Investors in overseas property are taking advantage of the short-term dip in the value of the US Dollar by focusing their attention on properties in countries whose currencies are pegged to the dollar and taking out forward contracts as the UK housing market stalls.
This week a mixture of falling house prices and rising mortgage costs has meant record falls in the number of people applying for new mortgages. Alongside fears that the stock market will fall even further before it gets better the only option left for many is to invest their money in overseas property.
Nick Fullerton, MD of FC Exchange, said: “These people have been watching the markets closely for months and are choosing their time carefully to buy forward contracts which allow them to freeze exchange rates at this level for up to two years. Experts don’t expect these favourable rates for UK investors to last for long and our customers are acting quickly to secure rates they are happy with.
“Those investing in UK stocks and shares and the housing market are looking to the long term at the moment but there are short-term opportunities to make a profit. There are 21 currencies pegged to the dollar and many are becoming increasingly popular as potential investors in overseas properties see the dollar hit a low,” he added.
Locations like the Bahamas, Jamaica, the United Arab Emirates as well as the US itself are being seen by our customers as opportunities to own a property in paradise as well as an investment. Even the locations that unofficially use the dollar – Panama or the British Virgin Islands for example – are becoming increasingly popular.
If you would like to speak to an expert currency broker from FC Exchange (www.fcexchange.co.uk) about Forward Contracts or any currency issues, please contact Lucy Willatt at Hudson Sandler on 020 7710 8912 or lwillatt@hudsonsandler.com or Nathan Field on 020 7710 8937 or nfield@hudsonsandler.com.
