So long USA, France is back – the mighty United States was knocked off the top spot in August’s Investment Property watch chart – which tracks the level of interest in certain properties and countries from visitors to the site – and, in a surprise victory, Canada made it onto the list at number five, whilst its bolder, brasher American neighbour only managed to claim eighth place…
Always a favourite with British investors and holidaymakers, property in France scaled the chart to claim victory in August and even nabbed third place too.
So what is behind France’s dramatic rise? Well, industry experts are busy predicting that traditional locations will emerge victorious from the global market downturn.
Mortgage specialist, Conti, found that British investors are sticking to ‘proven’ locations that offer less risk.
Its latest Hot Spots report found that France created the most interest from investors, accounting for 31 per cent of enquiries received by the company so far this year.
Spain, another traditional hotspot, followed with 22 per cent. The credit crunch has been particularly hard on Spain, with hoards of unsold apartments lying unfinished as developers fell foul of the credit crunch.
Now, huge discounts have led to the bargain hunters circling again, pushing demand for Spanish property back up.
For France and Spain, enquiries have increased considerably with the countries accounting for 53 per cent of all 2009 enquiries so far, compared with 29 per cent in the same period last year.
And, as our Investment Property Watch chart found, interest in the USA declined.
Conti’s Operations Director, Clare Nessling, says, “British buyers are sticking to the more traditional overseas locations, especially those with history of providing good rental returns.
“The smart investor is no longer simply looking to where the best bargains for a swift return can be found, but to where security lies for a longer term investment,” she added.
And France isn’t just of interest to those investors looking for residential property or holiday homes – international commercial-property investors looking for prime assets are beginning to target the country too, as it emerges as the second-most popular market after the U.K.
Investment levels in France doubled in the second quarter, the biggest increase for that period in Europe.
“Nine out of 10 investors we meet cite France as a top-three target country, alongside U.K. and Germany,” said Giles Wilcox, Head of real-estate adviser Savills PLC’s European cross-border investment.
France’s lack of volatility attracts buyers of both the residential and commercial ilk, many of whom are looking for a low-risk, established market in which to invest in these troubled economic times.
According to the Investment Property Databank Index, throughout the crunch, France has held up better than many other markets in Europe.
While the U.K property capital returns fell around 26 per cent last year, capital returns in France fell only about six per cent.
Other movers and shakers
Snapping at France’s heels was Portugal in second place and Brazil in fourth. Surprise entry Canada took fifth place, followed swiftly by far-flung paradise Thailand. Morocco made an appearance at number seven. Last month’s winner the US of A had to be content with eighth place on August’s chart, but the country shouldn’t feel too down – it also took ninth place. Rounding off the chart was Turkey – proving it’s not just for Christmas.
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-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
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