Latest News

IS THE SUN SETTING ON THE CLEVELAND PROPERTY MARKET

As a company we have been selling investment properties in Cleveland Ohio for the past three years and it is by far our best selling product, accounting for over 70% for the companies sales and enquires from investors all over the Globe. However recently we have seen an upside in the prices and also a shortage of inventory indicating that with a large demand for these types of houses from the overseas market, sellers and suppliers have an opportunity to increase their prices. Also with the amount of overseas and domestic investors snapping up these types of properties we are also finding it harder to locate good inventory that meets our investors criteria. Unfortunately for potential or current investors looking at investing in Cleveland it looks like the clock is ticking. Prices are on the rise and the supply of these types of turnkey homes is down and finding good tenanted or renovated properties in good neighbourhoods is getting tougher. If you are looking at buying a house in Cleveland as a potential investment opportunity, in our opinion you must act now or certainly in the next 3-6 months to capitalise on these prices and returns while they are still around. All indicators point to growing income, a solid job market, and increasing home values in Ohio. The Cleveland real estate market prediction is incredibly positive. Investors and home buyers will reap benefits when considering the city and its suburbs over the next 5 – 10 years hence the huge demand for these types of properties now. Cleveland is home to just under 400,000 people. The larger metropolitan area is home to roughly two million people. That makes the Cleveland real estate market the 32nd largest in the country. If you include the Cleveland-Akron-Canton metro area there are three and a half million people in the “combined statistical area”, making it the 15th largest metropolitan area in the United States. This century old city was once a major manufacturing centre and now has reinvented itself as a medical and bio-med hub. “ We have been expecting this rise in prices and reduced supply for some time now. Very similar to what happened in Detroit 5-6 years ago. Cleveland is still an incredible opportunity for both the overseas and the domestic buyer but any client looking at getting involved needs to look at higher prices for these types of houses. The prices cant stay the same with such demand, lack of supply and huge investment into the city. These price increases were inevitable. “ I still think as a company we have another 12 months in the city before prices get too high. I think for a good, well located single family home any client should be looking at spending around $50k to $60k and for a well located Duplex they will need to look at between $60k and $80k. “ Mike Moodie CEO Global Investments Incorporated Although prices are on the rise Cleveland Ohio still offers an incredible opportunity for any cash buyer to get well priced tenanted houses with great cash on cash returns and good appreciation over the coming 5-10 years. If you would like more information on our Cleveland Ohio Investments or have any general questions on the US market place and what opportunities are available please contact any of the team at Global at invest@globalinvestmentsincorporated.com

Is Birmingham Alabama the next US Property Investment hotspot ?

If you are thinking of buying an Investment Property in the USA then here are some of the main reasons why you have to consider Birmingham, Alabama. Birmingham is the largest the largest city in Alabama, It is 330 square kilometres of land and 5.2 square kilometres of water. Birmingham has been voted one of the nation’s most liveable cities with a thriving community and more green space per capita than any other city in the nation. 100’s of schools have been set up in the city of Birmingham and several top notch universities such as the University of Alabama, Samford University, Cumberland Law School, and Miles College. The city’s ever growing population shows a need for real estate investment. Birmingham is also home to world-class medical research, a celebrated food and arts scene, and the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. There has been a steady increase in Birmingham home values at 10% in the past year. The forecast for next 12 months is that it will be a hot seller’s real estate market. Some of the main Real Estate benefits include : Being Ranked #2 for lowest property taxes, Winner of the 2021 World Games. World renowned for Law, medicine, nursing, engineering & the Hub of 550 technology companies. The 12th largest banking centre in the nation and third in the Southeast and Voted #1 Best City for Millennial Entrepreneurs. The city is investing over $1 billion to revitalise the downtown area into a 24-hour mixed-use entertainment district. This investment will surely make Birmingham one of the hottest places for investors. In addition to education, the steel industry has played a large part in the economy. Named the “Magic City” due to its fast population growth during the height of the nation’s manufacturing age, Birmingham is ranked among the nation’s top 300 metropolitan areas. Birmingham consistently rates as one of America’s best places to work and earn a living based on the area’s competitive salary rates and is ranked 36 among the 228 cities with lowest cost of living in America. This is fuelling the increase of new inhabitants which is growing the rental market in a city already with a low level of available Real Estate inventory. An interesting fact about Birmingham is that the rent percentage of housing is higher than the buying rate. What this means is that the rate at which natives buy houses is lower than the renting rate with a difference of 6%. Buying rate is at 47% while renting rate is at 53%. This would be a good figure for anyone interested in investing in the area especially in building rentals and accommodation rooms. Rents in Birmingham have increased by 6% over the last 12 months. Although rental prices have not risen as fast as some U.S. metros, it’s important to note that Birmingham has a much higher rent to purchase ratio than the national average.This information, coupled with the home value data shows us that Birmingham is growing consistently. There has been a distinct trend of people moving to the largest metropolitan area in the region in order to find the greatest opportunities. The Birmingham area is home to more than 1.2 million people. There are more potential buyers than sellers, forcing many would-be home owners to rent instead. As per Trulia, Birmingham market trends indicate an increase of $12,000 (7%) in median home sales over the past year. The average price per square foot for this same period rose to $115, up from $112. Birmingham housing market remains among the most affordable markets in the nation, which looks good for homeowners. In January 2015, the International World Game Executive Committee selected Birmingham as host for the 2021 world games centre. The natural beauty of this city will obviously attract many different residents to live in the area. With the city investing over $1 billion to revitalise the downtown area and venues such as the 2021 World Games, the signs are looking very positive for capital appreciation. Please contact Global Investments by email today at : invest@globalinvestmentsincorporated.

Regardless if you are RED OR BLUE… Property Prices are on the Rise in cities like Cleveland and St. Louis

Based on new data from Redfin, the median U.S. home price in blue counties nationwide rose 13.1% from the previous year to $346,000, during the four weeks ending September 6, 2020. Prices rose 11.5% to $259,500 in swing counties, and they were up 10.6% to $209,000 in red counties. “Homeowners are benefiting from a strong housing market even during this deep recession,” said Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather. “Home values are up, which is great financial news if you’re a homeowner, regardless of your politics.” “But rising prices and tight supply mean it’s a tough landscape for first-time homebuyers,” Fairweather continued. “Many of them have long been priced out of urban blue counties and are searching in suburban swing counties and more rural areas. This trend is being exacerbated by the pandemic-driven work-from-home culture, which is causing many homebuyers to place more emphasis on indoor and outdoor space and less on commute times.” For this analysis, counties were classified as “blue” if the 2016 Democratic presidential candidate won by more than 10 percentage points, and classified as “red” if the 2016 Republican candidate won by more than 10 percentage points. Counties were classified as “swing” if neither candidate received more than 55% of all votes. Housing supply is tightening most and homes are selling fastest in swing counties, but blue and red counties aren’t far behind The total number of homes actively listed for sale was way down from a year earlier in all areas, with supply tightening the most in swing counties. Total housing supply dropped nearly 35% year over year in swing counties in the four weeks ending September 6, compared with a 32% dip in red counties and a 22.2% decline in blue counties. “Supply is dropping the most in swing counties because they tend to be made up of suburban neighbourhoods, where there are far more homebuyers than sellers right now,” Fairweather said. New listings were up most in blue counties (12.4% year over year) in the four weeks ending September 6, while they were up 7.1% in swing counties and 3.8% in red counties. Pent-up selling demand is one reason why new listings rose most in blue counties in August: New listings for homes in blue areas plummeted to a low of -47% year over year in the four weeks ending April 26, bigger than the 36% dip for red areas and the 43% decline for swing counties. Additionally, homes sold fastest in swing counties, with 43.5% of homes going under contract within two weeks during the four weeks ending September 6, versus 39.6% for blue counties and 35.3% for red counties. The typical home that sold during those four weeks went under contract in 43 days in blue counties, 44 days in swing counties and 62 days in red counties. Sales were up most in red counties, but pending sales were up more in swing and blue counties The number of homes sold in the four weeks ending September 6 rose most in red counties (15.9% year over year), compared with an 11.6% increase in swing counties and an 11% increase in blue counties. Sales in blue counties were hit hardest at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, down 34.8% year over year in the four weeks ending May 31 versus a 30.9% decline in swing counties and a 23.7% decline for red counties. Pending home sales rose most in swing counties, with a 29.6% year-over-year increase in the four weeks ending September 6, trailed closely by a 29% increase for blue counties. Pending sales were up 26.2% in red counties. The fact that pending sales are up more in swing and blue counties reflects the fact that sales in those areas took a bigger hit at the beginning of the pandemic and thus have more room to grow. The first 2020 Presidential debate in Cleveland The Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic hosted the first presidential debate on Tuesday, September 29, in its Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion. This year’s event will mark Case Western Reserve’s second engagement with the Commission on Presidential Debates; in 2004 the university hosted the Vice Presidential debate between Dick Cheney and John Edwards in the Veale Convocation Recreation and Athletic Center. About 43.6 million people watched the October 5 discussion; viewing projections for this year’s event exceeded 100 million. So is Ohio considered a swing state ? Polling indicates that Ohio has turned into battleground territory for the 2020 election, it has a history on its side in establishing itself as not just a battleground, but a must-win state to achieve victory in the presidential campaign. All of the above information is backed up by the facts and statistics regarding the increase in property prices and the decline in homes available for sale in the Cleveland district. Charts supplied in this blog courtesy of Redfin, outline this based on the sales of 2020. The message is clear, now is the time to purchase in Cleveland Ohio before the prices increase to such that the net returns are no longer what they used to be. Global Investments saw the same during the Detroit boom five years ago. If you have been looking to purchase in Cleveland but still sitting on the fence do not be the person who stated “ I should have bought five years ago “

The new St.Louis University Hospital shaping Midtown St. Louis

This year we will see the opening of the new Saint Louis University Hospital one of the biggest and most state of the art hospitals in whole of the US. Construction projects were put on hold due to the recent pandemic but the new University Hospital is about to open its doors. The hospital has cost in excess of $550 million and houses sophisticated technology and design that supports and elevates academic-medical partnership with the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. The new SLU Hospital campus is located on 15 acres adjacent to the current facility off Grand Boulevard between Rutger and Lasalle streets. The project has logged over 1.3 million workforce construction hours and has had a peak workforce team of more than 700 trades people.The hospital is over 803,000 square feet and has 14 floors including 4 floors dedicated to ambulatory care, there are 316 private inpatient rooms, 2 expanded intensive care units (80 beds), a Conference Center and it even has a valet service.Located in Midtown this hospital provides an opportunity to reverse the problematic trend of urban healthcare facility loss we have seen in Saint Louis. It is estimated that over the next 10 years the St. Louis region will gain huge job increases. This hospital is just one of the 16 capital projects estimated between $5-7 billion total presently planned for the Midtown corridor.Within the next few years, midtown St. Louis near Saint Louis University may well be the busiest 400 acres in St. Louis in terms of new development. The St. Louis Midtown Redevelopment Corporation, a certified 353 redevelopment organization has big plans for the neighborhood, the new hospital was just the start.Located directly west of the new redevelopment area, Cortex is a 200-acre innovation and technology hub that, when completed, will house 15,000 permanent technology-related jobs in over 4.5 million square feet of mixed-use spaces. More than 250 companies already call Cortex home. The Saint Louis Midtown Redevelopment Corporation’s authority form a critical link in the chain to connect the City’s central corridor. With construction planned and already underway, that vision is finally taking shape.The Midtown area is home to some of St. Louis’ most exciting attractions and neighborhoods. Forest Park, the seventh largest urban park in the United States, is a natural oasis in an urban environment. Located on 1,371 acres in the center of the St. Louis metropolitan area, Forest Park is about 500 acres larger than New York City’s Central Park. It contains St. Louis’ major museums – the Saint Louis Art Museum and the Missouri History Museum –as well as the Saint Louis Science Center, Saint Louis Zoo, and The Muny, which is the country’s biggest outdoor theatre.The further redevelopment of Midtown is going to impact the demand for properties in the near vicinity, rental demand is already very high in this area but this is going to increase further. Areas like Shaw, Forest Park, Hamilton Heights, Parkview, Franz Park, anywhere within a five mile radius will be very sought after locations by investors.If you would like to see some of our great St. Louis properties please email invest@globalinvestmentsincorproared.com

Is Amazon expanding in Northeast Ohio ?

A clue in documents filed with the city of Cleveland has fuelled speculation that online retail giant Amazon will expand its Northeast Ohio footprint by building a new facility within the city limits. The clue came in filings for a commercial permit the architectural firm Richard Bowen + Associates entered June 4 with the Cleveland Planning Commission for a new building on Heidtman Parkway, off Interstate 77 in the city’s Industrial Valley near the ArcelorMittal steel mill. Located in the margins of one of the documents is the word “Amazon,” which appears to be part of the name of a computer file. However, the documents give no other clues as to who will occupy the new 112,000-sqare-foot building. Filings only refer to it as a “distribution centre.” A spokesman for the Seattle-based company said in an email that “we have a longstanding practice of not commenting on rumours or speculation.” Bowen’s marketing director did not respond to a request for comment. City Councilman Tony Brancatelli, whose ward includes the site in question, said Bowen contacted him to inquire about the sites but that they did not tell him what company was interested in its use. However, “there’s not too many 40-acre sites in Cleveland, that’s for sure,” Brancatelli said. The plans Bowen submitted to the city include parking for more than 200 associates, a sign that the owner of the site could employ hundreds of residents. It also includes for more than 5,500 vans and to unload eight truck trailers. The land is part of the Cuyahoga Valley Industrial Center and is owned by the Greater Cleveland Community Improvement Corp., a nonprofit that creates public-private partnerships for land development in the city. Allegro Real Estate Brokers & Advisors has marketed the property for the nonprofit. Its managing director did not immediately respond to a voicemail. Amazon company has expanded its footprint in Northeast Ohio in recent years, opening up fulfilment and sorting facilities in Euclid and North Randall. The company also announced plans in July to build a new facility in Akron, on the former Rolling Acres mall site. Amazon announces Amazon Small Business Academy Amazon Small Business Academy to help thousands of entrepreneurs gain digital strategy and brand building skills to make their ambitions reality, through free in-person seminar events and live webinars, as well as community college classes across the country The Amazon Small Business Academy program also includes a grant to the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) to help fund curriculum development and instruction of digital business courses in community college classrooms around the country. The classes will cover the fundamentals of online business strategies, marketing, merchandising, inventory management, and more. The curriculum will provide sixteen hours of beginner, intermediate and advanced content, created in collaboration with NACCE and the program’s lead schools: Lorain County Community College in Elyria near Cleveland, Ohio. Classes will begin in February 2020 at the lead schools, as well as Bunker Hill Community College in Boston, Mass.; State Center Community College District in partnership with Fresno City College, in Fresno, Calif.; Houston Community College in Houston, Texas; and Red Rocks Community College in Lakewood. Amazon to open 3 new delivery stations in Cleveland, Glenwillow, Bedford Heights CLEVELAND — Your orders from Amazon might soon reach your doorstep a little quicker after Amazon Logistics announced it will be opening three new delivery stations in the Cleveland-area. The new stations—which will be located in Cleveland, Glenwillow and Bedford Heights—will power the company’s last-mile delivery capabilities in the area, speeding up deliveries for Cleveland-area customers. In addition to quicker deliveries, the new stations are expected to create hundreds of full-time and part-time jobs. Amazon pays a minimum of $15 per hour and offers benefit packages to employees starting on their first day, including health, vision, dental, 401(k), and paid parental leave. “The investment that Amazon is making in the City of Cleveland speaks to our growing appeal to industry of all types and businesses of all sizes,” said Mayor Frank G. Jackson. “The new jobs to be created by these new stations are a welcome investment in our local economy.” The delivery stations will be located at the following addresses: 43500 Victory Parkway, Glenwillow, OH 44139 24800 Miles Road, Bedford Heights, OH 44146 10801 Madison AVE, Cleveland, OH 44102 Amazon expects the three new delivery stations to open this year ( 2020 ) With the continuing investment from large global companies like Amazon in the Cleveland district it is no wonder Cleveland Ohio is one of the top places to invest in USA property for 2020 & 2021 If you have any interest please contact Global Investments by email today at : invest@globalinvestmentsincorporated.

Demand and prices surge in Cleveland for turnkey investments

Cleveland Ohio is located on the southern shore of Lake Erie, about 60 miles west of the Pennsylvania border. Downtown Cleveland has experienced a renaissance over the past 5-10 years with an estimated 25 Billion in development completed or planned since 2010. Occupancy rates are at an astonishing 98% and home sales are up 12% year after year making this market a dream for the overseas or domestic investor. Great house prices and fantastic cash on cash returns with a huge potential for growth given the huge investment getting pumped into the city via companies like Amazon, Ford and individual investment from the likes of Dan Gilbert who helped rebuild Detroit. The big question now is how long can prices availability and returns like this last ? Unfortunately for potential or current investors looking at investing in Cleveland it looks like the clock is ticking. Prices are on the rise and the supply of these types of turnkey homes is down and finding good tenanted or renovated properties in good neighbourhoods is getting tougher. As a company Global Investments Incorporated have been selling in Cleveland for the past 3 years and have sold over 1000 houses in the city. Good Single Family tenanted properties have been sold in and around the 35-45k mark and for a good Duplex an investor would look to pay around the 50-55k mark. Due to huge Demand and a lack of supply the prices are slowly creeping up. “ We have been expecting this for some time now. Very similar to what happened in Detroit 3-4 years ago. Cleveland is still an incredible opportunity for both the overseas and the domestic buyer but any client looking at getting involved needs to look at higher prices for these types of houses. The prices cant stay the same with such demand, lack of supply and huge investment into the city. These price increases were inevitable. I still think as a company we have another 12 months in the city before prices get too high. I think for a good, well located single family home any client should be looking at spending around $45k to $55k and for a well located Duplex they will need to look at between $60k and $80k. “ Mike Moodie CEO Global Investments Incorporated Although prices are on the rise Cleveland Ohio still offers an incredible opportunity for any cash buyer to get well priced tenanted houses with great cash on cash returns and good appreciation over the coming 5-10 years. If you would like more information on our Cleveland Ohio Investments or have any general questions on the US market place and what opportunities are available please contact any of the team at Global at invest@globalinvestmentsincorporated.com

121 Larchmere Cleveland

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Officials and developers on Tuesday broke ground on a $23 million, four-story apartment building in Cleveland’s Larchmere neighbourhood set to open next spring. The building, dubbed 121 Larchmere, will be perched at the corner of Larchmere Boulevard and East 121st Street at the western end of the East Side commercial strip, known for its array of antique shops and restaurants. The plans include 88 market-rate studio and one-bedroom apartments and the hope is to attract more people to an area of the city that continues to develop. The building will have more than 64,000 square feet for apartments and about 6,300 square feet for a first-floor office. The project is developed by First Interstate Properties of Lyndhurst, which also built Legacy Village, Steelyard Commons and the One University Circle high-rise apartment building. An affiliate of First Interstate bought the property in March for $950,000, Cuyahoga County property records show. The land was previously home to a Pick n Pay supermarket and later housed the Life Skills Center of Northeast Ohio charter school. The company on Tuesday held a “virtual groundbreaking” for the project because of the coronavirus pandemic. Still, about two dozen people were present at the site to commemorate the project, including many from the company and City Councilman Blaine Griffin. The rest watched via livestream on YouTube. “We hope that 121 Larchmere will really serve to enhance the neighbourhood, bring residents to the neighbourhood, bring new business to the neighbourhood and continue the renaissance that’s happening in this neighbourhood,” First Interstate President Mitchell Schneider said at the groundbreaking. Development associate Tony Smith said Wednesday that the company already has a tenant for the first-floor office space but declined to name it. City Council in March approved tax incentives for the project, which will give First Interstate 30 years of tax-increment financing, a mechanism that allows revenue from future taxes on the property to be used to pay for its improvements. Griffin said at the groundbreaking that there was a proposal to put a dollar store on the location. Slowing the proliferation of such stores has been an interest of the councilman, and he said residents intervened and paved the way for the new apartment building. 121 Larchmerer is very close to Buckeye Shaker, Buckeye Shaker and the surrounding neighbourhoods like Woodland Hills and Mt Pleasant are one of the most popular areas in which Global Investments have sold many properties over the years. Buckeye Shaker is only minutes from the famous Shaker Square. Shaker Square is one of the biggest attractions in Cleveland and is full of restaurants, bars, boutiques and of course the Cinema. It is good to see continued new property developments in this area which continues to attract investors and business, great for capital appreciation. If you would like to know which properties Global Investments have in this location for sale today please visit www.globalinvestmentsincorporated.com or email invest@globalinvestmentsincorporated.com

Why invest in Cleveland

EMPLOYMENT Cleveland is home to many Fortune 500 companies and established organisations that offer secure employment opportunities for its residents. From Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals to Amazon, KeyBank, Goodyear, Sherwin-Williams and many more, these stable employers provide jobs for much of the greater Cleveland area, as well as ensuring regular new arrivals to the region. CULTURE & GREEN SPACES A mid-size city, Cleveland offers a thriving hub of activities for its residents enjoyment. Landmark cultural institutions like the Cleveland Orchestra, thriving restaurant and nightlife scenes sit along side vast networks of public parks, including national parkland, that offer beaches, biking/hiking trails, playgrounds and more. These community amenities are enjoyed by Clevelanders all year long. TRANSPORTATION The residents of Cleveland and the surrounding areas have the benefit of a large and accessible network of highways. The main north-south and east-west arteries link with smaller connections in strategic areas, making it a breeze for residents to travel around the region. This system keeps traffic levels lower, minimising commute times and stand still rush hours. Cleveland is also supported by bus routes and bike lanes in key areas to make commuting without a car possible. LOCAL DEVELOPMENT Both in Cleveland itself and the surrounding areas, a strong emphasis is placed on local development. City governments and residents alike keep an eye on the future of the area by nurturing new businesses, revitalising unused areas and investing in current infrastructure. Projects such as renovating a lake front park in Cleveland and a new waterfront development in the suburb of Euclid showcase the ideals of the region and present the enormous increase of in value for anyone investing in local real estate. Global Investments has been helping investors grow their rental portfolios in Cleveland for years. We have a thorough understanding of Cleveland neighbourhoods and suburbs and what kind of investments they’re best suited for. And we have the experience to identify great opportunities for our clients. Want to learn more about how we can help build your portfolio?

Saint Louis the new leader of Mid West America

St. Louis the “Gateway to the West” is one of America’s most historic cities and ranks among the best places to live in the U.S., coming in at number 81 of 125 cities. If you’re interested in investing in rental properties for long-term appreciation and income potential, then you’ll find what you’re looking for in the St. Louis. The city is in the middle of a makeover and there are nine new projects underway which are bringing this city right into the 21st Century.Armory DistrictThe Armory District is located in St. Louis’ hot Midtown, the plans involve the renovation of the historic Armory building, a greenway path and 250,000 square feet of office space. With close proximity to the Cortex District, City Foundry STL, the Grand Avenue Metro Station, Iron Hill Development, and St. Louis University – The Armory District is a key piece of the City’s Midtown renewal.Ballpark Village Phase 2The 700,000-square-foot project includes a hotel, office building, retail space, restaurants and a high-rise luxury residential tower with views of the stadium. The $260 million project promises to “bring the village to Ballpark Village” and is projected to add more than a thousand permanent new jobs to downtown.Chouteau GreenwayPlans are a foot for a fee accessible trail throughout the city, a place where people can exercise and explore, organisers are looking to build a path that stretches from Forest Park to Gateway Arch National Park and Tower Grove to Fairground Parks through twenty city neighborhoods.Major League Soccer StadiumThe 30-acre proposed stadium development site is just northwest of Union Station in the Downtown West neighborhood. Plans for the open-air arena include canopy shading and a seating capacity of 22,500, with each seat within 120 feet of the pitch.NGA West CampusThe National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is planning to build a new 97-acre campus in the historic St. Louis Place neighborhood at the intersection of Jefferson and Cass avenues, is it expected to be the largest federal investment project in the history of St. Louis.St. Louis AquariumThis 120,000 square feet aquarium is located in Union Station and is fast becoming one of the best attractions in Saint Louis.39 NorthThis is a 600-acre development in Creve Coeur and includes proposals to build a mixed retail, office and residential area connected by green space and biking trails, it will be located at the intersection of Olive and Lindbergh boulevards.HyperloopPlans are still under review for a high-speed transportation route between St. Louis and Kansas City, the total journey time would only be 30 minutes. This would bring huge employment and opportunity to Saint Louis.Demand for St. Louis real estate will continue to grow as more and more development takes place in the city, this will have an impact on pushing prices upwards, low inventory is also putting upward pressure on prices.St. Louis housing market is now one of the top investment locations in the Mid West as prices still remain very affordable. Saint Louis is a market with tremendous, long-term potential for increasing rental and property appreciation, if you would like to see our current Saint Louis properties please email invest@globalinvestmentsincorporated.com

Dan Gilbert the Detroit legend

When Dan Gilbert was 11 years old he took a drive with his grandfather down Woodward Avenue in Detroit. He sat in the back seat of their ’71 Oldsmobile as his grandfather pointed at an empty retail location on Detroit’s main drag and said there “usta be” something over there. Then he pointed out how there usta be streetcars downtown, there usta be this, usta be that. Gilbert says that memory captures how he saw the city while growing up in the neighbouring middle-class suburb of Southfield in the 1960s, and he shared it in a keynote speech with several hundred real estate professionals gathered at the Urban Land Institute’s annual meeting in May, at Detroit’s Cobo Center. “Doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from: I can guarantee that people have been pointing to things for a long period of time and saying ‘usta,’” he said. “And when you look back at the sort of symbolic bottom of Detroit, I couldn’t think of any worse or sadder word to describe it than ‘usta.’” Detroit is a large city that lost hundreds of thousands of residents over decades. Its downtown, where Bedrock’s development is focused, became increasingly vacant. This is now finally changing, and it’s in no small part because of Gilbert, the billionaire founder of mortgage company Quicken Loans and the owner of NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. Over the past ten years, as media reports, films, and books churned out negative slurs portraying Detroit as a hollowed-out dystopia, Gilbert and his real-estate firm, Bedrock, were buying swaths of property at bargain prices and pumping in billions of dollars. Right now there are about 100 properties in Bedrock’s Detroit portfolio. Since its founding in 2011, Bedrock has invested and allocated a total of $5.6 billion into the city. Rock Ventures, Gilbert’s umbrella company of more than 100 businesses, accounts for 17,000 jobs in Detroit, making it the city’s largest employer, minority employer, and taxpayer. He moved Quicken Loans, now the US’s largest mortgage lender and the foundation of his fortune, to Detroit in 2010. As Detroiters struggled with the results of years of poor governance at the city and state levels, Gilbert continued a spending spree with the aim of breathing life back into the heart of the city. Now, for the first time in years, not only are Detroiters and Michiganders interested in what’s happening downtown. Global Investments have seen an increasing demand in the last 2 years from investors eager to capitalise on the early days of picking up the best bargains in the best locations in Detroit and Cleveland. Dan Gilbert is looking to save Detroit again ! Obviously many clients have contacted Global Investments recently concerned about investing right now during the global Covid 19 pandemic. For a more detailed answer here is a link to a great previous blog on this very subject : Rental property investment could be the safer option in today’s struggling stock market It is great news then for our investors to hear the positive steps being taken by Dan Gilbert in Detroit and Cleveland during these crazy times. This will no doubt give those still sitting on the fence a little but a reassurance. The next few weeks will most certainly be a buyers market. Dan Gilbert has donated $1.2 million to Detroit organisations to help them fight the outbreak of COVID-19. The donation from the Quicken Loans Community Fund and Gilbert Family Foundation includes $500,000 for the United Way for Southeastern Michigan, $250,000 to the United Community Housing Coalition and $450,000 for small businesses and existing grant partners to ensure they can maintain operations in the weeks ahead. “Our actions today will impact the trajectory of the coronavirus tomorrow, which is why it is so critical that we, as a philanthropic community, immediately support Detroit residents through direct investments in families and those nonprofits that provide crucial services,” said Jennifer Gilbert, co-founder of the Gilbert Family Foundation. “The Gilbert Family Foundation is proud to invest in United Way and United Community Housing Coalition in order to mitigate the impacts of this virus today and for the foreseeable future. We encourage other organisations to join us in supporting this necessary cause.” The money provided to the United Way for Southeastern Michigan will go straight to its COVID-19 Community Response Fund, which supports families and nonprofits to ensure access to health care, emergency financial supports and food, as well as addressing long-term needs that result from loss of jobs and income. Quicken Loans is also matching fundraising for team members who donate to organisations in Detroit, Cleveland, Phoenix and Charlotte. Dan Gilbert is also waiving rent and parking payments for up to three months for the small businesses located in buildings. Select businesses that are located in Bedrock buildings will not be charged for rent, parking, or other expenses through the end of June, the company announced in a statement released on Monday. “As with all of our tenants, entrepreneurs and small businesses play an incredibly important role in our local economy, which has been central to Dan Gilbert’s vision over the last 10 years of his investments in Detroit and Cleveland, ” Bedrock CEO Matt Cullen said in a statement. “It is going to take the entire community to mitigate the effects of this pandemic on the region, and we are happy to do our part to help our portfolio’s most vulnerable businesses weather the storm. In Detroit, Bedrock houses 125 retailers and restaurants, in addition to another 210 businesses in office space, according to a press release. The company said in a statement that none of the small businesses it leases space to had folded due to the virus thus far. So if you are looking to take advantage of buy to let opportunities in Detroit or Cleveland, Speak to a member of our team today and we’ll help guide you through the process. Email Mike or any of his team at Global at invest@globalinvestmentsincorporated.com .