Winter can be a tough time to have your home and lawn look its finest for potential buyers.  Still, there are a number of things you can do to make your home look and feel like a warm and inviting place, which is exactly what anybody standing outside is looking for.

Starting from the street, take a look at your yard.  Hopefully, you have some evergreens in your yard that are keeping things green.  Also, make sure that the street number is visible from the road.  The path to your home should be clear and safe for guests.  This means keeping walking paths clear of snow, ice, and debris.  If you have snow, keep it as pristine as possible.  Don't let the dog romp in the front yard, and make neat piles if you shovel.  

Warm porch lights can help to give a home a little extra sparkle during this time.  You might also choose to place some cold-hardy plants on your front porch and bring life to the place. People aren't expecting flowers, but subconsciously, they will be looking for signs of cultivated life.  In that vein, make sure bushes and trees are pruned and that pine needles, leaves and compost are neatly contained.

Investing in foreign real estate is often very appealing, both for reasons of desiring to own properties in areas for vacation or part-time residence , and for financial reasons of acquiring purchases that will appreciate with time.  Developing countries on their way up, especially those who have recently joined the European Union, are popular choices because this usually hints at a strengthening economy where property values are increasing.  

There are also very clear risks involved in foreign real estate.  First, there is the matter of currency and exchange rate.  If you are investing in a project and the exchange rate shifts, you might find yourself paying a great deal more (although it could be less) than you had intended.  Similarly, if the economy in the country you are investing in experiences recession, you will lose property value and have paid more for the real estate than it was worth. 

Foreign real estate scams are also a possibility in the case of overseas investors in projects that never actually get finished, or don't turn out as advertised.  To avoid dealing with crooks, it can help to have an overseas independent partner (a professional is best) in the location where you are invested. Find someone who is able to check up on things for you and represent your interests in person.

Once upon a time, before the housing bubble burst, condos were selling and being flipped like hotcakes.  Financing was easy to procure and the waters were smooth sailing.  After the economic difficulties arose, however, even potential buyers with more than adequate credit were being turned away by lenders.  The reasons for this were twofold:  concern over the dropping prices and high speculator ownership.  

Financial woes can quickly spiral out of control for condos, especially when a large number of the units do not sell and therefore go into foreclosure. When that happens, homeowners association fees aren't paid and utility companies can stop services.  Common areas cease to be cared for, and soon, nobody would even be interested in making a purchase.