United States Property Investment For Sale

"It could be the best time since the Great Depression to invest in USA property.”

The United States of America is the embodiment of the Western world with the largest economy on earth, an abundance of natural resources and a consumer-rich lifestyle. Everything in America is large, be it the economy, the distances, the size of the cities, the food portion sizes or the property market. 

Stretching from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic Ocean with the land in between containing almost every geographical and geological feature imaginable and with weather conditions changing from the frozen wastelands of Alaska to the arid deserts of Nevada, the US is full of extremes.  The United States also has immense political, economic and military influence on a global scale and as such its actions can have enormous ramifications worldwide – as shown by the impact of the American sub-prime crisis.

Much has been said about the American property market since its crash in 2006 and the resulting sub-prime crisis but all indicators are now that the US market once again offers an excellent investment opportunity as long you invest in the right location.

Florida  – being one of the world’s most visited locations, the “sunshine state” offers excellent rental opportunities especially around Orlando with its numerous theme parks, the east coast resorts of Miami, Daytona and Palm beach, the Gulf coast upmarket centre of Naples and the beautiful Florida Keys on the southern tip of the state.

Outside the obvious holiday destination of Florida our money is on safe residential areas which are home to the average white collar worker.  Areas such as Buffalo, Rochester, Baltimore, Cleveland, the Georgia and South Carolina are worth considering - areas where the job market is growing, there is limited new housing stock and rental demand and therefore yields are high.
 

Geography

Stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic Coast, the land inbetween contains almost every geographical and geological feature imaginable including the frozen, open space of Alaska, the tropical wetlands of Florida, the arid deserts of Nevada and Utah and the verdant Great Lakes. The with a vast central plain, mountains occupy the west with other hills and low mountains in the  east. There are rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska, and rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii.

Government

The United States is a constitution-based Federal Republic with a strong democratic tradition. The President can only be elected for the maximum of two four-year terms.

Language

English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)

Standard of Living

The United States rank highly in all standard of living and quality of life indexes and ratings. Per capita the standard of living is high but there are growing discrepancies between the wealthy and the poor and inequality is rife. The United States is thought to have the most unequal distribution of income of all high-income nations. Americans enjoy a consumer-rich lifestyle, with households owning a high number of consumer goods. Infrastructure and health are of high international standards.

Principal Commercial Centres and Towns

Washington, DC, is the capital of the United States. There are nine cities that have a population size of over 1 million with New York City being the largest.

The largest economy in the world, the United States has a global effect on markets worldwide due to its immense spending power and its widely varied markets. An abundance of natural resources supports the economy, but the majority of the GDP is funded through the services sector. Low unemployment, excellent infrastructure and a thriving private sector help drive the economy and maintain its strength. Tourism also contributes stongly to national GDP.

Key industries

The United States is the largest importer of goods and the third largest exporter. It is the third largest exporter of oil in the world, according to statistics compiled by the CIA with latest data available, but even so, imported oil accounts for about two thirds of US consumption. Main exports include:  Agricultural products, industrial supplies, capital goods, consumer goods.

Investment potential within the States generally tends to be focussed on the state of Florida, so hotspots within this state are identified below. However it should be noted that there are numerous opportunites to invest in the US property market.   Outside the obvious holiday destination of Florida our money is on safe residential areas which are home to the average white collar worker.  Areas such as Buffalo, Rochester, Baltimore, Cleveland, the Georgia and South Carolina are worth considering - areas where the job market is growing, there is limited new housing stock and rental demand and therefore yields are high. 

Orlando

Over 50 million people visit Orlando and central Florida every year, attracted to the many tourist attractions such as Disney World, Sea World and Universal Studios, as well as by the warmer, drier weather that tends to be found in the coastal regions. It is the area most popular with British tourists and is touted as being one of the most visited destinations in the world. It has a very healthy rental market driven by the tourism industry and is the area most likely to present the best returns. Property within a few miles radius of the tourist attractions tends to command the highest rental prices. 

Atlantic Coast

The Atlantic coast of Florida boasts such famous locations as Daytona Beach, Miami and the Florida Keys, all of which are unlikely to ever go out of fashion, at least for the foreseeable future. Miami is a world class city, with prices to match, and as the economy reignites these will rocket up. Miami has a reputation as a party city and the key demographic is the 25 -35 year old age range. Daytona Beach and Palm Beach are ideal locations for retired couples who wish to use their property for a couple of months a year and rent it out for the remainder. To the north of the coast is St Augustine, the USA's oldest city (founded 1565). It is a quieter more refined version of Orlando, whilst still being a resort city, offering the added interest of a long history on top of the beaches, shopping and golfing attractions. 

Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are a string of small, interlinked islands that emerge from the southern tip of Florida and stretch down into the Gulf of Mexico. The opulent surroundings contain some of the most expensive and desirable properties, with prices on average 25% higher than the rest of the state. Due to its constant popularity a stable rental market is guaranteed.

Gulf Coast

The Gulf Coast has a slightly wetter climate, especially in the months of July and August so tends to be less popular with families holidaying during the summer school vacations. However, it is still very popular with retirees, especially with those who originate from the colder northern states, earning themselves the nickname 'snowbirds'. Around two thirds of the US's wealthiest citizens spend their winter at Naples, the most popular town resort on the coast which boasts exquisite white beaches, luxury golf resorts and a bustling restaurant atmosphere. Subsequently, prices are much higher, with waterfront properties commanding prices that are around double the amount for a similar sized house in the Orlando area.

Ski Property

Aside from the state of Florida, investors may be interested in making more of a lifestyle-motivated investment and head for the hills on the western side of the country. The spine of the Rocky Mountains that runs from Alaska, through Canada and down the western side of the United States offers many excellent skiing investment opportunities, some rated the best in the world. The state of Colorado offers the majority of the well-known names, such as Aspen, Breckenridge and Vail, with other resorts, such as Winter Park, set to expand on a similar scale. The appeal of properties here is that they have a year round market (either for renting out or personal use) as the mountains have both winter and summer seasons. Aspen is by far the most expensive, with properties easily reaching into the millions of dollars, whilst resorts like Breckenridge and Winter Park offer smaller properties.