Knowitall.ch has teamed up with David Cooper, Director of Fund Advisers Europe, to provide you with the latest financial news and offer some useful tips for managing the financial “issues” in your life. David has over 20 years’ experience growing wealth management brokerages throughout Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. The primary objective of his role at Fund Advisers is the creation of growth in Fund Advisers Europe and its client portfolios via its’ Discretionary Fund Management service.
Visit the Fund Advisers website for more information at www.fundadvisers.eu.
By David Cooper, Fund Advisers Europe
Moving away from the continued political infighting in the US (who still have not reached a compromise to bring a resolution to the stalemate over raising the debt ceiling). We will now look at the increasing costs of certain commodities and the effects it could have on all of us. Let's focus on oil.
Is your annual holiday coming up? Are you a frequent air traveller, either for business or leisure? Things may be about to change for you!
Most people in Central Europe have, if not actually used, certainly marvelled at the low cost airlines and the prices they are able to offer to passengers to travel hundreds of kilometres in (relative) comfort.
With the price of oil above $100 a barrel is the day of the cheap flight, and subsequently cheap holidays, coming to an end?
By David Cooper, Fund Advisers Europe
The debt crisis affecting Europe is coming to the make or break point. Often called The Sovereign Debt Crisis, the problems that started at the end of 2009 are at a point where a resolution, of some sort will be found.
European leaders will decide today how much they want to save both the European Monetary Union, and ultimately the Euro.
The Sovereign Debt Crisis – caused when a country that has run out of money to pay back the loans it has taken out in the past and is therefore being refused loans for the future – started two years ago in Greece. It has gone on to affect Portugal, Ireland and Spain.
The effects are now being seen in the government bond markets of Italy, and even in France, with higher interest rates being applied by those lending money to these countries. They are viewed as having shown that they could default so are now not seen as a good risk, and are therefore charged more for loans via bond issues. Much the same as someone who has failed to pay back a past mortgage would be refused, or charged more for a loan in the future.
Practical advice on choosing a mortgage
When you live and work in a foreign country, there are a number of issues that need to be addressed when you arrive, some more pressing than others. If you have a family, you will need to make sure they are comfortable in their new environment. Decisions will have to be made about where you are going to live, and whether you should rent or buy a property.
Many of the expatriate community in Switzerland originate from “property ownership strongholds” – countries where it is clearly the norm to buy rather than rent the house you live in. Many people in these countries will also own their own holiday homes and others will buy properties purely for investment purposes.
In Switzerland, the process of buying a house may seem daunting – however it does bear many similarities to other countries. At the end of the day, you will need to ask essentially the same questions as in your home country: How will you buy the property? Where will you get the funds? When will you buy it?
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