The summer of 2009 was one of the wettest and increasing numbers of people are looking to a holiday home abroad either permanently or for a large part of the year.

Can you blame them? The climate alone in France, Spain or Italy is a great boost to those of us watching the middle years go by and many are plumping for second homes as investments, or maybe a bolthole for retirement away from the UK.

But you do need to be cautious. There are just as many pitfalls in buying property abroad as in the United Kingdom and these can be compounded by the language barrier. It pays to use an expert and I don’t mean one of the many timeshare rip off merchants, find someone who knows what they are doing, can speak the language and knows the law of the applicable country.

I am not about to cover every country where you may wish to live but very popular at the moment, as always, is Spain with France running a close second and there is a legion of literature and websites out there inducing you to part with your hard earned money. Do it wisely and you will have a holiday home and investment which will serve you well in terms of cash return and pleasure for many years to come.

Your choice will probably have been influenced by the country in which you have most enjoyed spending holidays. Next time you visit take the chance to look around the local estate agents and see what is on offer in your favoured locale. Perhaps even view some of them to get the feel and flavour of the difference between our country and theirs.

Remember, you are the foreigner there, but the more you try and immerse yourself in their ways, especially language, the better reception you will get. You would be amazed how a few lines of French can turn a dour Gallic face into a beaming smile, just because you have tried to speak his or her language rather than expecting them to speak yours.

Property purchase systems are different in every country and the first thing to do is familiarise yourself with them. The Internet is a useful place, but if you don’t use it get a friend to download you some information.

If your language skills are up to it you may decide to go with a local agent. In a rural area they may be the only option for miles around but in a town or city they should be vying for your business. You need to feel confident that they are not palming you off with rubbish the locals would not touch, and it is essential that they know exactly what you are looking for because, of course, you can’t turn up for a viewing at the drop of a hat.

Regulation of estate agents varies internationally, although bodies such as the European Confederation of Real Estate Agents are trying to bring in uniform standards. Always check that the agent you are using is a member of a professional body and sign nothing until you have verified this with a lawyer, preferably an English speaking one.

For instance in France professionally qualified agents should hold a license to practise (carte professionnelle) and have indemnity insurance and bond ensuring that you can reclaim your monies should anything untoward occur. France has two national estate agency bodies and both operate a very strict code of conduct

However you may find UK-trained agents in France who are not licensed but perfectly capable and honest. In this case you should use the notaire, a state official who oversees property transactions, for deposit monies.

The notaire is a powerful and useful position and because of his State appointment will always be professional in his or her dealings.

Spanish properties are actively marketed to UK buyers but the country’s estate agency set up is a complete free for all. To borrow a legal phrase, caveat emptor, “let the buyer beware”.

To the property. What you are looking for probably exists somewhere. There are still some incredible bargains to be had in rural areas, particularly France, but do be careful. It may only be £20,000 but “open aspect” may mean no roof, close to amenities can mean there is electricity five miles away and “character cottages” in that price bracket often need rebuilding.

Leaseback is a popular way of buying a new property, usually a very high standard, and often furnished, apartment or studio in a purpose built complex. You can buy these properties “off plan” in stages as they are built. No, it isn’t timeshare, you own the property but agree to lease it back to a management company, usually for nine years, and they take care of all letting and maintenance and pay you a quarterly cheque for rent received less charges. A typical return on investment can be around 5 per cent and at the end of the nine years you may continue the arrangement or sell the property, or indeed live in it yourself.

With property appreciation in some parts of France as high as 28 per cent it is an attractive long term investment proposition. One thing to watch though. Some companies will agree to you having so many weeks a year for holidays but their terms vary from out of season only to four or even six weeks at a discount from the normal rental. Shop around and you will find those who let you go as often as you wish and at no charge.

You may of course prefer an older property and there are still bargains to be found in most regions of France, Italy and Spain, some are pictured here. You may want to do it the Peter Mayle “Year in Provence” way or buy something which needs no modernisation. This is still achievable at much cheaper prices than the UK. Put that alongside the weather benefits and you may be one of the thousands who are looking for home sweet home a little further afield!

Graham Smith for Third Age.