Group RCI offers solution to ease credit crunch

The international credit crisis, with its rising interest rates and mortgage difficulties, continues to dominate the headlines and many consumers in the US and Europe are shying away from property investment opportunities for fear of becoming another credit casualty.

During this challenging economic cycle, it's more important than ever for developers to attract purchasers to the second home and leisure property market - and to distinguish their offering from that of their competitors. Group RCI has launched an innovative offering of rental and exchange benefits which can be sold by developers as part of the whole-ownership property sale.

The Group RCI Rental and Exchange (R + E) Programme gives developers the opportunity to sell their properties with the add-on of the world's largest rental service which will generate a reliable yield in rental income for purchasers. The programme offers the further bonus of the opportunity to exchange a period of unused weeks in the property for a holiday in one of the 4,000 quality resorts worldwide affiliated with Group RCI.

The R+E Programme is backed by Group RCI's rental and exchange network. Any purchaser buying a property with the R & E Programme wrap would have the assurance of knowing their property rental would go out under one of the group's 30-plus established holiday brands, including cottages4you, English Country Cottages and Individual Travellers Company. Each property is given a weekly value rating which can be converted into points and used by owners to enable them to exchange for holidays in more than 100 countries for themselves, their families and friends. Both the property letting and exchange services are managed by Group RCI specialists who handle the administration of marketing, booking and customer queries, leaving developers free to sell without the burden of after-sales involvement.

Nick Turner, Managing Director of Group RCI in the MENA Region comments:

"Whilst the credit crunch is an overseas phenomenon, the fact is that many buyers from the Gulf, both nationals and expatriates, do invest in second homes in European and US markets. It's great for them to know that we will be there for them, to protect and nurture their hard earned investment. Occupancy levels of the tens of thousands of properties in the programme are historically much higher than market norms, so it means that investors seeking yield assurance will be better advised to choose a development where Group RCI are linked."