Flight-to-let takes off for landlords.

A THIRD of professional landlords (32 per cent) are looking to foreign shores to invest in property, according to new research from BDRC and Standard Life Bank.

The survey revealed that landlords are choosing flying-to-let to enjoy the overseas potential of Spain (34 per cent) and France (27 per cent) in particular.

New hotspots attracting property investors from the UK, include Bulgaria (seven per cent) and Croatia (seven per cent).

Opting for a rental property even further afield is also popular - America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are favoured locations.

Holiday homes - abroad and in the UK - are now a form of income for seven per cent of landlords.

There are a number of financial options available to prospective landlords, one of which is for them to draw down funds from their existing UK mortgage to raise a deposit for, or buy outright, a foreign property.

Of the professional landlords with mortgages, four out of five (80 per cent) hold a buy-to-let mortgage and more than a quarter (27 per cent) have drawn down equity from their buy-to-let properties to fund further investment in bricks and mortar.

Andrew Boddie, head of marketing at Standard Life Bank, said: "There is no such thing as being restricted to a limited choice of locations or properties for prospective landlords these days - the world is their oyster.

"Spain and France continue to be popular and profitable destinations, but there are many more hotspots round the world that can offer investors exciting rental prospects - and increasing numbers of Brits are realising this.

"Our advice to landlords is to consider the range of financial options available to them when thinking about buying overseas, including drawing down on their existing mortgage to fund their foreign property ambitions."

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LOOKING ABROAD... Rural France is a popular choice for landlords.