‘Old World’ re-exerting dominance with average 20% increase in searches for France, Spain, Italy and Portugal
Highlights
42% of indexed locations saw increases, 
41% decreases, 
17% no changes- Portugal resurgent in May; 29% monthly increase in searches overall, Silver Coast searches the highest climber up 80% and trending well over long term
- Searches for the party islands of Mallorca, Ibiza and Minorca up on average 40%
- One to watch: Searches for Rheinland-Pfalz, Bayern, Sachsen and Brandenburg in Germany are all trending upwards, but fell just short of our 100 searches a day cut-off to make the climbers chart
Commentary
May was a positive month for searches on Rightmove Overseas, with a 13% increase in searches on April and more chart risers than fallers. The more traditional European destinations took the lions share with Portugal leading the pack, up 28% on last month. Portugal’s Silver Coast region alone almost doubled searches, up 81%.
Robin Wilson, Head of Overseas at Rightmove commented:
“As the markets settle down and people’s thoughts turn to holidaying, it seems interest in classic European destinations is reviving, particularly amongst lifestyle buyers. Emerging markets have certainly lost ground as speculative investors have taken their cash elsewhere (that’s if they have any to spend at all). Serious bargain hunters and disciplined investors are still very keen and targeting relatively safer long term bets in cities like Istanbul or Budapest, or distressed market opportunities in Spain and UK favourite, Florida.
Germany’s search figures are also rising driven in part by the regions of Rheinland-Pfalz, Bayern, Sachsen and Brandenburg. Our climbers chart only tracks destinations achieving more than 100 searches a day so these regions were not eligible for the top climbers chart this month but are trending upwards and performing just under the radar, certainly ‘one to watch’.”
Commenting on the climbers and fallers in this month’s search chart Wilson said:
“At country level we see few radical shifts month on month, but lower down the ranks there’s lots of movement as interest follows topical events or articles, for example May saw Monaco up over 40%, following the Formula 1 Grand Prix there. Recent television advertising promoting the Balearics as a destination seems to have had a positive impact with searches for the party islands of Mallorca, Ibiza and Minorca up 40% on average.
At the opposite end of the scale, Cape Verde had a strong showing in April with news of direct flights from the UK and completions coming on to the market, but has fallen away again in May. I think the message is, whilst there are brief hot spots, the smart money is staying focused on affordable destinations with pedigree and long term potential.”
Top 10 Climbers and Fallers this month (areas with > 100 searches a day)
|
|
Top 10 Trending* Searches this month (areas with > 100 searches a day)
These are the locations showing the most consistent positive performance in searches on Rightmove Overseas.
|
Destination |
Area |
% Change |
Chart |
Monthly |
Quarterly |
Yearly |
Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Ocean | World | -7.12% | 108 | -13 |
40 |
39 |
13 |
| Mallorca | Illes Balears | 28.77% | 94 | 9 |
33 |
38 |
11 |
| Midi-Pyrénées | France | 3.17% | 114 | -4 |
31 |
125 |
10 |
| Silver Coast (Costa de Prata) | Portugal | 81.09% | 72 | 35 |
26 |
22 |
9 |
| Almería | Andalucía | 42.93% | 118 | 19 |
26 |
107 |
9 |
| Murcia | Murcia | 28.97% | 92 | 10 |
22 |
102 |
7 |
| Rhône-Alpes | France | 29.94% | 119 | 11 |
22 |
139 |
7 |
| Pays de la Loire | France | 28.91% | 56 | 5 |
20 |
20 |
7 |
| Vendée | Pays de la Loire | 9.94% | 81 | 0 |
20 |
14 |
7 |
| Murcia | Spain | 27.60% | 84 | 10 |
19 |
34 |
6 |
*Chart Trend is a rolling average of the three previous monthly changes in chart position
Top 20 Countries
|
Country |
% of all |
% |
Chart |
Monthly |
Quarterly |
Yearly |
Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spain |
19.87% | 17.68% | 3 | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| France |
17.62% | 17.96% | 4 | 0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| United States of America |
12.94% | 3.12% | 6 | 0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Portugal |
6.11% | 28.76% | 8 | 3 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
| Italy |
5.72% | 19.15% | 11 | -1 |
0 |
-3 |
0 |
| Australia | 3.54% | 12.20% | 13 | 0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
| Cyprus | 3.24% | 17.29% | 14 | 0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| Greece | 2.85% | 22.43% | 15 | 0 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
| New Zealand | 2.47% | 10.15% | 16 | 0 |
-2 |
5 |
-1 |
| Germany | 2.16% | 34.68% | 18 | 11 |
2 |
20 |
1 |
| Turkey | 1.98% | 9.74% | 22 | 1 |
7 |
0 |
2 |
| Bulgaria | 1.69% | 8.27% | 31 | 0 |
-6 |
-15 |
-2 |
| Canada | 1.53% | 9.26% | 34 | 0 |
-7 |
-2 |
-2 |
| United Arab Emirates | 1.52% | 7.27% | 35 | -2 |
-12 |
-12 |
-4 |
| Thailand | 1.13% | 9.58% | 42 | -1 |
-3 |
-1 |
-1 |
| Austria | 1.11% | 8.20% | 43 | -1 |
-1 |
5 |
0 |
| Egypt | 1.04% | 7.74% | 50 | -3 |
-6 |
-11 |
-2 |
| Morocco | 0.93% | 8.99% | 55 | -1 |
-9 |
-10 |
-3 |
| Malta | 0.89% | 58.48% | 57 | 19 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
| Ireland | 0.87% | -4.18% | 59 | -8 |
-4 |
-10 |
-1 |
Top 40 Locations
|
Country |
Area |
% |
Chart |
Monthly |
Quarterly |
Yearly |
Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | World | 17.66% | 1 | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Western Europe | Europe | 18.71% | 2 | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Spain | Western Europe | 17.68% | 3 | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| France | Western Europe | 17.96% | 4 | 0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| North America | World | 3.74% | 5 | 0 |
-1 |
1 |
0 |
| United States of America | North America | 3.12% | 6 | 0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Eastern Europe | Europe | 13.22% | 7 | 0 |
0 |
-2 |
0 |
| Portugal | Western Europe | 28.76% | 8 | 3 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
| Pacific Ocean | World | 10.94% | 9 | -1 |
-1 |
1 |
0 |
| Australasia | Pacific Ocean | 11.21% | 10 | -1 |
-1 |
2 |
0 |
| Italy | Western Europe | 19.15% | 11 | -1 |
0 |
-3 |
0 |
| Asia | World | 6.06% | 12 | 0 |
-2 |
-3 |
-1 |
| Australia | Australasia | 12.20% | 13 | 0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
| Cyprus | Eastern Europe | 17.29% | 14 | 0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| Greece | Eastern Europe | 22.43% | 15 | 0 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
| New Zealand | Australasia | 10.15% | 16 | 0 |
-2 |
5 |
-1 |
| North Africa | World | 7.93% | 17 | 1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| Germany | Western Europe | 34.68% | 18 | 11 |
2 |
20 |
1 |
| Andalucía | Spain | 26.32% | 19 | 7 |
12 |
32 |
4 |
| California | United States of America | 1.38% | 20 | -3 |
-1 |
8 |
0 |
| Illes Balears | Spain | 27.18% | 21 | 6 |
11 |
4 |
4 |
| Turkey | Eastern Europe | 9.74% | 22 | 1 |
7 |
0 |
2 |
| Orlando / Central Coast | United States of America | 2.24% | 23 | -4 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
| Costa del Sol | Spain | 13.43% | 24 | 0 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
| Aquitaine | France | 32.81% | 25 | 7 |
9 |
4 |
3 |
| Caribbean | West Indies | 4.69% | 26 | -5 |
-5 |
-13 |
-2 |
| West Indies | World | 4.69% | 27 | -5 |
-5 |
-13 |
-2 |
| Middle East | Asia | -0.22% | 28 | -8 |
-12 |
-10 |
-4 |
| Islas Canarias | Spain | 8.38% | 29 | -4 |
-1 |
2 |
0 |
| South Asia | Asia | 9.18% | 30 | -2 |
-6 |
-6 |
-2 |
| Bulgaria | Eastern Europe | 8.27% | 31 | 0 |
-6 |
-15 |
-2 |
| Languedoc-Roussillon | France | 31.16% | 32 | 5 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
| Florida | United States of America | 1.10% | 33 | -3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Canada | North America | 9.26% | 34 | 0 |
-7 |
-2 |
-2 |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | 7.27% | 35 | -2 |
-12 |
-12 |
-4 |
| Valencia | Spain | 23.92% | 36 | 2 |
5 |
20 |
2 |
| Bretagne | France | 8.68% | 37 | -2 |
0 |
-7 |
0 |
| Cataluña | Spain | 24.72% | 38 | 5 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
| Alicante | Valencia | 20.59% | 39 | 5 |
9 |
28 |
3 |
| Málaga | Andalucía | 22.17% | 40 | 6 |
17 |
44 |
6 |
Notes on the Data
This data is complied from searches made by users of www.rightmoveoverseas.co.uk during the period 1st May to 31st May 2009. Our website records explicit searches that users make for locations chosen from our map based search, or that are entered into search fields and includes tourist regions we have defined for ease of recognition. This month 48,584 locations received searches.
- % Change Searches is the % change in searches on the previous month
- Chart position is absolute and determined by aggregate search volume for that location i.e. all the explicit searches for the location plus any explicit searches for sub-regions of the location e.g. Searches for ‘France’ include searches for ‘Paris’.
- Monthly Chart Change is the difference in chart position on the previous month.
- Quarterly Chart Change is the difference in chart position from 3 months ago.
- Yearly Chart Change is the difference in chart position from 12 months ago.
- Chart Trend is a rolling average of the three previous monthly changes in chart position.
The data in this report does not constitute specific advice, forecast or recommendation and is for general interest only. Readers must perform their own research and seek independent professional advice before making any decision to purchase or invest in property abroad.