[)enia. There‘s a pool and large garden so the kids can spend their days enjoying the outdoor life. while the adults benefit from gorgeous food. fresh produce and a whole different style of living. As
Siobhan says: ‘Buy somewhere if
you‘re planning to use it and enjoy it. then if you get the bookings it‘s a bonus.‘
The Horners’ house, La Mariposa, can be viewed on choosespain.com, ref: 376 (see picture, top right)
WHERE TO BUY
Michael Flynn, content editor at findaproperty.com, gives his top tips for finding affordable houses in Europe.
I Languedoc Roussillon, France It was probably the BBC TV series A Year in Provence that really put France on the map as a second home destination. Since then almost every Brit has yearned to live that idyllic life. so reasonably priced properties are few and far between. If you still want to live in the sunny s0uth of France. Languedoc is one of the best places to look. You can get a renovation project with three bedrooms for around 5231.000 (orchardinternational.
100 THE LIST 16—30 Mar 2006
TRAVEL
comi. Other areas for bargain-iiuriting include Limousin and Ativer‘gne.
I Orebic, Croatia As one of Europe's hot tourist destinations; dii jOur. it's not surprising that the house prices in Croatia are rising. especially Since significant infrastructure improvements are on the hon/on. Located on the Peljesac peninsula. Orebic is close to the island of Korcula and not far from Dubrovnik. making it an ideal base for both city and countryside. The good news is that you can still find a four-bed house for less than 571 10.000.
I Sozopol, Bulgaria Although the Black Sea coast is starting to suffer from overdevelopment. this up and coming resort is a good bet and $20,000 cOuId find you a one bedroom flat With gorgeous sea Views. Crucially, it has good transport links. with the nearest airport only 35km away in Bourgas. and Bulgaria‘s growuig popularity as a skiing destination means that flights are available all year round.
I Bodrum, Turkey While holidaymakers have been flocking to Turkey in their droves for years. the country is still an emerging market in terms of house buying. This makes it an ideal spot to unearth an investment property. althOugh it's imponant to choose your house carefully as the
market may not be as stable. A three- bedroom house on the Bodrum peninsula can be found for under 3760.000. a steal in what is probably one of the COuntry's most popular areas. Try sunny—homescom.
I Boka Kotorska, Montenegro This unspOilt Mediterranean gem is a mere baby in terms of the foreign property market and is also relatively unspoilt by tourists. Your money might go further in some of Baltic states. such as Latvia and Estonia (the hot tips of many investors) but the sun certainly shines brighter in Montenegro. Boka Kotorska's proXimity to Dubrovnik means that it is relatively acceSSible. although the difficulty of finding cheap flights means yeti may have to wait longer for your nest egg to mature. A three bedroom property in need of renovation, with fantastic Views and a large garden. can be found for around {357.000.
Roy Bristow from property website newskyscouk offers some advice on how to kick off your house search abroad.
1 . Work out why you want to buy If you're planning on living Overseas. your priorities will be very different to someone who is buying a property purely for investment. Once you've decided on this then you can narrow down your search in terms of the type of property you're looking at and the area you want to buy in. Make sure you stick to this without being swayed by agents.
2. Establlsh a reasonable budget House hunting abroad can be a costly endeavour as you have to factor in travel and accommodation costs. as well as the money to buy furnishings if you're planning to rent independently. If you're taking out extra loans or mortgages. make sure you really can afford them and don't assume that your rental income will cover your mortgage payments as any fluctuation in the market may jeopardise this.
3. be plenty of research The overseas property market is expanding so rapidly that there is no shortage of material available on the subject. Once you've decided where you want to buy. do some thorough background research into the country's property laws and tax systems and get advice from a solicitor with relevant expertise.
4. Plan your rental strategy You'll need to find a nearby agent. who can also organise for a cleaner to come in after every rental and handle repairs. It's also important to take into account the location of the nearest airport, the availability of cheap, regular flights. local amenities and the transport links on arrival - ideally the property shouldn't be much more than one hour away by car to maximise rental potential.
5. Go and have a look for yourself The best way to do it is to travel independently and make your own schedule in advance. so that you're free to look at a variety of different properties and make spontaneous visits if you see something promising. However. this can be costly. especially if you don't find what you're looking for straight away.