Natalie One look at the best international real estate websites and everyone will realise that buying and owning a property is no longer a case of stay close to home. Investing in the overseas sector is a favourable endeavour for many investors who seek to boost their portfolio, or take advantage of Golden Visa programs offered by countries to attract money from outside.
Add to this, your average buyer from the high street who dreams of owning a holiday home in the sun, and it is easy to see why many estate agents now open themselves to the global market. Whether you are a buyer, a private seller or real estate agent, some excellent websites bring in listings from all around the world. They also make buying abroad a lot easier by offering guides, tips and useful information for buyers looking at property abroad for the first time. Let’s look at those websites, and why they stand out as essential resources.
6 International Real Estate Websites
1: Prime Location – Find Your Dream Home
The UK’s Prime Location counts itself as one of the most popular websites in the country. They say they focus on the middle budget and luxury markets to help buyers find a home that matches their dream. Attracting over 5 million website users every month, they feature homes from over 60 countries including Bulgaria, France, Croatia, Australia, South Africa, Dubai, Turkey, and other hotspot destinations attracting buyers from all around the world.
Now in its 13th year, they do more than just advertise properties. We like their homepage property inspiration section featuring architecture and heritage, urban roots, urban living, the great outdoors, waterside living, and dream homes to see how the other half lives. They also have an agent’s directory so you can contact them by phone, and their property listings display in a clean-cut style with map locations, price, details, and an enquiry form to find out more.
2: Property Portal – UK and International Real Estate
Given the extensive listings on Property Portal, they advertise according to continents and countries. Their services section splits into consumer and agent, making it easy to navigate. Property Portal uses the tagline “Any property, anywhere in the world” and this includes residential, architecture and commercial real estate.
One thing they are good at is keeping up with technology and the latest advancement. This is seen in their digital marketing campaigns and cloud-based data-driven solutions. Specialising in premium and luxury homes, this is a fantastic website to use. Each country page gives and lists property for sale and rent. Search by specific destinations and save a property for later reading. You can also search listings from a particular agent only.
3: Global Listings
Ok, now this is impressive because Global Listings say they have over 2,000,000 listings to sell in 96 countries. Operating out of the USA, they say their mission is to connect home buyers and sellers in a cost-effective, easy, and intelligent manner. Besides property listings, they also display real estate market news and market data for agents looking to tap into the world of global homeownership. Services include single and bulk postings, API data feeds, digital advertising, and media partnership programs. The only downside is that real estate listings do not include the agent’s details. You fill in an enquiry box and wait for them to contact you.
4: World Properties: Home of the Best Agents
World Properties is another portal that sets itself apart from the mainstream by adhering to a code of practice. They say they work with leading real estate associations around the world to promote the right to buy and own. Each member broker must adhere to country-specific conduct rules and conduct themselves with professionalism.
Website users can search by countries, agents, or properties. They can change the current asking price displayed on listings into over 20 different currencies according to the exchange rate of the day. They can also request more information about any listing via the built-in enquiry form, or view the profile to ring the agent and see their entire portfolio.
4: On the Market
Launched in 2015, this British property website competes with major players for the top three spots in user traffic. Favourite spots in their overseas portfolio include Spain, the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, France, Portugal, USA, Greece, Italy and Australia, although listings exist for many other countries. To understand the professionalism, look at the respected names behind the original launch, including Savills, Douglas and Gordon, Glen Tree Estate and Knight Frank. Investors and those who are keen to maximise their capital appreciation potential should also check out their blog with the latest news, tips, and advice on buying, selling, and renting.
5: Zoopla
Zoopla says they know what a home is worth, and their professional website shows they are serious about business. It proves their dedication in their ratings as one of the top-ranked UK property websites, that also specialises in overseas real estate. They say they know you are looking for more than a place, to live and instead a home to make your own, and they have over a million listings for you to browse through.
For their overseas section, some buyers might be disappointed. For example, during our search, some countries like Georgia only displayed two homes for sale yet if you want to buy in a hotspot like Turkey, France, Portugal, or Spain, grab a cup of coffee because these run into thousands of listings.
6: Rightmove
Listing themselves as the UK’s leading property website, Rightmove says they want to empower the population in buying and owning homes. First floating on the stock exchange in 2006, they aim to do more than just sell houses from their website, which lists over 260,000 homes in over 80 countries.
Private sellers, developers and overseas real estate agents often turn to Rightmove first, to capture the attention of people who want to invest in real estate abroad, or even move overseas. First-time buyers abroad will find their country guides of use, and they also give valuable information on mortgages, legal tips, and getting the best exchange rates out of current day currency fluctuations.
Start Your Property Search
The above international real estate websites are great for finding homes for sale. Each listing will include everything you need to know, including map locations, home details, prices, and an enquiry form to find out more. However, as an overseas estate agent, our tip is to pay as much attention to the estate agent as you do the property for sale.
Given that is it no small financial outlay, you want to build a relationship with an agent who has your best interests at heart. Call us today to chat with an agent about buying property overseas. We can answer questions and give advice and tips to help you make the best real estate purchase. Also see our collection of apartments and villas for sale in many countries around the world.
Further Reading of Interest
Virtual Property Viewings: In a world that changes with technology, it is hard to keep up with the latest developments but industry insiders say virtual viewings will be the first port of call on any house buying endeavour. The technology that allows buyers to walk through each room of a house and see the garden and terraces from a bird’s-eye view can cut down viewing times and help buyers and sellers. Read more about virtual viewings and their future in the real estate industry here.
Is Zillow an International Property website?
