British pensions are in a mess. Alleged mis-selling during the early and mid-nineties, along with underperforming investment funds have made many British people look elsewhere to invest for their sunset years. After a lifetime of working and saving hard, the sad truth is that most pensions do not offer a matching quality of life after retirement. The most popular alternative to investing in a traditional pension is now to invest that money in property.

The advantages of buying property are various. If you choose to buy property, you can expect a rental income that grows roughly in line with inflation. The real gains, however, are usually to be found on the value of the property itself. You are also put in a position where you can sell the property if you wish to, therefore releasing the equity to finance whatever ambitions you may have for your retirement.

Buying in the UK is not an option that is particularly appealing right now. High prices represent poor value in comparison to overseas property. A new breed of enlightened investors would rather buy Brazil properties than Birmingham properties, Dubai properties than Doncaster properties. It's little wonder really, as international travel continues to get cheaper and more companies are set up every year to help channel money from rich countries in Western Europe and North America to countries where property is more affordable and the cost of living is significantly lower.

Within Europe, two of the most popular examples of this trend for buying bargain property abroad as an investment are Bulgaria and Romania. Anyone with the foresight to purchase a Bulgaria ski apartment in the late 1990s will have seen phenomenal returns on their initial investment. They will also have access to some of the great 'undiscovered' skiing in Europe at prices that the crowded resorts of France, Austria and Germany cannot match. Pamporovo is a particular favourite and is one of the real investment hotspots in the country.

Romania is a great place to invest now as membership of the EU looks set to fix any existing infrastructure problems that may have deterred investors in the past. It is easy to find a whole range of investment property in Romania on the internet, where there are many sites dedicated to finding that perfect investment property abroad. Finding property on the internet allows you to compare your investment with what would have been possible with the same money in Britain - this is usually a satisfying comparison. A property sale Morocco will always represent significantly better value than anything on the market in the United Kingdom, with the added bonus of year-round sunshine and one of the world's unique cultures.

If you are starting to save for your retirement, you should consider all options available to you before giving your money to a pension company.