·         More than 2.5 million searches for property in Spain from the UK each month
·         Revealed: Top 10 property destinations abroad and average enquiry prices
·         UK’s 10 largest cities all searching for property in Spain and France

What buyers can get in Spain and France for the average asking price in the UK

Despite the allure of exotic faraway destinations, more than 2.5 million online searches suggest that Britons prefer the sunny shores much closer to home when it comes to buying property abroad.

According to the latest research by property website Rightmove, Spain is the most popular European country for Britons looking to relocate or buy a second home. Average monthly searches for property in Spain total 2,513,374 a month – over 74% more than France, the second most searched for location in Europe.

Top 10 Destinations for Property-Seekers

Country	Avg. Enquiry Price	Avg. Flight Time from UK	Avg. Flight Cost
Spain	€156, 940	2h	£48
France	€217,433	55m	£54
Italy	€227,411	2h20m	£56
Portugal	€215,001	2h 30m	£83
Ireland	€167,537	1h 10m	£36
Greece	€191,246	3h 30m	£132
Cyprus	€148,082	4h 46m	£184
Germany	€370,990	1h 40m	£28
Malta	€264,670	3h	£68
Turkey	€93,180	4h	£142

Countries ranked according to number of avg. monthly searches

 Which UK City Loves Spain the Most?

A closer look a ta year’s worth of property search data from the largest cities shows consistent interest in Spain right across the UK. It is the number one sunny destination for Britons from Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield.

Spain is most popular with sun-starved Scots, more than 54% of searches for property in Spain come from Glasgow, a close second being Liverpool with the second highest number of searches, at almost 50%.

France comes up as a consistent second on the list of hot-property destinations, according to UK interest per city, with the most searches for this sunny destination coming out of Cardiff, London, and Bristol.

Which SunnyResorts are Property-Seekers Most Interested In?

Spain and France are clear favourites for property-seekers looking to buy a second home, a closer look reveals the most searched for resorts in each.

Top Resorts in Spain	Avg. Enquiry Price	Top Resorts in France	Avg. Enquiry Price
Alicante	€126,054	Nice	€356,271
Montpellier	€397,813	Cannes	€585,754
Malaga	€191,830	Montpellier	€553,045
Tenerife	€176,107	St. Tropez	€1,523,989
Lanzarote	€160,193	Marseille	€1,399,625

A House in Alicante – Most Popular Second Home Destination in the UK

Alicante tops the list as the most searched for property destination in Spain and at €126, 053, it also has the lowest average enquiry price of the most popular sunny regions. According to Rightmove, 62% of enquiriesare for houses in Alicante, while 38% are looking for flats or apartments. And for UK residents looking for fast, affordable flights to their holiday home in the sun, it doesn’t get better than this port city on Spain’s south-eastern coast.

An Apartment in Mallorca – Popular with High Budget Buyers

With an average enquiry price of €397, 813, property in Mallorca is popular with high budget buyers, with 54% looking for flats and apartments and 46% looking for houses. Despite enquiries for properties in Mallorca being three times higher in price than those in Alicante, it still tops the list as the second most searched for property destination in Spain.

“Just 2.5 hours away by plane, a great climate, upmarket living, picturesque surroundings…Mallorca is perfectly positioned as the ultimate destination for high budget UK buyers looking to purchase their own slice of paradise.” – Chris Please, Head of Rightmove Overseas

 Why is Property in Spain Consistently in Demand?

 “Over 12 months, we received an average of 2.5 million searches a month for property in Spain, indicating just how in-demand this sunny country is for property-seekers. Whether it’s the large expat community, the sunny climate, the food or simply the easy transition into relaxed Spanish culture that has Britons enthralled, Spain’s proximity to the UK, cheap flights and short travel time has it consistently emerging as one of the most popular property destinations abroad.” – Chris Please, Head of Rightmove Overseas

Climate

With warm average temperatures of 21°C per year, Spain is one of the hottest countries in Europe making it an ideal destination for summer homes. With high average temperatures hitting 30°C in June, 34°C in July and 33°C in August, summer months in Spain are hot and the climate is mild for the rest of the year.

Cyprus	Malta	Greece	Portugal	Spain
25 c	23 c	23 c	21 c	21 c

Distance and Affordability
Average flight time to Spain is just over 2 hours by plane, making it one of the fastest destinations to travel to after France, Ireland and Germany. With plane ticket prices increasing in summer due to high demand, visiting Spainis more affordable than visiting France, Italy or Malta, with the estimated lowest price in mid-summer costing £48 return.

Country	Flight time	Flight Cost
Germany	1 hour 40 minutes	£28
Ireland	1 hour 10 minutes	£36
Spain	2 hours	£48
France	55 minutes	£54
Italy	2 hours 20 minutes	£56
Malta	3 hours	£68
Portugal	2 hours 30 minutes	£83
Greece	3 hours 30 minutes	£132
Turkey	4 hours	£142
Cyprus	4 hours 46 mins	£184

Estimated lowest prices July 2017 – Skyscanner prices updated every 15 days