One-quarter of british buyers head to france

France is the most popular property destination in the world for British buyers, according to new research, with almost one-quarter hopping across the Channel.

23 per cent of potential buyers turn to France for property, the HiFX Property Hotspots Report reveals, as France's recent property tax hikes and the ongoing Eurozone crisis do little to deter investors with many still keen to pick up a holiday home bargain abroad.

"France remains a safe bet for Brits," comments Mark Bodega, Director at HiFX. "It goes without saying that the sun and lifestyle are a big pull but buyers can now get better value for their money and take advantage of the weakening euro."

Spain is a close second favourite for buyers, with 19 per cent hoping to purchase a property there. But the allure of Spanish real estate falls down the rankings for experienced property owners, with just 9 per cent saying they would buy there if they were considering purchasing a second property.

Mark Bodega added: "Spain is still popular with Brits who are hoping to take advantage of lower property prices.  The average property price in the country is down almost 13 per cent in the last year alone.  In years gone by bargain-hunters would focus inland, particularly looking for rundown properties that needed some work.  As inland prices have fallen the most since the property crash this is till true, however prices have fallen on the Coast dramatically as well giving bargain hunters plenty of choice."

The HiFX Property Hotspots report further revealed that 35 per cent of UK adults surveyed said they are looking to buy a property abroad within the next 1 - 2 years, whilst 30 per cent are even looking to purchase abroad within the next six months. Savvy Brits will largely be funding their property purchase through savings, with 43 per cent stating this was how they planned to buy abroad, whilst almost a quarter 24 per cent said they plan to sell their UK home to buy abroad.