Buying a property abroad appears to be more popular than ever, with an increasing number of Brits following their dream by purchasing a holiday home, a buy-to-let, or deciding to move away from the UK for good.

But before you start your search, we would advise you to consider a few basic issues, which should save you both time and money:

• Would you rather live in a town or out in the countryside?

• Would you rather live inland or near the sea?

• Would you rather be isolated or live in a major city?

• How much outside space will you need to be satisfied and happy?

• How close would you ideally like to be to your neighbours?

• Is it important to you that you have shops, bars & restaurants nearby?

• Is it important to live near work?

• Is it important to live near good schools for your children?

• Do you need to be connected to a convenient road network for a commute to work?

• Where’s the nearest public transport, how often does it run and what time does it finish?

• How close is the nearest airport for holidays and business trips?

• Are local sports facilities, such as; golf, tennis, swimming, and other activities nearby?

• Are the local health and social services of adequate quality?

• Will you need entertainment, culture and arts to be within easy reach?

The first step is to always use qualified professionals to protect your interests and make the purchase of your new home as stress-free as possible.

Estate agents are a good source of advice when searching abroad but only negotiate with officially registered agents who hold a formal licence.

Also make sure that you have a reputable lawyer with an excellent command of English to deal with the potentially endless stream of rules and regulations you may come up against.

Before choosing a property, be financially prepared as taxes can be high when buying. Set up a direct debit from your UK bank account to pay for bills and be careful not to miss payments as foreign banks often aren’t lenient with those who don’t pay on time. If you’re considering renting out your property while you visit friends and family back home or go on holiday, bear in mind that advertising in the UK could result in tax demands from both the English and foreign authorities.

You should also always make your offer in writing and include not only the price, but also the amount of deposit, when you’re prepared to pay it, when you’re prepared to complete, what you understand to be included in the price and, an often-overlooked point, that all machinery equipment and installations are in normal working order.

For more information about buying abroad, the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) offer a useful resource, which has a number of leaflets containing advice, as follows:

Australian High Commission

Australian Tourist Commission

Canadian High Commission

Embassy of the United States

US Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services

PSS has partnered with number of companies worldwide who are able to offer a large selection of properties both for sale and to rent.

Many will have offices based in the destination you are migrating to, allowing for a high level of personalised service either on arrival or before. With websites that showcase around 25 million properties, we are confident that you will find the right one to meet your requirements as well as partners who are also able to assist you with services including mortgages, credit repair and home improvement. Enquire now.