A home from home: working from abroad

Has lockdown made you consider working from abroad?

The number of Britons seeking property abroad has surged since the coronavirus outbreak, with a record number of Brits searching for overseas homes according to the property portal Rightmove. Rightmove said demand for overseas property ‘rocketed’ this summer when lockdown 1 restrictions were eased, with users of Rightmove Overseas increasing by 41% in June 2020 compared to June 2019. Perhaps it was all the free time that was suddenly available, or maybe people used the lockdown to reassess their lives, but the property buying site reports that it has never before seen the volume of interest in buying overseas properties from people in the UK.

Jo Leverett, head of international sales at Cluttons has seen a particular increase in buyers who are looking to work from abroad as well as just use the purchase for holidays. She comments: “Lockdown has proved to many people that modern technology means they can work from anywhere. Furthermore, the travel restrictions have meant that having an overseas property of your own gives you more flexibility for overseas travel. People can see that a second home abroad could be used for more than just a holiday.”

According to Rightmove, the most sought-after location has, not surprisingly, been Spain. Then France, Portugal, Italy and Greece completed the top five. France is seeing an increasing interest as the pandemic goes on from buyers who want to be able to drive to their holiday home rather than rely on flights right now. Echoing what we are seeing in the UK with people looking for more outside space, houses or apartments with gardens and access to countryside, beaches or the mountains are driving demand.

Buyers who had planned to retire abroad in the future are now considering bringing the purchase forward with more flexible working conditions potentially allowing them to use the home for longer periods during the year.

Some buyers are not just looking for holiday homes, many are looking to relocate full time, driving demand for properties in European cities, especially those that have recently invested in infrastructure such as coworking offices and international schools like Lisbon, Malaga and Malta. Frederico Mendoca, head of the Cluttons Lisbon office comments: “Over the past few years Lisbon has seen an increasing demand from investors all over the world looking for a European base to live and work from. Its favourable climate, fantastic beaches, variety of housing stock, investment in infrastructure, new international schools and tax advantages have all helped fuel this interest.”

If you are planning to work abroad it is important to check the tax implications and local laws, we would always recommend speaking with your tax adviser and lawyer. Also bear in mind some employers will have their own restrictions.

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Jo Leverett

Head of international residential market

T +44 (0) 20 7647 7243
Jo Leverett
Butlers Wharf Building, London, SE1
£6,500,000

Butlers Wharf Building, London, SE1

Albion Street, W2
£4,995,000

Albion Street, W2

Park Mansions, London, SW1X
Guide Price £3,300,000

Park Mansions, London, SW1X

Porchester Place, W2
Guide Price £3,295,000

Porchester Place, W2

Butlers Wharf Building, London, SE1
Offers in excess of £3,000,000

Butlers Wharf Building, London, SE1

Sanderling Lodge, London, E1W
£2,850,000

Sanderling Lodge, London, E1W

Cormorant Lodge, London, E1W
£2,650,000

Cormorant Lodge, London, E1W

Butlers Wharf Building, London, SE1
£2,500,000

Butlers Wharf Building, London, SE1

Sussex Lodge, London, W2
£2,500,000

Sussex Lodge, London, W2

Godolphin Road, W12
£2,500,000

Godolphin Road, W12

Butlers Wharf Building, London, SE1
£2,350,000

Butlers Wharf Building, London, SE1

Jermyn Street, SW1Y
£2,250,000

Jermyn Street, SW1Y

Spice Quay Heights, London, SE1
£2,000,000

Spice Quay Heights, London, SE1

Cinnabar Wharf West, London, E1W
Offers in excess of £2,000,000

Cinnabar Wharf West, London, E1W

Butlers Wharf Building, London, SE1
£1,950,000

Butlers Wharf Building, London, SE1

Devonia Road, N1
£1,900,000

Devonia Road, N1

Elephant Lane, London, SE16
£1,875,000

Elephant Lane, London, SE16

Chantrey House, Belgravia, London, SW1W
£1,850,000

Chantrey House, Belgravia, London, SW1W

The Triangle, London, SE1
Offers in excess of £1,750,000

The Triangle, London, SE1

Charlton Place, N1
£1,750,000

Charlton Place, N1

Southacre, London, W2
£1,675,000

Southacre, London, W2

The Quadrangle, W2
£1,550,000

The Quadrangle, W2

Graham Street, N1
Offers in excess of £1,500,000

Graham Street, N1

Elystan Street, SW3
£1,500,000

Elystan Street, SW3

New Concordia Wharf, London, SE1
£1,350,000

New Concordia Wharf, London, SE1

The Quadrangle, W2
Offers in excess of £1,300,000

The Quadrangle, W2

Wheat Wharf Apartments, London, SE1
£1,300,000

Wheat Wharf Apartments, London, SE1

Southwark Bridge Road, London, SE1
£1,250,000

Southwark Bridge Road, London, SE1

Sherwood Court, London, W1H
£1,225,000

Sherwood Court, London, W1H

The Quadrangle, W2
£1,100,000

The Quadrangle, W2

Admirals Court, London, SE1
£1,100,000

Admirals Court, London, SE1

Kensington Gardens Square, W2
Offers in excess of £1,100,000

Kensington Gardens Square, W2

Vogans Mill Wharf, London, SE1
Offers in excess of £1,050,000

Vogans Mill Wharf, London, SE1

The Quadrangle, W2
£1,050,000

The Quadrangle, W2

Chelsea Cloisters, London, SW3
£1,040,000

Chelsea Cloisters, London, SW3

Waterside Building, London, E1W
Offers in the region of £1,000,000

Waterside Building, London, E1W

Vogans Mill Wharf, London, SE1
£995,000

Vogans Mill Wharf, London, SE1

Norfolk Place, W2
£975,000

Norfolk Place, W2

Granary House, London, SE16
£960,000

Granary House, London, SE16

Cinnabar Wharf Central, London, E1W
Guide Price £950,000

Cinnabar Wharf Central, London, E1W

Riverlight Quay, SW11
£950,000

Riverlight Quay, SW11

Portsea Hall, London, W2
£900,000

Portsea Hall, London, W2

Portsea Hall, London, W2
£900,000

Portsea Hall, London, W2

Maida Vale, W9
£899,999

Maida Vale, W9

St. Luke’s Street, London, SW3
£895,000

St. Luke’s Street, London, SW3

Hays Court, London, SE16
£895,000

Hays Court, London, SE16

Spa Road, London, SE16
£875,000

Spa Road, London, SE16

Quadrangle Tower, London, W2
£850,000

Quadrangle Tower, London, W2

West India Quay, E14
£850,000

West India Quay, E14

Berglen Court, London, E14
£850,000

Berglen Court, London, E14

Goswell Road, EC1V
£850,000

Goswell Road, EC1V

Stanhope Terrace, W2
Offers in excess of £800,000

Stanhope Terrace, W2

Vanilla & Sesame Court, London, SE1
£800,000

Vanilla & Sesame Court, London, SE1

Quadrangle Tower, London, W2
£799,999

Quadrangle Tower, London, W2

Devonport, London, W2
£799,000

Devonport, London, W2

Rossetti Garden Mansions, London, SW3
£795,000

Rossetti Garden Mansions, London, SW3

Juniper Drive, SW18
£795,000

Juniper Drive, SW18

Vogans Mill Wharf, London, SE1
£775,000

Vogans Mill Wharf, London, SE1

Clifton Place, W2
£750,000

Clifton Place, W2

Vogans Mill Wharf, London, SE1
Offers in excess of £750,000

Vogans Mill Wharf, London, SE1

Porter Street, London, SE1
£750,000

Porter Street, London, SE1

Rotherhithe Street, London, SE16
Offers in excess of £725,000

Rotherhithe Street, London, SE16

Porchester Place, W2
£725,000

Porchester Place, W2

Millennium Square, London, SE1
Offers in excess of £725,000

Millennium Square, London, SE1

The Water Gardens, W2
£700,000

The Water Gardens, W2

Lefkonico House 505-507, London, N7
Offers in excess of £700,000

Lefkonico House 505-507, London, N7

Halcyon Wharf, London, E1W
£690,000

Halcyon Wharf, London, E1W

Cleveland Mansions, London, W9
£675,000

Cleveland Mansions, London, W9

The Triangle, London, SE1
£650,000

The Triangle, London, SE1

St. Anns Villas, W11
£650,000

St. Anns Villas, W11

Hermitage Waterside, London, E1W
£645,000

Hermitage Waterside, London, E1W

Chimney Court, London, E1W
Guide Price £630,000

Chimney Court, London, E1W

Cinnabar Wharf West, London, E1W
£625,000

Cinnabar Wharf West, London, E1W

Java House, London, E14
£600,000

Java House, London, E14

Free Trade Wharf, London, E1W
Guide Price £600,000

Free Trade Wharf, London, E1W

Tamarind Court, London, SE1
£600,000

Tamarind Court, London, SE1

Ashmore Road, W9
£599,999

Ashmore Road, W9

The Water Gardens, W2
£598,000

The Water Gardens, W2

Cinnamon Wharf, London, SE1
£595,000

Cinnamon Wharf, London, SE1

Eluna Apartments, London, E1W
£575,000

Eluna Apartments, London, E1W

Quadrangle Tower, London, W2
£565,000

Quadrangle Tower, London, W2

Arlington Avenue, N1
Offers in excess of £550,000

Arlington Avenue, N1

Hanover Steps, London, W2
£550,000

Hanover Steps, London, W2

Wharf Road, N1
Offers in excess of £550,000

Wharf Road, N1

Sloane Avenue Mansions, London, SW3
£500,000

Sloane Avenue Mansions, London, SW3

The Circle, London, SE1
Offers in excess of £500,000

The Circle, London, SE1

Wenlock Street, N1
Offers in excess of £500,000

Wenlock Street, N1

Canaletto Tower, London, EC1V
£500,000

Canaletto Tower, London, EC1V

Corio House, London, SE1
Offers in excess of £500,000

Corio House, London, SE1

Vanilla & Sesame Court, London, SE1
£485,000

Vanilla & Sesame Court, London, SE1

Plympton Road, NW6
Offers in excess of £475,000

Plympton Road, NW6

Coniston Court, London, W2
£440,000

Coniston Court, London, W2

Park West, London, W2
£425,000

Park West, London, W2

Blenheim Terrace, NW8
Offers in excess of £400,000

Blenheim Terrace, NW8

Essex Road, N1
Offers in excess of £375,000

Essex Road, N1

Queens Head Street, London, N1
Offers in excess of £365,000

Queens Head Street, London, N1

New Caledonian Wharf, London, SE16
Offers in excess of £350,000

New Caledonian Wharf, London, SE16

Forset Court, London, W2
£350,000

Forset Court, London, W2

Edgware Road, W2
Offers in excess of £295,000

Edgware Road, W2

Chelsea Cloisters, London, SW3
£275,000

Chelsea Cloisters, London, SW3

Curlew Street, London, SE1
£30,000

Curlew Street, London, SE1

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