Cannes PL72: PROPERTY LETTER 28TH May 2008

PL72: PROPERTY LETTER 28TH May 2008

Dear All,

Word gets around and many of you have heard that I had a medical problem while back in South Africa recently. We have had many kind letters and phone calls and we appreciate them all very much. Thank you. I had a laminectomy and an angiogram (big words I didn’t know before) and the good news is that although there was a bleed into my spinal column there was no tumour, and no further treatment is required once the wound (from the laminectomy) has healed. Vicky and I and the family are mightily relieved and feel very lucky – it was a worrying few weeks.

PROPERTY LETTER 4TH March 2008

PL70

PROPERTY LETTER 4TH March 2008

Dear All,

It’s been a very busy winter (winter’s a joke down here – it’s the best kept secret) and it’s nearing time for us to get back to Cape Town for a spell with the African branch of our family. We still have Dads, our younger son, my sister and her family and numerous cousins, mostly in the Cape.

And then of course there’s the Two Oceans on Easter Saturday as usual!

PROPERTY LETTER 14th DECEMBER 2007

Dear All,

Vicky and I have arrived back in Cape Town to celebrate Christmas, the New Year and a family wedding but will be back in Cannes on 10^th January. It is beautiful here, and lovely to get a “whiff of Africa”, even if the Cape isn’t “real Africa”.

We would both like to wish all of you a very happy Christmas and festive season, and we wish you a happy and successful 2008.

 

The Market:

Last week Sylvana (who so many of you have met in the Agency Azur Eden) had an Italian client with €3 million to spend on an apartment, and they wanted it right on the Croisette. For that price it had to be spectacular of course, spacious, with big views and terraces and very well appointed. She couldn’t find one. Needless to say she was very highly motivated, and phoned or visited every agency she could think of, but nobody could help her. Can you believe that?

PROPERTY LETTER 17th OCTOBER 2007

Dear All,

Usually I include photos, and convert this to a PDF file which is more professional. However we are preparing to go to Amsterdam for the marathon this weekend and we have people visiting so I’m going to send the Property Letter as it is this time. I’d prefer it gets out sooner rather than later.

Looking for an argument?

I’ve enjoyed the controversial statements that Sky News has been putting out in the last few months, followed in each case by the question « Looking for an argument? » Then they invite you to go to their website to express your own views on:

Politics is a waste of time.

Size zero is beautiful.

Alcohol is worse than cannabis.

Global warming is a lie.

Abortion is murder.

Football is corrupt.

….and other outrageous statements!

PROPERTY LETTER 28th August 2007

Dear All,

Oops, Here we go again.

We were all a bit stunned by reversals in world financial markets (once again). Headlines announced the biggest 1-day fall (16^th August) since March 2003, and the FTSE hit its lowest level since September 2006. To my simple brain that meant that anything I may have made on my funds and investments in the last year just disappeared, and we don’t know what it will look like tomorrow. It could get worse again - we hope not, but it actually could! On the other hand, it might continue to drag itself back up again, but if past experience is anything to go by, then “slowly” might be the operative word.

They say that we (novices like me) should diversify our investments, and that the stock exchange has made money for those who have invested for the long term. I don’t have a hundred years, or even 50, or 25!

PROPERTY LETTER 12th July 2007

Dear All,

There are some excellent properties at the bottom of this letter. Please have a good look at them. This is a very interesting market, and an exciting part of the world to be involved, at whatever level.

I have in front of me the Knight Frank annual report for 2006 - For anyone interested in property anywhere it makes interesting reading and I will quote parts of it:

Their opening statement reads:

“Demand for overseas property is increasing by as much as 20% per annum - a significant figure.”

Property Letter – 13 th November 2006

Dear All,

There are some very interesting properties at the end of the letter, so if you want to get straight to them, please scroll down.

MORE on Capital Appreciation:

We have to face it, that as important as rental returns are to our cash flow, the thing that defines property as a wealth-builder is capital appreciation. Last week I couldn’t help noticing a news item that was repeated on Sky for a day or two.

On AVERAGE the UK property market has risen by 187% in the last 10 years! That’s 18.7% per annum. However in the same period the average earnings of Brits only rose by 54%.

So how does France compare? If I can find out I will let you know in my next Property Letter. What is more interesting though is the “big picture”. The questions Sky interviewers inevitably asked of the experts interviewed were “Why?” and “How?” when people’s earnings are only up 5% p.a. 

Property Letter 60

Property Letter – 8th October 2006.

Dear All,

(Please scroll down if you want to get straight to the « Properties to Consider » at the end.)

Nostalgia.

It seems a long time since “Property Letter 1” which was sent to about a dozen people on 17th April 2002. Vicky and I and the family had been out of Zimbabwe for less than 4 months! The March 2002 parliamentary election had been violently orchestrated and stolen again, and farming in Zimbabwe seemed not to be an option for us anymore. With that we decided to start again – in real estate in France.

This is the 60th Property Letter and goes out to over 300 people around the world. A 60th seems worthy of a small celebration, so perhaps Vicky and I will open a special bottle with family when the opportunity presents itself, to toast and thank all who have supported and encouraged us!

Property Letter Postscript : July 8th 2006

Dear All,

Somebody should go for this one! It’s that simple.
Vicky and I found it yesterday, and I have been waiting for a few details to come clear

before writing.

If you think you can, and if it suits your needs, please get back to me right away, between

Wimbledon and World Cup distractions that is – I’m supporting France in the Ladies Tennis

(Amelie Mauresmo) and in the Football!

Kindest regards,

Guy.

Property Letter: June 29th, 2006

Vicky and I will be in Cape Town for the month of August and I hope we will be able to see some of you there.

Cannes is amazing this year.
I suppose it is inevitable that we would feel increasingly secure in our environment, and we have been here for over four years now – we’re no longer “new boys” on the block.