Archive for the ‘Property & Mortgages’ Category
British expats are the largest group of foreign property buyers in France. In 2013, 25% of foreign property buyers were British, 5% more than over the two past years. They are followed by buyers from Belgium, Switzerland and Italy. There is more than one explanation as to why the British are in pole position and far […]
Lots of people are keen on buying a home on a sunny shore or in a city of their dreams. The price of foreign property can seem very attractive, especially when exchange rates favour the currency of the prospective buyer. Whatever your motivation, chasing this dream can be like walking on a minefield and it […]
Although the number has dropped slightly, British expats still account for a fifth of all house purchases by foreign buyers in France. The data released by BNP Paribas showed, between 2011 and 2012, the total number of transactions carried out by Brits fell slightly from 19.4% to 19.1%. Over the same period the total transaction […]
At the end of October a 15 percent tax on property bought by foreigners became valid in Hong Kong. The implementation aims to cool down the strongly overheated property market and it may be followed by further steps. For almost twenty years Hong Kong has been considered the world’s freest economy with the fewest regulations. […]
Despite the ongoing Eurozone crisis expatriates are still intent on buying property in Europe. Spain and France, popular destinations for expat Brits, are the top spots for people looking for property. These results, reported by Rightmove Overseas, showed that 21.7% of all searches in February were carried out in Spain and 17.3% in second place […]
Real estate advisors CBRE have relased data showing investment capital continues to flow into the European market. Countries with strong economies and those outside the Eurozone are benefiting most. European property investment grew in the final quarter of 2011, reaching €9.4 billion. The market continued to attract regional and international investors despite an unstable economic […]
The UK tax office has set up an investigative task-force to track down expats who haven’t declared overseas property. The team will “mine” publicly available online information to discover people who own land or houses abroad. The UK tax authority (HMRC) has put together a team of 200 investigators. Their first task will be in […]
Pounds sterling are currently hovering at about EUR 1.20–the best rate they’ve seen since the summer of 2010 (and before that, December 2008). This has created some property bargains. Because of the favorable rates, French property can now be had for 10% less. According to data from Offshoreonline.org (which helps source euro mortgages for UK buyers) […]
Moving your finances abroad is stressful, and many expats forget to ask the most important question: what do I need to do before I move and what can be done later? Our checklist helps you identify urgent actions–and will save you money, time and hassle in the long run.
Greek locals aren’t the only ones suffering the harsh reality of the debt crisis. Expats are under increasing pressure as companies eliminate assignments and strikes disrupt businesses linked to tourism. But in every crisis there is opportunity, and Greece is no exception. Stuart Orchard, owner of XpatAthens.com, tells us how more reasonable property prices could […]
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