Holiday Property Abroad

Choosing Your New Holiday Property Abroad

The market for new property abroad is growing, which means that it can be a challenge to choose the right property for you.

Where do you start when you decide to buy a property abroad? There are more things to take into consideration than you might think, and choosing the right property is just one of them. But it's also one of the most important, and the first step to choosing the right property is to decide what you're going to use it for.

Live, holiday or rent?

You can, of course, use your property for a combination of all three of these, but most people have a single aim. For some, it's to move to a new country and live there permanently. For others, it's to have a permanent base for family and friends to get together throughout the year. You may have decided to recoup your investment in property abroad by renting your home; either through an agent or by yourself. Whatever you decide will affect the type of property you choose.

Permanent residency

If you're going to be living in your new property abroad all year round, you need to think carefully about its location and accommodation. The resort that you enjoyed so much for a week may be completely dead in the winter season, with everything shut down and nothing to do. Alternatively, you may have to live with crowds and nightlife for the whole year. Think about the type of lifestyle you would like to have and look for a property in a location that will support that – with social activities, shops, markets and a climate that you will be happy with.

Holiday

If you're going to be holidaying in your property on a regular basis, and loaning it to friends and family, it needs to be in a good holiday location. Close to airports and other transport systems, beaches, golf clubs or other leisure pursuits, it needs to be accessible and easy to maintain.

Rental

The rental market is competitive in most of the popular resorts, and so you have to make sure that your property abroad is in the right location to attract the sort of rental clients you're looking for. Decide whether you're happy to have groups of singles in your home, or whether you'd rather rent it to couples and families. Remember that you will have to have the right insurance, and that you may need to replace furnishings and fittings more often. Work out whether the rental price you can charge will cover your costs.

However you're going to use your property abroad, take the time to view several properties in different locations and choose the one that's best suited to you.
 
More information on buying property abroad:

Researching buying a property abroad  Why buy a property abroad?  Points to Consider when buying a property abroad  How to finance your property abroad – various options and likely costs  Building a property abroad  General tips for buying a property abroad  Buying a property abroad with friends  Could buying a property abroad secure your future  Insuring your property abroad  Buying property abroad as an investment  Living permanently in your property abroad  Maintaining your property  Property abroad - don't stop at Europe  Property abroad - FAQs  Renting your property abroad  Tax and your property abroad  The responsibilities of owning a property abroad  The true costs of an overseas property  Viewing your property abroad  Legal considerations when buying a property abroad

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