Q: The prices are increasing in England and in France. In Germany I have a friend in real estate that is very busy. Should we expect this trend in the east, as well? Will prices increase here? What does this depend on?  IP: My brother lives in England. Prices have increased only in London. I have friends in France. Prices have increased only in Paris. Germany is another story, prices have been low for over a decade and have only just started rising, due to the economic growth. But why have prices increased only in London and Paris, and not in the rest of the [...]

  Q: Why don't you post pictures with the apartments you sell? Why don't you try to be more professional, dear real estate agents?  IP:  You are right. But in most cases: The owner doesn't want pictures to be posted The agent was not there to see the property (he was busy on hi5 or some other place) The agent/company fears that by posting pictures there is a chance that the potential clients will go to the owner and skip them So in a market without rules, where the majority of people try to aviod any possible cost and want the best (for free), it's not [...]

  Q: If you had 100.000 euro, what would you invest it in: gold, silver, the stock market, real estate, your own business?  IP: Certainly not in silver or gold. In my opinion, the price is high. It might go up but I don't find it comfortable to buy something when it's reached a historical price. I'd rather let someone smarter than I get rich from such investments.  The stock market is an option, but not with a larger capital than 20-30% of the total amount you have. Real estate is an option as well but you need a strategy, you shouldn't buy "anything".  The [...]

    Q: I would like to buy a house with foreign capital … Can you do that in Romania?  IP: In the past, it was quite simple but not anymore. There are a few banks that have "Romanian" branches in other countries. They were more flexible in giving credits to Romanians living abroad, in order to buy a property in the country.  With the crisis, the banks have become more careful regarding their credit portfolio. This is why I suggest that you first identify if there are Romanian banks in the country you live in or a foreign bank that has a branch in Romania. [...]

    Q: I understood that at the recent real estate fair, that was very well promoted, with banners all around the city … nothing was sold, a sign that Romanians have realized that the prices with decrease by 50-60%. Is this true?  IP: No. I don't know to what fair you are referring to and, honestly, how can anyone know the real number of sales? I don't believe in the "millions of sales" announced by some but I don't think it was a "catastrophe" as others said. I doubt that the majority of Romanians, Greeks, Italians, Germans etc. know the [...]