A PLACE IN THE SUN REVEALS THE UK’S TOP 20 DESTINATIONS FOR BUYING ABROAD: FROM THE SUBLIME TO
THE SURPRISING…
18th January 2008
According to a survey published today, in the
form of A Place in the Sun magazine’s annual Top 20 buying
destinations, despite a raft of emerging markets and USA property prices down
30% on a year ago and a dollar weakened by 25%, it’s the traditional
sun-seeker’s favourite Spain that takes the number one spot for the second year running.
The poll, conducted at the recent A Place in the Sun Live exhibition at the NEC Birmingham, the world’s largest
overseas property event of its type, also saw France with its enviable lifestyle maintaining its 2006 second
place and Turkey climbing into third position on the back of a wide range
of developments marketing in the UK offering great value and year-round
sunshine.
Other
key trends highlighted include the USA’s leaping six places into fourth position as UK
investors take advantage of a buyer’s market and two dollars to the pound, Italy moves up three spots
into the top five (as Calabria becomes ever more prominent) and the meteoric rise of Canada – the biggest climber – up seven
places to number nine.
Seven of the top ten destinations are
European, with Cyprus (6) and Greece (7) performing consistently on the wish lists of UK
residents looking for a home abroad, but Egypt is up three places and bubbling under (at 11) and
threatening to break through alongside its North African counterpart Cape Verde (10).
Another interesting mover is Australia, which jumps from 20
to 15 as more UK residents than ever make a permanent move overseas (389,000
last year according to the Office of National Statistics) – as witnessed by the
success of The Emigration
Show at A Place in the
Sun Live.
Says Richard
Way,
Editor of A Place in the Sun magazine: “What’s really interesting about our annual Top
20 survey is that it shows UK buyers as traditional in one respect – in
favouring Spain and France – but also willing to seek out new hot spots and
investment opportunities elsewhere: across Europe, North Africa, North America,
Asia and the Middle East. When looking for a second home or a new life in the
sun it seems that Spain’s mix of great weather, rich culture and beautiful
coastline is keeping the country at the number one spot, but buyers aren’t
afraid to consider Germany, Montenegro, Morocco, Las Vegas, Thailand or Dubai.”
The UK’s Top 20 overseas property
destinations according to A
Place in the Sun:
2007
|
2006
|
1. Spain
( - )
|
1. Spain
|
2. France
( - )
|
2. France
|
3. Turkey
(+1)
|
3. Bulgaria
|
4. USA (+6)
|
4. Turkey
|
5. Italy
(+3)
|
5. Cyprus
|
6. Cyprus
(-1)
|
6. Greece
|
7. Greece
(-1)
|
7. Portugal
|
- Bulgaria (-5)
|
8. Italy
|
- Canada (+7)
|
9. Cape
Verde
|
- Cape Verde (-1)
|
10. USA
|
- Egypt (+3)
|
11. Croatia
|
- Portugal (-5)
|
12. Morocco
|
- Morocco (-1)
|
13. Caribbean
|
- Caribbean (-1)
|
14. Egypt
|
- Australia (+5)
|
15. Dubai
|
- Montenegro (+2)
|
16. Canada
|
- Croatia (-6)
|
17. Thailand
|
- Dubai (-3)
|
18. Montenegro
|
- Germany (new entry)
|
19. South Africa
|
- Thailand (-3)
|
20. Australia
|
For a complete guide to the nation’s favourite
property destinations abroad, pick up a copy of Channel 4’s A Place in the Sun magazine from any good newsagent. The annual Top 20
edition is published on 17th January.
Notes:
The A Place in the Sun Top 20 destinations are compiled annually from independent
research by The Happy Research Company based on interviews with buyers at A Place in the Sun Live exhibition. 469 overseas buyers were interviewed for this survey.