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Top tips - Jasmine’s top tips on owning a holiday home

Here are my top tips:

1. When choosing your property agent it’s wise to get recommendations. Many ex-pat buyers find their agents are invaluable, even after completion. Check that prospective agents are registered with an official organisation such as the Association of International Property Professionals.

2. Get suitable insurance for your holiday home to give you added peace of mind. Towergate Connect offer quality policies for all of your holiday home needs. Get a quote now.

3. You wouldn’t buy a house in the UK without the services of a lawyer, so you certainly shouldn’t contemplate doing anything of the sort overseas! Use a lawyer who is independent of the seller to avoid any possible conflict of interests and who is registered with an official body.

4. A survey is an integral part of the buying process, and often a deciding factor in whether or not to go ahead with a purchase. In many places you may not find an equivalent to a surveyor, in which case a buildings inspection is the next best thing.

5. Budgeting becomes even more complex when you are buying abroad as you have to take exchange rates into consideration. Currency exchange specialists will be able to advise you on when to buy your currency for the most favourable rate, and hold it for you at that rate for up to two years.

6. If you are buying with a mortgage, it is worth keeping in mind that as a general rule of thumb, it makes sense to take out the mortgage in the same currency as the income from which you will pay it.

7. If buying abroad, make sure you can cope with the language barriers. All Towergate Connect overseas holiday home policies come with Overseas Assist included. You can enjoy the extra peace of mind that interpreters are on hand should you encounter an emergency with your property. Find out more.

8. Many people fall foul of the costly purchase fees which can include transfer tax, VAT, Legal fees, Notary fees, agents fees official translations and stamp duty equivalents. Ensure your estate agent and lawyer have made all additional costs explicit so that you don’t get any nasty surprises.