Emerging with care

With many investors looking beyond traditional overseas property markets, many will wonder what the best way to proceed is when taking steps into the brave new worlds of emerging nations. Whether in a vast nation such as India or small islands like the Cape Verde archipelago, those who eschew the known quantities of France or Spain may occasionally stop and wonder if they are going about it the right way.

Yet the attraction is clear enough - the prospect of picking up bargains just as economies are reformed and start to grow in a big way (as in India) or as improvements in infrastructure, particularly air links, helps the tourist industry to expand (as in Cape Verde). In either case the thought of getting there first and being able to benefit from a boom as economies surge forward and demand for property rockets is bound to attract adventurous investors.

Property Frontiers, a company which deals with emerging market investment, has advised those looking to these places to avoid getting carried away. Public relations and marketing executive Emma Holifield said the issue of location remained prominent.

She stated: "Ultimately, rather than a ramshackle farmhouse which costs €5,000 (£3,950) but is 200 miles from the nearest town, research suggests that the properties which do best in investment terms are attractive developments in areas with strong fundamentals of demand, such as city centres or emerging tourist resorts where people are likely to travel."

Ms Holifield added: "With a little time and advice, it is possible to find a property which will provide a solid rental return while appreciating in value by up to 20 per cent per year. And this is what investors should look for - low prices alone do not indicate that prices are on the way up."

Such advice could bring dividends in a place such as Cape Verde property. Figures produced late last year for tourism in the former Portuguese colony show that 2007 the total visiting on holiday was up by 11.5 per cent overall, with Britons accounting for 19.9 per cent of the total, Macauhub reported. It also noted that 70 per cent headed for Sal Island, which gives a clear indication of where the best tourist buy-to-let prospect is.

The key with buying Cape Verde property is that its economy, which does depend heavily on tourism, is adjusting to this advance by improving its infrastructure, not just with new roads and airports but also with power. In another Macauhub report, this time from last week, it was revealed that wind farms were being set up on four of the islands to ensure no lack of energy. If the country can manage its development in a sustainable way, this could be good news for investors.

Investing in new markets is an exciting adventure for many and accounted for around a third of overseas property purchases last year, according to the Association of International Property Professionals in its International Property Market Report 2007. But the key to success is to make sure that the locations in which such money is being spent are truly those that are emerging as business or tourism boom towns. Otherwise, as Ms Holifield suggested, some investors may find themselves in places that are far too remote to do too much emerging.

In today's world Property investment is an excellent investment option especially investment in UK

Jim Barnaby is a real estate investment broker and successful property investment adviser delivering research and selected UK and overseas property investment solutions with experience in spanish properties, french property investment, German property, Cyprus holiday homes, Property in Cape Verde, German property investment, cape verde property buy to let property