The annual survey of new investors by property investment Jet-to-Let magazine shows there is a shift towards bargain properties especially in the UK and US.
Over 36% of investors said they wish to invest in foreign property in the next 12 months, with 27% keen to invest in the next six months, the 2009 survey shows.
The number one preferred country for investors was Cyprus, which is unchanged from 2008, with France and the United States ranked second and third. There were three new entrants this year, India ranked at five, the United Kingdom ranked at eight and Greece in joint tenth place with Turkey.
Dominic Farrell, editor of the magazine said he was not surprised that the UK had entered the top 10. 'There are presently fantastic bargains in the UK for investors with the foresight and courage to see beyond the current economic climate. This is particularly so if buyers are holding strong currencies such as the US dollar or Euro which can add an extra 20% in terms of value,' he said.
'France and Spain will always be in the top ten for UK and Irish buyers, but the relegation of Spain to number six reflects the change in market conditions and an erosion of confidence in the Spanish market,' he added.
The United Arab Emirates is fifth, Italy in seventh place and Morocco at nine. Brazil and Germany dropped out of the 2009 top 10 league, after being featured last year.
Given the current economic climate and the negative media coverage of property investment, this survey shows that investors can see beyond today and realise that property has few rivals in terms of medium to long-term prosperity and risk,' Farrell said.
'This is a moment of opportunity for investors and those who take action will reap the benefits in years to come. We will not always be in a recession and the economic policies being adopted now, will eventually bear fruit. The catalyst for a recovery will be a return to lending by banks around the world,' he concluded.
