Czech and Slovak investors boost foreign property and retirement portfolios

Czech buyers are increasingly acquiring real estate abroad, especially in Spain's coastal areas. According to a Forbes‑cz series and an Ipsos survey for Komerční banka, 68% of Czech clients seek seaside apartments, while 32% look for mountain homes. Motivations include a second‑home lifestyle, portfolio diversification and protection against domestic inflation, with interest spiking after the COVID‑19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Younger investors are especially active; 3% plan to purchase abroad within five years and 7% within ten years, with 11% of Gen‑Z respondents targeting a foreign property in the next decade.

In neighbouring Slovakia, a separate survey by Across Private Investments shows that the primary driver of investment is retirement security, cited by over a quarter of respondents. Slovaks also consider investing for major future purchases such as real estate or business ventures, but experts warn against using investment returns for consumer goods. They recommend a long‑term approach, matching assets to time horizons – cash‑market funds for three‑to‑five‑year goals and equity or ETF funds for longer periods – and keeping retirement accounts separate from other investment portfolios.