Real estate transfers in Spain can be subject to local Tax on the Increase in the Urban Land Value (“Impuesto sobre el Incremento de Valor de los Terrenos de Naturaleza Urbana” or “Plusvalía Municipal”). This mandatory municipal tax is levied on the increase disclosed in the value of urban land whenever urban land located in...

Even before you moved to Hong Kong, you may have heard about the highly unaffordable rent in the city, which always ranks top among the world’s most expensive housing markets. This perennial problem has become so extreme that a resident needs to spend 19.4 years without any other expenditure in order to be able to...

Finding accommodation in Paris can be a long and complicated process. The administrative procedures are important and can take time and it’s even worse when you’re not native to France.  Many expatriates have to stay in a hotel with their friends or loved ones while they are looking for more permanent housing and so it...

Offshoreonline report that when expat house buyers return in the busy summer buying period they will have a significant negotiating edge due to the recent falls in expat mortgage interest rates and the effect of a weak housing market in the UK. “The availability of lower expat mortgage rates, whilst at the same time, many...

HM Land Registry advise how to protect against property fraud in England and Wales when you live abroad. Property is usually the most valuable asset people own. It can be sold and mortgaged to raise money and can therefore be an attractive target for fraudsters. If you live abroad your property might be more at...

Buy-to-let mortgages for expats are available to help you invest in the UK property market and there are various options for obtaining a loan. There are additional challenges for expats beyond those faced by domestic borrowers. Buy-to-Let (BTL) Mortgages: This type of mortgage is used to facilitate the purchase and remortgage of residential property in...

The impact of the Brexit referendum has made investing in UK property for British expatriates an attractive prospect. Yet the practicalities of doing so can be a little more tricky. With increased regulations around lending and changes to lending practices, many lenders have withdrawn from the market, leaving expatriates struggling to find ways to invest...

Expats who rent out their UK property must register with the taxman’s non-resident landlord scheme.  If you have rental property in the UK but your usual home is outside the UK, your tenants or the letting agents you use will need to operate the non-resident landlord (NRL) scheme. They need to deduct...

Offshore bank Skipton International has launched a new range of mortgages for British expats. The Guernsey-based bank is offering two new fixed rates For borrowers looking for a remortgage of £300,000 or more, the rate is fixed at 3.99% for five years. Smaller loans between £100,000 and £300,000 come with the higher rate of 4.49%...

British expats have to look longer and harder to find affordable deals for UK house buying. Problems encountered by expats include having to find much larger deposits than UK-based customers, and higher interest rates and arrangement fees. These come on top of the usual hassles of finding and conveyancing a property purchase from a distance....

Buying UK property as a British expat used to be tricky – yet, thanks to mortgage products specifically created for this purpose, and new applications that calculate how much you can borrow, and that even give you an agreement in principle online, securing an investment property in the UK is easier than ever before. Since...

Skipton International has launched an upgraded online calculator, giving expat mortgage customers a quick guide to loan options. The calculator uses information such as property value and rental income to show customers the maximum amount they would be able to borrow, along with estimated monthly repayment costs, based on Skipton’s mortgage offerings for the requested...