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From Anthea Turner to euro mortgages, the property forums get down to nitty gritty this week

An example of this is a thread on rents in Dubai on the propertycommunity.com forum showing that indications from industry analysts that rents are falling is borne out but perhaps more importantly indicating that they could take an even steeper dive in the summer when expats who have lost their jobs or want to move wait until the end of the school year.

Falling rents is good news for those arriving or those looking to move in the next few months, according to various posters. Also more units coming onto the market will add to the pressure to reduce rents even further.

However, there is the opposite argument that as rents drop and the economy recovers more people will be attracted to Dubai and demand will rise, thus forcing rents up again because of lack of supply. It has been well reported in the media that many developers are cancelling and delaying projects which will have a knock on effect for future supply.

Wherever you invest in property these days it is finance, or the lack of finance, that is impacting on choice right now, unless you are one of the super rich. And the forums can be a useful first glance at what might be available. Again it is the grass roots level of information that is unique.

On the calabriahomes.com forum one of the age old questions is addressed – as a property investor do you opt for a mortgage from your home country or go for the country in which you are buying? And looking into the matter in more detail there are further questions such as should you use equity on a UK property to take out a Euro mortgage if buying in the Eurozone?

One thing that has to be taken into account is the purpose for which the property is being bought. In one case that is highlighted, if the property investor is buying in Italy and going to rent the property out then an Italian mortgage would allow you to offset the interest on the mortgage against the profit made on the income. If it is a UK mortgage you can't do this.

Another pertinent point which is relevant to all buy to let property investors in the Euro zone is that if you are being paid rent in euros then having a euro mortgage makes sense, especially with Sterling rates so low.

The thread also points out that the criteria for euro mortgages are often more strict than in the UK and arrangement fees can be higher.

At a time when many property investors might be feeling anxious about the future it is always refreshing to know that others are worst off, especially if they are rich and famous. So a thread on the landlordzone.com forum about Anthea Turner and Grant Bovey might just bring on a smile.

Poor old Grant's £100 million buy to let property business has collapsed, the couple have had to get rid of a tennis court in their Surrey mansion that was built without planning permission and now they might have to sell the £5 million mansion because they are broke.

Love them or hate them, at least their woes make us all feel a lot better especially when Anthea claims that she is just like lots of other people who have been hit by economic circumstance – not everyone has a £5 million mansion with 57 acres to downsize from.

And as one poster jta, points out: ‘There is a lesson here for all of us, I think, simply that they were over-extended, or greedy if you like. Most of us have the sense to consolidate our position before we go on to the next stage.' And don't forget the matching Range Rovers!

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