Turn the Weak U.S. Dollar into the Strong Euro Before the End of March
I read this week that the for the first time ever, the number of Forbes billionaires crossed into the thousands (1,125), but that it’s getting harder and harder to make the grade. Only two Americans made the Top Ten list this time ’round. Yep, you guessed them: Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.
Five years ago, that list was made up of eight. Why? Yep, you guessed again: the weakening U.S. dollar.
Buffet recently passed up Gates as the richest man on the planet, according to Forbes, taking top spot. In 2002, for the first time, he began to use foreign currencies as a hedge against a weakly performing U.S. portfolio. He bet that the dollar would decline, and you guess it, it has. In fact, it has hit record lows against the euro.
And look how it’s affecting you. If your assets are in U.S. dollars, then your net worth is getting smaller each time the dollar declines. That’s why so many investors, like Buffet, are diversifying their investments into foreign markets. Do you think this may be why he passed Billy Boy as richest kid on the block?
So, what happened to that dream of yours to own your own pied-à-terre in Paris? Or villa in Provence? Are you clinging to it for dear life while look at your shrinking down payment? Are you thinking that you’ll wait till the dollar gets stronger so it will buy you more?
Guess again. While you’re twiddling your thumbs and scratching your head trying to work out how to stretch the U.S. dollar, it’s getting more expensive to purchase that dream piece of property…about 10% more expensive in Paris every year. Meanwhile, you’re losing money holding on to the ‘greenbacks.’
Look at it from the other side. Let’s say you ‘bite the bullet’ and put together enough cash to make a down payment and cover the closing costs on an apartment in the City of Light…the one you’ve always dreamed of having. Allow $1.55 for every euro you need (at today’s rate of exchange). A down payment is about 20% of the purchase price of the property. The closing costs are about 10%. Total — about 30%.
Ok, so with the weak dollar, maybe you can’t afford as big an apartment as you could a couple of years ago. But it doesn’t matter. The reason is that regardless of size, we’re going to help you find one that will generate an income…a rental income! And that income is going to come in the form of euros, not dollars. Therefore, the mortgage will be paid by the renters and you’re home free. You will have made your initial investment and then your new asset growing all while someone else is paying for it!
Sound too good to be true? Maybe, but it is. We have dozens of clients who have done just that. And I’ve done it myself, remember?
When you go online and search the Internet for “Paris Apartments,” what do you get? Hundreds, thousands of apartments beautifully decorated available for rent to vacationers and “séjour” seekers. Have a look at their online calendars. Most of them stay pretty booked up, right? Especially the nicely decorated ones in the good locations? Right?
We have a fist full of clients with us right this very minute in Paris transferring their weak dollars into strong euros.
Linda V. who attended the Living and Investing in France Real Estate Conference in San Francisco, just recently signed the final documents on a 37-square-meter apartment in Le Marais. She was thrilled when they demolished the walls and ceiling to discover a line-up of beautiful 18th-century wood beams that are sure to add to the charm and increase the rental occupancy rate!
Mary S. and Jeff B. took a while after attending a conference a few years ago to finally come to Paris to see what they could find in their price range. They booked “Le Burgundy” (one floor under “Le Provencal”) for their stay while Mary Ellen Gallagher, one of our “Search Engines” (as she refers to herself) took them on visits to available apartments.
Amazingly, they had a “coup de foudre” (love at first sight) when they visited the apartment just one floor above and apartment called “L’Aubergine.” Within a few hours, they made an offer to purchase the apartment, their offer was accepted and their dream to own an apartment in Paris is now coming true, even faster than they thought it would happen.
“L’Aubergine” is one of our newest rental apartments in the northern part of Le Marais, on one of the sweetest little streets — the historic Cité Dupetit Thouars. It was purchased last year by one of our clients, completely renovated by Interior Designer Martine di Matteo, and is already getting very booked up! In fact, Linda V. is staying there now while her beams are being exposed!
So you see. People ARE making it happen. And you can, too. Plus, we’re going to make it easier and less expensive for you. Let me explain how.
The services we offer are simple, but comprehensive.
We first work with you during a two-hour initial consultation, one-on-one in person or by phone. It’s designed to help you decide if you’d like to pursue an investment in France and how to best go about doing that. It’s guaranteed to get you on the right footing and alert you to the pitfalls along the way.
If you book the consultation by March 31, 2008, but schedule it no later than June 30, 2008, the charge will be only $250, a savings of 55% off the rate of 250€ which was effective March 1* — a savings of $137.50!
It’s a big bargain when you consider how much you will be spending on this important investment and how important it is to know how to make that investment correctly. “N’est-ce pas?”
But that’s only a small part. There’s more to it.
During the consultation, should you decide to hire our team to help you find a property, that $250 you paid for the initial consultation will, of course, apply toward the advance search fee of 1,450€, a net amount of 1,160€…but guess what? If you book the search by March 31, 2008, but schedule it before June 30, 2008, you won’t pay 1,160€…you’ll pay only $1,160!!! Again, you’re going to save 55% of the rate of 1,160€ — a savings of $638!
In fact, we are making this offer on all our French Property Consultation Services! You can take advantage of the old U.S. dollar rates just by booking any service by March 31, 2008 and scheduling it prior to June 30, 2008!
After that, it will cost whatever the rate of exchange is in dollar terms.
This is a REAL way you can stretch your U.S. dollar and turn a weak currency into a strong currency — NOW!…Before prices go up, before the dollar gets weaker, before you lose your opportunity to make your dream come true to invest in France.
Services include:
Property Finding Services
Purchase and Sales Assistance
Obtaining a Mortgage
Transfer Currency Least Expensively
Appraisal Service
“Après Vente”
Renovation and Interiors
Click here to download our most recent brochure of services and updated consultation fees effective March 1, 2008: /frenchproperty/consultation/fpibrochure.pdf
And to book your consultation, search, purchase or sales assistance or other property consultation service NOW, BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE, visit /frenchproperty/consultation/booking.html or email [email protected]
*Effective March 1, 2008, all property consultation fees are charged in euro value and may be paid for by credit card in U.S. dollars based on the rate of exchange at http://www.HiFX.com on the date of transaction.
A la prochaine…
Adrian Leeds
Editor, Parler Paris
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P.S. No one in Paris has contributed more to making the dream to invest in France come true for more people than we have. Trust the Adrian Leeds Group of professionals to make it happen for you…at a savings right now of more than 55%…and growing! Contact us before March 31, 2008: visit /frenchproperty/consultation/booking.html or email [email protected]
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