Brexit  

Brexit, moving abroad and mortgage advice

This article is part of
Guide to advising on overseas mortgages

"Non-resident banks have made a concentrated effort to make international mortgage products more attractive to non-residents, to offset the uncertainty of Brexit on investors requiring finance.

"They have done this by decreasing their margins and offering more competitive partial interest-only and repayment products."

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Long-term or short-term?

In the short-term, while negotiations are underway, there may be some short-term hiccups in the market, driven in part by sentiment, rising inflation, low interest rates, interventionist monetary policies and currency weakness.

In the long term, how much of an impact will Brexit have? David Bellingham, director and head of UK and Europe at IP Global, comments: "In the long-run we do not foresee Brexit causing any changes in the residential property market."

Mr Posniak is not so sure. "Brexit remains a long-term risk to the property market. With the UK leaving Europe there is an element of instability in Europe."

Residential or investment portfolio?

Brexit uncertainty has also created an increase in people looking for property as an investment rather than as a bolt-hole, according to Mr Bellingham.

Many investors have been looking overseas instead of the UK property market, and turning to other capitals for attractive property to put into their portfolios. 

Mr Bellingham says: "Notably, Berlin is proving to be a sound destination for many investors both from the UK and further overseas.

"This is due to its strengthened position for trade deals in post-Brexit EU and the relatively low-cost, low vacancy rates that are on offer for investors."

Two-way street

Meanwhile, overseas buyers have been eyeing up property in the UK since the vote to leave the European Union last year. As sterling fell during 2016 to a 168-year low, making the exchange rate far more attractive for foreign buyers, prospective borrowers started to look for suitable homes in the UK.

According to Mr Bellingham: "Internationals and expats have recognised the current opportunities to be had in the UK and their rate of investment has increased since the Brexit vote. Many looking for a chance to enter the UK's attractive property market have benefitted from a currency advantage, as the pound remains soft against the US dollar.

"However, those looking to take full advantage of the currency fluctuation should do so sooner rather than later, as experts predict the pound will return to a high position towards the end of 2017 and into 2018."