Buying property is rarely a joy, but the process in Canada comes closer than most countries. Everything is in English (or French), the process is straightforward and well regulated, the buying costs are cheap and there is no shortage of data and information out there. Canadian homes are big and getting bigger. The average size...

Buying in Cyprus has the advantage of English being very widely spoken and there being no great difference between prices for ‘locals’ and expats, which you see in some countries. When it comes to selling property to foreigners, however, developers and agents in Cyprus have made a few mistakes in the past. Some encouraged buyers...

The first thing to know about buying property in Australia is that foreigners do not have an automatic right to own property. Unless you are married to an Australian or hold a permanent resident visa or special category visa (as New Zealanders do) you will need to apply to the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB)....

Make sure you follow the correct procedures to smooth the process of buying property in Germany. By Christopher Nye To buy or not to buy, that has been the question in Germany in recent years. It was a country where most people rented, protected by strong pro-tenant laws, and where property price rises were...

As a collection of seven separate emirates, there are some differences between emirates in the rules and procedures for buying property. For this guide we will focus on Dubai, where buyers from India, Pakistan and the UK make up the three largest overseas contingents. Buying an existing (resale) property in Dubai follows a similar pattern...

The subdued global economic growth of the past year has had a significant impact on rental rates around the world. The majority of locations have witnessed very static rental trends, with minimal movements in the last year. But there are regional variations. Low inflation has helped to keep wage rises down, which has had an...

From 1 April 2016, the UK taxman introduced a new higher rate of stamp duty which applies to the acquisition of a ‘major interest’ in an additional residential ‘dwelling’. So beware if you are buying property in the UK. A ‘major interest’ is defined as a freehold or leasehold interest, says Adam Thompson, tax manager...

Guernsey-based offshore bank Skipton International has launched a mortgage calculator to help British expats in their property investment planning. The new expat mortgage illustration allows those considering a UK buy-to-let investment to enter the value of the property and its expected rental income. They will then be shown the maximum loan potentially available, and the...

International Living magazine’s Annual Global Retirement Index has identified the most-affordable places to buy or rent property abroad in retirement Ecuador was found to be the best in this category. In the colonial city of Cuenca, you can rent a two-bedroom apartment for $500 or less, while the same property in the popular mountain town...