Patriot games for investors

Released on: March 18, 2008, 4:02 am

Press Release Author: Jim watson

Industry: Real Estate

Press Release Summary: There are many elements that constitute reasons for people
investing in a particular country\'s property sector, but, it seems, proximity and a
certain patriotic affiliation is high among them.

Press Release Body: There are many elements that constitute reasons for people
investing in a particular country\'s property sector, but, it seems, proximity and a
certain patriotic affiliation is high among them.

Such is the view, at least of Les Calvert, director of overseas investor portal
Property-Abroad.com. He suggested that while locations such as Florida may be highly
attractive, distance prevents such places being as popular as somewhere like France.

He added: \"Initially it has to be the proximity and knowing it\'s only an hour or two
away
[that makes a location popular], so that you know you can make full use of a
weekend. That is one of the main reasons why certain countries remain as
favourites.\"

This, of course, should ensure that France, Spain and Portugal remain high on the
list of popular destinations, while Cape Verde property will enjoy being in the same
time zone and Cyprus property is not too distant to put it out of reach. With plenty
of low-cost air flights and - in the case of France - the Channel Tunnel, there are
obvious advantages for these countries.

Yet this is not all, suggested Mr Calvert, which may explain why other
geographically close European countries, such as Germany, the Netherlands or Belgium
- the latter also having Eurostar access - do not enjoy the same profile.

He said: \"Other reasons are psychological, for instance if a country has always been
an ally of Great Britain in times of war etc, then it is more likely to be a popular
investment destination. If we feel that we have a close companionship with a country
people tend to keep that in mind. It\'s a patriotic thing.\"

Notwithstanding obvious cultural differences which can either charm or repel, this
kind of factor could apply to France, at least since Napoleonic Times, while not of
course to Germany. Spain may be somewhat harder to account for, given that in the
1940s it was ideologically aligned with Germany and Italy, albeit uninvolved in the
war. Perhaps, therefore, it is a combination of these factors which will each
contribute to a greater or lesser extent to the appeal of a country.

In the case of France, it may be instructive to note that its charms made it the
number two overseas destination for Irish property investors (both commercial and
residential) in 2007, behind Britain, where the historical and linguistic links are
obvious. As Ireland was also not involved in WWII it may be reasonable to assume
that being the geographically second closest neighbour, as well as having the
various charms of wineries, Alpine Scenery, the Romance of Paris and the sun and sea
of the Cote D\'Azur, helped France in this respect.

Then again, maybe it is about price as much as anything else. This week Trisha
Mason, managing director of estate agency VEF, told the Daily Telegraph: \"Detached
stone properties in France went up 20 per cent overall last year, but you are still
paying on average 40 per cent less that you would in the UK. And properties like
these don\'t exist in Britain.\" With investments around like these, geographical
proximity is a bonus. Meanwhile, a bargain is a bargain, whichever side France
fought on in any particular war.

In today\'s world Property investment is an excellent investment option especially
investment in UK

Web Site: http://france.assetz.co.uk

Contact Details: There are many elements that constitute reasons for people
investing in a particular country\'s property sector, but, it seems, proximity and a
certain patriotic affiliation is high among them.

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