Rightmove reports a surge in searches for holiday homes – and Netflix is inspiring our number one destination
Are you considering an escape to the sun?
Netflix's latest show White Lines has inspired Brits to start looking to invest in a holiday home on a certain Spanish island.
Rightmove Overseas has seen a huge surge of interest in the island this month. Searches for Ibiza have increased by 174 per cent compared to last May, a jump largely credited to the success of the show.
White Lines follows Zoe Walker as she investigates her brother's disappearance in Ibiza. After seeing the backdrop of stunning sea views and picturesque villas, it's no surprise that we are viewing Ibiza as a potential post-lockdown escape.
However, it isn't just the famous party island that has seen a boom in interest during lockdown. In May, Rightmove Overseas saw a leap in Brits looking for properties abroad.
Searches were at their highest point this year, up 33 per cent compared to May 2019.
The number of new users on Rightmove Overseas was up 41 per cent from last year. Meaning that a whole new group of people were looking to escape to the sun.
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This surge in interest was a mixture of people considering buying a holiday home, those looking to relocate abroad. However, some will simply have been dreaming about a sunny break after many holidays were cancelled this year.
'Lockdown has allowed many people time to re-appraise their lives, which has prompted lots of home-hunters to get serious about buying elsewhere in Europe,' explains Miles Shipside, Rightmove's property expert.
'In particular, countries such as Spain, France, and Portugal have cultures that are familiar to us. Their warmer climates and reasonably priced rural stock will appeal to those who have been recently denied foreign travel.'
'Social distancing would be far more straightforward if you're lucky enough to be able to afford your own overseas pad,' he adds. 'If other holiday-makers feel the same, then they may wish to rent your property, helping it bring in an income when you are not there.'
Related: The perfect escape! Enjoy a tour of this stunning holiday home in Wales
'It's still early days as we're not out of lockdown yet and most airlines are still shut. But, this is an indication that this has been a life-changing period for many who are reappraising both how and where they want to live.'
Rebecca Knight has been the Deputy Editor on the Ideal Home Website since 2022. She graduated with a Masters degree in magazine journalism from City, University of London in 2018, before starting her journalism career as a staff writer on women's weekly magazines. She fell into the world of homes and interiors after joining the Ideal Home website team in 2019 as a Digital Writer. In 2020 she moved into position of Homes News Editor working across Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, Gardeningetc and Ideal Home covering everything from the latest viral cleaning hack to the next big interior trend.
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