Ireland tops the list as the world’s second home hotspot, but then comes New Zealand with more than 92,500 searches in the past year.

Global searches for second home purchases hit an all-time high in the summer of 2020. However, since the pandemic there’s been a significant uplift in the number of people buying a second property, either in the country they’re already living in, or further afield.

Reasons for buying a second home can range from wanting to make a savvy real estate investment, owning a place in which families can spend time together, or simply having a base to escape everyday life.

To find out where in the world homeowners want a second home the most, property experts analysed global search data for terms such as “second home in [location]” and “holiday home in [location]”, revealing countries, including Ireland, New Zealand and the UK, are some of the trending second home hotspots for 2024.

Top 10 property hotspots

When looking at the countries people want a second home in most, Ireland’s rural country tops the list, with almost 100,000 searches for second homes over the past year. Nestled amongst beautiful, peaceful countryside, many people living in England regularly retreat to the country for a holiday close to home.

With easy access to the UK and the rest of Europe, many people around the world view Ireland as a desirable location to buy a property and use as a base. Average property prices also sit at around NZ$359,696, meaning many may find their property budgets stretching further when compared to their home country.

With its breath-taking natural landscapes, high quality of life and outdoor lifestyle, New Zealanders are using a second property either as a holiday home or a rental.

Rounding off the top three most in-demand locations is the United Kingdom, where more than 55,000 people around the world were found to be searching for second homes in the country over the past year.

According to  government data, 2.1 million UK households had at least one second property in 2021-2022, with just over a third using the property as a second home but most letting their second property out in the private rented sector.

European countries dominate the remaining top 10 destinations with Italy, Spain and Greece featuring as some of the most in-demand spots.

Top 10 searches by country

Rank	Country	Annual global searches for second homes
1	Ireland	98,600
2	New Zealand	92,800
3	United Kingdom	55,900
4	Equatorial Guinea	52,800
5	Italy	30,000
6	Portugal	29,200
7	Spain	29,200
8	Malta	26,300
9	Lithuania	19,200
10	Greece	17,100

Top 10 cities

As well as looking at the countries which are most in-demand for second homes, GetAgent analysed cities around the world where people are looking for second homes.

Australia’s Gold Coast ranks in the top spot, with more searches for second properties in the city than anywhere else.

Average house prices hit a record A$1.03 million in December last year. Australian cities dominate much of the top 10 with Melbourne, a coastal hotspot which is often hailed as one of the world’s most liveable cities, ranking in second place with almost 45,000 searches over the past year.

Adelaide (24,800 searches) and Perth (22,800 searches) also feature in the top 10, placing in sixth and seventh spots, respectively.

Home to a cooler climate, and ranking in third spot, is the UK city of York. According to data from GetAgent, the average asking price for properties in the walled city is about £408,570 (NZ$860,418). However, with the average rental price in the city exceeding £1,000 (NZ$2,105) a month (placing it in the top 20 most expensive cities in the UK), buying a property in the area could be a savvy investment.

Known for its breathtaking Gothic cathedral and the famous shopping street known as The Shambles, the city also offers a quaint escape for those using properties in the city as a holiday home.

Scottish cities Edinburgh (19,800 searches) and Inverness (19,200 searches) round off the top 10 second home hotspots, with homeowners regularly searching for holiday homes in both areas.

Measures were taken in Edinburgh to curb short-term holiday letting when the city faced a housing crisis in the latter half of last year.

Although property prices remain expensive by Scottish standards, the city attracts many renters from more expensive locations in the UK who can pay higher property prices than locals can afford.

In addition, the city’s global reputation as a tourist must-visit destination encouraged many to invest in holiday letting properties, and so to protect those seeking residential properties in the city, the Scottish government implemented a countrywide policy requiring all operators of self-catering residences to apply for planning permission before hosting short-term guests.

Even with these measures, it seems people are still keen to invest in second properties in Edinburgh as a holiday home or rental.

Top 10 searches by city

Rank	City	Country	Annual global searches for second homes
1	Gold Coast	Australia	49,200
2	Melbourne	Australia	44,900
3	York	United Kingdom	33,800
4	Cape Town	South Africa	32,900
5	Malaga	Spain	26,200
6	Adelaide	Australia	24,800
7	Perth	Australia	22,800
8	Auckland	New Zealand	21,500
9	Edinburgh	United Kingdom	19,800
10	Inverness	United Kingdom	19,200

GetAgent chief executive and founder Colby Short says the study has revealed some of the most desirable locations for a second home, with many not only being good investments as part of a portfolio, but also making great holiday homes for homeowners themselves.

Many of the in-demand destinations revealed in the research are in areas of natural beauty, and provide easy access to other desirable spots, he says.

“However, whether you’re making your first foray into rentals, or eyeing up a holiday home on the coast, second house purchases aren’t known for being cheap.

“While the process of purchasing a second property often presents more hoops to jump through (and quite often significantly higher costs too) it’s clear that in desirable locations there is also money to be made - either by putting the house on the rental market, or by transforming the property into a holiday home that can be rented out.

“However, it’s completely understandable that second home ownership is a contentious subject in areas where local residents are getting priced out of the market by holiday homes which are rarely inhabited. Measures will likely need to be taken in the future if the second property market continues to grow, in order to keep house prices as affordable as possible,” Short says.