SEVEN BEST COUNTRIES TO SETTLE IN AFTER THE PANDEMIC

Ribadesella, a town in the Principality of Asturias, northern Spain.
Spain is next to the UK as the choice for settling in
the aftermath of the pandemic.

SEVEN BEST COUNTRIES TO SETTLE IN AFTER THE PANDEMIC

The UK, Spain, France, USA, Canada, Switzerland, Australia

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by Rose Maramba

Amazingly, despite the fact that Spain is one of the hardest-hit countries in Europe at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that Spanish tourism all but caved in in the Spring and Summer, it is the foreigners’ Number Two choice to settle in when the health crisis is over.

London-based Knight Frank, one of the global leaders in the real estate sector with 500 offices across 60 territories and a personnel of more than 19,000 people, conducted a survey in 44 countries. The results of the Knight Frank Global Buyer Survey 2020 are as follows.

To the question “Has the period of the lockdown made you more or less inclined to move within the next twelve months?” 25% of the respondents answered “More”, 23% said “Less” and 52% said “No change”.

Question: “If you are inclined to move, where are you looking to move to?”

Big Ben, London. The UK tops the list of prefered countries for post-pandemic relocation.

Answer:
Different property in the same location = 40%
Different property elsewhere in the same country =26%
Different country = 34%

Topping the list of preferred destinations by the survey respondents who would settle in a different country over the next twelve months as a result of the pandemic are the UK, Spain and France who got 30%, 17% and 9% of the vote respectively. In other words, Spain is next only to the UK when people think of moving to a new country. France comes a far third.

Saint-Paul-de-Vence, one of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera. France is the third relocation favorite on the Frank Knight list.

Other favorites are the US, Canada, Switzerland, the Caribbean, and Australia who each got 4% of the vote. Among the countries that had 2% each are Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Malta and Singapore.

The factors that influence the move to a different country, in the order of importance, are: “upgrading the family’s primary residence” and quality healthcare. Political stability, secure currency, excellent education system, and easy access to these destination in normal times are significant considerations as well.  The space to install home offices for remote working in the new normal is another important factor.

Let there be enough room for a home office.

And here’s a classic consideration: the possibility of buying a holiday home in a sunny destination which, it may be pointed out, makes Spain an ideal candidate.

The Knight Frank survey has found that during the months of the pandemic confinement, people had plenty of time to reflect on the way they live, their homes and the use of space. Musing thus, they have come to the conclusion that they could do with an improvement in their living conditions.

Source: Knight Frank Global Buyer Survey 2020
Images supplied by Guidepost from various sources

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Images
Featured image/Raúl AB, CC BY-ND2.0
Big Ben/Gary Campbell-Hall, CC BY2.0
Home office/deldevries, CC BY-SA2.0
Saint-Paul-de-Vries, France/Cristiano Medeiro Dalbem, CC BY2.0