According to the latest poll run by Place in the Sun, the UK’s leading overseas property magazine, Malta placed 18th.

The annual survey asks the British people where they are looking to buy an overseas property. From the results – of more than 1,000 responses – it came as no surprise that the top of the list is dominated by Mediterranean countries, with Spain, France, Portugal, Cyprus and Turkey securing the top five posts. These classic second-home and retirement destinations are close to family and friends and yet distant enough to experience a completely different lifestyle.

Malta placed 18th, entering the top 20 chart for the first time, followed by Croatia and Thailand. The only other new entry in the list was New Zealand.

Malta has long been a favourite winter holiday spot for UK retirees, cherished for its mild climate, relatively low cost of living, and active long-term and holiday rental market. In addition, the British prefer Malta for its straightforward legal system and the daily use of the English language, making it much easier for them to settle down.

“We are very happy with this news,” said Joseph Lupi, managing director of Frank Salt Real Estate Ltd. “Although sales have dropped marginally due to the current global scenario, we still have a very good number of British buyers coming on inspection visits. Some of these are waiting to sell their property in the UK before buying a property here. On the other hand, the upper end of the market has not registered a slow down and we are still seeing a growing demand for high-profile developments. There’s also been an increase in the demand for investment property.”

This is thanks to a steady capital appreciation rate, ranging from eight to 10 per cent, especially in the Special Designated Areas, which have proved very popular with the foreign market. Coupled with local efforts to promote Malta and Gozo overseas, a booming rental market and Malta’s all time favourite hospitality, climate and beauties, demand will definitely increase.