Everyone has a dream destination they would love to live in. Many decide to make that dream a reality, and so set about the task of making it happen and the multitude of steps required to get there. But one thing many may overlook in this process is food.
Article written by The Overseas Guides Company
Food allergies and intolerances are rapidly becoming more prominent. Allergies to nuts and shellfish are common, while gluten and lactose intolerances are also on the rise. Yet while alternative foods are generally quite readily available in the UK, there is no guarantee of finding them in different countries around the world. Would your dream property really be all that dreamy if you are forced to starve?
This is another aspect of why viewing trips are so important – not just to inspect the property, but all the lifestyle aspects of that community as well. By actually visiting the local area, you will be able to investigate what ingredients are commonly used by nearby restaurants and cafes, whether the local supermarket stocks your food alternatives, the prevalence of particular additives and preservatives in food and beverages and so on.
In certain parts of the world, it is virtually impossible to avoid contamination from nuts or gluten, for example, and lactose-free milk is not available in all stores – particularly in regional communities.
If you do have your heart set on a particular location but none of the local stores cater to your dietary requirements, you may find that you need to import goods from the UK or make bulk purchases from a nearby city where the products are available. In doing so, you may just find that you have discovered a great little business opportunity in the process!
But by spending more time cooking at home, you may need to alter the type of property you look to purchase. Factors such as the size of the kitchen, the space and appeal of indoor and outdoor entertaining areas as well as if you need a larger backyard to grow your own fresh ingredients can all arise.
So when purchasing your property abroad, be sure to think not just with your head and your heart, but also with your stomach!
Wherever you buy abroad, using currency exchange specialist Smart Currency Exchange to make currency transfers could save you considerable amounts of money thanks to their exchange rates typically being 2-4 per cent better than banks. You can find out more by downloading Smart Currency Exchange’s free guide or visiting our Currency Zone.
The views and comments herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Rightmove Overseas, Rightmove Group Ltd or Rightmove Plc