The small Mediterranean island of Malta is proving attractive to property buyers and features tax advantages to those who come to live, invest in a home and retire. Having registered the highest GDP growth rate in Europe in 2015 and the fourth lowest unemployment rate in the EU, Malta is making a name for itself...

Featuring high on the list of Britons’ favourite retirement destinations, Italy has a highly varied property market for you to choose from in mountains, fertile valleys and seafronts. It is best to begin your home search in Italy as soon as possible. Although good housing is available, it may take some time to find the...

There are numerous reasons why people consider buying property in Switzerland. It is arguably the world’s ultimate ‘safe haven’ offering political, legal and economic stability as well as the stable Swiss franc, a traditional store of value.  By Alpine Property Search & Swiss Alps Properties Add in Switzerland’s high quality of life, low crime rates,...

With ongoing talks in Geneva between Greece and Turkey about the divided island of Cyprus, how should property investors view this otherwise idyllic Mediterranean location? The BBC reports that talks to resolve the disputed territory on Cyprus between the heads of the Greek and Turkish governments are ongoing. But at the time of writing no...

Rules on UK lending introduced by the UK’s Prudential Regulation Authority limit the amount expat buy-to-let property investors and landlords can borrow on new mortgages. The new rules are designed to slow the demand for UK buy-to-let investment by demanding buyers raise larger deposits. Lenders will have to test affordability using notional interest rates of...

A majority of UK expat buy-to-let mortgages are concentrated in greater London and the South East, according to new figures. Figures from lender Skipton International show up to 40% of expat mortgage customers are investing in buy-to-let property in Greater London, with another 25% in the South East of England. Just 10% of British expats...

With the pound trading at an historic low against the world’s major currencies, now may be a good time for British expats to consider investing in property back home, according to property investment firm Benoit Properties International. With a significant shortage of supply in the UK property market, prices and rents are rising steadily, say...

As a collection of seven separate emirates, there are some differences between emirates in the rules and procedures for buying property in the UAE. Here we are focussing on Dubai, where buyers from India, the UK and Pakistan make up the three largest overseas contingents. The market is certainly buoyant. Transaction reports from the Dubai...

UK buyers are the most important group of non-resident investors in France, accounting for 34 per cent of all transactions in 2015, up 44 per cent on 2014. The figures come from a survey by the Notaires de France, BNP and Rightmove, the UK property portal. The combined effects of sterling strength and euro weakness...

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...