Overseas mortgage firm Conti has reported a 62% increase in mortgage enquiries during August, its busiest month so far this year.
France is still top choice for prospective buyers, accounting for 43% of enquiries received so far this year, followed by Spain with 36%.
However, France is down by 2% since this time last year while Spain is 3%. Spain, in fact, accounted for more enquiries than France during the months of May, June and July.
Meanwhile, Turkey which has moved back up into third position, accounting for 10% of enquiries, up from 6% in 2012.
Clare Nessling, director at Conti, said: “Traditionally, our enquiry levels tend rise around now, as people return home from trips abroad with dreams of owning their own place in the sun. But the uplift is even higher this year, perhaps the result of the UK’s hottest, driest and sunniest summer in the UK since 2006 inspiring even more people to invest in an overseas bolthole which they can escape to during the cold winter months.
“Prospective buyers are still playing it safe when it comes to location, with France and Spain still out on their own in terms of popularity.
“And there may actually never be a better time to buy – bargain property prices, historically low mortgage rates, good rental yields and a stronger pound are all making it more affordable for British buyers right now.”
Top Five Hot Spot Destinations
| Country | % of enquiries 2013 | Ranking 2013 | % of enquiries 2012 | Ranking 2012 | % of enquiries 2011 | Ranking 2011 |
| France | 43% | 1 | 45% | 1 | 39% | 1 |
| Spain | 36% | 2 | 33% | 2 | 31% | 2 |
| Turkey | 10% | 3 | 6% | 4 | 11% | 4 |
| Portugal | 8% | 4 | 10% | 3 | 12% | 3 |
| Italy | 3% | 5 | 3% | 5 | 2% | 5= |
Source: enquiries received by Conti so far in 2013 compared with same period in 2012 and 2011