Buying a Place Abroad: Processes of Recreational Property Acquisition

Abstract

In the search for ‘the good life,’ moving to warmer destinations is a growing trend among affluent individuals from the northern parts of Europe and North America. Induced by quality-of-life drivers, property acquisition is an integral part of this search. Property acquisition behavior has earlier been conceptualized in various models of consumer behavior; however, these models are not sophisticated enough to explain the multiple drivers and complexity of lifestyle- and leisure-led acquisitions, especially if they are international in scope. In this paper, the process of recreational property acquisition is explored, based on thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with Swedes in Malta. Acquisition is found to be influenced by both internal drivers and motives, and external factors that are highly contextualized. This study explains the importance of the contextual frameworks and external influences on decision-making, and conceptualizes the process of international recreational property acquisition.