Property buyers are shrugging off any concerns surrounding the Greek bailout crisis, according to TheMoveChannel.com. The portal's latest Hotspots Index reveals that Europe has never been more attractive to house-hunters, with Greece joining the Top 5 hotspots in Q2 2015 for the first time.
Portugal led the way, with Braga ranking as the most searched-for location between April and June 2015. The Portuguese hotspot accounted for 2.13 per cent of all searches by location on the site, ahead of Italy's Rome (1.55 per cent), which fell from the top spot (Q1 2015) into second place. Spain's Malaga (1.46 per cent) also slipped into third. The Top 5 was completed, though, by two rising stars of the European market, Protaras and Zante, as buyers returned to both Cyprus and Greece.
Marseille and Como held onto their places within the Top 10, reinforcing the appeal of both France and Italy to overseas investors. While Spain's popular Province of Alicante fell by four to ninth place, Armacao de Pera emerged as a new hotspot in Portugal, climbing 18 places to enter the Top 10.
"With the Top 10 comprising of only six different countries, the Hotspots Index reveals an increasingly strong focus upon a select few favourites," comments TheMoveChannel.com Director Dan Johnson. "Portugal now makes up one third of all the most popular hotspots on TheMoveChannel.com, as the country's continuing recovery spurs confidence among investors. Spain may be bigger, but Portugal is fast becoming one of Europe's hottest markets."
"Greece, though, is the surprise success story of the year: the country's economic problems have sparked uncertainty across the continent and beyond, but low prices and a weak euro have encouraged buyers and investors to snap up Greek property bargains. Greece made up four of the Top 50 destinations in the Q2 2015 Hotspots Index. This is down from Q1 2015, when it accounted for six, but the country now makes up two of the Top 10 locations, as demand grows stronger for select Greek hotspots. Together with Cyprus' rising popularity, it is proof that even the markets worst hit by the financial crisis can still be an attractive investment opportunity."
The full Top 50 hotspots on TheMoveChannel.com in Q2 2015 are below:
