Posted March 22nd, 2012 by Charles Purdy
How Smart helped us buy in Corfu
Peter and Deborah had always wanted to spend time in the sun, away from the grey English weather. Greece was their country of choice so when Deborah’s mother sadly passed away they decided to use their inheritance both to invest their money wisely and to make their dreams come true.
“We wanted to do something adventurous”, Peter explains. “I was soon to retire so it seemed the perfect time to turn our dreams into reality. Our intention,” Peter continues, “is that once my wife retires we will spend six months in Greece and six in the UK – roll on the day!”
To this end Peter and Deborah became the proud owners of a 150-year-old traditional house in Corfu some 30 kilometres out of the capital. Situated near some immensely upmarket homes, they were able to get the property for the price they wanted as the home has only a limited sea view and is about fifty metres from the road. “This all conspired to drop the price and put it in our price range,” comments Peter. “But, having said that, we would never have been able to negotiate the whole purchase process without the regular emails plus the website help and support from a company that I found on the Internet.
“Searching the Internet for ‘advice on buying homes in Corfu’ the Overseas Guide Company came up,” Peter explains. “On browsing their website we found their advice comprehensive and detailed, explaining exactly the help we needed, who could provide it and why we needed them rather than using our own English equivalents. I signed up to receive informative emails from them some time before we bought and am very grateful for their helpful advice and information services.
It was from The Overseas Guides Company that the Dohertys found a recommendation to a currency company, Smart Currency Exchange. When moving money abroad, especially large sums such as those for property payments, it is advisable to use a currency company over a high street bank as money saved can add up to thousands of pounds.
“I couldn’t find anybody better,” Peter comments. “We have been very pleased with their speed and efficiency as well as their excellent rates – from now on we will continue to use the services of the Smart Currency people.”
Work continues on their new home. Peter explains: “We went over for twelve weeks last year – four or five visits in all. We did most of the work ourselves and painted much of the inside over the Easter holidays. Initially the place looked a bit of a mess, with old furniture and a rusted stove outside awaiting clearance but we had that cleared by the end of the summer. We have no intention of renting out – just having friends to stay – so we can pretty much work at our own pace.
“There is so much we wish to see and do on the island,” Peter continues. “We hope to go on Hilary Whitton Paipeti’s guided walks for instance. We have ambitions to walk the spine of Corfu – I believe there is a footpath from the North to the South of the island taking in the mountain tops and valleys along the centre of the island. We still have many bays and inlets to explore and swim and many restaurants to visit and eat in!”
Anyone who needs to transfer money to complete an overseas property transaction is advised to use a currency specialist to exchange their pounds into the local currency. For more information, contact Smart Currency Exchange or download their free guide by clicking
here
Topic: Articles, Banks, Currency exchange, Euros, Smart Currency Exchange, advertising, avoid charges, bank of england, banking, banking system, before the euro, best currency rates, currency rates, exchange rates
Posted October 5th, 2011 by Charles Purdy
Why you should use a currency exchange specialist?
When it comes to moving your money abroad, your initial thought may be to go straight to your local high street bank or post office to get the best exchange rate. Unfortunately, this is often the worst thing you could do – banks, being large institutions, tend not to offer the best exchange rates and Continue Reading…
Topic: Banks, Charles Purdy, Currency exchange, Euro exchange rates, Euros, US Dollar exchange rates, advertising, banking system, before the euro, best currency rates, exchange rates, foreign money exchange, overseas, pounds, rates
Posted September 28th, 2011 by Charles Purdy
Buying a car overseas and having it imported
When it comes to buying a new car, the UK can be a bit on the pricey side; it is not uncommon to find that you can get the same make and model from abroad for a much more attractive price. If you choose to import your new car from overseas then there will be Continue Reading…
Topic: Articles, Banks, Currency exchange, Euros, Smart Currency Exchange, Sterling, advertising, banking, banking system, best currency rates, buy currency, currency rates, exchange rates, rates
Posted August 31st, 2011 by Charles Purdy
Sending money to family abroad – do it the Smart way
There are many occasions which can arise meaning family members are living in a different country. Many people go abroad to work, to study, or to live for a year. If your child or spouse is living abroad for an amount of time then it is likely that at some point, or perhaps even on Continue Reading…
Topic: Currency exchange, Euro exchange rates, Euros, Smart Currency Exchange, Sterling, advertising, banking, banking system, best currency rates, currency rates, rates
Posted August 17th, 2011 by Charles Purdy
Topping up your overseas account
Topping up your overseas bank account couldn’t be simpler than using Smart Currency Exchange. As the number of people and families owning a holiday home abroad continues to increase, and English weather meaning that more people are taking longer holidays overseas, it is no wonder then that many British holiday makers have their own bank Continue Reading…
Topic: Articles, Banks, Currency exchange, Euros, Smart Currency Exchange, Sterling, US Dollar exchange rates, advertising, banking system, best currency rates, currency rates, exchange rates, overseas, pounds, rates
Posted July 27th, 2011 by Charles Purdy
All about the ‘Spot’ contract
Smart Currency Exchange has a range of options to suit client’s individual needs when it comes to purchasing and transferring currency abroad; whether it is a one off lump sum, regular payments, big or small, they will be able to advise the best route for you to take. This article is all about the ‘Spot’ Continue Reading…
Topic: Articles, Currency exchange, Euro exchange rates, Smart Currency Exchange, Sterling, US Dollar exchange rates, US stock exchanges, advertising, banking, banking system, best currency rates, currency rates, foreign currency, rates
Posted July 20th, 2011 by Charles Purdy
The various ways Smart can help overseas property buyers
When it comes to currency, choosing to use a specialist rather than a bank will benefit you in more than one way. Buying property overseas is a stressful and testing time, so anything which helps to relieve that stress will be welcomed. Many people instantly go to their high street bank when it comes to Continue Reading…
Topic: Articles, Banks, Currency exchange, Euro exchange rates, Euros, advertising, bank of england, banking system, before the euro, best currency rates, currency rates, exchange rates, foreign currency, foreign money exchange
Posted May 18th, 2011 by Charles Purdy
Making Property Payments Abroad.
So you’ve decided to make the move abroad. You have made various trips to the country in question, found a property you like and have made an offer which has been accepted. The time will soon come for you to pay the deposit. The initial deposit for a property abroad is usually anything between 10% Continue Reading…
Topic: Articles, Banks, Charles Purdy, Currency exchange, Cyprus, Euro exchange rates, advertising, avoid charges, bank of england, banking, banking system, before the euro, best currency rates, buy currency, buying, case study, currency market, currency rates, euro zone, foreign money exchange
Posted May 11th, 2011 by Charles Purdy
How can an International Payment Specialist save you money on your overseas purchase?
Moving abroad can be expensive, very time consuming, and cause a lot of stress. There is a way, however, that you can save yourself thousands of pounds, just by making the right choices when it comes to moving your money overseas. Great losses can occur when moving money between different currencies, and the first thing Continue Reading…
Topic: Articles, Banks, Currency exchange, Free report, advertising, avoid charges, bank of england, banking, banking system, before the euro, best currency rates, buy currency, buying, currency market, currency rates, euro zone, exchange rates, foreign currency, foreign money exchange
Posted May 5th, 2011 by Charles Purdy
How can you pay all your overseas bills, without losing money?
Many ex-pats living abroad may have to move money from the UK abroad (or vice versa) and when doing so, changing sterling into another currency (or vice versa). This often has consequences that many people fail to understand and they run the risk of costly losses throughout the transfer process. When transferring money between countries with different currencies, losses Continue Reading…
Topic: Articles, Banks, Charles Purdy, Europe, Euros, Smart Currency Exchange, advertising, avoid charges, bank of england, banking, banking system, before the euro, best currency rates, buy currency, buying, case study, currency rates, foreign currency, overseas
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