Surfing the Web's global village for a dream home can clue you in on the lifestyles in other nations and turn up some real estate gems from Anguilla to Zimbabwe, but actually shelling out U.S. dollars to close a deal is another trip altogether. The Internet has shrunk the global real estate market, bringing to desktops worldwide residential real estate opportunities, but many customs, foreign real estate laws and language barriers make it difficult, if not impossible, to actually buy your dream home abroad. There's a wide range.
Some European countries are pretty far ahead.
The French have a very sophisticated advertising system. NAR's international Web page features links to the CIPS specialists, international real estate research tools, links to realty organizations sharing agreements with NAR, information for new immigrants in this country and World News. If you've got a yen to launch a global search for your dream home, here's a list of beginner's tips for buying abroad. Get some help from someone who knows the neighborhood. Just like at home, a trained real estate agent who has worked abroad should know the culture, customs, laws and other aspects of buying and selling homes in a given nation.