Comment: Summer downpours boost searches for properties abroad

There are many downsides to this wet weather, not all of them property-related.

As a big-hairdo-ed parent, this past month has brought frizz and soft play aplenty and I’m over all of it. Now, having just come back from a slightly less soggy than expected, but still rather damp week in Cornwall, I’m really not feeling the big love for the not so great British summer.

And like anyone else who’s found themselves sheltering from a surprise downpour under a picnic blanket this month, the idea of holidaying abroad next summer seems exceedingly appealing.

I’m not alone. Zoopla data has shown a surge in interest for properties abroad since the sun stopped shining five weeks ago, with visits to the website’s overseas property for sale section increasing by almost a fifth (17 per cent).

Property searches for Spain’s Costa del Sol were up by 44 per cent, closely followed by Ibiza (41 per cent), and Menorca (19 per cent).

‘Pool’, ‘beach’ and ‘sea view’ were the most searched for keywords. Having spent a week enjoying the delights of all three, I can confirm that they’re that bit better when the sun’s out.

The sun shone on Cornwall occasionally, mind – there were a couple of days where it didn’t rain once! Unlike our trip to the Cotswolds a few years back, when the downpours were so incessant that day trips to a Swindon outlet centre became a main source of entertainment. Those were dark, rainy days.

Lacking the budget for a holiday home of any description, I’ll have to put that particular search on hold for the time being.

But, with more rain forecast, booking an overseas stay is feeling increasingly essential for next summer, regardless of the school holiday surcharge.