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 markets

T +44 (0) 20 7647 7243
£5,500,000

Albion Street, W2

Offers in excess of £5,500,000

Gloucester Place, W1U

£3,500,000

Hyde Park Square, W2

£3,500,000

Hyde Park Square, W2

Guide Price £3,300,000

Park Mansions, London, SW1X

£2,750,000

Butlers Wharf Building, London, SE1

£2,500,000

Butlers Wharf Building, London, SE1

£2,250,000

Spice Quay Heights, London, SE1

£2,250,000

Clarendon Mews, W2

£2,100,000

Portnall Road, W9

Guide Price £2,000,000

Chantrey House, Belgravia, London, SW1W

£2,000,000

Fountain House, SW6

£1,999,500

Edgware Road, W2

£1,900,000

Connaught Square, W2

£1,685,000

Garrett Mansions, London, W2

£1,600,000

Spice Quay Heights, London, SE1

£1,600,000

Compass House, London, SW6

£1,500,000

Tower View Apartments, London, E1W

£1,500,000

St. Saviours Wharf, London, SE1

£1,500,000

The Quadrangle, W2

£1,500,000

Keepier Wharf, E14

£1,450,000

The Quadrangle, W2

Offers in excess of £1,450,000

Tea Trade Wharf, London, SE1

£1,400,000

Great Jubilee Wharf, London, E1W

Offers in excess of £1,400,000

Strata, London, SE1

£1,375,000

Saffron Wharf, London, SE1

£1,350,000

Cardamom Building, London, SE1

£1,250,000

Marylands Road, W9

£1,250,000

Cinnabar Wharf Central, London, E1W

£1,225,000

Sherwood Court, London, W1H

£1,200,000

Trinity Street, London, SE1

£1,180,000

Waterman Way, E1W

£1,150,000

Chronicle Tower 261B, London, EC1V

£1,150,000

Norfolk Place, W2

£1,075,000

Sutherland Avenue, W9

£1,000,000

Waterman Way, E1W

Guide Price £1,000,000

Dunbar Wharf, London, E14

Offers in excess of £1,000,000

Waterside Building, London, E1W

£995,000

Edgware Road, W2

£995,000

Edgware Road, W2

£975,000

Tempus Wharf, London, SE16

£950,000

Maida Vale, W9

£925,000

Shrubbery Close, N1

Offers in excess of £900,000

Gloucester Mews, W2

£900,000

Trafalgar Court, London, E1W

£900,000

Portsea Hall, London, W2

£900,000

Portsea Hall, London, W2

£890,000

Portnall Road, W9

£890,000

Quadrangle Tower, London, W2

£850,000

Knot House, London, SE1

£824,000

St. Luke’s Street, SW3

Offers in excess of £800,000

Clifton Place, W2

Offers in excess of £800,000

Gainsford Street, London, SE1

£799,000

Merchant Court, London, E1W

£775,000

Porchester Place, W2

£760,000

Portnall Road, W9

£760,000

Porchester Place, W2

Offers in excess of £750,000

Empire Square West, London, SE1

£745,000

Newlands Quay, E1W

£725,000

Porchester Place, W2

£700,000

Hermitage Court, London, E1W

Offers in excess of £700,000

St. Saviours House, London, SE16

£700,000

Java Wharf, London, SE1

Offers in excess of £700,000

The Water Gardens, W2

£699,950

Hermitage Waterside, London, E1W

Guide Price £695,000

Southwick Street, W2

£695,000

Cinnamon Wharf, London, SE1

£690,000

Halcyon Wharf, London, E1W

£665,000

Scotts Sufferance Wharf, London, SE1

Guide Price £650,000

Telfords Yard, E1W

£649,950

Base Apartments, London, N1

£625,000

Devonport, London, W2

£600,000

Cinnabar Wharf East, E1W

£599,950

New North Road, London, N1

£575,000

The Water Gardens, W2

£550,000

Vanilla & Sesame Court, London, SE1

£545,000

Forset Court, London, W2

£535,000

Canalside Square, London, N1

£530,000

Canonbury Street, N1

£525,000

The Listed Building, London, E1W

£500,000

Coniston Court, London, W2

£500,000

Cinnamon Wharf, London, SE1

Offers in excess of £500,000

Gun Place, London, E1W

Offers in excess of £500,000

Porchester Terrace North, W2

£500,000

Dock Street, E1

£500,000

Crawford Building, E1

£490,000

The Triangle, London, SE1

£475,000

Pierhead Wharf, London, E1W

Guide Price £475,000

Lion Court, London, E1W

£460,000

Portnall Road, W9

£450,000

Matilda House, London, E1W

Offers in excess of £450,000

Times Square, E1

fixedPrice £400,000

Queens Head Street, London, N1

£375,000

Douglas Buildings, London, SE1

£350,000

Forset Court, London, W2

£340,000

Park West, London, W2

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