France and Spain 'still popular with expats'

Would-be expatriates thinking of picking up sticks and moving abroad may find that while France will always be a popular choice, Spain can offer good bargains, according to a property website.

Primelocation.com found that in online searches for foreign property destinations, France has had a yearly increase of 158 per cent while Spain has seen a rise of 123 per cent.

Head of research at Property Frontiers Christopher Chadd said France will "always command the attention" of British expatriates and the recent fall in house prices could encourage more people to consider moving abroad.

"It is the tourism capital of the world and routes into the country are becoming cheaper and easier so it will always remain a top draw," he said.

However, a drop in Spanish property prices over the last two years means the country offers "the greatest bargains for the canny buyer".

Mr Chadd recently warned that house prices in Australia are becoming "wildly over-inflated and unaffordable".

People thinking of moving abroad could consider taking out expat health insurance to help cover medical costs.

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