Best Places To Buy Abroad

The USA

One of the best places to settle abroad has got to be Florida, USA. The weather is a lot warmer than the UK, so you’re guaranteed more sunshine and less rain! But if that’s still not enough to tempt you, the property prices in Florida have apparently fallen by 30-70% over the past few years – bad news for Floridians, but good news for us Brits looking to relocate to the sun.

Apparently, you can find one-bedroom Florida houses for sale at a fraction of the cost of UK apartments. With that said, if you’re looking for just a holiday home, it’s probably wise to go for a slightly larger, rentable alternative. A two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment is still a very reasonable price, and if you can find one that’s near to Disney World Theme Park, in Orlando, all the better!

Barbados

I’ve heard that Brits are the largest expat community in Barbados, with celebrities such as Andrew Lloyd Webber, Simon Cowell and Cilla Black all with homes on the lovely island of Barbados.

A report suggests that there has been a 70% increase in property sales in 2010, compared to 2009. This is probably due to property prices being 15% lower than in 2008. The largest discounts are made on new apartment developments – keep in mind that mansions aren’t as much value for money, especially on the west coast of the island.

France

Whilst definitely not my choice, us Brits do like to relocate or buy holiday homes in France. 39% opt for coastal properties, 37% rural and 19% mountainous. This means places like Aquitaine, the Dordogne and the Languedoc are excellent choices.

Throughout the whole Country, prices in France are down 8% on their 2007 peak. However, if you’re looking for an investment, definitely purchase an apartment in the centre of Paris, apartment prices rose by 20% in 2010.

Spain

Spain is another very popular and mostly warm destination. Murcia, in south-east Spain, is an extremely worthwhile area to invest in property. You can get a very good priced two-bedroom home in Mazarron, which is set to be a few minutes’ drive from the new Paramount Pictures Theme Park, expected to open sometime in 2015. This would make an appealing investment to let out to holiday makers looking to visit the theme park.

Finally, you might want to be aware that property sales on the Spanish island of Majorca are up by 14% this year. You can purchase a two-bedroom coastal villa at Cala Anguilla for roughly the same price as in the UK. However, if you’re looking for a holiday home in the sun, it’ll be worth every penny.