A recent survey conducted by Green Life Property Development, a Bulgarian hotel resort construction company reveals that Russian buyers have started to replace Brits and Irish buyers’ to being the predominant purchasers’ of new build Bulgarian resort/lifestyle properties. With Russians currently accounting for a 90 per cent chunk of all Bulgarian property purchases at the moment according to Green Life, other nationals bucking up the Bulgarian property buying trend are Scandinavian and Romanian buyers.

As the global economy was engulfed in crisis last week over 6,000 Russians were searching for investment bargains at the third Moscow International Property Show. The two-day show with 154 exhibitors was rated an outstanding success by participants and organisers, the Ai Group. The two-day show attracted 6,293 visitors to stands representing investment class properties in 28 countries and left most participants exhausted and out of brochures.

The headlines speak for themselves. "From Russia—with Cash," waxes the Wall Street Journal. "Russians snap up Australian luxury," declares the BBC. "You are not imagining that Russian buying spree," confirms The New York Observer. "Despite crisis, wealthy Russians are buying up coastal Montenegro," writes the The New York Times. Cash clad Russians have arrived at the international property scene with a bang and they are looking to buy prized real estate through out the world.

The Gold Coast of Australia has long been known for its great surf, beaches and eternal warm sunny weather. Backpackers from far and wide have always made the Gold Coast their second home from home for many years.

Russians are investing heavily in overseas property, and even though the Russian stock market continues to suffer (and there will approximately 50% less billionaires in Russia this time next year), there are ongoing reasons for wealthy Russians to search for prestigious properties to buy as a long-term investment.

Oligarchs favour trophy homes of white stucco with their own parking areas in Chelsea, Belgravia and Mayfair, but the price must be right! According to the Timesonline web magazine, despite the international economic crisis, some Russian oligarchs can still afford to treat themselves to such British status-symbols as white-stuccoed houses in Belgravia. However, the price must be right!