Best places for international investment

Hi all,
I'm new to this forum. I have an Australian investment.

I'm looking to buy overseas but I'm still learning. Can the most experienced investors please suggest some countries where it is easy and beneficial to buy?

I have already heard some mention USA, any other locations? And can you please let me know the limitations (financial, legal, etc) of investing in that location?

Thanks all,
Te

 

In all honesty I wouldn't really be able to provide any qualified guidance on this except for the US where I have purchased property. I do have a friend who has bought in the UK, Hong Kong and Japan. If you're interested in having a chat to him I can put you in touch. Send me an email address and I'll make the introduction.

- Andrew

 

Have you explored all opportunities in Australia?

I have seen ample on the forum who have invested in US, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, UK, Europe, India and New Zealand .

If you search using some keywords, you will get the posts.

Australia is still the safest market imho.

Regards

 

safest how? Risk? Being able to leverage? Tenant problems?

 

@Te Tao what are your goals?

 

I cant find a country safer than Australia. From pretty much any aspect.

 

Economy
Future Growth prospects
Stability
Knowledge available
Rules and regulations
Rate of interest


Regards

 

I think US fits that well (not that I am investing there). The big advantage I see for locals to stick to Australian investments is leverage (access to credit) but with falling markets and tightening credit, the next 2 years will be interesting

 

All good things come to an end. Many of us don't even know what a proper recession is. 25+ years of continued growth and economic expansion, we may have 25 more years or not ...

 

Rate of interest- no
Economy - no
Future Growth - no

Regards

 

I bought in ireland
You could have thrown a dart at a map of doublin in 2010-2013 And close to doubled your money along with 10% + yields . On prime property . More returns with the FX factored in
Huge opportunity in recessions

 

The good old timing the market ... If only it works every time

 

My experience is this...One doesn't have to be right 5/5 times to make serious $ with timing. 3/5 or 4/5 is enough to move the needle and a few flatliners (ie mistakes) doesn't negate having big winners. Even the not great ones come good eventually. If you try something you will always make mistakes, it takes time and experience to improve the process. 15 yrs ago My first 2 were timed just right and made quick $. My third was slightly out, took a bit longer but then went nuts and made more total $ than the first two combined. Fourth was bang on, best percentage return of all of them because it also included development profit, then the fifth was a bit off. Etc.

I think the trick is not to make 1 big purchase your biggest mistake and lose all your $ in one nasty hit that costs you a decade to recover.

The OP's Q is about international investment, which I have limited experience to advise on but around Australia (as also mentioned) there are plenty of options that represent good value and have upside potential.

 

I like to time the market as much as the next guy but I am happier to buy when sentiment is bad and prices get hammered as well.

The thing with higher volatility is it can go either way, factor in leverage - it is easy to get burned. Not saying it shouldn't be done as I have done this in the recent Melbourne boom and got out safely with some extra coin. In hindsight if I was only off by a year, I would have just break-even.

 

Did you hear the one about the Irish property investor?

His profits were Dublin!

Sorry, that was woeful, I’ll be quiet now...

 

Imho the biggest risk factor to any investor is - themselves . Many people want to do well while barely having learnt the fundamentals . They don't know what opportunities lay in their own backyard and yet they want to look overseas for rosier waters . I doubt they know investing in foreign markets generally is a much higher risk profile endeavour then they realise.

All comes back to mastering the fundamentals.

 

I don't think so at all.

Investing in resi - locally - for me is just out of the question.

Are you suggesting I haven't mastered the fundamentals of my local market?

 

Not at all. I'm suggesting people may want to look at opportunities in their own backyard ( Australia wide) before jumping off too quickly abroad .

I have nothing against investing overseas- i do it myself . But its within a risk profile and strategic plan that fits into my overall portfolio . I suspect some are just looking for rosier waters and their portfolio/risk profile isnt ready for it, imo.

 

One thing that has to date deterred me from investing overseas is the risk of government rent seeking from foreign investors.

Plenty of examples around he world and including our own backyard with higher taxes for foreign investors. If you aren’t a citizen and hence are ineligible to vote there are no political points in keeping you happy, which makes an easy target for greedy governments.

 

Nothing beats buying a no brainer market. Why bother with a hard market and picking really hard to find assets.