s adventure area, an indoor aquatic centre and conference facilities. Other activities include biking, clay pigeon shooting and archery. Original stone cottages and buildings have been remodelled into 216 units for purchase, forming a French stone village complete with a boulangerie and pâtisserie.
The Wyndham Hotel Group has undergone extensive due diligence with Halcyon, giving investors unparalleled peace of mind. “As the developer owns this resort, the organisation is not carrying any debt in any way,” explains Bendall. “Partnering with a hotel chain as big as Wyndham means a ton of due diligence has been done. It also gives the development access to their 85 million enrolled loyalty customers. This will have a positive impact on occupancy percentages and room rates through the whole year, putting the resort firmly on the map as one of the most sought after luxury hotels in Europe.”
A resort development is a very different offering to an apartment in a city centre, adds Bendall. “This is an area of outstanding natural beauty. It’s got a huge amount of history attached to it and is beautifully positioned in 200 acres of rolling French countryside and forests.” It’s also perfectly located in south central France, with easy access to train stations (and just over two and a half hours by train from Paris) and 40 minutes to Limoges International Airport.
An added benefit is that as an investor, you own your unit. “You’re given two weeks per year at the resort that you can use free of charge,” explains Bendall. “So if you purchase as an investment but still want somewhere to go on vacation with your family once a year, you can choose any two weeks and experience the resort for yourself.”
The numbers
- Prices start from €186 000 to €1.1 million
- 6% fixed rental income per year for the first five years
- 8% fixed rental income per year for a further five years
- Client owns full freehold of the property
- No ownership costs if you have signed up to the rental program
- All furniture costs are included
- There are two payment schedule options:
- Five instalments of 20% per quarter of the purchase price of the property
- One instalment of 100% of the purchase price of the property
Bendall believes that investing in a unit in this resort will have enormous appeal for Carrick’s South African and African clients, whom it services out of Mauritius. “This is a slight deviation from a true buy-to-let product but it is a stunning development and investors will be buying bricks-and-mortar. We do full due diligence on every project we take on so what we present is what you get.”
It is important to move quickly if you want to secure a unit as there is a limited amount of stock available, urges Bendall. “Only half of the resort has been scheduled on the rental program. The other half of the resort is for people who want a holiday home and don’t want to rent their property out, so a lot of the resort is already sold. That says a lot for the kind of resort this is and how popular it is.”
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Premium Property In France Piques Investor Interest
Looking to expand your offshore property portfolio? If you want a stable, low-risk investment that gives you a fixed income on your money year after year, offshore real estate is still one of the top performers.
There’s no doubt about it. Property, as an investment, has consistently performed over the years. The benefits of offshore real estate are many: long-term wealth generation, a tangible asset class, stable currency exposure, rental income and low cost of finance in some of the key markets.
A big attraction for investors from Africa is the exposure to a stable economy. “We are exposed as Africans to volatility in our countries – volatile currencies and volatile political situations – so offshore real estate is a very attractive proposition. Investing in property in a first world economy in a stable political environment just makes sense,” says Brad Bendall, Group Sales Director at Carrick. One such environment is France, where Carrick has just released an exciting offering for potential investors.
Why France?
France attracts high numbers of tourists for many reasons: the romantic attraction of Paris, the capital city; art, history and culture; its reputation as a culinary destination; the combination of mountains, country and beaches; and strategic location to the UK and 11 bordering countries. So when the Halcyon Group approached Carrick about exclusive South African rights to market a prestigious development in France, it was a no-brainer.
“We were delighted to be approached by Halcyon,” says Bendall. “They knew our reputation for putting our clients’ interests first, and this project provides us with something really special and exciting. It is very different to the properties we market in the UK, Germany and Portugal, and adds another layer to the real estate investment portfolio we offer. This is a premium product which can be rented out or used by clients to spend a fantastic holiday with family and friends.”
About the resort
The Halcyon Retreat Golf and Spa Resort is located in Limousin, in the heart of the French Lake District. Centred around a 16th century château, which was the home of the French Resistance in WW2, the 5-star luxury resort is part of the Wyndham Hotel Group, the largest hotel group in the world, which operates over 9 000 hotels in over 90 countries. The 90ha grounds feature an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, forests, fully stocked fishing lakes, a magnificent spa housed in a smaller château, fine-dining restaurants, a 1600m² themed children’s adventure area, an indoor aquatic centre and conference facilities. Other activities include biking, clay pigeon shooting and archery. Original stone cottages and buildings have been remodelled into 216 units for purchase, forming a French stone village complete with a boulangerie and pâtisserie.
The Wyndham Hotel Group has undergone extensive due diligence with Halcyon, giving investors unparalleled peace of mind. “As the developer owns this resort, the organisation is not carrying any debt in any way,” explains Bendall. “Partnering with a hotel chain as big as Wyndham means a ton of due diligence has been done. It also gives the development access to their 85 million enrolled loyalty customers. This will have a positive impact on occupancy percentages and room rates through the whole year, putting the resort firmly on the map as one of the most sought after luxury hotels in Europe.”
A resort development is a very different offering to an apartment in a city centre, adds Bendall. “This is an area of outstanding natural beauty. It’s got a huge amount of history attached to it and is beautifully positioned in 200 acres of rolling French countryside and forests.” It’s also perfectly located in south central France, with easy access to train stations (and just over two and a half hours by train from Paris) and 40 minutes to Limoges International Airport.
An added benefit is that as an investor, you own your unit. “You’re given two weeks per year at the resort that you can use free of charge,” explains Bendall. “So if you purchase as an investment but still want somewhere to go on vacation with your family once a year, you can choose any two weeks and experience the resort for yourself.”
The numbers
Bendall believes that investing in a unit in this resort will have enormous appeal for Carrick’s South African and African clients, whom it services out of Mauritius. “This is a slight deviation from a true buy-to-let product but it is a stunning development and investors will be buying bricks-and-mortar. We do full due diligence on every project we take on so what we present is what you get.”
It is important to move quickly if you want to secure a unit as there is a limited amount of stock available, urges Bendall. “Only half of the resort has been scheduled on the rental program. The other half of the resort is for people who want a holiday home and don’t want to rent their property out, so a lot of the resort is already sold. That says a lot for the kind of resort this is and how popular it is.”
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