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The Importance of good property management for overseas investors

After selling 4000 plus homes in the US we believe that the on the ground property management and support you receive is as important as the property you buy. At Global Investments incorporated we strive to partner with the best most efficient management companies in each city we sell properties in. When we open in any new region, CEO Mike Moodie personally travels and meets a number of management companies to decide on which one would provide the best hands on service for our investors. Before we agree to pass our investors over to the management companies all the correct due diligence is carried out, including speaking with current clients of the specific management companies and finding out about their experiences. A good property manager in the US would normally take 10% of the gross rent each month for their services. The services that they provide should be as follows. 1. Rent Collection – The most important job. Collection of rent is vital and needs to be done in a professional manor. Our management companies ensure that they have a good relationship with both the tenant and the landlord and will collect the rent on a given date every month and will then deposit or wire the funds to whichever account our investors choose. 2. Maintenance – As a landlord you would be responsible for maintenance issues on the property should they arise. The property management company should handle all of the tenants needs and requests 24/7 on your behalf. This should also include getting you the very best quote for any works that are needed. 3. Book keeping – Your property manager should provide a book keeping service ensuring that this is as hands off as possible for you and ensuring that you are following and recording any incidents with the property and also documenting any tenant requests and issues. 4. Tenant placement – Another major factor in property management. Our property managers will ensure that all tenants are correctly screened and all checks are done before making a placement, including credit, criminal and previous landlord checks. 5. Defaulting Tenants – When you hire a property manager they should not only be responsible for collecting the rent but also dealing with the legal procedures in the instance a tenant defaults. Sometimes this may mean negotiating directly with the tenants in person in the case that they are maybe only a month behind, or other times may mean filing legal processes in order to remove them from the property. When choosing a property management company of course you should do your own research and home work. Once all of the above is in place and your property manager has been appointed then as an investor all should be pretty plain sailing and if for what ever reason issues do arise your property manager is there to handle them in the most effective and professional manor. “ You can buy the best located property with the best tenants in place but if the property is managed badly this can tun into a bad investment which is one of the reasons we make sure that we only work with the very best on the ground management companies with decades of experience in their given fields. “ Mike Moodie – CEO Global Investments Incorporated.

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Shall I form an LLC for my Real Estate Investment ?

Over the last decade, Limited Liability companies ( LLC’s ) have become one of the most preferred forms of business entities through which to hold title to investment real estate properties. LLCs did not come into existence in the United States until 1977 when the State of Wyoming enacted special legislation to accommodate the needs of oil companies, now all 50 states have enacted legislation creating some form of the LLC structure.  The insulation from personal risk exposure for real estate investors provided by LLCs, coupled with the relative ease of administration and potential tax benefits, make ownership of investment property through an LLC a very desirable option in most instances. What are the main 3 reasons to Form an LLC ? The main reason and as the name suggests is to Limit your personal liability. An LLC lowers the owners risk from any hypothetical lawsuit, the LLC provides an insulation to the owner as only assets owned by the LLC are exposed to any hypothetical lawsuit.  This corporate structure ensure the members of the company are not personally liable for the company’s debts or liabilities. However the business owner could be held responsible for corporate debts in certain situations especially if you personally guarantee any business loans, credit cards, or other extensions of credit to your LLC. In all states, having an LLC will protect owners from personal liability for any wrongdoing committed by the co-owners or employees of an LLC during the course of business.  2.    Pass-Through Taxation for Single & Multimember LLCs Under the default tax classification rules, the IRS classifies a real estate holding company with one owner as they would a sole proprietorship, namely as a “disregarded entity.” As a result, income and capital gains from the LLC pass through directly to the owner, who would only have to pay taxes as an individual, while still enjoying the protections offered by the LLC liability shield. Since there is no separate LLC tax, the owner can avoid double taxation on both the rental income generated by the property and the appreciation in value of the property upon disposition. Moreover, the owner of a single-member LLC can deduct mortgage interest similar to a sole proprietor based on current IRS rules. Real estate holding companies that have several owners are known as “multimember” LLCs and are generally taxed by the IRS like partnerships, meaning that the LLC files an “informational” tax return, but does not actually pay taxes itself. Multimember LLCs also enjoy the benefits of pass-through taxation as the LLC passes its profits and losses through to its members, who report their portion of the LLC’s business income or losses on either a Schedule C, K or Form 1065 with their individual income tax returns. This means that both single member and multimember LLCs offer the benefits of pass-through taxation of profits and losses and limited liability and personal protection for the owners. Obviously every buyers circumstances are relatively different and Global Investments do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice, you should always seek professional advice. If you wish to learn more regarding tax obligations then Global Investments can introduce you to professionals in the US that can offer this advice free of charge. 3.     LLCs Can Make Business Life Easier When delegating management responsibilities, LLCs enjoy much greater flexibility than either a corporation or partnership. While corporations are statutorily required to have officers and directors, the LLC can be easily managed by its owners or third-party managers. In the many states that impose increased fees based on the authorized number of shares, LLCs may pay lower state registration and maintenance fees than corporations. Owners of LLCs can take advantage of the tremendous flexibility in the distribution of profits, as determined by the LLC’s operating agreement. Cash flow distributions do not have to be pro rata according to ownership like an S corporation, which gives the owners the ability to financially reward the effort of select members through appropriate distributions of available cash flow. Unlike an S corporation, foreign ownership and investment in U.S. real estate is possible through an LLC. LLC owners can also easily transfer their ownership in real estate holdings by proactively gifting the company’s membership interests to their heirs each year. Over time, it is entirely possible to effectively pass ownership of real estate owned by an LLC to loved ones without ever having to formally execute and record a new deed. By opening a LLC will enable you to open a US bank account. Your management company can then transfer your rental income into your US bank account which helps you save on transfer fee’s and limits exposure to exchange rate fluctuations. What are the disadvantages of having an LLC ?   Insurance Ask an insurance company and they may recommend you save the cost of setting up an LLC by just increasing your liability insurance on your policy. After you close on a property Global Investments ensure we put you in touch with the best insurance companies for your needs and make sure you have the correct cover to give you peace of mind. 2. Obtaining Finance for your property purchase Almost all lenders will not let you borrow in the name of the LLC. Instead, they want someone personally liable. This may require you to buy the property entirely in cash, or you can try to deed the property to the LLC after purchasing in your own name. Generally speaking Global Investments only deal with cash buyers, our properties are priced in such a way that they sell to buyers ready to move fast. 3.    The cost of setting top and running an LLC Obviously setting up an LLC is not free of charge and you would require a good CPA to organise this on your behalf to ensure things are done correctly. Global Investments will help you with this also. We have reputable fully qualified staff on the ground that will take carte of your needs for a

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“ THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AND WHAT YOUR PROPERTY MANAGER SHOULD DO “ 

After selling 4000 plus homes in the US we believe that the on the ground property management and support you receive is as important as the property you buy. At Global Investments incorporated we strive to partner with the best most efficient management companies in each city we sell properties in.  When we open in any new region, CEO Mike Moodie personally travels and meets a number of management companies to decide on which one would provide the best hands on service for our investors. Before we agree to pass our investors over to the management companies all the correct due diligence is carried out, including speaking with current clients of the specific management companies and finding out about their experiences.  A good property manager in the US would normally take 10% of the gross rent each month for their services. The services that they provide should be as follows.  1. Rent Collection – The most important job. Collection of rent is vital and needs to be done in a professional manor. Our management companies ensure that they have a good relationship with both the tenant and the landlord and will collect the rent on a given date every month and will then deposit or wire the funds to whichever account our investors choose.  2. Maintenance – As a landlord you would be responsible for maintenance issues on the property should they arise. The property management company should handle all of the tenants needs and requests 24/7 on your behalf. This should also include getting you the very best quote for any works that are needed.  3. Book keeping  – Your property manager should provide a book keeping service ensuring that this is as hands off as possible for you and ensuring that you are following and recording any incidents with the property and also documenting any tenant requests and issues.  4. Tenant placement – Another major factor in property management. Our property managers will ensure that all tenants are correctly screened and all checks are done before making a placement, including credit, criminal and previous landlord checks.  5. Defaulting Tenants – When you hire a property manager they should not only be responsible for collecting the rent but also dealing with the legal procedures in the instance a tenant defaults. Sometimes this may mean negotiating directly with the tenants in person in the case that they are maybe only a month behind, or other times may mean filing legal processes in order to remove them from the property.  When choosing a property management company of course you should do your own research and home work. Once all of the above is in place and your property manager has been appointed then as an investor all should be pretty plain sailing and if for what ever reason issues do arise your property manager is there to handle them in the most effective and professional manor.  “ You can buy the best located property with the best tenants in place but if the property is managed badly this can tun into a bad investment which is one of the reasons we make sure that we only work with the very best on the ground management companies with decades of experience in their given fields. “ Mike Moodie – CEO Global Investments Incorporated. 

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“ TENANTS “ OR “ NO TENANTS “

The age old question when buying USA buy to let property is should I buy a property with tenants in place already or a Vacant property and place my own tenants. We asked Global Investments incorporated CEO Mike Moodie his thoughts on the matter. “ Well, its not the easiest question to answer as there are pluses and minuses for both sides, so as an investor you need to weigh these up before making a decision. The majority of the enquiries that we receive would normally be for properties that have an immediate income which means that they would want properties that already have tenants in place. In my opinion as long as the tenants have been vetted by the management company and the normal checks have been done on the rent history etc… then these types of tenanted properties make a great investment. “ So if this is the case then why would an investor want to buy a property that is vacant? We asked Mike the same question? Mike added. “ Tenanted properties are great and like I said as long as the checks have been done will provide a great investment but there is an argument to say that buying a property that has been freshly rehabbed allows the investor and the management company to place a fresh new tenant on a long term lease. The only down side to this is that if may take a few weeks or even a month for the management company to do the correct checks and then place the tenant. If we look at the big picture our investors are buying these homes for 5-10 years so a month to place an excellent long term tenant is not really a big deal.” Global Investments incorporated have been providing USA turn key properties for the overseas investor now for 5 years and have sold more than 4,000 homes in many cities, Detroit, NY, Florida and Ohio. As a company they provide a one stop shop for the investor, delivering on the ground management and an unrivalled after sales service. We asked Mike how important the management is in both of the scenarios. “ Well management in my opinion is the key to these investments, as without good management a great property can become a bad investment. We have been working with a few excellent management companies in all the states that we work in for some years now. In both of the scenarios management will play an important roll as with a tenanted property we would ask them to check all the lease agreements and rent rolls and history of the current tenants to ensure that the return for our investor would be immediate. In the case of a vacant property, well its the management company that would be sourcing and vetting the new tenants on behalf of the new owner. So in both cases the management play a vital roll. As a company we strive to provide the best quality turn key property both tenanted and tenant ready in all of the areas in the US that we sell homes. “ To see available turn key and tenant ready homes in Detroit, Ohio, NY and Florida please contact Mike directly on mike@globalinvestmentsincorporated.com.

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DO I NEED INSURANCE ? WHAT IS A HOME WARRANTY ?

After weeks of selecting your investment property, completing on the property and getting things up and running with your management company some people forget about two very important things, your insurance and your home warranty. On completion our after-sales team will walk you through the next steps and help you get everything in place, they will introduce you to insurance companies, management companies and even a local accountant. We have already done our homework so we know who offers the best insurance polices and home warranties at the most competitive prices. So what exactly does your house insurance cover ? In most standard policies, you will be covered for damage to your property and its contents as well as liability for accidents that occur on your property. As a homeowner, it’s important to carry insurance not only against damage to the house itself, but also to the contents of the house if something should happen, such as a fire or flood. It is important to take out enough coverage to replace what is insured. “Replacement Cost Coverage” gives you the money to rebuild your home and replace its contents. An “Actual Cash Value” policy is cheaper but pays the difference between your property’s worth at the time of loss minus the depreciation for age and wear. Global Investments will put you in direct contact with the main insurance providers in the US on the day you close, they will also help you fill in your insurance application form, we will have you up and running within 24 hours. You can also look at the option of taking out a Home Warranty, these are becoming increasingly popular with overseas investors. A Home warranty covers repairs and replacements due to normal wear and tear or breakdown. It covers items such as your boiler and furnace, electrical and plumbing, roof and air-conditioning. It’s not your homeowner’s insurance policy; a home warranty is a separate contract covering repairs and replacements on systems in your home, usually for a period of one year. If you would like to take out a Home Warranty Global will help you get one in place hassle free, you could also receive 7 months free coverage depending on which option you take. At Global Investments we know exactly what needs to be done from start to finish to ensure that every box is ticked and your purchase goes as smoothly as possible. We continue to provide you with a professional service after completion of your property investment. Once you’ve completed we are still here to look after you as part of our original promise.

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GREAT MANAGEMENT IS THE KEY TO GREAT RETURNS… NOT RENTAL GUARANTEES

Global Investments Incorporated is the No 1 USA buy to let property company. With almost 4000 sales in the last 4 years the young dynamic company is growing from strength to strength with great new products coming on in different States across the US. The company prides itself on its  “ one stop shop “ philosophy helping clients with everything from LLC company incorporation, bank account set up, insurance, construction, company CEO Mike Moodie believes the major factor behind their success and their clients success is the management companies that they use on the ground in the US. Mike was quoted in saying. “ The majority of our business is repeat and referral bushiness, which is clients either buying more properties or referring their friends or family, which is great. This would not happen if their initial investments were not working in the first place. In my opinion the management of your property is as important as the property that you buy, as the majority of our investors are overseas and thousands of miles away from their investment, so as a company we need to ensure that their interests are well looked after while they are on the ground. “ Global Investments only use one or two reputable companies in each State that they sell in.  Mike added. “ When we set out and started Global we wanted to make sure that our clients were looked after from start to finish and then after the sale as well. We decided to fly out to Detroit and meet as many management companies as possible and narrow it down to two companies which we felt gave our clients the kind of care and attention that they need to provide an excellent hands on service. We have been very lucky and for the past 3 years we have been dealing with the same two companies that are fantastic. There are other companies that sell in the same areas as Global investments offering 1 and 2 year rental guarantees.  We asked Mike for his opinion on this and why as a company they do not offer the same benefits to there clients,  Mike stated. “ Normally you will find that these type of companies are selling properties that are way above the market value, so they have the rent built into the price, which basically means that they are giving the client there own money back and creating a false return. I have been working in the property market now for coming up to 20 years and in my opinion if you want to guarantee your rental as much as possible make sure that you work with a great management company who will screen and vett your tenants and make sure the house is managed correctly on a day to day basis and for whatever reason the property is vacant the management company makes sure the house is secure and another tenant is placed as swiftly as possible. “ Global Investments now sell homes across 6 different regions of the United States and has on the ground support and management in each of the areas that they sell in making sure that there clients are kept updated on a constant basis once they take ownership of their investments properties. For more information on any of the properties that Global Investments Incorporated have to offer email Mike Directly at mike@globalinvestmentsincorportaed.com

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SECTION 8 TOLEDO

Toledo Ohio has started to come under the radar as an investment hotspot due to the quality and availability of Section 8 homes on the market. Global Investments Incorporated have signed up one of the biggest suppliers of furnished and Section 8 approved homes in Toledo and have seen a rapid increase in their sales over the last few months. “Section 8” is a common name for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Section 8 homes have always been the preference of overseas investors due to the security of the rent payments. Rental vouchers and rental certificates are administered locally by public housing agencies (HAs) The Section 8 program currently assists millions of families across the US. Another desirable aspect of Section 8 houses is that the rental units must meet minimum standards of health and safety, as determined by the HA. A rental subsidy is paid directly by the HA to the landlord on behalf of the participating family. The family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidised. Due to this strict criteria Section 8 houses are seen to be of a higher quality as the rigorous assessment must be passed before the property is allowed to enter the Section 8 program. Generally you will find that the properties have been recently refurbished and must adhere to required health and safety standards required by the program. Across the different Staes in the US you will often find that the demand for housing assistance often exceeds the limited resources available to HUD and the local housing agencies, long waiting periods are common. In fact in some States the HA has been know to close its waiting list due to the volume of families seeking assistance. Toledo as a city also has a very large demand for Section 8 homes and was recently voted the 2nd most affordable housing market in the US. It is also seen as a five star “logistics region” with access to Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Chicago and Detroit. Toledo is the fourth largest city in Ohio, but it lies at the junction of two important highways — I-75 and I-80/90 and is only an hours drive from Detroit. Toledo has a a vibrant arts and cultural scene, world class universities and cutting edge businesses all converge to make the area a great place to invest. Toledo benefits from numerous manufacturing facilities which comprise one-fifth of Toledo’s economic base. Another unique fact about Toledo is the availability of new build properties that fall under the Section 8 program. Global Investments Incorporated have some great properties in the Warren Sherman neighbourhood where some of the houses were only constructed 15 years ago.This area is known for its new housing estates and new apartment blocks. It is also ideally located just a few miles outside Downtown Toledo so it is very close to everything. While there are many viable property markets in the US, Toledo Investment Property provides investors with a steady and comprehensive value-added platform that takes advantage of Section 8 housing and the benefits it has to offer investors. Beyond all this, Toledo is a great city full of different cultures that make this such a fantastic place to invest . Owning your very own investment property in Toledo couldn’t be easier and Global Investments Incorporated have the right Investment Property ready and waiting on you.

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