Spain is generally regarded as being an expat friendly country, and indeed it is, but if you are not a permanent resident in Spain (and here is a guide explaining how you can become one) then obtaining a mortgage to purchase a property in the country can be tricky.

Now that the light is starting to fade and the temperature is dropping across the UK and Europe, it may be as good a time as any to reimagine those dreams of emigrating abroad.

Many of us have thought about, or perhaps been given the opportunity to relocate abroad. Whilst there are many good reasons; children at school, family at hand, the language barrier; to name a few, not to take the plunge, there are just as many persuasive reasons why 2019 might be the perfect year to seize the opportunity for a new and revitalising life experience.

Exclusive London properties are selling at their biggest discount to asking price in over a decade, and attracting more foreign buyers, particularly from the Middle East, than domestic ones, according to research from Hamptons Property Agents.

If you are reading this post then it is probably safe to assume that you have decided to move overseas, or are at least considering it.

Of course, this is a big decision in anybody’s life and it is rarely taken lightly. The worst part is that making the decision to move abroad is just the first step in a process that may take years before you feel properly “at home” somewhere again!Read more “Moving Abroad. Is It Better To Rent Or Buy?”

This content is sourced and brought to you by The Money Cloud – comparing the best rates for sending money overseas offered by hand-picked, regulated brokers and money transfer agencies.

Before we begin to discuss PSD2, let’s remind ourselves why banks exist in the first place.

Banks look after our cash for us. Sometimes they charge a small fee for doing so, and sometimes they request permission to use our deposits for the sake of their own returns, promising to pay us interest for the right to do so.

So far so good. We can all agree that storing our money securely with a bank is preferable to storing it under the floorboards, if only for security reasons. From a bank’s perspective, it is also win-win. Even if we end up owing the bank money, we will incur charges carefully computed to ensure the bank still makes a profit from our business. Read more “How Will PSD2 Affect The Fortunes Of The “Big Banks” In 2018?”

This content is brought to you by The Money Cloud – comparing the best rates for sending money overseas offered by hand-picked, regulated brokers and money transfer agencies

Welcome to our guide to buying property overseas.

It’s around this time of year, with winter well and truly descending upon us, and daylight-saving time rearing its ugly head, that many of us, those that can afford it, consider the possibility of either relocating overseas, or acquiring a property overseas.

Wouldn’t it be just great to know that, faced with a particularly grim weekends’ weather, we can simply jump on the Eurostar or into the family car, or onto a direct flight to France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, or even Croatia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Albania…or even further afield?

A ski-chalet in the Swiss Alps. A beachside villa in Sitges. A small finca in the Balearics. It’s not as much of a pipe dream as you might think.

So, with the hard work done, let’s indulge ourselves a bit and take a look at some of the best overseas destinations for property buyers, and some of the hottest properties on these markets. Of course, we cannot cover all of the best properties or give you all the facts in just one article, and we would urge you, wherever you do decide to buy, to take good advice and complete as much research as you can before you make a purchasing decision. But that said, this could be a great place to start your search!

This content is brought to you by The Money Cloud – comparing the best rates for sending money overseas offered by hand-picked, regulated brokers and money transfer agencies

In a recent series of articles, we have been looking at the possibilities of relocating abroad, and in this section we’ll be looking at paying tax on an overseas property, or properties.

A spell abroad can be an enriching experience for solo travellers, workers, families or retirees, but to make the most of the experience, and avoid the pitfalls, its best to know from the outset where you stand financially – this will not only give you peace of mind and leave you free to enjoy everything a spell overseas can offer, but also opens the door to exciting opportunities, such as acquiring a property while you are abroad. Read more “How To Calculate Tax On Your Overseas Property Income – Advice From The Money Cloud”

Most of us have been tempted, or even given serious consideration to buying a property overseas at one stage in our lives, and rightly so!

For some of us the temptation is just a passing fancy; but for an increasing number what can seem like a wild and exotic decision at first can be, provided you do your research thoroughly, rooted in good sense, and not nearly as hard to achieve as some people will try to convince you it is.