Buying property in New Zealand is generally quick, efficient and safe. It takes four to six weeks from offer to moving in, and is relatively inexpensive compared to most European countries. There are few restrictions on foreigners buying property there, although ownership certainly does not guarantee residency rights. It is worth mentioning though, that buying/building...

Portuguese estate agents must be licensed and qualified, so ask to see their INCI certificate and AMI licence. With typical agent fees of more than 5%, private sales are common – look out for boards saying vende-se or para venda. By Christopher Nye Among Portugal’s largest online property portals are casa.sapo.pt and imovirtual.com, or a...

Step one is to get your professionals lined up and ready. That should certainly include a lawyer who is independent of the estate agent or developer whose property you are viewing, who is qualified and who is a specialist in property in Spain and land law, known as urbanismo. By Christopher Nye It is also...

The property buying system in France is completely different to what you might experience elsewhere. It is better regulated than in many countries, making a purchase safer, but more expensive. For a start, agents (immobilier) are licensed. They will have a Carte Professionnelle, be professionally insured and work under the Loi Hoguet, their code of conduct. They may...

As part of the property guides here at Expat Network, we present this guide for expats and other foreigners interested in buying Japanese property. Japanese Real Estate Market Overview Japan is generally seen as a good place for real estate purchase and investment. Japan has a long history as a safe, orderly country. Japanese lawyers...

If you are thinking about buying property in America it is important to understand how the process works. The buying process in the USA follows a British model – more accurately a Scottish one – rather than a continental European model. This means it is cheaper than in most countries, typically adding less than 3%...

Switzerland is popular among the international community for the sense of reliability, stability and security it offers, its quality of life, education and construction, and its position in the heart of continental Europe. This has led to great demand from overseas for Swiss residence or second homes. By Swiss Alps Properties The Swiss had feared...

There is no restriction on buying property in Italy and it has some of the most breathtakingly beautiful older property in the world, at surprisingly cheap prices (especially you’re up for a bit of renovating). By Christopher Nye In Italy you generally do not need a lawyer because the agent and the notary are both...

Buying a home in Malta is made easy by the short distances – the island is only 30 kilometres at its widest – and the fact that English is an official language. Estate agents speak English, newspaper ads and many property websites are in English too – try maltaproperty.com Malta is...

The Chinese government owns all the land in Hong Kong, and property owners lease the land (or co-lease it, in the case of an apartment block). Most foreigners can buy in Hong Kong but, in an attempt to cool the market and put off overseas speculation, the government has imposed an extra 15% Buyers’ Stamp...

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...