Property in Scotland is cheaper than the rest of the UK, according to ESPC.

David Marshall, a business analyst at the firm, said that the average house price in Scotland is generally lower than in other parts of the UK, and has been for years.

"Scotland has always been comparatively affordable compared to the rest of the UK, but that isn't uniform across the board. There are areas where average house prices in Scotland are much higher than the UK average," he added.

Mr Marshall's comments follow data from Lloyds TSB Scotland's latest Scottish House Price Monitor, which highlighted that the nation's housing market's recovery from the recession has currently paused.

On an annual underlying basis, house prices in Scotland have increased 0.8 per cent, however, in the three months to July 31st 2010, the quarterly price index for the average domestic property in Scotland fell 2.9 per cent on the previous quarter.

The average price of a Scottish property now stands at £159,217.
 

Brits retiring abroad are increasingly looking to try a new way of life rather than moving straight to an expat community, which could benefit investors with property overseas.

Research by NatWest International Personal Banking found that moving abroad is still a popular choice with retirees, with western European nations such as Spain and France and long-haul destinations such as Australia and the US remaining firm favourites.

According to the study, 92 per cent of retirees living abroad do not live in an established expatriate community, while over half (56 per cent) of those that do live in such an area did not consider it to be a determining factor when choosing where to set up home.

Dave Isley, head of NatWest International Personal Banking, said: "Looking at retirees who decide to move abroad, it is enlightening that 92 per cent of expats chose not to retire to a designated expat community. This seems to emphasise the notion that expats have retained a sense of adventure, they really do want to start afresh and experience life as a local rather than settle with other expats."

Recent research by Aon Consulting highlighted that over half of Brits hope to retire abroad.
 

Mid-range South African property prices continued to rise on a year-on-year basis in July, increasing by 7.6 per cent, according to figures from the Absa House Price Index.

However, the rate of growth was at a slower pace than in previous months, suggesting that prices may be reaching their peak after a 7.7 per cent rise in June.

Year-on-year growth in value for large properties also rose by 4.7 per cent, following growth of 5.5 per cent in June.

According to the bank, house price growth in South Africa is likely to slow in the later months of the year as interest rates are expected to stay static.

"Year-on-year house price growth is forecast to slow down further in the months towards year-end, largely driven by the base effect of a recovery in property prices in the second half of 2009. Real house price growth in the rest of the year will be determined by nominal price trends as well as the course of consumer price inflation," it stated.

In June, data from the Lew Geffen Sotheby's International Realty website highlighted that British and European property investors' interest in South Africa remains strong, with traffic from UK residents to the site increasing 23 per cent.
 

The US National Home Price Index rose 4.4 per cent across the second quarter of 2010, according to Standard & Poor's latest S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices.

This followed a drop of 2.8 per cent in the first three months of the year and puts US property prices 3.6 per cent higher than a year ago.

Of the 20 cities included in the index, 15 saw a year-on-year increase in property prices, with San Francisco and San Diego showing the biggest leaps of 14 per cent and 11 per cent respectively.

David M Blitzer, chairman of the Index Committee at Standard & Poor's, said: "Even with concerns about near term developments, we recognize that the housing market is in better shape than this time last year. Further, California's cities have moved from some of the hardest hit to three of the four leading cities based on year-over-year gains."

Last week, Mayfair International Realty said that the US offers some good opportunities for British property investors as home sales in the nation are currently slowing.
 

Florida property is back in favour with British buyers, according to Orlando-based firm Coldwell Banker Feltrim.

Speaking to A Place in the Sun magazine, the company's chief executive officer Garrett Kenny said that the state's reputation as a tourist hotspot makes it a popular destination for Brits wanting to buy property abroad.

"Now is a great time to buy property in Florida as prices have fallen by as much as 50 per cent in some cases and some condos are now selling for less than they cost to build. With prices so low there is nowhere for them to go but up," he said.

Mr Kenny added that savvy investors could buy a modern family home in Florida near the world-class theme parks, golf courses and natural wonders for much less than the cost of an average home in the UK.

Earlier this month, Shelter Offshore suggested that Florida property can offer solid rental returns from holidaymakers and can also be bought at bargain prices.