IT IS a common affliction among city-dwellers: eventually the fizz goes out of having all those theatres on one’s doorstep, and the urban grind becomes, well, too grinding. In need of more space, the city-dwellers dream of moving to the country and commuting to the office. Sound familiar? Then turn to our commuter special in this issue– but take care if you are tempted to try it from overseas. Take this emigration stress test first: www.hifx.co.uk/stress_calculator . Created by the currency dealer HiFX and mathematicians and psychologists at The Mind Lab, this nine-question quiz gauges whether you are likely to find the experience “very stressful” or exceptionally easy. The website covers the top ten emigration destinations worldwide and includes helpful tips and advice.

Spanishhomeauctions.com, which launched this week, takes eBay’s approach to selling property. Struggling sellers advertise their property and invite bids, but do not disclose a reserve price; the appeal to buyers is the possibility of picking up a bargain. On Costa de la Luz, for example, a four-bedroom villa with a guide price (set by the seller) of €370,000 (£260,000) is inviting bids of more than €222,000. Buying property blind on the internet? You’d better have your wits about you.

Another new property-search website is justoverseas.co.uk – it covers 17 countries and has just added Germany to its repertoire.

France will still be smarting after its defeat in the Rugby World Cup, but our Gallic cousins will take heart that they are winners when it comes to British buyers: last month, France was most searched-for destination on Rightmoveoverseas.co.uk. lucia.adams@timesonline.co.uk

For buying guides and to search thousands of properties for sale worldwide to to: timesonline.co.uk/overseasproperty

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