Retiring to Malta
Malta has a British feel, and so attracts UK retires who want something familiar – but with sunny Mediterranean living. Pensions might go further on this island too. ‘Retiring to Europe’, a new website and book, explores in depth the attractions of Malta. The following are brief extracts. Understanding where you are tax resident is...
Currency Changes And The Price Of Property
In global prime property markets even small percentage changes in currency can have significant monetary implications. Currency, ownership costs and taxation are becoming increasingly important considerations for investors, especially as the rate of price appreciation slows in some global city markets. New research by property consultancy Knight Frank suggest that individuals need to be conscious...
Moving to Australia, Part Three: Taking Up Residence
You’ve arrived. The weeks and months of planning have passed and you’re living and breathing the checklist. The focus of getting things done will be a welcome distraction. There is a sense of excitement at wanting to explore your new surroundings, although you’re missing home and are feeling a little anxious and scared, having to...
Ranking Top Ten Expat Retirement Destinations
Many people on the verge of retirement see a change of scenery abroad as the perfect life move, when relaxation and indulgence take over following long careers that may have spanned over 40 years. While retirement options differ from person to person, the general consensus is that ending your working commitments and retiring abroad is...
Malta In The Med: Home To Property Tax Breaks
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...
An Italian Idyll For Property Buyers?
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...
Temporary Accommodation
When moving to a new country it is important to understand your options – where you are going to be living and in what type of accommodation. While you find the solution there are a number of options: Traditional hotels – This can be an option if the transitional period is going to be short. ...
Buying Property In Switzerland
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...
Cyprus In Search Of Settlement
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...
Do New Buy-To-Let Rules Affect UK Expat Buyers?
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...
Time For British Expats To Buy Property Back Home?
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...
Big Spend By Foreign Buyers Of Dubai Property
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...