Number of Brits keen to buy abroad doubles
The number of Brits hoping to buy property abroad has doubled in 2007, according to Barclays, perhaps as a result or one of Britain's wettest ever summers.Many look to relocate overseas as an antidote to high property prices, rising crime and long working hours, but the new figures from Barclays show that Britain's miserable weather is a big deciding factor too. The figures are based on the number of enquiries received by Barclays for their locally based mortgage services in Spain, France, Portugal and Italy. The early summer months were the wettest ever recorded, with flooding in many parts of the country and more than double the usual rainfall neatly corresponding with the increase in the number on people looking into buying abroad. Richard Exton, director of Barclays Buying Abroad said: "Brits are familiar with the idea that we only have two seasons: the winter and July. "It seems that this year, with the terrible weather we have experienced in July and throughout the summer many people are not prepared to sit through a year-long winter and are looking for a getaway to sunnier climates."
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