South Africans are increasingly considering investing in properties overseas, as a way of hedging against the volatile exchange rate. But very few can afford to pay cash for their investments, which means raising finance usually in the county in which they wish to buy.

In expatriate havens such as South Africa, Spain, Hong Hong, the Middle East and of course South America, the concept and regulation of financial advice can often be more unclear than in countries like the UK. For buyers located outside the UK who want to raise finance, UK property portal Investalist advises against the use of small companies. It is important to avoid fraudsters. Don't go for small adviser firms unless they are highly recommended and have access to the world's biggest financial institutions at discounted rates.

Some companies that Investalist recommends include Blevins Franks in Europe, *Towry Law International in the far east, as well as the offshore banks which are branching into investment advice – RBSI and HSBCI. They may not always be the most independent, but they can be counted upon to deal with honesty and integrity.

*Since writing this article it has been reported that Towry Law International is closed for business. Property24 has not yet been able to verify this information.

For more information contact info@investalist.co.uk. or click here to visit the website.

Have a comment or question about this article? Tell us about it..