This whole sections is taken from my new book "2008-09 World & Financial Prophecies" from page 51-54.
Real-Estate Market
For a while now I have been concerned about this sector and consistently warned about buying houses for speculation. In my 2003 and 2004 books I warned about rising interest rates and said that it would spell disaster for the real-estate market. We are now seeing so much pain in peoples’ eyes but it is too late. Even though the FED is trying its best, action was not immediately taken.
Planet Mars is responsible for rises and drops in the real estate market. Many cycles have born and then burst, but that is part of nature because Mars is a planet that can hasten disaster when it begins to turn negative. In 2007, the sub prime mortgage crisis compelled many banks to write off billions of Dollars. Companies like Countrywide which have grown rapidly in the last 15 years have come down to their knees. Who is to blame here: is it speculators, banks or planets? In my opinion, natural forces set up a trend and then everyone gradually becomes involved. People begin to party and celebrate their good fortune, to an extent that they don’t realize when nature ceases to support a trend. Good times, or indeed bad times never last forever, and by the time the partying crowd realizes, it is usually too late. Astrology is therefore a unique tool that helps us to discern when a wave of nature is born and also when it ends so that we can position ourselves accordingly.
The future is still negative for the real estate market in the USA, Europe, Middle-East and many parts of Africa and Asia. The weak trend which began in the USA will spread to the rest of the world like a disease, and respected names and financial institutions will be brought low. The nature of Jupiter is to give peace; but it is a dangerous prospect when one starts to speculate with his house or home. Your house/home is where you get peace, and you shall lack it if your calculations go wrong. I am not saying that everyone loses money, but people whose charts are unfavorable become easily trapped into negativity.
Anyway, millions of people earn their bread and butter by dealing in property and if they conduct business in the right time frame, they make money both for themselves and their clients as well. Let us see what the planets say for 2008/09 period on the property market and what investors should do during these two years.
Real Estate in North America
When I warned about the real estate market from 2005, hardly anyone took my advice seriously. I however began receiving mail in the second half of 2007 from people who wished they had listened to me. Though we cannot erase the past or re-live it, we can learn from our mistakes. We should therefore focus on the future.
2008 is not promising for this market, but those interested in long term investment or buying a house for their own residence can make the decision around September 2008. That will be the right time to invest in the real estate market.
From 2009 onwards, the real estate market will begin recovering losses, and there will be several reasons for this. The main factor is the interest rate and mortgage policy, both of which will be attractive due to a significant decrease in the interest rate in the first half of 2008. I see the interest rate going up to 2.5%, and it will stabilize around this level. I am not worried about inflation, deflation or recession in the USA like other people. This is because planetary movement will emphatically support the USA from May 2008. There will be a great era with a booming stock market and a rising Dollar.
The Canadian real estate is questionable and I see housing prices staying at current levels or dropping in many parts of the country. I do not recommend speculative investment in the real estate market in Canada for the next two years. The drastic drop in the currency’s value will result in massive losses to international investors.
European Real Estate Market
There have been many economic and social ups and downs in various parts of the world. There have been recessions and periods of inflation, but what I see for Europe beginning in 2008 really scares me. I hesitate when writing about the imminent situation in Europe, for the economic outlook is bleak indeed.
Investors and economists are worried about recession in the USA, but I am more worried of a recession in Europe. The real estate market will suddenly start to drop from March 2008. Property prices will lose more than 20% in many countries during this year. To make matters worse, there will be another 20% drop in 2009, which means that the total correction in the real estate market will be around 40% in the next two years. We all know that a fall of 40% will have massive impact on the economy and the people’s lives, especially those who borrow against home equity.
Central banks in Europe will reduce their interest rates, but that will not halt the downwards spiral. I therefore strongly recommend that those with big investments in real estate or have high leverage to bring down their portfolios to comfortable levels.
I also advise international investors not to buy real estate in the European market at this level because European currencies will drastically devalue against the USA Dollar. Their home currencies as well as the property markets will decline, meaning that investors will lose from both ends.
Real Estate Market in South America
In 2001 I predicted an economic and currency meltdown for many countries within the region and we saw it happen. However, the future has now completely changed shape and the real estate market in Argentina, Brazil and Peru will rise during the next two years. In contrast, Mexico and Chile shall have weak trends and will be unable to match the rise in other countries within the region.
I recommend investment in the countries mentioned above as South America has just entered a positive era that will last for 21 years. Long term investors will therefore have a wind-fall.
Real Estate Market in Asia
The real estate market will have a mixed trend in 2008 for Asian countries, while it will drop in 2009. Countries like China, India, Singapore, Thailand, Pakistan and Malaysia will have major declines in 2009. However, the situation in these countries looks stable for 2008 and there will be no major changes. Nevertheless, I do not recommend speculation in the real estate market. Surprisingly, Indonesia, Japan and Sri Lanka will enjoy growth for the next two years.
Real Estate Market in the Middle East
My outlook for the Middle East was very positive from 2001-07 and many people have made fortunes by investing in real estate in UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan. We were quite negative on the Iraq and Iran situation hence I never recommended investing in these countries.
Since last year, I have warned investors in the region not to invest even a single Dollar in the real estate markets unless they are buying a home for residential purposes. One should avoid buying on high rate borrowing, whatever your comfort level- pay for the home but not a single Dollar for speculation. I see the real estate market dropping more than 60%. Speculators could lose their entire life savings and some regional banks may close down due to a crash of property prices. I have lived in Dubai for one year and I do not have anything against the region. In fact liked my experience there, but I must present my predictions as the future is indicated without being influenced by my personal feelings. I am predicting a severe drop in the property market in the UAE during the next two years.
The twin factor of oil prices declining as well as the drop in the real estate will result in a depression for the economies of the Middle East, and there will be a sudden exodus of thousands of people from the region. I do not see prices recovering immediately for five years, but they might bounce back in 15 years time.
Real Estate Market in Africa
During the launch of my first book in South Africa in 2001 I recommended investing in the country’s economy, and I have been proved very accurate. Unfortunately the 2008/09 period does not appear promising for the African continent and I therefore don’t recommend any speculation in this market. Once again I would like to warn that it is perfectly alright to buy a house for residence, but buying ten units for speculation is completely different. You can only make money when the wave of nature is in favor of the property market. You may therefore end up losing heavily when the wave turns against you, and this has occurred several times in the past.
Real Estate Market in Australia and New Zealand
The property market in both countries will be weak for the next two years and I therefore don’t recommend heavy investment. In the longer term, the New Zealand real estate market will perform better than Australia.
IMPORTANT NOTE!!!
One should keep in mind that my predictions are for the next two years, and it therefore doesn’t mean that prices will not rise again in future. We have seen many declines in Europe, the USA, India and Hong Kong in the past, but they always managed to bounce back. The trend for the next two years in the real estate market will be unstable or weak globally, but many will bounce back in the next ten years except Europe and the Middle East.
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