There are several broad reasons that people may have for purchasing a property from abroad. Here are some of the main ones:

They wish to relocate to a geographical location that better suits their lifestyle, income and circumstances. For example, in the UK a surprisingly high number of people emigrate to Spain because of it's climate, relative low cost of living and the cheaper property prices.

They wish to purchase a foreign property as a form of financial investment. Increasingly, property investment is being touted as the "ultimate" fool-proof way of achieving long term financial gain. Some people are now even using property investment as their main financial provision for old age.

They wish to purchase a holiday home. This is mainly for those who have the resources to purchase a property in their favourite part of the world - somewhere they enjoy visiting, perhaps where they can laze away on the beach and enjoy the fruits of a completely different environment.

Some elderly people may wish to purchase a property abroad for retirement. Often, couples in their twilight years may find that their current life has changed dramatically. They may live in a large house (maybe too large), wish for a slower pace of life or may simply want to move somewhere different for health purposes (for example a less cold climate). More elderly citizens relocate than is commonly thought.