Considering canada
Want to snap up a property overseas but undecided as to where to invest your hard earned cash? How about Canada, which was recently named the most affordable English speaking country in which to buy...
Canada has long been high on the list of favourite holiday destinations, with its outdoorsy appeal, winter sports and cosmopolitan cities.
As the credit crunch continues to freeze many people's pockets, Canada offers a relatively stable investment opportunity. According to the World Economic Forums' Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009, Canada was ranked as having the soundest banking system in the world.
The cost of living in Canada is on average, 30 per cent lower than London and, in some states, petrol prices are far lower than Britain with a litre of petrol costing less than 40 pence compared to nearly £1 a litre in the UK.
One particular hotspot is Calgary in the booming, oil-rich state of Alberta. Calgary is particularly well placed for those feeling the pinch, with low taxes, low unemployment and above average salaries, making it one of Canada's most enviable locations.
Forty five minutes from Calgary lies the small Rocky Mountain town of Canmore, best known for hosting Eddie the Eagle at the 1988 Winter Olympics.
One of the country's most exclusive winter and summer resorts, Canmore is also the fastest growing city in Canada. Four internationally acclaimed ski resorts are within 45 minutes of Canmore with 9,000 acres of skiing, and the town is sandwiched between Calgary's cosmopolitan pulse and Banff's rugged glamour.
Lying in the middle of the wide Bow River Valley, the town gets direct sunlight for 330 days of the year, and has a relatively mild climate; in the coldest winter months, average temperatures hit minus 5C.
Good infrastructure, a stable political and economic environment and regular links from the UK are just a few reasons to invest in Canada. Add in a wealth of natural resources, high standard and low cost of living, and Canada is a safe yet exciting place for Brits to buy property.
The Canadian ski season is also longer than the European equivalent, and property prices are much lower than in the French Alps in particular.
The ski homes are far larger than almost anywhere in Europe, making Canadian properties a sharp investment for those wanting to combine a year round holiday home with earning an income.One development in Canmore is Three Sisters Mountain Village, named for the three mountain peaks that surround it.
The 2,000 acre development makes up 80 per cent of all land that can ever be developed in this area and half of it is given over to the wildlife that roams the area.
The golf side townhouses, lock and leave apartments, mountainside chalets and estate homes range in price from £294,000 for a one-bedroom apartment to £1.8 million for a detached home overlooking the Bow River.
For a credit crunch buy, Canada may well be worth considering.
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