Countries

Countries

An investor with the best global property investment opportunities should do a thorough research related to economic and political stability of each country through their currencies, bank and law systems. This will help us to understand the level of development of a country, where to look for a proper market and the influence market factors have on the property profitability.

As soon as we find out that a country is an ideal investment destination we develop a long term relationship with respected and experienced developers. Our research teams visit every geographical region tocheck all accessible investment opportunities and choose the safest ones with the highest potential profit from the investment.

That is why we recommend the following countries as the major investment landscapes: Great Britain, Cyprus, Turkey, Spain,France, Italy, Germany, North Cyprus, Caribbean, the USA, Latvia, Switzerland,Brazil, Thailand, Egypt, Ukraine, Mauritius, Lithuania, etc.

Every year in January International Living magazine researches the standard of living in different countries and makes a list of places offering the highest standard of living. In 2010 194 countries took part in this rating. Countries were classified according to 9 categories:

cost of living,
culture and entertainment,
the level of economy,
the conditionof the environment,
freedom,
infrastructure,
safety,
risks,
climate.

Official information (governmental websites, World Health Organization data,and economic statistics) and the opinion of respondents that have an experienceof staying and living in these countries were taken into consideration.

Below is the list of countries occupying the first 10 positions in the Quality of Life Index.

1.France

France has been on top of the list for 5 years already. And it is not surprising.Tire some bureaucracy and high taxes are overweight by a high standard of living including the best health care system in the world.

Unfortunately it is not possible to measure the heart and soul of the country using any possible indicators. It is not possible to express a feeling of just having a simple and relaxed dinner in one of Paris restaurants without being in a hurry, the smell of a spring morning at the bank of Seine, buying a freshly made croissant in Montmartre, the sound of the bells of Notre-Dame or just walking along the old streets.

Romantic Paris offers the best of everything, but even wine villages of Alsace, and beautiful Corsica, and the lavender fields of Provence enjoy the same high quality of life.

In French provinces the cost of living is lower than in Paris. For example, a hunting ground with a village-style house in the Pyrenees can be bought at a price of less than $100 thousand. A classical dinner with three courses will cost about $14.

Infrastructure is well developed in the central as well as in the most rural parts of France: shops and street trade is astone’s throw away in any region. Foie gras, pink garlic, armagnac, candied violets – these are not the whims of the local gourmets,but just an excuse to go shopping.

2.Australia

Australia is famous for its beaches and mild climate. On the whole continent Australians and foreigner have an opportunity to lead an active and healthy life. Those who prefer city life will find a variety of great culture and wonderful food in Sydney and Melbourne where the cost of living is lower than in other megalopolises of the world. Australian economy managed to survive the Global Financial Crisis better that any other country. For travellers and tourists it means that the strong Australian dollar will make visiting the country more expensive. But if you are planning to stay there, you will find out that not many countries with well-developed infrastructure and health care will be able to benefit from the economic boom in Asia and China.

Australian economy is based on the export of agricultural products, raw materials and energy which satisfies the fast growing appetites of the Asian population. According to world standards, housing in Australia is relatively expensive, but qualified immigrants are sure to find well-paid jobs and a way to live a worthy standard of living.

3.Switzerland

As Harry Lime put it: «In 5 centuries of neutrality the Swiss invented the cuckoo clock, while the other parts of Europe due to rivers of shed blood created culture, history and civilization». Nevertheless, Switzerland is a safe country of high performance and high technologies. By the way, the cuckoo clock was invented in Germany.

The absence of natural borders and common religion led to a sensible decision that internationalism will be a business card of Switzerland. There are 4 official languages in the country – French, German (2 varieties), Italian, and Romanic (similar to ancient Latin). The English language is also being added to the official languages so that foreigners could feel at home. Geneva is the official home for the Organizationof the United Nations and the Red Cross Organization.

Due to the fact that Switzerland is a landlocked country with a mountainous landscapes lacking any natural resources (except form chocolate and cheese), in order to provide a worthy standard of living Switzerland was in need of additional resources besides tourism. That was the reason for the banking system to appear, engineering and pharmaceutical industry being its potential customers.

Such achievements support each other. Tourists go to the Alps by cable car without any fear because they trust everything made in Switzerland. Going on a Swiss train you are sure that you will arrive on time.Taking a Swiss pill you are sure that you will not get poisoned. In the same way, you know for sure that a bank will always be safe and a hotel room will be perfect. The Swiss are successful because everyone makes them work.

4.Germany

Does your medical insurance cover visiting a SPA? Probably not, however in Germany it is possible with a doctor’s prescription. Despite the world crisis the German economy remains one of the most stable economies in the world. Annual income (including 30 days of paid holiday) of an average employee is ?41,509 ($61,433).

In Germany everything works and works well. The houses are built to last centuries, and legendary autobahns do not have any speed limits. Even the smallest towns can offer different sport clubs for sport fans.

Romantic people adore Christmas fairs and fairy-tale towns with buildings made of wood and brick. Quedlinburg and Wernigerode in Saxony and the Schwarzwald resort of Baden-Baden are among the most popular towns. The later has a chic reputation but to buy an apartment here will cost $160,000, and a monthly rent will make up $673.

5.New Zealand

From Auckland’s shore to the South Alps English-speaking New Zealand is one of the unspoiled landscapes on the planet. The greatest part of the trilogy “The Lord of the Rings” was filmed here. It is a wonderful place to live, start a family and bring up children. Sport competitions, beach and water sports, and the “healthy way of living” are paid a lot of attention to.

The Immigration department of New Zealand sums it up: “Our standard of living is determined not by what we have, but what we do not have.We do not have a high crime rate, our police do not carry guns, corruption has never been heard of. There is no poverty or famine, harmful emissions or traffic jams, and our health care is of a high quality”.

However if you do not have plans to invest in property it is quite difficult to get permanent residency in the country. You can also rent an apartment or a house and stay in the country temporarily. The prices on property are increasing; an average house costs $274,881.

6.Luxemburg

If the number of restaurants marked with Michelin stars within 1 sq. m. was the main criteria of choosing a place to stay, The Great Duchy of Luxemburg would be an indisputable winner. Luxemburg is a member and initiator of the European Union whose national motto is “We would like to remain who we are”.

Luxemburg is a landlocked country only 81 km long and 56 km wide and it is almost unknown to North Americans. However, with GDP per capita of $88,000 it is one of the richest countries in the world. Most of the apartments in the capital,also called Luxemburg, which looks like a picture from a postcard, cost minimum$7,400 per 1 sq. m.

Ruled by the Great Duke, almost one third of 420 thousand citizens of Luxemburg were born outside of the country. Foreigners and international workers constitute 60% of the work force. Although Luxemburg is the official language of the country, English, French and German are also widely spread what makes cosmopolitan Luxemburg an international financial centre and a tax paradise. However the law of bank secrecy is being actively reconsidered at the moment.

7.TheUnited States of America (USA)

From the palm sea cost of Florida to the snowy mountain tops of Alaska, from dazzling New-York to the highsky of Montana, the USA has something to offer to everyone.

Without any doubt this is a country of convenience. Nowhere in the world will you find as many opportunities to make your dreams come true as here.

America is safe and comfortable. And the prices are quite reasonable: to rent a property in the central Nebraska will cost as much as in the Mexican shore or in Merida (although here a question appears:can you visit opera, enjoy sitting in a cafe or get to the beach in just half an hour staying in the fields?)

It is difficult to overestimate the everyday facilities of the USA – you can easily find a pharmacy and to buy eye drops at 3 o’clock in the morning or toget a dinner delivered to your door in less than half an hour after you ordered it. Americans can work efficiently and if you ever tried to find a shop on Sunday in France or to get a driving license in Italy in less than 45 days, you are sure to appreciate this advantage.

8.Belgium

Belgium is divided into Flemish-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia. From the medieval times Belgium’s trade cities were flourishing. Brussels, the capital, deserves special attention, although Bruges and Antwerp (famous for diamond trade) can also boast of the buildings with corbie gables and magnificent town halls.

Brussels offers foreign workers thousands of working places. Brussels also houses the headquarters of NATO and the European Union. Is it just a boring place of bureaucrats shuffling papers? Not at all.

Surrounded by parks Brussels is the greenest capitalin the whole of Europe. Brussels offers immigrants not only numerous international schools but also everything they can dream about: theatres, English-language cinema, sport centres, well developed public transport,breweries, and numerous ethnic restaurants for gourmets, and high-speed trains to London, Paris, and Amsterdam. It costs minimum $740 per month to rent a one-room apartment in Brussels.

Brussels has a kind heart, just like its wonderful chocolates. The Municipality is not only engaged in the sterilization of homeless cats, but it also appoints people responsible for feeding them. The central library has the opportunity to tell deaf children fairy-tales using the language of gestures. Low income groups can visit cultural events with huge discounts.

9.Canada

Canada is a country of incredible beauty and natural resources spreading from the New found land islands and Nova Scotia in the east to Vancouver to the west and the Arctic Circle in the north. Health care and the standard of livingare one of the highest in the world. Canadian economy is based on the vast natural resources, reliable financial industry, innovative production, for example, renewable energy sources. Canadian banks are considered “more Swiss than Swiss banks”, and the property is always in great demand.

Canadian megalopolises such as Toronto and Vancouver offer a fantastic number of entertainments: sport events, theatres, and concerts, and also many free festivals. The cost of living is quite reasonable, although due to strengthening of the currency it is getting higher. Those who love spending time in an active way can do walking and rowing, play golf, or go fishing in summer, and do skiing, skating and snowboarding in winter. Canadians are friendly, funny and easy to talk to. The country still has the charm brought by the first settlers from Europe.

10.Italy

Is there anything else Italians should know about Dolce Vita? Okay, public transport is often late, workers are often on strike, corruption flourishes, but on the other side of the scales are Rome, Venice, Florence, mountains reflecting in emerald lakes, golden beaches, and cities covered with mysteries.

Italy is the home of 60% of world masterpieces. Health care system ranks second in the world according to WHO data. It is a country of sunflowers, vineyards, and the Opera, plus the best espresso, pizza and ice-cream you have ever tried.

According to the generally accepted view, main cities and tourism centres are quite expensive. But in Mezzogiorno located in the west of the country it is different. Although unemployment is high and income is much lower than in the north, the region is very beautiful and has a rich history. Phoenicians and Greeks left traces of their being here.

Winters in the south are short and mild, while the summer is hot and sultry. A jug of wine costs only $6.50. There are a great number of houses at reasonable prices in Sicily and in such regions as Apulia, Basilicata, and Campania. A village house with some acres of land will cost $60,000, and some of the village houses can be even cheaper. Monthly rent starts from $550.