THERE is by all accounts a pent-up demand for a home in the sun among the British, particularly those of a certain generation, which may not be surprising given the amount of TV space devoted to the subject.
At this time of year the simmering desire to escape the winter tends to boil over but owing to the economic crisis of 2008 and the withdrawal of bank lending, most people will have to make do with a holiday in the sun rather than their very own villa.
Many fools rushed in before the crisis, snapping up off-plan properties in places such as Cyprus, Spain, Portugal and the Caribbean without always taking precautions to protect their investments. Some lost their life savings, others are still nursing large debts.
At the same time some developers (and banks) took customers to the cleaners, sometimes selling land and titles that did not properly belong to them or did not have planning permission.
The result overall has been somewhat catastrophic for the overseas property industry, which today is a shadow of its former self.
Yet the demand for a place in the sun is still there, if only people and banks can regain their faith in such a purchase.
Last month, a step in this direction was taken when the Association of International Property Professionals (AIPP) took its battle for better standards and more protection for consumers to Westminster.
At a reception at the Palace of Westminster AIPP director Peter Robinson said there was a need for the Government to take an interest in the overseas property industry given that thousands of British people already live abroad and many more are expected to buy overseas property in the next decades.
He said: "An overseas home is a chunky purchase and people in their later years can't afford to lose money. Most have a positive experience but there have always been sharks operating in this field.
"Some take high commissions, others offer poor after-sales service and you have lawyers nodding through purchases."
With the changes to pension rules that come into effect next year, the market is showing signs of picking up, judging by buyer enquiries and attendance at A Place In The Sun Live shows.
Mr Robinson added: "Rightmove has just surveyed 5,000 people about their intentions and found that 30,000 people have bought overseas this year, 10,000 in Spain.
"Next year the numbers are expected to be even higher. There's a pent-up demand for a modest place abroad and it is a good time to buy.
A lot of banks have held back stock that is now beginning to wash into the market."
However, Mr Robinson said the sharks were still circling, which was why AIPP had called for the formation of an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) to cover foreign property matters.
Some 20 MPs must sign up to the petition for an APPG to be formed and Mr Robinson hopes it may be possible to get the ball rolling as early as next month.
Speaking of Cyprus, where the title deed scandal has done huge damage to the market, he said there were certain "intractable" problems. A number of large developers there were also on the boards of banks from which they borrowed money.
A separate APPG set up a couple of years ago in response to pressure from unhappy British buyers in Cyprus has not made as much progress as expected and Mr Robinson is hoping it will join forces with his group, if as expected it gets the go-ahead.
"I will be saying that we are better together," he said, adapting the motto used by the No campaigners during the Scottish referendum.
Mr Robinson is also calling for the Financial Conduct Authority to include overseas property in its latest ScamSmart investor guide (scamsmart.fca.org.uk). The web guide lists a variety of investments in a drop-down menu that ranges from wine to bamboo and includes land overseas but fails to list a single overseas property developer.
Last month's Westminster event also marked the launch of the AIPP Legal Working Group, set up to offer British buyers up to five hours of legal work, with a free initial hour-long consultation and a free review of up to 50 pages of documentation.
