10 Reasons to Invest In Goa

1. India's property industry has been growing at an average of 14% annually and is currently worth $14 billion. Over the next 10 years, it is expected to reach $102 billion driven by a demand for malls, premium housing and multiplexes.
   
   
2. Goa has one of the highest per capita income ratios in India.
   
   
3. One of the highest literacy rates. 75.5%
   
   
4. The highest road network density in India.
   
   
5. The highest Doctor to patient ratio
   
   
6. The highest bed to population ratio
   
   
7. The lowest Crime rate in India
   
   
8. 2nd largest English speaking population
   
   
9. Tourism figures to increase by 5% in the next year. Increasing the demand for quality accommodation.
   
   
10. The nations GDP is expected to grow by over 7% this year; with Goa’s tourist industry contributing to a huge percentage

Repossessions leapt by more than 20% during 2007 to hit an eight-year high but remained considerably lower than mortgage lenders' expectations.

The number of people who had their properties seized rose to 27,100 during the year - an average of 74 every day - but the real extent of the crunch hitting household finances is being masked by sale-and-rent back firms.

Industry experts believe the number of repossessions is being kept artificially low by the rapid growth in the number of companies purchasing troubled homeowners' properties at bargain prices before renting them back to the householders.

With agents dropping prices, auctioneers setting lower reserves and a slump in property confidence taking hold, buyers are now firmly in the driving seat

Experts agree the heat has gone from the property market, after two robust years of price rises following the mini-slowdown of 2005.

The National Association of Estate Agents reported just five homes per agent were sold on average in December 2007, compared to eight per agent in December 2006.

Putting a positive spin on the slowdown, it said: 'For those choosing to enter the market now, there is plenty of opportunity.'

However, if buyers can purchase without over reaching themselves and are willing to accept their asset may dip in value, the upcoming months represent an opportunity to test a soft market and perhaps bag a bargain home.

First-time buyers and poorer pensioners should be exempt from stamp duty, housing experts will say today.

They want a new system under which anyone buying a home for under £1m would pay less tax.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is calling for a dramatic shake-up of the current regime which it calls 'unfair, inefficient and long overdue for reform'.

The biggest winners would be first-time buyers and poorer pensioners who want to release money by 'downsizing' to a smaller home. RICS says neither should pay a penny in stamp duty