Money Does Matter

Let’s face it, as much as we wish it weren’t so, money matters a great deal in our lives. It’s easy for those who have it to say it doesn’t matter, but to those who don’t, it matters a great deal.

One way to have it is to be smart about it. This means getting good financial advice, investing wisely and managing it prudently. A property purchase in France is normally a wise investment, but if you’re transferring U.S., Canadian, Australian dollars or British sterling (or other currencies for that matter) into euros to make the purchase, money can be lost easily in the translation. The benefactor of your loss is the bank.
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About the Foreign Exchange Market according to Wikipedia.org:

The foreign exchange market (forex, FX, or currency market) is a global decentralized market for the trading of currencies. The main participants in this market are the larger international banks. Financial centers around the world function as anchors of trading between a wide range of different types of buyers and sellers around the clock, with the exception of weekends. EBS and Reuters’ dealing 3000 are two main interbank FX trading platforms. The foreign exchange market determines the relative values of different currencies.

The foreign exchange market works through financial institutions, and it operates on several levels. Behind the scenes banks turn to a smaller number of financial firms known as “dealers,” who are activ
ely involved in large quantities of foreign exchange trading. Most foreign exchange dealers are banks, so this behind-the-scenes market is sometimes called the “interbank market,” although a few insurance companies and other kinds of financial firms are involved. Trades between foreign exchange dealers can be very large, involving hundreds of millions of dollars.[citation needed] Because of the sovereignty issue when involving two currencies, Forex has little (if any) supervisory entity regulating its actions.

The foreign exchange market assists international trade and investment by enabling currency conversion. For example, it permits a business in the United States to import goods from the European Union member states, especially Eurozone members, and pay euros, even though its income is in United States dollars. It also supports direct speculation in the value of currencies, and the carry trade, speculation based on the interest rate differential between two currencies.

In a typical foreign exchange transaction, a party purchases some quantity of one currency by paying some quantity of another currency. The modern foreign exchange market began forming during the 1970s after three decades of government restrictions on foreign exchange transactions (the Bretton Woods system of monetary management established the rules for commercial and financial relations among the world’s major industrial states after World War II), when countries gradually switched to floating exchange rates from the previous exchange rate regime, which remained fixed as per the Bretton Woods system.

The foreign exchange market is unique because of the following characteristics:

 * its huge trading volume representing the largest asset class in the world leading to high liquidity;
 * its geographical dispersion;
 * its continuous operation: 24 hours a day except weekends, i.e., trading from 20:15 GMT on Sunday until 22:00 GMT Friday;
 * the variety of factors that affect exchange rates;
 * the low margins of relative profit compared with other markets of fixed income; and
 * the use of leverage to enhance profit and loss margins and with respect to account size.

As such, it has been referred to as the market closest to the ideal of perfect competition, notwithstanding currency intervention by central banks.

According to the Bank for International Settlements, the preliminary global results from the 2013 Triennial Central Bank Survey of Foreign Exchange and OTC Derivatives Markets Activity show that trading in foreign exchange markets averaged $5.3 trillion per day in April 2013. This is up from $4.0 trillion in April 2010 and $3.3 trillion in April 2007. FX swaps were the most actively traded instruments in April 2013, at $2.2 trillion per day, followed by spot trading at $2.0 trillion.

According to the Bank for International Settlements, as of April 2010, average daily turnover in global foreign exchange markets is estimated at $3.98 trillion, a growth of approximately 20% over the $3.21 trillion daily volume as of April 2007. Some firms specializing on foreign exchange market had put the average daily turnover in excess of US$4 trillion.

The $3.98 trillion break-down is as follows:

 $1.490 trillion in spot transactions
 $475 billion in outright forwards
 $1.765 trillion in foreign exchange swaps
 $43 billion currency swaps
 $207 billion in options and other products

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There are many players in the foreign exchange market. You want to choose one that will offer the best rates, saving you the most amount of money.

Furthermore from Wikipedia.org:
 
Non-bank foreign exchange companies offer currency exchange and international payments to private individuals and companies. These are also known as foreign exchange brokers, but are distinct in that they do not offer speculative trading but rather currency exchange with payments (i.e., there is usually a physical delivery of currency to a bank account).

It is estimated that in the UK, 14% of currency transfers/payments are made via Foreign Exchange Companies. These companies’ selling point is usually that they will offer better exchange rates or cheaper payments than the customer’s bank. These companies differ from Money Transfer/Remittance Companies in that they generally offer higher-value services.
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If you’re buying a holiday home or investment property overseas, or just need to transfer from one currency to another to repay your mortgage or cover your living expenses, the cost of making that trade can be greatly reduced by working with currency specialists instead of relying on your bank to make the transfer.

Exchange rate fluctuations

In addition, the euro exchange rate is constantly fluctuating, so trading at the right moment will mean your money goes a lot further. We work closely together with several currency exchange specialists to ensure you make the most of your American, Canadian or Australian Dollar or British Sterling when buying a property in France (or any other currency for that matter!).

At the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009, global exchange rates went through their most volatile period ever. On one memorable (and rather unsettling) occasion for example, the British sterling fell 3.5% against the euro. Fluctuations like this can have a huge impact on the dollar value of a euro-based property.

USD/EUR currency fluctuation example:

On the 1st of July 2012, a €250,000 property would have cost you $316,455, whereas the same property would have set you back $328,947 on the 1st of January 2013. By fixing the rate on the 1st of July with a forward contract, you would have saved $12,492 on the purchase price.

GBP/EUR currency fluctuation example:

On the 1st of December 2012, a €250,000 property would have cost you £203,252, but on the 1st of March 2013, you would have had to pay £215,517, thus having to pay an additional £12,265.

If you leave payments until the last minute, you will have to accept the rate that the markets offer at the time of transfer. Making transfers with companies specializing in currency exchange is faster, more convenient and more cost-effective than using your bank. Whether you’re making regular transfers, or need to make a one-off payment, they don’t charge commission and guarantee no receiving bank charges. They also offer free information and guidance on the currency markets, helping you decide on the best time to buy.

As an example of how currency exchange specialists can help, they offer a ‘forward contract’, which allows you to fix an exchange rate at which you buy/sell currency for delivery at a later date (up to two years ahead). Forward contracts protect against adverse currency movements and can be used to lock into favorable exchange rates.

We recommend three currency exchange specialists: Moneycorp, World First and USForex.

SPECIAL NOTE: America is making it difficult to move money from one currency to another for foreign or ‘off shore’ traders. ‘Thanks to’ strict U.S. regulations, currency exchange specialists that are based outside the U.S. are forced to acquire licenses on a state-by-state basis in order to service U.S. clients. We have listed the states serviced by each of our currency specialists.

MONEYCORP
 
Moneycorp is a foreign exchange and international currency specialist based in London. We have chosen to work with them as they provide excellent exchange rates and will support you during your property purchase in France to help secure the best rate possible within your given timeframe. They have a great regular transfer product which is ideal if you are transferring a p
ension, paying a mort
gage or simply funding your general living costs in France.
At present, Moneycorp is able to make all trades from residents of the following states (incoming and outgoing):

Florida · Indiana · New Mexico · Wisconsin · South Carolina · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Georgia · Louisiana · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · New Jersey · New York · North Carolina · Oregon · Rhode Island · Tennessee · Washington DC

In addition to this, they are now accepting funds from a U.S. resident’s non-U.S. located account (such as your French bank account) and return counter currency to the same U.S. resident’s U.S. based account. To be clear, in this scenario funds must not originate either from a third party or from the client’s U.S. based account and funds must only be paid to the client’s U.S. based account.

Contact: Carole Jaskarzec
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44(0)20 7828 7000
Fax: +44(0)20 7589 1010
Open 7:30 .a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday GMT

In the event Carole is out of the office, please ask to speak to any member of the French team, quoting Adrian Leeds as your introduction source.
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WORLD FIRST

World First has an office in New York and is working hard to expand their US permissions to make the process of sending your U.S. Dollars to France as painless as possible. World First can currently make currency transfers to and from those residents in the following states:

Florida · Indiana · Montana · New Mexico· New York · Rhode Island · South Carolina · Texas· Wisconsin

World First can also make currency transfers between a client’s own accounts (or to and from a Notaire’s escrow account) for another two dozen states. This list of states is subject to change.

Contact: James Thorp
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 (0)20 7801 1074
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US FOREX

(OZFOREZ Group Brands: UKFOREX – London, USFOREX – San Francisco, NZFOREX – New Zealand, CanadianFOREX, HKFOREX – Hong Kong)

Whether buying a vacation home abroad, moving overseas or running a business, USForex has your international money transfers covered. Services include basic money transfer, limit orders, recurring transfers and forward contracts.

• Extremely competitive foreign exchange rates(savings of up to 5%)
• Online access 24/7
• Access to a dedicated Dealer by phone 24-hours a day, 5 days a week
• Offices in San Francisco, Sydney , Canada, UK, New Zealand and Hong Kong
• Multi-currency local accounts for receiving international payments
• No receiving bank fees in majority of countries
• Risk management tools through Limit Orders and Forward Exchange Contracts for up to a year
• Complete pricing transparency

USForex can currently make currency transfers to and from those residents in the following states:

Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Idaho · Illinois · Iowa · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · Oregon · South Carolina · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Virginia · Washington · Wisconsin

Contact: Shaun Dash
Email: [email protected]
UK Local Call: 0845 686 1950
Int’l: +44 207 614 4100

 State by State Chart

	Moneycorp	World First	Forex
Alabama			X
Alaska			X
Arizona			X
Arkansas
California	X		X
Colorado	X		X
Connecticut	X		X
Delaware			X
District of Columbia	X
Florida	X	X	X
Georgia	X		X
Hawaii
Idaho			X
Illinois			X
Indiana	X	X
Iowa			X
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana	X
Maine			X
Maryland	X		X
Massachusetts	X		X
Michigan	X		X
Minnesota			X
Mississippi
Missouri			X
Montana		X	X
Nebraska			X
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey	X		X
New Mexico	X	X	X
New York	X	X	X
North Carolina	X		X
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon	X		X
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island	X	X
South Carolina	X	X	X
South Dakota
Tennessee	X		X
Texas		X	X
Utah			X
Vermont
Virginia			X
Washington			X
West Virginia
Wisconsin	X	X	X
Wyoming

Working with our currency specialists is a great way to stretch your own currency to purchase as many euros as possible, regardless for what the transfer is meant. Soon we hope to have all 50 states covered. For now, we hope we can service almost all of you!

SPECIAL NOTE: Mark your calendar for the upcoming “Money Matters for Women” Conference February 8, 2014. I will be there speaking about property investment…of course! Stay tuned for more information about the conference and how to register.

A bientôt,

Adrian Leeds

Editor, French Property Insider & Director of The Adrian Leeds Group, LLC

Email: [email protected]

 

 

 

P.S. Find your dream apartment in Paris, on the Riviera or home in the French countryside for rent or purchase! My team of rental professionals can assist you in finding the ideal property based on your specific preferences, budgets and needs. For details or to book our services, visit French Property Consultation or email [email protected].

P.P.S. FPI will NOT be published on Thursday, November 28th in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday.