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