Buying a property overseas is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make. To make the process a little easier for you, the McLaren Properties have put together specific guides which provide an overview of each country, potential property hotspots and details of fees, taxes and the buying process.

The five that follow will hopefully start you on the path to successful and (relatively) stress-free house hunting.

1. Do your research. When you find a property you’d like to buy, you may have to move fast to secure it. Make sure you're in a position to make a quick decision by taking your time over the early research, and get a feel for exactly what you want to buy and where, before you make a move.

2. Take independent advice. Never mind ‘the way the locals do it’, you should have sought advice from an a professional, well versed in the property laws of your chosen country, and from an independent financial advisor, long before you come face to face with any bricks and mortar.

3. Think it through. Are you looking for a holiday home, an investment property, or somewhere to retire to? How much time are you planning to spend in your overseas property? Do others in your family really feel the same way about this as you do? Are you prepared to break all ties with your current home, or should you be thinking about retaining a bolt hole in the UK? All these factors will play a part in the process of buying an overseas property.

4. Ensure that the property of your choice has all legal documentation, planning permissions and building permissions

5. Make your money go further. With correctly chosen locations with the right property, you can be assured that when buying a property overseas that your money will work for you, see the property market in Cyprus, only a short 2 to 3 years ago, property prices were a massive 30% cheaper and still well below the UK market value, clients who have purchased in this country and similar are enjoying an ever increasing return on their initial outlay.
   

So, armed with these small pieced of advice on the purchase of an overseas property, you can now narrow down your search.  

For detailed information on specific country guides, visit our homebuyers and investment property websites below

1. General
   1. Members shall adhere to the highest standards of honesty and professional integrity both in their dealings with the public and in their dealings with each other.
   2. Members shall conduct their affairs with integrity and dignity.
   3. Members shall, in particular, refrain from misleading statements and exaggerated claims in their dealings with sellers, buyers and potential buyers.
   4. Members shall take all possible steps to avoid conflicts of interests and shall decline to deal with any transaction where such conflicts arise.
2. Sales
   1. Members shall, if they are developers or sales agents, make it clear that they are or represent the Seller of a property.   In any other case the Member must make clear their status and whose interests they represent.
   2. Members shall always recommend the use of an independent lawyer for international property transactions.
   3. Members shall not require potential buyers to sign binding preliminary purchase contracts without giving them reasonable opportunity to reflect on the contract and to obtain legal advice.   Nothing in this rule shall prevent a Member securing the immediate signature of a reservation contract or similar under which a property is removed from the market for a defined period upon payment of a modest deposit and which does not irrevocably commit the buyer to the purchase of the property.
3. Legal
   1. Members shall comply with all applicable local laws, including tax laws.
   2. Members shall accept responsibility for all acts of their staff.
4. Relations with AIPP
   1. Members shall comply with this Code of Conduct and with all rules made by AIPP.
   2. Members shall respond promptly to correspondence from AIPP.
   3. Members shall, upon request by AIPP, provide AIPP with copies of any document relating to their dealings with any other person or their business practices which in the opinion of AIPP may be necessary in order to establish the Member's compliance with his obligations under this code or in connection with the Dispute Resolution Procedure
5. Training
   1. All Members, unless exempted by the Board on the basis of their proven previous experience, shall within 6 months of being accepted into membership satisfactorily complete the AIPP Basic Training Course.
   2. All Business Members must within 12 months of being accepted into membership have at least one relevant representative satisfactorily complete the AIPP country specific training courses relevant to the areas in which they intend to deal with property.
   3. All employees of Business Members engaged in sales activities must, within 4 months of taking up their appointment, pass an internal or external Basic Training Course approved by AIPP.
6. Dispute Resolution
   1. All Members shall refer any disputes arising as between Members to the Dispute Resolution Procedure.
   2. All Business Members shall at the outset of their relationship with a seller, buyer or other customer notify them of the existence of this Code of Conduct and of the Dispute Resolution Procedure.
   3. If any dispute arises between a Member and any seller, buyer or other customer the Member shall again draw their attention to the existence of the Dispute Resolution Procedure and supply them with a copy of it.
   4. If the seller, buyer or other customer wishes to do so the Member shall agree to invoke and be bound by the Dispute Resolution Procedure.
7. Applicability
   1. This Code of Conduct, unless the context otherwise requires, shall apply to all aspects of the Members’ activities in connection with International Real Estate including development, marketing, sales, resales, third party introductions and property management.
   2. This Code of Conduct shall not limit any greater rights that a non Member might enjoy under local law or otherwise.