Easy rental income is what attracts many UK property-buyers to Florida, where Disney and the other numerous theme parks, constant sunshine and world-class amenities ensure a year-round stream of tourists in need of accommodation.

Securing sufficient income from an American holiday home isn’t as simple as it might initially seem though, with many new investors not realising how regulated the lettings market is in Florida’s hot spots.

“For starters, only properties in areas zoned for short term rentals (STR), which means rental periods of less than seven months, can be let to holidaymakers,” comments Richard Way, Editor of The Overseas Guides Company. “In the popular Orlando area, STR zones are limited to the south and west of Disney, so availability of STR stock in this very desirable area is finite. On top of that, even if a home is in an STR zone, the owner must still have the approval of the local homeowners association to rent to holidaymakers.”

Owners of STR homes must also apply for a tourism tax licence and a business licence from the local county to be able rent out their property – effectively it is deemed as a small hotel.

The running costs of a rental home in Florida can catch owners by surprise too. Insurance, homeowners association fees, pool maintenance and general running costs all add up, so that many owners are content just to cover costs – and enjoy a few weeks at the property each year themselves.

An ideal property for holiday lets in Florida is this two-bedroom townhouse on a gated community in an STR zone very close to Disney World. It’s on the market for $95,000, a huge reduction from its 2007 price of $265,000.

For details of property for sale in the USA, visit the American listings on Rightmove Overseas. One way to save money when buying in the USA is to use a currency specialist when transferring your pounds into dollars to complete the purchase of your property. For more information on this, contact Smart Currency Exchange.

To understand the full step-by-step process to buying a property in America, collect The Overseas Guides Company’s ‘USA Property Buying Guide’