Selling Property Overseas - Specifically China

[Dave2]

I always figure in this business the real good stuff happens out of sight.  Its like whale watching. The whale spends only 1/7 of the time on the surface where we can see them.  The real interesting stuff we never see.  

Same for tax sales.  In spite of all the doom and gloom one reads about on these pages, rumour has it that some people actually win some.  (Maybe that is why some people wear dark glasses like the movie stars; although given the development yesterday, maybe they now can be more open. ) (http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/12/world/d-b-cooper-fbi-closes-case/)  

 But that is only half the battle. Even in this fantasy land of tax sales selling for a song  with nice sand beaches, 15 minutes drive from Toronto with the only cottage on a pristine lake, that is worth a fortune,  buying them is only half the battle.  

As I have said before like the stock market, any fool can buy them if you pay a high enough price.  The key issue is selling them for the price you think the property is truly worthwhile.  The problem I have with my tax sale properties is that I never seem to win the good ones. just the leftover dregs that the successful players leave behind.

 So at selling time the real estate industry turns up their nose at them.  Kijiji gets lots of exposure but what I really need are a few buyers willing to pay full price.  That got me thinking that maybe I should advertise overseas.  My question is "Has anybody here ever done it?  Are you willing to try??

[Adam]

I'd be willing to sell anywhere that has buyers :-)

[Dave2]

I'd be willing to sell anywhere that has buyers :-)

I would add the qualifier (paying) buyers.  I would like to get in touch with the current  owner of this house in China  

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/photos/got-a-billion-yuan-you-could-spend-it-on-china-s-most-expensive-home-1468335191-slideshow/

Here is the real estate listing complete with 32 bedrooms and 32 bathrooms and 72,000 sq. ft.

http://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/sales/detail/180-l-3849-wynv89/unique-taohuayuan-other-beijing-be

Maybe Jayz could provide an introduction

[Jayz]

I'd be willing to sell anywhere that has buyers :-)

I would add the qualifier (paying) buyers.  I would like to get in touch with the current  owner of this house in China  

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/photos/got-a-billion-yuan-you-could-spend-it-on-china-s-most-expensive-home-1468335191-slideshow/

Here is the real estate listing complete with 32 bedrooms and 32 bathrooms and 72,000 sq. ft.

http://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/sales/detail/180-l-3849-wynv89/unique-taohuayuan-other-beijing-be

Maybe Jayz could provide an introduction

Dave, you asked the right person. That is exactly the city/place I last lived in before I landed on the other side of the planet earth. All too familiar. Haven't been back there for quite some time. But I still have connections there. I definitely can help you get in touch with the owner if you're interested in buying it  . Suzhou city is mostly famous for its garden homes. There are several bigger and famously pretty garden homes (well, more garden than home) across the city. Some were built many hundreds of years ago. They were all privately owned before being donated (or being forced to "donate"?) to the city to become public.

Well, if Dave doesn't buy it, maybe I can help these rich Canadians buy it. 

https://vancouver.craigslist.ca/van/grp/5673511059.html

There are actually more creative and fair ways to sell your fancy properties like Dave's island, not just to sell them to some crazy rich people. I like how this Aussie couple is doing, to give average people like me to have a fair shot. 

https://wintheislandestates.com/enter/

[Dave2]

There are actually more creative and fair ways to sell your fancy properties like Dave's island, not just to sell them to some crazy rich people. I like how this Aussie couple is doing, to give average people like me to have a fair shot.  

https://wintheislandestates.com/enter/

Jayz:  

Time to go offline and serious about China.  Of course for others we don't have to just look at other out of country options then just China .   If you want to do lunch I know of an interesting chinese restaurant if you are brave. The other out of country options are best described in the attached photos.  

[Dave2]

Jayz was really helpful.  Thanks

Basic problem we have is that many of these resale tax sale properties
 (unless you have an environmental disaster with a huge minimum (who wants that))
are too small scale.  Bottom line resale price is minimum of seven figures.

Face same problem with many real estate agents in this market.  With realistic market prices commission is too small to interest them. 

Restaurant analogy is a full service restaurant does not want to tie up all of its tables with people who only want a coffee.  In that case fortunately we have Tim Hortons.

Guess I have to keep looking or stick with what I currently do.   

[Jayz]

There are actually more creative and fair ways to sell your fancy properties like Dave's island, not just to sell them to some crazy rich people. I like how this Aussie couple is doing, to give average people like me to have a fair shot.  

https://wintheislandestates.com/enter/

Jayz:  

Time to go offline and serious about China.  Of course for others we don't have to just look at other out of country options then just China .   If you want to do lunch I know of an interesting chinese restaurant if you are brave. The other out of country options are best described in the attached photos.  

Interesting and brave ... sounds catchy. Where is it?

Pics just showed up. I also heard: Bring somebody else's wife, priceless! 

[Dave2]

Interesting and brave ... sounds catchy. Where is it?

Pics just showed up. I also heard: Bring somebody else's wife, priceless!    

Jayz:

With a name like that I thought you would know about it.  It is rumoured that  all the 'fat cats' hang out there.  

Location To be discussed offline.   Prefer to have a small audience when I see the 'pretty Chinese girls'    

Tell you a funny story of something similar with my wife present.  One of the most difficult business meetings of my life.  

Re the latest heading maybe we should rethink strategy.  See article

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/topstories/canadian-real-estate-could-still-get-way-more-expensive-data-shows/ar-BBuoYUS?ocid=spartandhp

If you look at chart maybe we are buying tax sale properties in wrong place. (see Hong Kong and Beijing prices).  

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/china-moving-quickly-to-roll-out-property-taxes-nationwide/article20294761/

Does China have tax sale properties?

[roamer86]

There is no property tax in China, so no tax sales.