Tim Landseer-Brooks

A recent email shot to the UAE database of AME Info brought 300 enquiries. 'We screen applicants and take the serious ones on a visit to Cyprus, and can arrange visits to Spain as well,' he says.

'I think many people who have lived an expatriate lifestyle do not want to go back to the grey skies of the UK and high living costs. We offer a better standard of living in the sun and interesting investment options.'

Actually Parador Properties offers much more than that, and is one of the UK's leading specialists in this type of real estate. Last year Parador handled the sale of 2,700 properties, mainly in Spain, valued at more than $400 million.

The company sells entirely new freehold property, usually off-plan. But this is a complete service with help available at every stage of the buying and settling in process.

'Parador started five years ago when one of the directors advertised his own Spanish property in a UK newspaper and got a tremendous response,' explains Mr. Landseer-Brooks. 'Within a couple of months he had about 30 villas for sale and the whole company grew from there.

'Cyprus is our new addition, and is already very popular. Next year Cyprus will be joining the European Union and that means alignment with European laws and directives. UK expats will have a free health service, for example'.

'In Cyprus people enjoy a healthy Mediterranean outdoor lifestyle and the economy is very strong with very low taxes. Property prices have been rising at 10-20% per annum but entry prices are still much lower than the UK. Cyprus property is only around 1,000 euro per square metre.

'I am very worried about house price levels in the UK and this is one reason why expats and UAE nationals are looking at other markets like Spain and Cyprus for investment, and as their retirement home. However, a lot of our buyers use equity in their UK homes to buy abroad, by re-financing, for example'.

Does Mr. Landseer-Brooks think rising UK interest rates may impact property prices in Spain and Cyprus?

'Eurozone interest rates are already lower than in the UK, so there is not a direct effect,' he says. 'Spain might feel some impact if the UK market has a correction as this will impact on confidence, but Cyprus is a rather different case and is something of a safe haven.

'The island also has ease of access for Gulf residents, and enjoys something like 260 flights a week from the UK. There is also excellent leisure infrastructure, such as golf courses and very low crime rates.'

Mr. Landseer-Brooks says he expects to be living in the Gulf for the foreseeable future, and loves Dubai. But perhaps not surprisingly his intention is to retire to live in Spain or Cyprus.