Spain is still the first choice for British buyers looking for a property overseas, a new survey has revealed.

Research conducted by A Place in the Sun magazine at two of its live exhibitions found that real estate in Spain has retained its appeal among the British market.

France, Portugal, Italy and the USA completed the top five, with eight out of the ten most popular destinations in Europe.

Liz Rowlinson, editor of the publication, commented: "What's really interesting about our annual Ten Best Places to Buy Abroad survey is that it shows UK buyers are sticking to tried and tested European countries."

Director at Conti Clare Nessling recently made a similar observation in an interview with Mortgage Introducer.

She told the publication that investors are being drawn to overseas property by the potential for higher returns than those generated by UK-based assets.

Ms Nessling added that strong rental prospects and capital growth are among the factors buyers are considering when searching for a real estate investment abroad.