50% Brits would prefer to retire abroad
By Kevin Barnett, 02 Apr 2008
Rather than settling down in the UK to enjoy their golden years, many retirees are looking towards warmer climates, according to a survey by a leading property website.
Nearly half of the people surveyed by HotProperty.co.uk claimed that they would rather emigrate after they retire. Those who did not wish to move away from the UK had the coast in mind after leaving work, whereas nearly one in five people found the countryside more appealing.
Shawn Luetchens, managing director of HotProperty.co.uk, commented: "With the property market a little shaky and living costs in the UK continually rising it is not surprising that the majority of Brits would rather retire overseas than move within the UK."
A reason suggested by the property website for the preference of retirees for moving abroad is that retiring overseas may present less financial difficulty. Further figures from the website suggest that nine out of ten househunters prefer to use the internet when looking for a new home.
Specialists, PropertyInSpain.Net, the Google top ranked website for retirement property in Spain, reports record numbers of inquiries for fulltime living in Spain and currently offer more than 1,000 properties carefully selected for retirement buyers.
"We plan to offer special developments geared to the needs of the over-50s in several areas of Spain and the prices will represent excellent value for money, compared with the UK and elsewhere in Europe," said a spokesman.
Property in Spain Information Centre
Spanish Property News Service