Where Should I Buy a 'Place in the Sun'?

Morocco easily ticks all the boxes as an undiscovered place for a vacation rental home. With flights from the UK being less than three hours’ duration and around six hours from the east coast of America, it is a wise decision to consider purchasing a vacation home in this increasingly popular north African country.

The nation is peaceful and politically stable and the king is doing everything to ensure that the people are provided with suitable employment and a good standard of housing; he realises that tourism and foreign investment is the way forward for a country with so many glorious beaches.

If you'd purchased a luxury two-bedroom apartment on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco for around 40,000 GB pounds in 2006, by now it will almost have doubled in value.

Morocco was never one of the more popular places to invest and thus remained largely undiscovered but the situation is changing rapidly. In recent years the country has begun to earn its rightful place on the list of the world’s most fashionable locations to buy vacation property. Buying a Moroccan vacation home could not only prove to be a lucrative investment opportunity but it could also be beneficial to your family and friends too.

There are still plenty of new developments under construction at a relatively affordable price and there is a wide choice of property available; villas with their own private pool, apartments with communal pools and on-site supermarkets, shops, gated security and underground parking - and all this within a short distance of golden sands and prestigious marinas.

Inspecting fully furnished and equipped show properties will give you an idea as to what your vacation home will actually look like even if you buy off plan. The specifications in Morocco are high and builders offer a choice of granite worktops, fully tiled walls and floors and air-conditioning as standard. Most reputable local estate agents.deal with a selection of resale and new properties to suit all tastes and pockets from tiny one-bed apartments to sumptuous villas set in luxurious grounds.

The discerning overseas investor will not fail to be impressed by the quality of vacation homes available in Morocco; it's difficult to think of a better location for one. If you don’t wish to buy then you can rent your ideal vacation home through one of the many reputable sites such as HomeAway

The buying process is fairly straightforward and furniture packages can be ordered from reputable suppliers. Many of these can supply everything you require down to the last teaspoon, all under one roof, to equip your vacation home to a high standard. Apart from this and the cost of air conditioning units, there is very little else to pay. You can save a vast amount of time and money, if you find one individual outlet for all your purchases.

Property management is easy with the help of a reliable lettings company who will help you let your Moroccan holiday home to holidaymakers..

Browsing on Internet property sites such as rightmove will reveal details of the main areas of development. There is a choice between complexes on the Atlantic coast or the Mediterranean coast. There are photos of the completed phases of all the main developments and subsequent phases still being built.

If you don't want a vacation home on the coast why not consider a development inland? Here you'll find ski-resorts and a selection of exclusive spas near Marrakesh – Morocco’s magnificent pièce de résistance. There are of course no beaches but it's an oasis of calm in the desert which provides a sumptuous hideaway for the rich and famous – but with non-exclusive prices for all! Framed by the snow-capped Atlas Mountains, the walled city of Marrakesh, fringed by swaying palms is a veritable mirage.

As a prospective investor you won't fail to be impressed with Morocco; the location, the specifications, everything is first class and on a par to the construction in Spain but at a fraction of the cost. And for those not easily convinced, you can see the properties for yourself before you part with any money by arranging a free inspection flight from the UK.

Don’t worry that you'll end up having to endure the hard-sell approach. Moroccan estate agencies don't need to adopt such underhand tactics as the properties on their books easily sell themselves. Set in outstanding locations near fine sands, marinas and golf courses, you won’t have to look at many properties before you find somewhere appealing.

A smartly dressed representative meets you at the airport, takes you to your hotel and gives you all the relevant information on the properties you've chosen to inspect.

You might stay at The Dawlitz, one of the best hotels in Tangier and when you're shown to your room you'll be amazed at the breathtaking view over towards the port and the beach - it has got to be one of the best views in the world. If you happen to like burgers there's a McDonalds right next to the hotel with a great view too! From your balcony, perched high on a hill you'll see the old quarter of Tangier and some of the new city. Property here is booming and many new developments are available for those wanting a fashionable city-based vacation home.

Refreshed after a good night's sleep you'll be ready to continue your inspection trip and have ample time to get a feel of the Moroccan way of life and perhaps try some traditional cuisine such as couscous or a tajine but for those who prefer food of a more familiar variety, the local McDonald’s is sure to please.

The Costa Vista is Morocco's answer to the Costa del Sol. Any properties bought here will be sure to be a worthwhile investment. Prices are very reasonable when compared to Spain and as it's a developing area, the surrounding infrastructure is all brand new, Current planning doesn't allow high rise developments along this coast so the natural beauty of the surrounding scenery will be preserved. The magnificent coastal route provides swift transport from the resort to the major centres in Tangier and Tetouan.

The beaches you'll see on your inspection tour have pale golden sands to rival those of the Caribbean with The Rif Mountains as a backdrop.

The climate of the Moroccan coast is temperate all year round and offers a wise choice for a vacation home although the main season is July and August. The months of May, June and September are less exhausting as the heat can be too oppressive at the height of the season when Moroccan sands are too hot to walk upon.

As well as the sands of Morocco, the country itself is set to become a hotspot for holiday homes.The King is an enterprising guy who has embraced tourism and there's even talk of a ‘channel tunnel’ being constructed in the next few years between North Africa and Europe.

Many developments you'll be shown on your inspection tour have whitewashed walls with colourful contrasting shutters. The gardens are lush and the pools inviting. You'll find yourself looking around to spot something you don't like - but there will be nothing! All the properties have been purpose-built to provide a vacation home in a country that awaits discovery.