FEATURE ARTICLE
Fight or Flight
BY MONIQUE DU TOIT
S outh Africans have been on the edge of their seats for most of 2017 . From local political drama , including several cabinet reshuffles , state capture revelations , and economic downgrades , to global crises involving some of the largest economies , you ’ d be forgiven for being skeptical and cautious of investing .
But what if that ’ s exactly the reason you should ? We ’ re always looking for the latest hotspots and emerging markets , staying abreast of the most important changes to international legislation and news . If you have any questions about investing offshore , leave us a message at editorial @ reimag . co . za , or visit our Facebook page .
Advantages of offshore property
According to an article by iProtect , offshore investments are becoming increasingly attractive to South Africans : “ Investing in an offshore portfolio means diversifying risk in terms of currency and a country ’ s political and economic stability . Investors are no longer limited to a local market but have the choice of investing where they perceive the best opportunities are for a good return on their investment ”
Specific advantages of an offshore property investment largely depend on the country in which you ’ re investing . Below , we break down the main attractions of some of the most popular locations .
According to a 2016 article on Corpocrat , citizenship through property ownership is possible in several European countries and Caribbean islands - each with varying costs and duration .
In Dominica , for instance , it states that $ 100 000 in real estate or shares can lead to citizenship . It takes between 3 and 5 months to process and leads to a lifetime citizenship . Antigua and Barbuda requires a $ 400 000 investment in government approved property , which leads to citizenship for the entire family . Both Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda offer citizens visa-free travel to the Schengen zone , while Antigua and barbuda also includes travel to Canada and the UK . St Lucia is another popular option , with visa free travel to more than 120 countries , including the UK and Schengen zone . The cost of a citizenship through property ownership here is $ 300 000 into a property or properties approved by the government .
Portugal offers citizens an EU residence permit card , allowing visa free travel within the Schengen zone . Investors looking to gain citizenship here will need to invest € 500 000 in property , after which you ’ re granted residency . After six years , this leads to citizenship . In Malta , investors have a choice between residency and citizenship . In the case of residency , an investment of € 275 000 must be made into property , while citizenship requires an investment of € 900 000 , of which € 350 000 must be made into property .
10 NOVEMBER 2017 SA Real Estate Investor Magazine