Where next for investing overseas? It seems the smart money is heading for places like Thailand, Dubai and the US. The US? Yes, says Nadja Franke, one of the partners in Engel & Völkers new Irish franchise operation which will open its offices in Dublin and Cork next month. It can offer homes in Florida and The Hamptons, near New York, to investors who see opportunities in the bad news from the US.

E&V is a big international franchise with over 300 offices in 22 countries "and, as Irish people are keen to invest worldwide, we thought it would be good to open here", says Nadja, whose business partner is Ron Kruger. Plus "the Irish property market is really interesting with many properties in the south and west of the country fitting into our exclusive high end concept". (It has taken Dromgarriff Estate in Glengarriff, west Cork, the architect-designed resort previously for sale through Colliers onto its books - a snip at €9.3 million.)

Abroad, the agency network has 124 lagoon-front properties in Benguela Cove, a wine estate 45 minutes from Cape Town airport in South Africa, costing from €175,000, as well as properties in the Troia resort near the Algarve from €280,000 to €1.5 million. The agency, launched in Hamburg in 1977, is strong in places like Ibiza and Majorca, eastern Europe and has a heavy presence in South Africa. It opened two UK offices three years ago.