All Forum Posts by: Quod L.

@Nuno Leitao De Tijd just released a nice updated map with prices and evolution.  Maybe that'll help you pinpoint good locations.

Nallo @Nuno Leitao

It's no so easy to find properties, but there are some available. 

I'd be happy to share the numbers on the commercial property I just purchased with you, not sure yet how private messaging works here on biggerpockets.

The residential property I'm renting isn't cash flow positive at the moment.  I did the remodeling thinking I would live there for a considerable portion of my life, which made me spend a little too much.  Then I met my wife, and had no more interest in living there :-)  Now the cash flow is -100€/month for about 8 more years.  I'm hoping to increase rent when current tenant moves out.

@Christine Kankowski Not a bad choice, I spend about 2 weeks a year in Southern California in February, and the weather alone makes me want to move there :)

@Mitch Messer  What I think is a good indication for growing tenant supply is the growing number of households (about 0.6% a year in Belgium, 1% in EU).  I'm not sure how those numbers are in the US, or where to find them.

@Ricardo Fainsilber  I'm not actually buying any properties outside of Belgium, so not sure about how easy/hard it would be for a foreigner to get a loan in another country.

Hi @Mitch Messer,

Home ownership in Belgium is pretty high, and in my region (Limburg) it's even higher.  Latest complete census data (2011) puts national average at 65%, Limburg at 75%.

( see page 77 of this document )

I don't know really what effect that has on the rental market, since I'm so far only renting one, and have had no problem getting tenants. (perhaps I should charge more rent).

As to getting financing, so far I've had no problems, I'm using a normal mortgage for one property I bought, which was not a problem to obtain at the time.  Planning on using a business loan (not sure if that is the correct English term, but there's no mortgage involved) on my latest purchase with about 20% down. 

Hello,

I've been following the BP podcast for a while now, and am just in the process of closing my first commercial property deal.

I've been renting out an apartment unit I originally intended to live in myself, for about 5 years now.

Currently closing on a commercial property that I'm converting into offices, for which I already have a contract with a renter and needs minor remodeling.

I'm planning on buying more properties with the profits from my IT business, hopefully about 1 unit a year at the start. Most likely single homes or appartments, but depending on how well the commercial property goes, I might get more into that.

The market here in Belgium is a lot different from the US market ( very high closing costs ), but I hope to still learn a lot here.