The following article highlights what I’ve been saying for some time about the benefits of buying US Property at the bottom of the market with Australia’s dollar near the top of its range.

I bought a number of US properties at around $1.10 and with 21st Century US Property’s help, so did many 21st Century Members.

With the dollar dropping to below $1 that’s more than a 10% gain already, plus US properties have risen by at least 10% in many cases.

That’s a nice 20% gain on top of the 15% – 20% net rentals.

It’s not hard to see why I’ve been telling Australians to get their act together and add US Property to their portfolio… or at least to their super portfolio.

I mean with US houses from $30,000 and 50% loans available (sometimes higher) it’s affordable for almost any Australian.

So how do you go about buying US Properties quickly and safely?

There are 3 ways:

1. Jump On A Plane And Go Do It Yourself

This option can work if you get educated first.

I suggest:

• 1. Studying online videos at www.21stcenturyusproperty.com.au
• 2. Ordering the US Property Boot Camp Homestudy Click Here
• 3. Joining me in Las Vegas for our annual US Boot Camp (October 22nd – 24th), followed by a 4 day, 3 city tour with the opportunity see and buy US Property right there and then Express Your Interest Here

If you don’t get educated first, you could be in for a rather expensive lesson.

2. Buy Into US Property Funds Here In Australia

We could set one up but haven’t because it would be a disservice to you (though much greater profits to us).

Why?

Well, current US Property Funds in Australia offer about 8% pa and require $50,000 minimum.

Whereas you can pay a one off fee to 21st Century US Property and they will source houses for you, many getting 15% – 20% net and often for less than $50,000.

Plus this way you can leverage (borrow half) unlike with funds. So you could have two $50,000 houses earning 15% – 20% net on $100K versus 8% p.a. on only $50K.

My point is it’s more profitable for me to provide a fund for my clients, but
I don’t agree with fund management and financial planning models.

It makes the fund managers and planners more money and leaves less on the table for clients.

3. Use The Services Of Australian Based Companies Sourcing US Properties

The danger with this is some companies aren’t trustworthy, or simply don’t have the expertise on the ground. Or some are recent start-ups without the experience gained over the last several years of what works and what doesn’t.

And they don’t they have the level of extensive research and education needed to locate the hot property spots, or the ongoing support to make US Property investing a reality for the average Australian.

Some will sell you a “Detroit” type property. They’ll make money off you and leave you with a lemon investment with no tenants, or ones you can’t collect rent off without an armoured Humvee (and I’m not joking).

The team at 21st Century US Property are reporting rapid increase in the number of clients wanting to buy, particularly higher net worth Australians.

My biggest concern is many people will wait until nearly everyone is talking about buying US Property before they act… and miss the boat.

I’m telling you right now, I’m upgrading my US forecasts for some significant property value rises, when in the past I was happy to buy US Property assuming a recovery was ten years away.

The reality is, the over supply is drying up.

US citizens are starting to buy homes again. Because they’re so ridiculously cheap, way below replacement value, and employment is ticking up.

Think about it…

If a house was $250,000 and the 21st Century US team could source you the same house for say, $75,000, paying 15% plus net rental yield (and you don’t even need to leave your lounge room to make it happen all you have to do is pick up the phone)…

And if replacement value in this home is say $150,000…

It’s possible now to see a potential doubling of your property value in the next 2 to 3 years to $150,000.

That doesn’t mean the US market would have even recovered much more than half its losses, so it’s not unrealistic.

But knowing even if it doesn’t, 15% plus net rentals is better than what most Australians could dream of in their super funds or managed funds.

Why do you think the financial planning industry don’t like us?

It’s because they can’t compete.

(Just quietly, some actually send us their clients)

Now you might be thinking, “But Jamie, what about currency risks?”

Well if the Australian dollar dropped to say, 75 cents from parity, that’s still a massive 25% gain.

If US houses rise just 25%, that’s doubled your returns.

Plus don’t forget your measly 15% net rental returns.

“But what if the AUD rises?”

No problems.

Dollar cost average into more US houses because they’ll be even cheaper

“But what if the US Dollar crashes because the Federal Reserve keeps printing so much money?”

Has it crashed yet?

Trust me, before that happens you could’ve made a few million from US Property.

The US is not Zimbabwe.

It can happily print trillions more for a long time before the US dollar might (if ever) seriously crash because it can simply export its inflation to the world. It remains the reserve currency and will for sometime yet.

Not investing because you think the world is going to implode means you’ve already lost the game.

What else am I doing?

I’m waiting for the US share market to drop some more so I can pick up quality stocks like Apple and Google etc., using 2% p.a. US bank finance to acquire large slabs of these quality companies.

That’s just another way to profit from US Market.

In Australia I’m not touching the local share market.

I continue to invest in residential land using options in growth areas like Bendigo.

So effectively buying property without loans, which I’ve told my readers about before.

It’s one of the best investment strategies in Australia right now. And it’s still a well-kept secret, despite me telling everyone about it.

Of course I’m also very bullish in agriculture with the Asian food crisis looming. And the fall in the Australian dollar is good for soft commodity exports.

I heard a famous quote by world-renowned hedge fund manager Jim Rogers many years back. He said, “It won’t be the stockbrokers driving Lamborghinis in the future but farmers, because of the coming Asian food crisis.”

So I loaded up on agriculture investments (mainly cattle and sheep stations) that come with a Lamborghini.

Seriously.

My team is actually in discussions right now to have Jim Rogers speak at the
21st Century Financial Education Summit this year (September 15th – 17th at the Brisbane Convention Centre).

He’s well respected in financial circles and definitely one guy you want to listen to when it comes to spotting future investment trends.

For more information visit www.financialeducationsummit.com

Free resources to help you take action:

1. US property

2. Landbanking

3. Real Estate Academy

 

Jamie McIntyre

CEO

21st Century Education

P.S Here is a great article outlining how the Australian dollar has dropped below parity, but there’s still value for local investors in the US property market:

 

Original Article by Caleb Sampson from Eureka Report

Bargain-hunting in the heartland

PORTFOLIO POINT: The Australian dollar may have dropped below parity, but there’s still value for local investors in the US property market.

A patch of parity

The Australian dollar is falling. Dipping below parity for the first time in 2012 last week, the dollar sat at 97.60c at noon today, and is set in the eyes of most observers for a lower trajectory in the short and medium term as commodity prices trend downward and Europe remains unstable. It raises a question for investors in Australia who are exposed to, or considering exposure to, US assets – are there still buying opportunities, and if so what are they?

Analysts at several major retail and investment banks downgraded their forecasts for the dollar this month, citing weakening demand for Australian debt. Goldman Sachs expects the Australian dollar to return to parity in coming months, before slipping to 98c by November and settling there – a 10c lowering of expectations. Credit Suisse strategist Jarrod Kerr forecasts 95c in the next three months, and 96c over the coming year. NAB is forecasting 98c by September, down from $1.02. Of course, dollar forecasts are not reliable; some strategists suggest the dollar could easily move higher.

Either way, Evans & Partners chief investment officer Mike Hawkins still describes the Australian dollar as “brutally overvalued”.

In an interview with Eureka Report earlier this month, high-profile former funds manager Peter Morgan said he believed the Australian dollar was set to fall in the near future, but emphasised its strength had also been underwritten by US weakness. Morgan said as the US economy recovered, investments there would become a good alternative play.

US weakness is now being offset by two factors: an improving economy (seen in most indicators of employment, home sales and confidence); and a weak eurozone. CMC Markets senior trader Tim Waterer says: “Buying of US dollars is again the order of the day…The potential implications of a Greek exit have traders steering clear of higher-risk assets, which has paved the way for the US dollar to appreciate against all comers.

“Traders remain inclined to distance themselves from currencies like the euro, sterling and Australian dollar, and … the US dollar for many has been the obvious investment choice until the dust settles.”
So, while the dollar remains high, US investments remain attractive. As Hawkins says: “If you can take an overvalued asset, and buy undervalued assets, you’d be a fool not to do it.”

The view of US property

There are three main property classes in the US, as in Australia – retail, commercial and residential. While there are many indirect paths to the former two, which will be briefly canvassed further on, the most realistic and attractive direct option for individual Australian investors is in the residential class (i.e. buying a house or apartment).

Within this, there are also direct and indirect ways to go about investing. One of the chief benefits of buying into US residential property is, of course, that the market appears to still be bouncing along the bottom of a steep drop in the price cycle, following the sub-prime mortgage collapse which began in 2006. This is particularly relevant in comparison to other markets local investors may be looking at, such as Australia or Britain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In fact, whether you look at residential property prices from 2001 in terms of an index, in real terms, or as a price against average income, the US still comes out starkly cheaper than the UK or Australia since 2007. Evans & Partners’ Hawkins says there has been a 68% improvement in affordability since 2005, according to the company’s data.

Furthermore, there are signs that a recovery is beginning. Data this week from the Federal Housing Finance Association found new home sales rose by 3.3% in April, and prices rose by 0.6% in the March quarter. Prices are up 2.7% on the same time last year, the strongest gain since November 2006. Also this week, the National Association of Realtors said sales of existing homes rose 3.4% in April, the highest rise since May 2010. The median price for existing homes – $177,400 – lifted 10.1% year-on-year.

The Australian dollar also remains high when viewed historically. Forecasts of between 95c and 98c are still 25-30% above where the dollar sat just a few years ago; it traded between 70c and 80c for most of the three years leading up to 2007, when house prices in the US were peaking as well. “Who knows when the currency falls back to fair value?,” says Hawkins.

Alan Dixon, the managing director of the US Masters Residential Property Fund – a listed fund set up to allow Australian investors exposure to the US through houses and units in Hudson County, New Jersey – says now is still a good time to invest.

“With the Aussie dollar being under pressure, investors are saying ‘if I want to do this, I should do it now’,” Dixon says.

“From just the US property side alone, it’s a great time. And it’s always risky picking currency, but there seems to be more downside risk than upside risk on the Australia dollar at the moment.”

Direct investment

Investors looking for direct exposure to US residential property should be aware of the depth of research and work it requires.

In terms of legal considerations, the US is inviting for Australians, as it is legal for Australians to buy property there, and the legislative framework is similar.

However, Vanessa de Groot, who has written in detail on how to buy US property for Australian Property Investor and Eureka Report, notes that one of the first considerations after setting up an individual tax identification number (ITIN) should be to set up a limited liability company (LLC).

“In the US you’re able to essentially buy in a company name, rather than in your personal name, which protects you when it comes to liability issues, which is important because the US is so litigious,” de Groot writes.

Hawkins says there is “huge regional divergence in the states”, which makes detailed location-based research essential for investors.

Another issue to consider is banking, and the actual manner of getting money from Australia to the US, or borrowing there.

Investors may need to set up a US bank account, or discuss with their bank the option of a US-based account. If the purchase is to be financed through borrowing, this also presents hurdles, as US banks generally won’t lend to foreigners and Australian banks may be unwilling to lend for US property purchases, according to de Groot.

The banking side is also an important consideration for money going the other way – collecting income from rent.

While US rents also fell with property prices in many areas, Alan Dixon says he is seeing signs of improvement here too.

Indirect investment

There are, on the other hand, a range of options for investing in US property in a more indirect way.
Hawkins says that Evans & Partners is recommending a US home building ETF.

“The construction recovery in the US has started, and that will run for three to five years,” Hawkins says. “There’s plenty of life in that trade.”

The iShares Dow Jones US Home Construction ETF, traded on the NYSE Arca, has gained 47.69% in the past six months.

Dixon’s US Masters Residential Property Fund is another indirect way to buy in, and is listed on the National Stock Exchange of Australia. It has seen modest price improvement over the past few months, from $1.55 a share in February to $1.62 this month. While median house prices in the Hudson County district where it invests have been trending down, Dixon says he is tripling his personal investment in the fund, and has likened it in the past to buying a quality stock with a low P/E.

Dixon says his experience also supports the view of a US construction recovery.

“There’s some confidence back in the market,” he says. “In free-standing homes there’s still no new construction, but what you are seeing is new construction in renovation.

In light of this, investors could also consider Australian listed companies that have exposure to the US construction industry, such as James Hardie (JHX) or Boral (BLD).

Then there is the option of US-listed commercial or retail property. This does not have the advantage of such significant price contraction as the residential market has demonstrated since 2006, but it still stands to benefit from a currency shift.

BT Investment Management chief operating officer Phil Stockwell says from a superannuation perspective, the average self-managed super fund has no exposure to international property, whereas the average balanced fund has about 4%.

He suggests the use of ETFs or investment in managed funds to buy into US or other international retail and residential listed property.

This differs from listed Australian REITs with exposure to US retail property, such as Westfield (WDC), which often offset any potential currency impact on net tangible asset value – positive or negative – through the use of overseas debt.

Timing

What emerges from a consideration of the currency and US property markets is a sense of change.
In US property, this comes with an improving economy and investor sentiment, coupled with signs of growth in construction work and prices.

For the currency, this comes in the form of reduced commodity price expectations, accompanying downgraded forecasts for the ‘commodity currencies’ such as the Australian dollar, and improvement in the US dollar due to its use as a safe haven from eurozone pressures and a China slowdown. But analysts and professional investors remain bullish as the outlook from either of these angles has plenty of remaining positive upside for Australian investors in US property.

It seems the window of opportunity for investment based on these factors has not closed yet.

 

Jamie McIntyre is a corporate authorised representative (ASIC No: 321315 ) of CLEARING AND SETTLEMENT SERVICES LTD (AFSL 238796)

DISCLAIMER: Any information presented in this document is given purely as illustrations and should not be construed as specific investment recommendations; It is general in nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. The laws relating to investment, taxation, benefits, and the handling of money are constantly changing and are often subject to changes in government policy. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the material contained herein at the time of publication and presentation, the author, presenter, promoters nor the publishers will bear any responsibility or liability for any action taken by any person, persons or organisations on the purported basis of information contained in the documen t herein. Without limiting the generality of the aforegoing, no person, persons or organisations should invest monies or take other action on reliance of the material contained herein but instead should satisfy themselves independently (by seeking expert advice or otherwise) of the appropriateness of any such action. Any general financial advice or financial product advice is only provided by licensed individuals who hold all the appropriate licensing required by ASIC for events held within Australia. | All investing carries some risk and you should seek professional financial advice prior to investing. 21st Century Education Holdings Pty Ltd is a corporate authorised representative (ASIC No: 396633 ) of CLEARING AND SETTLEMENT SERVICES LTD (AFSL 238796)