UltimateGuide Property
Our favourites
AVA’s crown above Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Marina (rendering) The Brooklyn Tower at sunrise, with Manhattan beyond Wardian’s two towers among Canary Wharf’s skyline at night Harbourside Residences rising over the Darling Harbour promenade (rendering)

Independent · Edited · Checked at source

International property, guide by guide

Latest addition Four Seasons Private Residences Istanbul, Istanbul

Dubai · Under constructionAVA at Palm Jumeirah, Dorchester Collection Courtesy of AVA at Palm Jumeirah, Dorchester CollectionNew York · Selling nowThe Brooklyn Tower Courtesy of The Brooklyn TowerLondon · CompletedWardian London Courtesy of Wardian LondonSydney · Under constructionHarbourside Residences Courtesy of Harbourside Residences

Checked against official sources

The red carriages of the Glacier Express crossing the stone arches of the Landwasser Viaduct below a snow-capped peakSister guideULTIMATE Rail JourneysThe great train journeys and where to book themA cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, MontenegroSister guideULTIMATE CruisesLines, ships and itineraries, from river to expeditionThe Matterhorn in winter above ZermattSister guideULTIMATE Ski ResortsSeason dates, hotels and ski schools, resort by resortThe marina residences and beach at Palm Cay, New Providence, the BahamasReal EstateThe BahamasIslands, agents and how foreigners buy

Prime property, market by market, from Mayfair to Dubai

Every market in the ULTIMATE network where people buy a home or a second home: the prime neighbourhoods and what they are like to live in, the estate agents, developers and official bodies (listed A–Z, never ranked), the new developments by status, and how buying works, from the taxes to the rules for foreign buyers. Each market links to its full city guide.

We check every listing against its own website or an official source, we never publish prices, and nobody pays to be included.

Watch

On film

Official films from the places in our guide. Choose one to watch it beside our review.

  1. Estate agentBarbados Sotheby’s International RealtyWest coast
  2. Real estate brokerageKeller Williams NYCMadison Avenue
  3. Real estate brokerageHoward Hanna NYCMidtown
  4. DeveloperEarls Court Development CompanyLondon
  5. DeveloperNakheelDubai
  6. Luxury brokerageDubai Sotheby’s International RealtyDubai
  7. Residential developmentBay House (Testimonio II)Larvotto · Boulevard d’Italie
  8. Estate agentKnight FrankMayfair

All 82 films

Europe

The markets: Europe

Europe’s prime markets, guide by guide: where to live, who sells and what is being built, from London and the Riviera to Belgrade and Helsinki.

The Alhambra in Granada in the evening lightPropertyAndalusiaSeville, Granada and the Alhambra, Córdoba, Málaga, Cádiz and…The Sagrada Família lit up at nightPropertyBarcelonaGaudí and the Sagrada Família, the Gothic Quarter, four…Belgrade's old town and the spire of the Cathedral Church of St Michael above the Sava at sunsetPropertyBelgradeWhere the Sava meets the Danube: a buzzing capital of art,…The Baie des Anges, NicePropertyFrench RivieraNice, Cannes, Antibes, Cap Ferrat, Èze, Menton, Saint-Tropez…Helsinki Cathedral above the South HarbourPropertyHelsinkiSuomenlinna and the South Harbour, saunas by the sea, Aalto and…

Our advice

Take independent legal advice from the start, and use a lawyer who works for you, not the seller.

  1. PropertyIbizaDalt Vila’s UNESCO walls, Es Vedrà, three MICHELIN-starred…

Our advice

Before you view

Appoint a solicitor before you start viewing, get your identity and funds documents ready, and take tax advice in both countries before you make an offer. Buying in London from overseas

North America

North America

New York and Los Angeles: Manhattan’s towers and DUMBO, Beverly Hills and the beach.

Downtown Los Angeles at sunset beneath the snow-capped San Gabriel MountainsReal EstateLos AngelesHollywood and the Walk of Fame, Beverly Hills’ grand hotels,…The New York City skyline from Top of the RockReal EstateNew YorkManhattan’s grand hotels and MICHELIN dining, Broadway and the…

Caribbean

Caribbean

The Bahamas, Barbados and St Lucia: island homes from the Platinum West Coast to the Pitons.

The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. JamesReal EstateBarbadosThe Platinum West Coast and Sandy Lane, UNESCO-listed…Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed PitonsReal EstateSt LuciaThe UNESCO Pitons and Soufrière’s drive-in volcano, Marigot…

The ULTIMATE letter

Prime property in your inbox

An occasional email with new markets, new developments and our latest in-depth property features. No spam, ever.

Asia

The Grand Palace reflected at dawnPropertyBangkokThe Grand Palace and Wat Arun on the river, the grand hotels of…Hong Kong Island and the harbour at night from Victoria PeakPropertyHong KongThe harbour from the Peak, the Star Ferry, Cantonese dining…The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbourPropertyMumbaiThe Taj and the Gateway of India, Marine Drive’s Queen’s…

Middle East & North Africa

Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hourPropertyDubaiBurj Khalifa and the Fountain, abras on the Creek, resorts on…

Explore

Explore the guide

Every market side by side: where to live, who sells, what is being built, who designs and signs, and how buying works.

Berkeley Square, MayfairWhere to livePrime neighbourhoodsMarket by marketMount Street, MayfairWho sellsAgents & brokersListed A–Z, never rankedThe towers of Billionaires’ Row, Manhattan, with one still under constructionWho buildsDevelopersAnd what they are buildingThe Park Meadows towers across a garden pond (rendering)What’s newNew developmentsBy status, no pricesRobert Adam’s library at Kenwood House, HampsteadWho designsArchitects & surveyorsAnd interior designers

How we list

Agents are listed A–Z, never ranked, and new developments by status. We never publish prices.

  1. Who signsLawyers & notariesAnd the registers
  2. The rulesHow buying worksFrom official sources
  3. ToolsCalculatorsMortgage and tax

The ULTIMATE City Guides around the world

See all Europe

Planning a longer journey? Each city in the network has its own independent guide, written with the same care and checked place by place. Here are the guides that are live, with more on the way.

Canal houses and bridges in Amsterdamthe NetherlandsULTIMATE AmsterdamThe canal ring, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, canal-house hotels, twenty MICHELIN-starred tables, brown cafés, and day trips to Haarlem and Keukenhof.The Alhambra in Granada in the evening lightSpainULTIMATE AndalusiaSeville, Granada and the Alhambra, Córdoba, Málaga, Cádiz and Jerez, Ronda and the white villages, Doñana and Cabo de Gata.The floodlit Acropolis and Parthenon at dusk, seen from Philopappos HillGreeceULTIMATE AthensThe Acropolis and the Plaka, rooftop bars facing the Parthenon, the Athens Riviera and the Greek islands: our original guide, and our deepest.The road winding out to the lighthouse on Cap de Formentor, Mallorca, above the open seaSpainULTIMATE Balearic IslandsMallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera side by side, and how to hop between them by ferry.The Church of St John at Kaneo above Lake Ohrid, North MacedoniaOur sister guideULTIMATE The BalkansOur magazine of the Balkans: the food, markets, nature, seasons and cinema of seven countries, linked to every Balkan city guide.The Sagrada Família lit up at nightSpainULTIMATE BarcelonaGaudí and the Sagrada Família, the Gothic Quarter, four Three-Star MICHELIN kitchens, the beaches and day trips to Montserrat and Girona.

See all 93 guides

HOT TOPICS · Have Your Say

The latest from our readers: buyers, owners and agents on the markets, the paperwork and the neighbourhoods.

    Have your say in HOT TOPICS

    The markets at a glance

    Andalusia

    Seville, Granada and the Alhambra, Córdoba, Málaga, Cádiz and Jerez, Ronda and the white villages, Doñana and Cabo de Gata.

    Barcelona

    Gaudí and the Sagrada Família, the Gothic Quarter, four Three-Star MICHELIN kitchens, the beaches and day trips to Montserrat and Girona.

    Belgrade

    Where the Sava meets the Danube: a buzzing capital of art, classical music and famous nightlife, with a new waterfront and the mountains of Zlatibor and Kopaonik.

    French Riviera

    Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Cap Ferrat, Èze, Menton, Saint-Tropez and Cassis: palace hotels, three-star tables, beach clubs, the Festival de Cannes and the painters’ coast.

    Helsinki

    Suomenlinna and the South Harbour, saunas by the sea, Aalto and the Design District, two-starred Palace and day trips to Porvoo and Tallinn.

    Ibiza

    Dalt Vila’s UNESCO walls, Es Vedrà, three MICHELIN-starred kitchens, the beach clubs and the quiet north, 30 minutes from Formentera.

    London

    Royal palaces and the Thames, great museums, West End theatre, grand hotels, and the restaurants and bars of Soho, Mayfair and the City.

    Madrid

    The Prado and El Retiro, the Royal Palace, DiverXO’s three stars and cocido since 1870, with day trips to Toledo and Segovia.

    Mallorca

    Palma’s cathedral and palace hotels, the UNESCO Tramuntana, Deià and Sóller, nine MICHELIN-starred kitchens, and Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.

    Tuscany

    Florence, Chianti, Siena, the Val d’Orcia, Pisa and Lucca, Versilia, Bolgheri, the Maremma, Arezzo and Elba.

    Valencia

    Calatrava’s City of Arts and Sciences, the Gothic Lonja, paella by the sea, Las Fallas and the nine-kilometre Turia Garden.

    Los Angeles

    Hollywood and the Walk of Fame, Beverly Hills’ grand hotels, the Sunset Strip, the Getty and the beaches from Santa Monica to Malibu.

    New York

    Manhattan’s grand hotels and MICHELIN dining, Broadway and the Met, Fifth Avenue shopping, Central Park and the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO.

    The Bahamas

    Seven hundred islands: Nassau and Paradise Island, the Exuma Cays and the swimming pigs, Harbour Island’s pink sand, marinas and island hopping.

    Barbados

    The Platinum West Coast and Sandy Lane, UNESCO-listed Bridgetown, rum where it was born, Friday nights in Oistins and the wild Atlantic east.

    St Lucia

    The UNESCO Pitons and Soufrière’s drive-in volcano, Marigot Bay, Rodney Bay and the Gros Islet street party, reefs, rum and cocoa.

    Bangkok

    The Grand Palace and Wat Arun on the river, the grand hotels of Charoen Krung, MICHELIN stars from street food to tasting menus, rooftop bars and the Thai islands.

    Hong Kong

    The harbour from the Peak, the Star Ferry, Cantonese dining rooms with MICHELIN stars, dim sum in the lanes of Central and the museums of West Kowloon.

    Mumbai

    The Taj and the Gateway of India, Marine Drive’s Queen’s Necklace, three UNESCO sites, modern Indian restaurants and day trips to Elephanta and the Ghats.

    Dubai

    Burj Khalifa and the Fountain, abras on the Creek, resorts on the Palm, every MICHELIN star of 2026 and day trips to Abu Dhabi and Hatta.

    Our favourites right now

    Neighbourhoods

    1. 1El Born and the Gothic QuarterEl Born · Neighbourhood
    2. 2Poblenou and Diagonal MarPoblenou · Neighbourhood
    3. 3The Quadrat d’Or, Dreta de l’EixampleEixample · Neighbourhood
    See all 66

    Agents

    1. 1Dils Lucas Fox MálagaMálaga · Estate agent
    2. 2Engel & Völkers MálagaMálaga · Estate agent
    3. 3Engel & Völkers SevillaSeville · Estate agent
    See all 137

    Developers

    1. 1Belgrade WaterfrontBelgrade Waterfront · New homes by the developer
    2. 2Eagle HillsBelgrade · Developer
    3. 3BallymoreNine Elms · Developer
    See all 22

    Developments

    1. 1Nobu Residences Park Meadows AmsterdamOud-Zuid · Branded residences
    2. 2Sierra Blanca TowerMálaga · Seafront residential tower
    3. 3Village Verde, SotograndeSotogrande · Apartments and Sky Villas
    See all 258

    Services

    1. 1ARK ArchitectsAndalusia · Architects
    2. 2Colegio de Arquitectos de MálagaAndalusia · Professional college
    3. 3Jaime Beriestain StudioBarcelona · Interior designers
    See all 48

    Legal

    1. 1Garrigues MálagaAndalusia · Law firm
    2. 2LawbirdAndalusia · Law firm
    3. 3Consejo General del NotariadoAndalusia · Official body
    See all 51

    Buying

    1. 1Andalusia: the NIE, the notary and the end of the golden visaAndalusia · In depth
    2. 2Agents: check the registerBarcelona · Official register
    3. 3Barcelona: Modernista flats, Sarrià villas and Poblenou loftsEixample · In depth
    See all 17