Some very heavily discounted lots have become available, I just have two. Details attached.

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A great deal on a foreclosed home in South Florida.

Buying at just 22% of previous sales price, fully managed process, hands off investment.

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Spyglass Limited to offering a limited opportunity to leverage its contacts and knowledge of the South and West Florida Real Estate Market Place.

This market place saw some of the most extreme over building, over selling and over lending in the recent housing crash.

However the fundamentals of this market place remain strong and will in time bring a correction to the real estate market. These fundamentals include the enormous population growth, the strong economic demographics and Miami the largest City in the region retains its unique position as the gateway to South America with all the economic advantages that that brings.

There is a time sensitive window of opportunity to capitalize on other peoples past mistakes and acquire prime real estate assets at between 20-30% of peak prices. These top quality assets are in pole position for the recovery when such a recovery takes place.  In the meantime these assets can provide in most cases double digit net rental yields and a realistic target cash on cash return of 35% per annum, over a five year investment horizon.

Spyglass Limited is perhaps uniquely placed as they have direct open door connections with some of the  biggest holders of distressed properties in the area. One such contact alone is holding more than $60,000,000 worth of assets.

South and West Florida was the poster boy of the housing boom and good with reason, builders overbuilt, Realtors oversold, lenders weakened their loan criteria, and home owners over stretched them selves and investors were overconfident.  All these groups face increasing pressure as they continue to carry vacant land, lots, homes and communities. Those who can hold on will do so, however many others will have to sell at prices which are creating a once in a generational opportunity for those with access to deals and funds.

Florida-Still a good investment here is why;

A very honest appraisal of how the banks and mortgage markets worked pre-crunch

Subprime explained

For many generations, land has been viewed as a hard asset with real, tangible value. You can live on it, build a home on it, farm on it – you name it. A piece of land never “goes away” – it is something tangible, and the ownership of land has always been a goal for people all across the world. More fortunes have been made by owning land than any other investment – some of the people you might have heard of include Donald Trump, Bob Hope and Howard Hughes. During these uncertain times, land and other tangible assets have been favoured by investors from across the world, as they provide an excellent hedge against inflation, which can easily be caused by the low interest rates to stimulate borrowing and economic growth. The good news is, investing in land is no longer something that is reserved for high-net worth individuals, private equity groups, and pension funds.

Individual investors now have excellent opportunities to acquire build-able residential home sites in planned communities across the United States, and it has never been easier, more affordable, or a better time to do so. But how do I know that investing in land is right for me?

The best thing you can do – is to start off by answering these four questions:

1. Is land the right investment for me? The first question is the most important one – as land is simply not for everyone. You will need to have access to liquid funds that are set aside for long-term growth, such as a college fund or a self-directed pension fund such as an IRA (U.S.) or SIPP. (United Kingdom) If you have a lack of patience, looking for a return in the short term, or can not afford to stay invested for a longer period of time, land might not be for you, as you will most likely not see the returns you might hope for, unless you can hold on for several years.

2. How much land should I buy? As with most things related to investments – it’s always best not to put all your eggs in one basket. Take a look at your overall portfolio and how you have allocated it, and decide how much you would like to allocate to a land investment. Remember, land is considered a low-risk investment, but it can also be less liquid and require a longer time before it reaches the levels you want it to.

3. Where should I buy? I think we all know that the secret to a good investment in real estate is “location, location, location”. But what does it really mean? Basically, a land lot is only ever going to appreciate in value if it is located in an area where people want to live, developers want to build homes, and where there are no obstructions (too hilly, too stringent planning rules, no access to services) to building homes and new communities. By following the emergence of new communities and the movement of people, some of the most prolific investors in history have managed to make staggering returns on land investments.

4. Are you ready to start? If, after reading thru the first three questions, you have gathered that you have enough capital, and that land investment indeed is for you – then please call us today to get started!

Exit strategy – How do I make my money? Investing in residential land lots is very much a waiting game – you simply buy the lots at the lowest possible price, and then you wait for the capital appreciation to happen over time. Spyglass have managed to negotiate exclusive prices for all lots in the Bella Vista community, so investors can be assured that there is a great chance of seeing a good return on their money. As with many other investments, particularly in real estate, the saying is that “you make your money when you buy, not when you sell” – and this is very much true also when it comes to land investments in Bella Vista. The lots we are offering are part of a large bulk offering, and are significantly discounted from where they were just a few years ago. Buying residential lots in planned communities allows you to invest in the baby-boomer generation’s desire to live “The American Dream”. Many of these people are currently living in large cities in the North and Midwest, and are dying to get a home “away from it all” which they can design to their own specification, and where they can finally have the peace and tranquillity they deserve.

It is this desire that will allow you to make a large return on your money. By buying now, you will get in ahead of the curve, at the lowest possible price, and can hold on for resale over the next 5-7 years.

Let’s say you buy your lot for $10.000 today, and sell it five years later for a very realistic $22.000. This would give you a 120% gross return on your investment, or 20% annualized! More info here

A land contract is basically a “seller mortgage” (also knows as “Owner financing” or “reverse mortgage”) where WE as the Seller agree to sell you the home on terms – usually equal monthly payments over a period of 10-15 years. The payments will be made each month, together with escrow payments of 1/12th of the annual taxes and insurances, as you will now be responsible for keeping up these payments. Even though we remain as “Owner of record” all the way until the closing date, YOU must treat the home as your own and will be responsible for initial repair needed, as well as ongoing maintenance. A land contract is often the preferred way to get into a home, especially in times like these where there is very little- to no mortgage financing in this market segment. You will be apply to apply for our program without the need for a large down payment – you will be required to show proof of income (or enough cash to cover the payments) as well as having enough funds to carry out the rehab works needed before we will allow you to move in however. We focus less on your credit score and more on your ability to pay based on current verified income. Example of a home: 123 ABC Street, Indianapolis, IN Sale Price: $38.000 Down payment: $1.000 Land contract: $37.000 over 120 months @ 6.9% interest = $427.70 Annual taxes: $624 Annual, escrowed at 1/12th per month = $52.00 Insurance: $480 Annual, escrowed at 1/12th per month = $40.00 Total monthly cost of ownership: $519.70 Areas we currently serve: Spyglass currently has a large focus on the Midwestern states, with operations in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan, with a view to expand to Missouri very shortly, and other states nationwide to follow.

City of Bella Vista, Arkansas

Spyglass markets lots of land in this City, this video shows you why. Read more here

Compared to previous month, commercial real estate prices in the U.S rose by 4.3% in September – the largest month-on-month gain in a decade of keeping records. The Moody’s/REAL Commercial property price index is now up 0.3% on last year, after a small number of high-priced deals drove the index up from an eight year low in August.

The index is still down by 43% since its highest point in October 2007, but it is worth noting that the total volume of transactions in September – $3.7 Billion – is the largest since January 2008, and double the volume of transactions done in August.

The index also breaks properties down by type, and classifies them either as “apartment buildings”, “retail”, “industrial” and “office”. Worth noting is that apartment buildings are up by 16% on the third quarter of 2009, while retail properties fell by 12%, industrial buildings fell by a modest 1.2%, and office properties were up by 4.4%.

Office property prices were up by 22% on last year – the biggest increase of any property type, and it was also up 9.4% on the second quarter of this year.

Bella Vista is a dream for outdoor enthusiasts. Set in the shadow of the Ozark Mountains, Bella Vista offers residents two swimming pools, 12 tennis courts, seven stocked lakes for fishermen, and quite a few walking and biking trails. Bella Vista, Spanish for “Beautiful View,” began as a resort town, but developer John Cooper began marketing it as a retirement community in 1965. By the mid-1980s younger residents of Northwest Arkansas discovered the idyllic community and began moving there in droves.

Five country clubs offer restaurants options within the town limits, and residents often make the 15-minute drive to Bentonville for additional dining and shopping. Arts-lovers make the short trip to Fayetteville to the Walton Fine Arts Center and North Arkansas Symphony.

The prices are another enormous draw. The average home price is less than $200,000

Whilst popular hope for green shoots in the housing market lies in President Obama’s stimulation policies, private enterprise has developed its own solution to the mortgage log-jam, that is the recent upsurge in owner finance and land contract programs. Briefly put these programs allow occupiers the chance to purchase properties at an agreed rate over the next 10 yrs. During this time they pay the mortgage in the normal fashion and are responsible for the taxes and day to day repair.

This type of arrangement has many fans within the traditional rental pool, the first time buyers, as well, as with those people in the unfortunate position of being recently foreclosed upon. The typical program allows for people with sub-prime credit a chance to secure a place on the property ladder at a given point in the near future, whilst allowing them the chance to work on getting their all important credit score to an acceptable level for conventional finance.

These programs give the property owner the chance to be the mortgage holder. The tenant/homeowner then re-finances the property with a conventional mortgage provider, and the landlord/investor realizes his, often very attractive, return.

The advantages for a real estate investor in entering into such a program are wide-ranging; firstly, they have a long-term occupier in situ who is committed to the idea of purchasing the property in the future. Secondly, the occupier is likely to maintain the property to a very high standard as they are intending to be the outright owner of the property within a short period of time. Thirdly, these contracts allow for a degree of certainty in both having a buyer and the price the buyer will pay. This last point gives the investor the opportunity to know the level of profit that they will realize from each property, which lets face it is an almost unheard of bonus in the real estate world.

The fact that capitalism has evolved to provide these land contract  programs out of the ashes of the conventional mortgage market, surely gives hope to all  real estate professionals, Investors and Brokers alike as it provides real ‘grass roots’ activity in the part of the market which needs it most. Is this the future of real estate investing? A growing number of  savvy real estate investor’s are saying it is, by putting their money where there mouth is. Spyglass  has several programs in different parts of the US, please get in touch if you want to find out more.