Own, rent or timeshare?

Thanks for popping in.

Do you know that 40% of Brits would emigrate if they could? Seems so; James Forsyth says as much in the Spectator. According to expats he's spoken to, "the UK is still the corrupt, costly, overtaxed, cold, overcrowded, criminal, scrounger-ridden, unmannerly cesspit they left behind."

The shining light that has brought this shocking state of affairs to my attention is my soon to be best friend, Catherine Bennett of the Guardian. Well I've got a few dodgy statistics to add fuel to the getaway car. Apparently over 3m Brits already own holiday homes abroad. Add to that those that 'own' a timeshare, a 'timeshare interest', a 'fractional investment', an 'overseas property bond', or some other version of old vinegar in a new bottle, and it seems the whole country is itching to live the dream under some foreign flag.

But is the siren call of the expat life all it's cracked up to be? Ms Bennett thinks not. And I would particularly like to thank Catherine for her prescient use of the term 'Siren Call." Yes, it's true, journalists really can read minds and see into the future. Because while Mr Forsyth and Ms Bennett were drawing swords, I was drawing my pen, and scripting the real story, the story of "When the Siren Calls." A story of hope and disappointment, of dreams and nightmares. A story of how a hapless Dad's Army of Brits come to find themselves fighting for survival under the Tuscan sun, amongst a gleeful and machiavellian band of Italians who can't believe their luck.    It's human drama at its finest. A compelling and fast paced romantic suspense novel that reads like a Grisham thriller. But weaved everywhere amongst the steamy passion is the expat tale;  a witty and humorous story, where Fawlty Towers meets Hi-Di-Hi. Will the stoical Brits win the day? Or will the smarmy Italians be forced to retreat (or choose to do so!) That would be telling. You'll just have to read  When the Siren Calls It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and along the way you'll discover a little of the reality of overseas property investment.

Thanks for popping in and look forward to seeing back soon.