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

Partner, residential investment & international

Head office

T +44 (0) 20 7647 7243
Jo Leverett, Cluttons
Gloucester Place, W1U
Offers in excess of £7,000,000

Gloucester Place, W1U

Leinster Gardens, W2
£6,500,000

Leinster Gardens, 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

New Concordia Wharf, London, SE1
Offers in excess of £3,000,000

New Concordia Wharf, London, SE1

Stanhope Gardens, SW7
£3,000,000

Stanhope Gardens, SW7

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

Butlers Wharf Building, London, SE1

Sanderling Lodge, London, E1W
£2,300,000

Sanderling Lodge, London, E1W

Butlers Wharf Building, London, SE1
£2,295,000

Butlers Wharf Building, 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

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

Chantrey House, Belgravia, London, SW1W

The Quadrangle, W2
£1,750,000

The Quadrangle, W2

Springalls Wharf Apartments, London, SE16
Offers in excess of £1,750,000

Springalls Wharf Apartments, London, SE16

The Water Gardens, W2
£1,700,000

The Water Gardens, W2

Millers Wharf House, London, E1W
£1,500,000

Millers Wharf House, London, E1W

Anchor Brewhouse, London, SE1
£1,500,000

Anchor Brewhouse, London, SE1

Portsea Hall, Portsea Place, W2
£1,495,000

Portsea Hall, Portsea Place, W2

Cashmere Wharf, E1W
£1,450,000

Cashmere Wharf, E1W

Elystan Street, SW3
£1,425,000

Elystan Street, SW3

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

New Concordia Wharf, London, SE1

Cardamom Building, London, SE1
£1,350,000

Cardamom Building, London, SE1

Wapping High Street, E1W
£1,200,000

Wapping High Street, E1W

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

Kensington Gardens Square, W2

The Quadrangle, W2
£999,000

The Quadrangle, W2

Portsea Hall, London, W2
£900,000

Portsea Hall, London, W2

Cinnabar Wharf Central, London, E1W
Guide Price £900,000

Cinnabar Wharf Central, London, E1W

Portsea Hall, London, W2
£900,000

Portsea Hall, London, W2

Old Town Hall Apartments, London, SE16
Offers in excess of £900,000

Old Town Hall Apartments, London, SE16

Trafalgar Court, London, E1W
£900,000

Trafalgar Court, London, E1W

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

St. Luke’s Street, London, SW3

West India Quay, E14
£850,000

West India Quay, E14

Boss House, London, SE1
£850,000

Boss House, London, SE1

Long Lane, London, SE1
£850,000

Long Lane, London, SE1

Boss House, London, SE1
£850,000

Boss House, London, SE1

Gloucester Mews, W2
£815,000

Gloucester Mews, W2

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

Vanilla & Sesame Court, London, SE1

The Quadrangle, W2
£800,000

The Quadrangle, W2

Wix’s Lane, SW4
£800,000

Wix’s Lane, SW4

China Wharf, London, SE1
Offers in the region of £795,000

China Wharf, London, SE1

Fennel Apartments, London, SE1
£775,000

Fennel Apartments, London, SE1

Ovington Square, SW3
£775,000

Ovington Square, SW3

Tunnel Wharf, London, SE16
£775,000

Tunnel Wharf, London, SE16

Merchant Court, London, E1W
£775,000

Merchant Court, London, E1W

Stanhope Terrace, W2
£770,000

Stanhope Terrace, W2

Balmoral House, London, SE1
£770,000

Balmoral House, London, SE1

Vogans Mill Wharf, London, SE1
£765,000

Vogans Mill Wharf, London, SE1

Clifton Place, W2
£750,000

Clifton Place, W2

Vogans Mill Wharf, London, SE1
£750,000

Vogans Mill Wharf, London, SE1

Hays Court, London, SE16
£750,000

Hays Court, London, SE16

Boss House, London, SE1
£750,000

Boss House, London, SE1

The Water Gardens, W2
£700,000

The Water Gardens, W2

Halcyon Wharf, London, E1W
£700,000

Halcyon Wharf, London, E1W

Granary House, London, SE16
Offers in excess of £700,000

Granary House, London, SE16

Capacity House, London, SE1
£700,000

Capacity House, London, SE1

Globe Wharf, London, SE16
£700,000

Globe Wharf, London, SE16

Halcyon Wharf, London, E1W
£690,000

Halcyon Wharf, London, E1W

Aberdour Street, London, SE1
£635,000

Aberdour Street, London, SE1

Cinnabar Wharf West, London, E1W
£625,000

Cinnabar Wharf West, London, E1W

Quadrangle Tower, London, W2
Offers in excess of £600,000

Quadrangle Tower, London, W2

Tea Trade Wharf, London, SE1
£595,000

Tea Trade Wharf, London, SE1

Wapping Lane, E1W
£550,000

Wapping Lane, E1W

Goldhawk Road, W12
£550,000

Goldhawk Road, W12

Dovecote House, London, SE16
£550,000

Dovecote House, London, SE16

City Road, EC1V
Offers in excess of £550,000

City Road, EC1V

Warley House, London, N1
Offers in excess of £500,000

Warley House, London, N1

Forset Court, London, W2
£499,000

Forset Court, London, W2

Knot House, London, SE1
£475,000

Knot House, London, SE1

West End Lane, NW6
£450,000

West End Lane, NW6

Meridian Court, London, SE16
£450,000

Meridian Court, London, SE16

Goldhawk Road, W12
£445,000

Goldhawk Road, W12

Goldhawk Road, W12
£445,000

Goldhawk Road, W12

Ability Place, London, E14
£440,000

Ability Place, London, E14

Raleigh Mews, N1
Guide Price £425,000

Raleigh Mews, N1

Haven Way, London, SE1
Offers in excess of £400,000

Haven Way, London, SE1

Admiral Walk, W9
£390,000

Admiral Walk, W9

Forset Court, London, W2
£350,000

Forset Court, London, W2

Pan Peninsula, Pan Peninsula Square, London, E14
£337,500

Pan Peninsula, Pan Peninsula Square, London, E14

Edgware Road, W2
Offers in excess of £280,000

Edgware Road, W2

Edgware Road, W2
Offers in excess of £250,000

Edgware Road, W2

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