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January Investment Property Watch

Posted by Catherine Deshayes on Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Old favourite Spain had to make do with third place in January's Investment Property watch chart - which tracks the level of interest in certain properties and countries from visitors to the site - it was surprise entry Ukraine that nabbed the top spot, so let's check out what the industry is saying about the country and what it has to offer the savvy holidaymaker, second home buyer and investor...

Ukraine

Obelisk reported that Ukraine farmland offered a fantastic investment opportunity thanks to its ‘perfect balance of sunshine and rainfall.'

Both World Focus and Top Producer Frontier Study found that Ukraine agriculture has a more than promising future and offers huge potential for investment.

The World Focus report focuses on Kiev-Atlantic Ukraine Ltd, a huge agricultural company run by David Sweere, an American farmer who has already reaped considerable returns from Ukraine land. In the report, the narrator introduces the viewer to Ukraine land - ‘some of the best land in the world.'

As part of its Soviet inheritance, Ukraine has excellent transport infrastructure (highways, railways and sea ports), an essential part of the logistics behind the farming business. This modern and well-functioning network means that products from Ukraine agricultural land can reach EU markets quickly and easily.

Foreign interest in Ukraine land as a soft commodity investment vehicle increases every year. Leonid Kozachenko from the Ukraine Agrarian Federation says that investors from numerous countries such as China and Saudi Arabia are "lining up to buy Ukraine farmland". Foreign investors are more than aware of the huge potential behind Ukraine agricultural land, although much of this is currently untapped. Mr Kozachenko claims that just 25 per cent of Ukraine land is fulfilling its potential at the moment. "To utilise 100 per cent of our potential," he says, "we need one important thing - investment".

Investment in Ukraine land can expect to see significant returns. Some foreigners are already reaping an excellent harvest, a trend that is on its way to an even better future. As the world gets bigger and hungrier, countries like Ukraine will move further on to centre stage.

Whenever accessibility to a country improves, investment potential increases in turn. Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) has welcomed Ukraine International Airlines' (UIA) additional weekly services between Abu Dhabi and Kiev, with the carrier now flying five times per week. This will encourage cash-rich investors from the Middle East to try Ukraine on for size.
 
"Less than five months after launching the route in September 2009, the airline has added two more flights per week as a result of the high demand on the route, driven mostly by tourism, the bilateral trade between the countries and the code-share agreement with Eithad," reported ADAC.  
 
The President of Ukraine International Airlines, Yuri Miroshnikov said, "A lot of work and analysis was done between Ukraine International Airlines and ADAC when launching this new route; but, even so, we have been encouraged by the growing demand.

"We are delighted to be adding to this route's frequencies after only a short time from the intial launch and look forward to welcoming many more on board with the new five-weekly service," he added.
 
The Kiev-Abu Dhabi route departs Abu Dhabi for Kiev three times a week at 1:55 am and twice weekly at 9:15am. Flight-time is approximately five-and-a-half hours, each way.
 
Ahmed Al Haddabi, Senior Vice President of Airport Operations, ADAC, said, "Ukraine International Airlines' venture into the UAE market has been an exemplary success, and to increase its frequency so soon after its launch is a testament to ADAC's and Abu Dhabi's ability to attract and service a growing number of international airlines."

RE/MAX reported that Ukraine is currently ranked as one of the world's top ten destination countries for foreign direct investment, and looks set to remain so for many years to come. The country, which boasts ‘enormous natural wealth and abundant human resources,' spent years in the post-Soviet doldrums but is now one of the hottest investment option in the world.

The announcement in 2007 that Ukraine would co-host the 2012 European Football Championships was greeted with enthusiasm by the international investment community, and the enormous task of transforming the country's often rudimentary Soviet-era infrastructure into a modern network capable of handling the millions of visitors expected for the tournament represented both the greatest opportunity and the biggest challenge currently facing Ukraine.

Unlike Poland, Ukraine cannot expect to fill its Euro 2012 budget requirement shortfalls via EU support, and will instead be looking for international investors to help meet the huge financial demands of the reconstructions works.

This year, Ukraine is hosting the 13^th annual International Real Estate Kiev, a high-profile property market event, on 23^- 26th February 2010. The event will investigate climate improvement and capital real estate investments growth as well Ukrainian market development in financial, credit and investment services. The event will be held at Kiev International Exhibition Centre (IEC), Levoberezhna subway station, 15, Brovarsky Avenue, Kiev.

Other movers and shakers

Brazil displaced December's winner Spain in the January Top of the Props chart. Poor old Spain had to make do with third place as surprise entry Ukraine sneaked into second.

Bulgaria took fourth place in the chart, swiftly followed by a taste of la dolce vita in Italy. The stunning Cayman Islands took sixth place, followed by Brazil in lucky number seven.

Dominating the lower end of January's chart was Portugal, pulling a blinder and taking eighth, ninth and tenth places.

Table showing January's top investment properties

Hide table

Rank	Property	Country	Company
1	Development land, NE Brazil	Brazil	Cavendish Land and Property
2	Farmland, Ukraine	Ukraine	Dream Resorts
3		Spain	Home Finder Mallorca
4	Distressed sale: penthouse	Bulgaria	Dream Resorts
5	Lake Como Apartments	Italy	International Horizons
6	Land with planning in Cayman Brac	Cayman Islands	Oasis Land Development - TMC
7	New apartment in Fortaleza	Brazil	Dream Resorts
8	New home, Albufeira	Portugal	CSF Apostas d inverno
9	Vista das Ondas	Portugal	Saffron VIP Ltd
10	Project finance, Portimao	Portugal	Saffron VIP Ltd

Features Archive Show Full Table

Check out homes for sale in Ukraine at http://ukraine.themovechannel.com/

Picture of Ukraine by everystock

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