International property news & market information
Keep up-to-date with our property news and market information.
Dec 2010The one hour travel test: Calabria in Italy
Discover Italy's affordable southern region of Calabria, which is increasingly becoming a favoured destination for the British read more
Oct 2010Buy into: the finca lifestyle
Spain has another type of property, the finca, offering a completely different lifestyle to its villas and apartments on the Costas. read more
Oct 2010Everyone's talking about... Austria
Austria is now firmly on the consideration list for anyone planning to acquire a ski property following a spate of development and some loosening of the restrictions read more
Oct 2010Where it all started: Corfu property
For years the island of Corfu had been a one of Greece's many little-known islands but in 1935 the young Gerald Durrell and his family moved to its slumbering shores. Durrell went on to be a distinguished naturalist and author, later writing a memoir of his childhood there - . This book, after it was published in 1956 and became a classic, is considered by many to have put Corfu on the map. read more
Sep 2010Consider this: seasonal winds
Many parts of southern Europe and the Mediterranean including France, and Italy. The is a wind from the Sahara Desert which can reach 100km per hour during autumn and spring, and often deposits large quantities of dust. It's mainly concentrated on southern France and Spain but can reach as far afield as the Adriatic. The is a strong northerly wind which advances down the Rhone valley, bringing freezing air to the Cote d'Azur. There's a similar wind in the northern Adriatic called the Bora, read more
Sep 2010Where it all started: Vilamoura
At 20 sq km, Vilamoura – literally, the 'village of the Moors' – is one of Europe's largest purpose-built holiday resorts and is one of the foundation stones of . Alongside the Algarve's other luxury resorts – and Val do Lobo spring to mind – Vilamoura remains one of the top locations in southern Europe to own a property. read more
Sep 2010The one-hour travel test: Nice
Nice Côte d'Azur is France's busiest airport outside Paris and one of the busiest in the entire Mediterranean, with almost 10m passengers last year. Its location makes it the ideal landing point for the French Riviera and Monaco, as well as parts of Provence, the southern Alps and the Italian Riviera. Situated at the far end of Nice's Promenade des Anglais, it also has the almost unique distinction that you could step outside the terminal and walk into the city centre. read more
Aug 2010Consider this... drought
Many parts of the Mediterranean are suffering some water shortages at least once or twice a decade, and there are signs the frequency is increasing. In 2005, Spain had its worst drought since records began in 1947, with widespread rationing in Alicante and the Costa Brava. read more
Aug 2010Lakeside living
Lake Como's most famous resident is George Clooney, whose sorties from his lakeside home, Villa Oleandra, on his Harley-Davidson are eagerly snapped up by paparazzi. But the Italian lakes have become a magnet for many seeking the perfect holiday home – not just celebrities. They are drawn by the water itself, with opportunities for sailing and other watersports, the sub-tropical micro-climate enjoyed in particular stretches of the lakes, and most of all by the majestic views of villages and gra read more
Jul 2010Consider this: Capital Gains Tax
Overseas in general High – many people aren't aware they will be liable for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) when they buy a property overseas, but even if the local rate is zero you won't escape the clutches of the UK tax office (HMRC). CGT is on the way up, with increases announced in the Emergency Budget and second home owners are directly in the firing line when they sell their property and make a profit. You may have been under the mistaken impression that if you own a holiday home abroad, then read more
Jul 2010It all started in: Ibiza
It all started in: Ibiza read more
Jul 2010The one-hour travel test: Florence
Fly in to and the whole of is within reach, with its olive tree-dotted hills, rustic farmhouses and delicious food and wine. Here are the main spots you could look to own a home within an hour's drive: read more
Jun 2010Budget France
IF the doom and gloom-laden economic headlines have become too much, and you're looking to chuck it all in for a simple life abroad, it may be time to take a look at the . The area is famous for two exports: Limoges tableware and the distinctive Limousin cattle. It's also the region of France where, according to the Fédération Nationale de l'Immobilier (FNAIM), you will find the least expensive property in the country, with prices less than half those in the most expensive region, . read more
Jun 2010Tax breaks in the balance
THE calling of the General Election provided an unexpected 11th hour reprieve for the tax breaks enjoyed by many of those who rent out a holiday home in Europe. With the new government's emergency Budget due to be published on June 22, it will become clear whether the reprieve will be a lasting one. read more
Jun 2010An address on the Nile
may be in the doldrums, but another, more familiar country in the Middle East is still doing well. has been a favourite tourist destination for more than 100 years – it's where Thomas Cook organised his first tours. read more
Jun 2010Tourism recovery helps overseas property investors
Latest figures reveal that the global holiday industry has returned to growth following a seven per cent activity spurt during the opening months of 2010 and a predicted yearly rise of three per cent - but is this good news for overseas property investors? read more
May 2010Get your money back
What happens when you put down a deposit on a property overseas, thinking you've secured your dream home, but then the developer doesn't deliver? This is an experience that thousands of buyers have encountered over the last few years - in some cases victims of unscrupulous developers, in others of boom turning to bust. read more
May 2010Making the sums add up
According to foreign exchange specialist HiFX, some 85 per cent of overseas property owners say the costs of maintaining their property have increased in the last 12 months, and over a fifth are really struggling with the cost of owning their property. Among the factors are general inflation, sterling's fall against the euro, and reduced rental income as more people opted for 'staycations' in the UK during the recession. read more
May 2010Winning the plot
The explosion of an Icelandic volcano, grounding flights across much of Europe, may cause some property hunters to re-think their dependence on air travel. So where could you buy and not be dependent on a plane to get you home? read more
Apr 2010Island in the sun
From 15 to 18 April, Madeirans will be celebrating their world-famous annual flower festival, turning the tiny Atlantic island into a sea of colour as the inhabitants put the recent devastating floods behind them. , an autonomous region of , has recovered quickly from the flash floods on February 20 which left at least 42 dead, and while some tourists have been put off in the short term, the island's attraction as a place to own a holiday or retirement home is undiminished. read more
Apr 2010Bargain Berlin
The debt crisis enveloping has paradoxically highlighted the strength of the Eurozone's biggest member, , and the attraction of buying in a market where debt is relatively low, but safety and security can be counted on. read more
Apr 2010Winning the plot
If the current level of sterling has deterred you from buying a property overseas, one solution may be to buy a building plot – and develop it later when exchange rates are more favourable. read more
Mar 2010Greek woes
The Greek economic crisis spells austere times ahead for Greece’s citizens – but does it also signal a buying opportunity for anyone looking to own a home in one of the most attractive countries in the Mediterranean? read more
Mar 2010Where to buy in 2010
After a dreadful 2009, this could well be the year when Britons’ interest in buying abroad is re-awakened. But which countries should you be looking at? Here are our top five selections, balancing perennial appeal with a couple of emerging hotspots. read more
Mar 2010Is the pain finally over in Spain?
News that builder Taylor Wimpey is unveiling its first development at Marbella in three years can be seen as a sign that – in the right places, at least – there is still demand for new homes. The new scheme is called Floresta de la Mareina, and is a Mediterranean-style village just east of , close to the El Soto nine-hole golf club, and with views across oak forest to the sea. read more
Feb 2010Fresh pastures
With taxes set to rise heavily in the next couple of years, it's a fair bet that there will be another surge in people looking to emigrate from the UK. According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of people leaving the UK in 2008 reached a record high of 427,000, although some 255,000 of these were immigrants from new EU countries such as returning home. read more
Feb 2010At home with the Asian tiger
may be a long way away, but it has been attracting a steady stream of British buyers looking for retirement, investment or simply holiday homes in one of South East Asia's most developed countries. Now, the Malaysian government is reported to be keen on attracting more property buyers from the UK and other countries, and the country's Foreign Investment Committee is drawing up a comprehensive deregulation of investment guidelines aimed at making it easier for foreign buyers to buy. read more
Feb 2010A sterling result
Property prices fell across much of the world last year, but the value of overseas properties owned by Brits actually rose by more than £2.6bn, according to research by foreign exchange specialists Close Brothers. This apparent paradox comes about because, in many countries, the devaluation of sterling against the local currency was greater than the drop in property prices. read more
Jan 2010Spanish rebates
IF you're one of the 90,000 British people who sold a property in Spain between January 1997 and 31 December 2006, then you could be in for a small windfall. read more
Jan 2010Istanbul going for growth
On January 1, the people of celebrates becoming European City of Culture for 2010, drawing further attention to one of Europe's fastest growing cities. read more
Jan 2010Cheap ski
If you're looking to buy a but your budget won't stretch to Courchevel or St Moritz then there are a number of less well-known, less expensive and up and coming resorts worth considering. read more
