Despite a plethora of long-haul destinations being opened up in recent years and many second home buyers opting for far-flung destinations, Spain still retains its crown as the most popular destination for prospective overseas property buyers...

With green issues high on the public agenda, research by MRI Overseas Property reveals 1.68 million* prospective second home owners would opt for an overseas property that is a short distance from the UK due to environmental concerns about travelling. A further one in twenty (4%) would-be overseas buyers would invest in a property that was accessible from the UK without flying by plane.

With these factors playing a prominent role in our property buying decisions, 12.5 million Brits cite Spain as a favourite location for a second home. France is also still a firm favourite with prospective second home owners, with over a third (36%) saying they would consider buying a property in France, signalling our love affair with the two countries is showing no signs of slowing down.

Furthermore, 25% fewer people** would consider buying a property in Australia or New Zealand today than in 2006, with just 23% of prospective buyers now considering buying a property on the other side of the globe.

Choosing the right location

Darragh MacAnthony, Group Chairman of MRI Overseas Property, said: “With a staggering 55% of UK adults considering buying a property abroad if their funds allowed, buying a holiday home overseas is a dream purchase for many people.

“However choosing the right location for people who make the dream a reality is a major decision. This can mean having a longer list of criteria before buying a property rather than purely focusing on a destination that offers the right lifestyle, such as easy access from the UK to fit overseas visits easily into family life or good local medical facilities.

“Overseas property buyers today are becoming more astute in their decisions and are looking to the future before buying to ensure an overseas holiday home location will fit with their changing requirements, especially as it’s a long-term financial investment.”

Top five locations for overseas property:

1)    Spain (50%)

2)    France (36%)

3)    United States or Canada (35%)

4)    Italy (26%)

5)    The Algarve (Portugal) (23%)

Overseas property buyers’ top five considerations:

1)    Location close to a beach (40%)

2)    Short travel time from the UK (25%)

3)    Close to an airport/ port/ major train station (24%)

4)    In an urban location close to local amenities (23%)

5)    Close to good medical facilities (19%)