Best Places in the World to Work from Home
Over the past two years of the pandemic, remote workers have been escaping to locations like Devon and Cornwall. But what about looking further afield?
The best destinations in the world to work remotely have been ranked by the Savills Executive Nomad Index, with Lisbon topping the list. It’s followed by sunny Miami, then Dubai, the Algarve region in southern Portugal, Barbados in the Caribbean and the Spanish City Barcelona, on the Mediterranean Coast.
The Savills Executive Nomad Index ranks 15 destinations for long-term remote workers. All either have a digital nomad visa programme, or equivalent, or in the case of the US and European countries, are already part of a large economic bloc that allows free movement of people for living or work. They offer favourable climates year-round, a high quality of life and have established prime residential markets.
Fig 1 The Savills Executive Nomad Index 2022
Provided travel connections are good and high-speed internet is reliable, individuals and families are motivated to relocate and are placing a greater emphasis on health, wellness and overall lifestyle.
Mohammad Butt, Barcelona Office Director, Lucas Fox commented: “As the workplace has evolved post-Covid-19 to a new, more flexible hybrid-model, professionals are turning to what were previously holiday-homes markets into year-round ones.
“The modern executive nomad, a distant cousin of the freelance creative working from far flung parts of the world, now own an apartment in Barcelona, attends Zoom calls from an airy home offices, and hops on a flight back to London, for team meetings and training. Over the last 12 months, we have seen a 41% rise in professionals from London and the South East, buying properties in Barcelona.
“Tech executives and entrepreneurs are also drawn by Barcelona’s burgeoning status as a tech hub. 22@ is a neighbourhood built where innovation, creativity, design and technology have replaced the old factories as the economic driving force. There are than 1,500 companies linked to the media, IT, energy, design and scientific research. Poblenou’s industrial land was the setting for Barcelona’s industrialisation and these days it is home to a knowledge cluster.
“Real estate costs are low and there is a strong local talent pool. Companies are moving their headquarters to Barcelona including Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft specialising in the application of artificial intelligence technologies, and PepsiCo, which has installed its global digital centre in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, with a planned investment of 70 million euros. The area is becoming more and more international.
‘Barcelona offers a privileged location on the Mediterranean Coast, presiding over a rich and fertile gateway region between France and Spain. Barcelona offers them connectivity, favourable climates and a high quality of life, and just over a two-hour flight from London.
With outstanding sights and culture, the city attracts 10 million visitors pre-Covid, making it one of the world’s top 20 tourist destinations.”
Barcelona also takes fifth place for ‘urban quality’ according to The Economist Intelligence Unit 2021 ranking, just after Miami. The Catalan Capital is often described as ‘having it all’. Barcelona stands as a safe investment compared to many other cities across Spain and internationally.
Barcelona Apartments for Sale
This excellent 1-bedroom apartment with terrace, in the Poblenou district of Barcelona offers a wide variety of shops, bars and restaurants, and is also very well connected to the entire city by public transport. The beach is only a 10-minute walk away. 420 euros.
https://www.lucasfox.com/property-for-sale/spain/barcelona/bcn-city/poble-nou/loft/bcn35551.html
Or consider this new build, 2-bedroom loft with terrace, in Poblenou, Barcelona for 980,000 euros.
Lucas Fox offers a bespoke residency service to non-EU buyers, with a specialised team focusing on ensuring the best possible property for residency clients. Experts guide investors every step of the way, including any administrative or language issues, recommending legal services and surveyors, as well as help with letting the property once the purchase is complete.
Lucas Fox is a full-service real estate agency offering high quality residential homes and a comprehensive range of property services to national and international clients. Lucas Fox extends far beyond what traditional Spanish real estate agencies provide, offering residential sales; residential lettings; new developments; property management; investment consultancy; Golden Visa; bespoke marketing; and Lucas Fox Prime.
For more information about purchasing property in exchange for residency, please visit www.lucasfox.com or telephone +34 933 562 989.
