Spanish Property Market Remains ‘Ultra Price Sensitive’

The Spanish property market has started to whirr back into motion, but it remains highly price sensitive. Only if the price is right will the property sell.

Chris Mercer, director of the southern Spanish real estate company, Mercers, comments: “I can cite a recent example to emphasise the point.  We had a resale townhouse at La Noria, in the ancient Moorish town of Vejer de la Frontera, which was priced at €180,000 but after consulting with Mercers the vendor reduced the property to €150,000.  Mercers conducted an open day on an October Saturday and, of the five Spanish couples who attended, one put down €1,000 in cash and has since paid a full €3,000 deposit. We could have sold this three bedroom property to three of the potential buyers, without any doubt.”

Chris continues: “This scenario prompted us into having a conversation with La Noria’s developer to see if we could negotiate price discounts on the remaining units of the final phase as clearly, although there are buyers out there, they’re ultra price sensitive. Although he couldn’t quite match €150,000, mainly due to the fact that final phase homes are larger and have individual garaging, we’re now in a position to offer three bedroom townhouses with access to a communal swimming pool for €165,000.  This is incredible as their initial sales price in 2007 was €285,000 – a discount of 42 per cent. With an e-campaign to our database and another open day we are confident we can sell plenty more.”

Incredible vistas

Squeezed between the sierras and the sea on a hilltop some 200 metres above sea-level, Vejer de la Frontera mixes labyrinthine whitewashed streets with incredible vistas of the surrounding natural park and sweeping sandy coastline. Vejer is within easy access of Gibraltar (only 45 minutes), Europe’s oldest city Cádiz (20 minutes), Jerez International Airport (35 minutes) and within ten minutes of the famous, near-deserted beaches of the Costa de la Luz.

La Noria, Vejer de la Frontera, Spain

La Noria is situated on the Atlantic side of Vejer with many of the properties having distant views of the African continent. Very strict planning rules are enforced to ensure that all new properties blend seamlessly into the old town.

On the market in La Noria:

Three-bedroom townhouse (VEJ007)

Brand new Andalucian style mid-terrace townhouse extending over 105m² with security blinds and underground parking. The home has three bedrooms, the master with a Juliette balcony, two bathrooms and a fully equipped kitchen. Outdoor space includes both front and rear patios as well as a private rooftop solarium with far-reaching countryside views. The property accesses a communal swimming pool while Montenmedio Golf and Country Club with its excellent golfing and equestrian facilities is within a ten minute drive.

Price €155,000 discounted from €230,000 – a 33 per cent reduction.

Three-bedroom townhouse (VEJ012)

Remaining brand new units on the most recent phase of La Noria which is at the highest point of the development and offers the best views and orientation. Extending over 122m² these three-bedroom, two-bathroom homes benefit from private garaging as well as the typical La Noria distribution of front and rear patios and a private rooftop space ideal for soaking up the sun and the countryside views. The communal swimming pool is within a short walk as is the bustling town centre with its bars, restaurants and retail facilities.

Price €165,000 discounted from €285,000 in 2007 – a 42 per cent reduction.

Contact Mercers Costa de la Luz on 00 34 956 329 572, UK Local Rate 0845 017 7805 or visit www.spanishproperty.co.uk

© Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Helping to make Spanish property purchases safe

‘Safe Purchase Spain’ has launched in Spain as estate agents, the legal profession and private owners seek to ensure that their properties have the protection of a real insurance-backed guarantee that provides legal support and financial compensation for 20 years after buyers have purchased their new home.

Ian Hawkins firmly believes that house buyers want to protect their investment against unforeseen future difficulties and he came up with the concept after working for 10 years as an estate agent in Spain dealing with clients with very real concerns

“Home buyers can now confidently pick up the keys to their new Spanish property knowing they have 20 years protection by investing in a Safe Purchase Guarantee,” says Ian Hawkins, director at Safe Purchase Spain.

“Working within a largely unregulated industry I always acknowledged the excellent work of other property professional agents and lawyers committed to advising and helping their clients. This commitment is a vital ingredient in the Safe Purchase process.

“Spain has had a lot of bad press in recent years but the country still has a great deal of appeal to foreign buyers, not least the weather, friendly locals, infrastructure and easy and cheap accessibility from the UK and Northern Europe. I genuinely feel that people want to buy here but have held back for fear of losing a major investment. This way they can buy without worry.”

What exactly is Safe Purchase and what does it offer?

Exclusively through the network of Safe Purchase Certified Partners, the Safe Purchase Guarantee is available to buyers and existing owners of property in Spain, the Balearic and Canary Islands and provides insurance cover against fraud, identity theft, illegal building licenses, demolition orders, community disputes, unfair quotas, hidden defects, vendors and builders debts, administrative procedures, access problems, hidden leases, defective property sizes, border disputes, land registry inscription problems, illegal vendors and much more.

The Safe Purchase Guarantee includes a title insurance policy underwritten by Caser Seguros, one of Spain’s largest and best known residential insurance companies, established since 1942. It provides cover for 20 years from the first day of ownership and up to 360,000 Euros in compensation for monetary losses. Continued Ian, “Buyers can have a great deal of confidence by working with companies where they see the distinctive Safe Purchase logo.

Spain attracts homebuyers from all over Europe

“All our agents offer the Guarantee as an inclusive part of their services, so it’s essentially free to property buyers. Buyers will also be pleased to know that we visit every agent personally and collect relevant information about the company and its owners. We ask them to sign our Safe Purchase Code of Professional Practice and a statement to confirm that they have not been previously convicted of any type of fraud, money laundering or financial irregularities.

“This is a first for the industry. We have also worked closely with lawyers to create a unique ‘legal protocol’ for buyers which clearly shows what they can expect from a Spanish lawyer and gives them important reference points for discussion as they pertain to a given property.”

The Safe Purchase Guarantee provides:-

• 20 years protection based on the 130 year old US model of title insurance
• Free home contents insurance for 12 months
• Savings of at least 200 euros on legal fees
• Annual savings of up to 25% on home, health, life, car and funeral insurances
• Preferential advertising rates with www.holidaylettings.co.uk
• Guaranteed exchange rates and savings on bank charges with Moneycorp

Concluded Ian, “Safe Purchase is a process that conveys confidence, trust and provides real guarantees to buyers for the first time. Spain badly needs a credibility boost, particularly when so many agents are finding it hard to sell in the current market place, and we are confident that this is the way to do it.

“Our objective is to work with those estate agents committed to industry ‘best practice’ who understand the very real concerns of property buyers after years of negative publicity for the industry as a whole. Recognising that prevention is better than cure, our Certified Agents have now added a whole new dimension to the words ‘after-sales service’.

“The Safe Purchase initiative, therefore, represents a major leap forward for property professionals and those that really matter, their clients! At last there is a way to buy property in Spain with real guarantees.”

For more information on Safe Purchase Spain, go on-line at www.safepurchasespain.com or call: 00 34 96 647 3215

© Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Know your European road signs

Whether you’re taking your car abroad this Christmas because you own a second home, you’re looking for a property to buy or you’re just going on holiday, it’s worthwhile making sure you understand the roadsigns you’ll come across. You’ll be that much safer.

Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) the long stay airport parking and travel extras specialist, has put together a table of European road signs for the ‘Know Before You Go’ section of its website.

The table highlights unusual road signs found in popular holiday destinations in Europe. Many road signs in Europe are internationally standardised. However, recent research by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has found that tourists driving in foreign countries are ‘three times more likely to be involved in an accident abroad due to ignorance of local traffic laws’.

Helping travellers

The APH research table highlights the unusual signs that could confuse drivers and found that while France has few signs that differ from those in the UK, Germany has a number of confusing ones including the ‘path of priority road’ sign and ‘city speed limit’ signs.

Some of the Swedish road signs also have a slight variation on the international signing system. For example, the ‘Warning’ sign in Sweden is a yellow triangle with a red border and a black vertical line in the centre while in the UK, the sign is a white triangle with a red border with an exclamation mark in the centre and a small rectangular sign underneath.

Nick Caunter, managing director of APH, says: “More and more holidaymakers choose to hire a car in Europe or drive their own car abroad, so we felt it was important to highlight the most confusing European road signs for drivers.

The table helps travellers to study the road signs they’ll come across at their holiday destination before leaving the UK and they can also print off the table from the ‘Know Before You Go’ section of our website, and take it abroad with them”.

APH is also a carbon-balanced company and has, through the World Land Trust, helped purchase more than 1,000 acres of Belize rainforest. Airport Parking and Hotels Ltd is one of the UK’s leading booking agencies and has over 29 years’ experience as a retailer of pre-booked airport parking and travel extras. APH offers parking at all major UK airports, ports and Eurotunnel terminals plus airport hotels packaged with parking, airport lounges, travel insurance, car hire and holiday taxis.

For further information visit www.aph.com or call 01342 859515.

Road Sign	Country	Meaning
	Throughout Mainland Europe	Snow Chains Obligatory
	Throughout Mainland Europe	No Stopping
	Throughout Mainland Europe	No waiting or parking
	Throughout Mainland Europe	Give way
	Throughout Mainland Europe	No traffic at all
	Throughout Mainland Europe	Centre of Town
	Throughout Mainland Europe	Priority to the right
	Throughout Mainland Europe	End of priority road
	France	No cars or bikes
	France	Parking start and end
	Germany	Bus/Tram Stop
	Germany	One way
	Germany	Path of priority road is seen beneath the diamond-shaped ”priority sign“
	Germany	City limit (unless posted otherwise the speed limit in a town is 50km/h (31mph)
	Germany	End of city limits
	Italy	No vehicles carrying explosives
	Italy	Pay toll
	Italy	Customs
	Sweden	Junction
	Sweden	Warning
	Norway	Countdown to level crossing
	Norway	Passing without stopping prohibited at customs
	Norway	End of maximum recommended speed
	Norway	Lay-by or passing place
	Norway	National Heritage
	Norway	Accident
	Poland	Toll
	Republic of Ireland	Yield
	Republic of Ireland	Junction at corner with a minor road sign.
	Republic of Ireland	Unguarded Level Crossing

© Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Homes in Malta

Malta has gone through something of a metamorphosis in recent years. This beautiful Mediterranean island, midway between Sicily and the North African coast, has much to offer investors and is being discovered as a destination of choice for businesses, particularly those in IT services, financial and insurance sectors.

“Malta is no longer a location that is out of sight of investors, especially those who operate back office operations, e-gaming, financial services and others”, says Benjamin Muscat, CEO at Midi plc in Malta. “There’s a growing interest from these kinds of businesses. People come because they are attracted by a well-educated, predominantly English-speaking population, and also by the easy, safe and warm environment that Malta provides to a potential investor establishing a base here.

“The pharmaceutical sector, for example, is still doing very well on the island. We have created a particular niche with complementary manufacturing investments that are undertaken to support even larger investments. This is another important sector that is doing well.

The superb penthouse pool

“Malta’s economy has suffered like others as a result of the global recession. Nevertheless, in many ways, we’ve not been hit as hard as many other countries and the negligible increase in the unemployed is a clear testimony in this respect. Malta has been sheltered to a degree from the collapse of the financial services and banking sector and therefore escaped the worst.”

Concluded Muscat, “While we have not been spared the doom and gloom and the downturn in terms of real economy, at least we were not hit too hard, no doubt because of the very rigorous regulatory regimes that we have in Malta and the prudent approach taken by local financial institutions over the years.”

A hospitable population

Malta has much to offer businesses looking to relocate. The island’s international airport enjoys excellent connections with all major European capitals and many large cities making it easily accessible. Due to the size of the island, most places can be reached by road from the airport within an hour at most.

For those choosing to own a home or set up business in Malta there are many advantages; superb weather, fascinating history and culture, beautiful clean sea and beaches, a hospitable population and a very favourable tax regime.

The view from the Clubhouse

Malta also benefits from a very stable and secure real estate market that is in some ways protected by the limits imposed by its actual size as the smallest EU state. Foremost among the new real estate projects on the island is the €450 million Midi Project which includes the new mixed use development at Tigne Point situated on the north-east coast of the island.

Many amenities

These stylish waterfront homes are beautifully appointed, offering owners extensive views of Malta’s capital Valletta, a landscaped, car-free central Piazza or the sparkling Mediterranean. Almost totally ‘pedestrianised’, with all roads and car parking spaces situated underground, Tigne Point’s many amenities include a residents’ clubhouse and fitness centre, a shoreline pool and the island’s latest retail centre, The Point, a shopping destination anchored by UK retail giants Debenhams. This is a secure and gated exclusive environment set in landscaped gardens surrounded on three sides by the sea.

Tigne Point is only 20 minutes from the airport or a short boat ride from the capital. The whole project comprises luxury apartments and penthouses, state-of-the art-offices, retail, sports and leisure facilities all within a 30-acre car free environment.

T10 is the latest release with prices for two bedroom apartments starting from £360,000 and stunning, open plan penthouses, each with a private infinity swimming pool, from £1,333,000

Information on Tigne Point is available at www.tignepoint.com or by calling: +356 2065 5510

Midi PLC: €450 million, 44-hectare development is Malta’s most ambitious property regeneration project. More information can be found at www.midimalta.com

Malta
www.travelsupermarket provides readers with the best ways to get to the island:
There is one airport in Malta (Malta International Airport) served by a variety of carriers from the UK on non-stop flights.  These operate year round and are up to daily depending on airline and time of the year.  Frequencies are greater during the summer period:
Easyjet from Gatwick, Newcastle and Manchester

• Ryanair from Luton, Bristol, Leeds/Bradford and Edinburgh
• Air Malta from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow
• Bmibaby.co.uk from East Midlands
• Charters also operate from many UK airports with tour operators such as Thomson.co.uk and flythomascook.com, mainly in the summer months of May to October.

Flight times to these airports are just over three hours.
Prices are from as little as £35 return when sales on are with carriers such as Ryanair.  Average fares are around £80-£150.

See www.travelsupermarket.com

All services are economy only except for Air Malta, which also offers a business product called Club Class.

© Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Fifth month of house price growth fuels recovery, says Poll of Polls

October was the fifth month of consecutive house price growth, with the average property price increasing by 0.7% from September 2009, according to the latest Chesterton Humberts CEBR Poll of Polls.The average house price in England and Wales is now £171,218, a rise of £1,262 during September. The average house price is now £26,152 lower than its peak at the start of 2008.

House prices rose across all countries and regions of the United Kingdom. Prices in Scotland are now higher than they were a year ago. The annual decline in house prices continues to ease, with prices now -3.2% lower than a year ago compared to a revised contraction of 5.4% over the year to September.

All of the four main property types experienced similar increases in prices over the month. The prices of detached housing and flats bother rose by 0.7% in October, in line with the national average. The price of the top 20% of properties by value increased by 1.7% over the month, whereas, prices of the bottom fifth rose by only 0.5%, continuing the trend of faster growth in more expensive areas.

Robert Bartlett, Chesterton Humberts’ CEO, comments: “This month’s house price Poll of Polls supports our belief that the property market will experience a fractured recovery, with the London market and the top 20% of properties by value continuing to increase more rapidly than other areas and lower value properties.

Commented Robert Bartlett, CEO of Chesterton Humberts: "The outlook is generally more positive. We expect an increase in stock which will give rise to a steadier rate of increase in house prices as the wider economy improves.”

“In London, where the market dropped by between 30% and 50% if currency fluctuations are taken into account, recovery has already begun, with some areas already achieving peak 2007 prices in certain prime streets. This growth has been driven by the significant numbers of foreign purchasers who continue to benefit from the weak pound sterling and are keen to invest into what is traditionally seen as a safe haven for foreign money. The ongoing shortage of stock has also meant that the strong demand has assisted in the price recovery as competitive buyers bid up prices.

“In other parts of the country, recovery may take longer to accomplish although the continuing stock shortage is supporting prices in many regional markets. The risk of further declines outside of London is exacerbated by asking price inflation, caused by inexperienced agents desperate for instructions giving unrealistic quotes to prospective sellers.  Buyers will not pay over the odds for properties coming to market overpriced.

“The outlook is generally more positive.  We expect an increase in stock which will give rise to a steadier rate of increase in house prices as the wider economy improves.”

Douglas McWilliams, Chief Executive of CEBR, comments:

“Some commentators believe that house prices will dip again in 2010 and 2011 on the back of rising unemployment and weak economic growth. We believe that this view ignores other factors that are pushing prices in the opposite direction. Mortgage conditions have improved substantially since the worst of the crisis and lending continues to edge up.

“With base rates on hold, mortgages will remain relatively cheap albeit with post-credit crunch loan-to-value rates and higher risk premia. Furthermore, the supply side of the market will remain tight into the medium term – the current shortage of property on the market may be causing short term supply issues, but in the medium term the current shortage of new house building will also come into play.”

 

Visit www.chestertonhumberts.com for more information.

The Chesterton Humberts’ Poll of Polls brings together the leading house price indices to capture a unique look at properties for sale and that have been sold, in effect creating a medium value for house price polls. This report has been produced by Chesterton Humberts and the centre for economics and business research (CEBR).

With a network of 60 offices across the UK, including 27 in London, Chesterton Humberts is one of the UK’s leading property consultancies. The company also has a significant international presence with eight offices around the world, including St Tropez, Gibraltar, Mallorca, Lake Como, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Sydney and Brisbane.
CEBR is an independent economics and business research consultancy established in 1993 providing forecasts and advice to City institutions, government departments, local authorities and numerous blue chip companies throughout Europe. The contributor to this report is economist Benjamin Williamson.

© Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Overseas Round-Up

FRANCE

New ski apartments for sale in a residence de tourisme described by developer MGM as ‘state-of-the-art in terms of sustainability and fuel economy’ are to be built at Flaine in Haute-Savoie region of the French Alps.

MGM, which has signed-up to the principles of HQE (Haute Qualité Environmental) – the international construction industry’s high environmental quality standard which aims to integrate the principles of sustainable development defined at the 1992 Earth Summit – sees its latest new development at Flaine as the next significant step in its commitment to reduce energy consumption.

“This development is tipped to become a showcase of eco-friendly development and it will set the pace for future new developments by MGM,” says the company’s London-based sales consultant Richard Deans.

Le Centaure was designed by one of France’s leading architects, Christian Hauvette of Paris

Le Centaure will comprise 66 apartments ranging in size from 27 square metre studios to 75 square metre three-bedroom duplexes. They include apartments specially adapted for use by disabled occupiers. Features of these apartments include larger floor areas in all rooms, especially the bathrooms and toilets which will have hand rails to assist.

The Residence will incorporate an indoor swimming pool with floor-to-ceiling glazing to give dramatic views of a nearby mountain waterfall, as well as a sauna, Jacuzzi, steam and fitness rooms. A spa and beauty centre will have a variety of massages and body treatments on offer.

When it opens for business at the end of 2011, Le Centaure will be just 50 metres from the cable car lift to Les Grandes-Platières which boasts panoramic views of Mont Blanc at the start of the Cascades blue run down to Sixt-Fer à Cheval. At 14 km, this is one of the longest ski runs in the world, forming part of the 265 km network of pistes within the Grand Massif ski area.

Flaine, a 75-minute drive from Geneva Airport, is popular both for the ski season – with additional activities like ice driving on offer – and the summer where mountain bike rides and walks start on the doorstep.

Off-plan prices of the properties at Le Centaure start at €159,000 for a studio, rising to €426,000 for a three-bedroom duplex apartment.  The prices, which include parking, cellar storage and a ski locker, exclude VAT waived under the leaseback scheme.

Eco details of the Le Centaure development

For 20 years the firm has insulated the external walls of the homes it builds – despite the fact that, in France, this was not a legal requirement until 2007. The levels of both thermal and acoustic insulation installed by MGM exceed the standards demanded by French building standards.

Le Centaure has been planned so that the majority of the apartments are south-facing to maximise the use of natural light through glass-fronted balconies and big double-glazed windows.

Among other energy saving features are:

• lighting activated by movement detectors, switching off automatically when no-one is around
• low-energy light bulbs in communal areas
• geothermal heat pumps to extract and use energy which occurs naturally underground
• low-cost under-floor heating
• flow regulators on all taps.

During construction of Le Centaure, MGM will reduce the carbon emissions caused by transporting workers and materials to the site by engaging local contractors and sourcing local building materials like stone and timber from nearby quarries and sustainable forests.

All the building materials to be used have been closely scrutinised by energy-saving experts at MGM. Eco-friendly paint will be used on the external walls and the company has opted for timber window frames. This is because, while recognising that aluminium ones can be recycled in the longer term, the manufacturing process uses up to 1,000 times more energy than that for timber frames. During the construction process all waste materials will be carefully sorted on site and sent for recycling.

For more information about the properties available, call MGM’s UK office on 0207 4940706 or visit the website www.mgm-constructeur.com

CARIBBEAN

Old Bahama Bay

Barefoot elegance is to be found at Old Bahama Bay on Grand Bahama Island, in the heart of a thriving waterfront resort community. Extraordinary beaches, beautiful water and excellent fishing abound and Old Bahama Bay is a great getaway for tranquillity, relaxation and pampering. The resort also offers a full-service and official port-of-entry marina to Grand Bahama as well as a helipad with charter service available from Florida and state-of-the-art facilities.

Stunning oceanfront home-sites and beachfront condominiums are available from £300,000. For more information contact Barton Wyatt on 01344 843 000 or visit www.bw-international.com.

Bacolet Bay Resort & Spa, Grenada, Caribbean Bacolet Bay is a low density resort comprising villas and hotel cottages spread across 41 acres of tropical gardens on one of the less developed islands of the Caribbean, Grenada. Experience International offer one bedroom, separate dressing room, bathroom, plunge pool with waterfall feature and shaded terrace priced from £321,724. For more information on the four units remaining contact Experience International on 0207 321 5858 or visit www.experience-international.com.

PORTUGAL

Monte Rei

Monte Rei Golf and Country Club, Eastern Algarve is a range of luxury apartments, large villas and plots of land available for development within this luxury development based around two 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses.

Prices start at €995,000/ £894,300 to €1,830,000/ £1,644,564 and for more information, please contact Barton Wyatt on 01344 843 000 or visit www.bw-international.com

 

© Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Snow Homes

Unique Living, one of London’s leading boutique property agencies providing a selection of properties and a personal search service, has announced the launch of a new portfolio of luxury re-sale ski chalets and apartments. This is a selection of over 100 properties offering the high standards of luxury in the locations of Courchevel, Megève, Mèribel and Val d’Isère.

“As a company we provide a one-to-one service with our clients,” says Serge Cowan, managing director of Unique Living. “We specialise in re-sale homes that are established, beautifully presented and in first-class locations away from new-build developments. We focus on beautiful locations with the excellent facilities.

“We are pleased with the wide selection of homes currently being offered in the French Alps. By specialising in quality areas and homes, we are able to offer our clients only the best that the area has to offer. Prices range from £500,000 to £12,000,000 plus.”

Chalets that are the last word in comfort

Courchevel 1850: This resort is renowned for its designer shops and 5-star hotels, and some leading restaurants, including Bergerie and Cap Horn. The resort attracts some of the names from the world of business, as well as international A-list celebrities,.

Mèribel: A luxury chalet ski resort with homes that are mainly built in a traditional style and all under strict building regulations so there is always a shortage of homes and competition to purchase a property here can be fierce.

Megève: A cosmopolitan ski resort with a 17th century church and a centre which is closed to traffic for several hours a day. Après ski entertainment includes casino, clubs and live shows.

Val d’Isère: One of the most popular French ski resorts, here there is an eclectic mix of original stone homes and newer wooden residences. There is fantastic skiing including the Olympic downhill course and glacier skiing. Val d’Isère is renowned for its après-ski with a range of exclusive restaurants and for partygoers, plus nightclubs and bars.

Currently available through Unique Living:

Courchevel (1850), French Alps, France. A five-bedroom chalet with 350 square metres of living space which includes spacious living and dining room with a welcoming fireplace and professional, fully-equipped kitchen. Each of the five bedrooms boasts its own private bathroom. Traditional style interior with heavy beams and wood panelling. Features include: private lift, garage and relaxation space with TV area, Jacuzzi and sauna. Ref.A019794

Price 3 million euros.

Megève, French Alps A six-bedroom, brand new, individual chalet affording 300 square metres on three floors. There are six en-suite bathrooms. There is a contemporary interior design with Alpine architecture. Wide living space on one level makes it ideal for entertaining on a grand scale. Open fireplace. Features include: cinema room and wellness area. South orientated terraces. Elegant design and décor. Ref AO20107

Price 3 million euros.

Val d’Isère, French Alps A new architectural project of two chalets.

Both properties are to be built to the highest specifications with a range of facilities that encompass both comfort and wellbeing. This is a rare opportunity to own a luxury chalet in the centre of Val d’Isere. RefA020242

Price 4,900,000 euros for 300 square metres chalet

9,800,000 euros for 500 square metres chalet.

For those just looking for a pied-à-terre, then a one-bedroom apartment with balcony, fully refurbished, in Courchevel is available for 330,000 euros.

Unique Living can be contacted on: 020 8416 0230 or at www.uniqueliving.com

How to get there provided by www.travelsupermarket.com

Val d’Isère, Courchevel, Mèribel and Megève are all accessible from four airports in France and Switzerland as follows. They are in order of distance – nearest first.
(Note that for Megeve the distance order is Geneva, then Chambery, Grenoble and Lyon in that order)

Chambery – Flights operate with Snowjet from Stansted, Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester and Bristol, Jet2.com from Manchester, Belfast, Edinburgh, Newcastle and Leeds/Bradford and flybe from Exeter, Southampton and Birmingham.

Grenoble – Easyjet from Bristol, Gatwick, Luton and Birmingham, Ryanair from Birmingham, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Stansted, Air Southwest from Plymouth and Newquay, and charters and from various UK airports with flythomascook.com

Geneva – Easyjet from 13 UK airports, bmibaby from Birmingham, Cardiff, East Midlands and Manchester, British Airways from Gatwick, Air France from London City, Baboo from London City, Swiss from London City and Manchester and flybe from 9 UK airports as well as charters from various UK airports with flythomascook.com

Lyon – Easyjet from Edinburgh, Gatwick and Stansted, British Airways from Heathrow, Air France from Birmingham and flybmi from Manchester along with charters from various UK airports with flythomascook.com

Flights take between 1hr45 and 2 hours

Prices start from as little as £19.99 one way when sales are in force, however average fares will be around £60 to £150 for Geneva and slightly higher for the other airports.

Transfers to the resorts are available by car, train and bus from all airports.

For more information, go to: www.travelsupermarket.com

© Stewart Andersen and Property & Travel with Stewart Andersen, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Property & Travel with Stewart Andersen with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

COUNTRY GUIDE: SPAIN

A stall at Barcelona fruit market

Of all the countries that are favourites with Britons seeking a home abroad, Spain regularly features at, or near the top of the list. Year in, year out, since the early 1970s, millions of people have flocked to Spain on holiday to enjoy one of the most enviable lifestyles. And of those millions, hundred of thousands have chosen to buy homes on the Iberian Peninsula.

The reasons? Spain is a modern democracy with a fabulous climate; a transport system that is second to none; great cuisine and wine; wonderful golf developments that feature beautifully designed apartments and houses and above all, some of the kindest people in Europe.

Fact File:

Currency: Euro

Time: GMT +1

note: Spain is divided into two time zones because of the location of the Canary Islands

Population: 42 million Business hours:

Shops: Mon-Fri  09:00 – 20:00

Offices: Mon-Fri  09:00 – 17:00

Banks: Mon-Fri   08:30 – 15:00

Internet country code: .es

Languages: Castilian Spanish (official language): 74%, Catalan: 17%, Galician: 7%, Basque: 2%

Coastline: 4,900 km

Climate: Temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along the coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast

Featured region – Costa del Sol:

This area occupies about 161 kilometres of the Mediterranean coastline that corresponds to the province of Malaga.

Sheltered from the north winds by a mountain range that in some parts comes down to meet the sea, the coast is a succession of extensive beaches, coves almost hidden between cliffs and marinas. Towns like Malaga, Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Marbella, Mijas and Estepona are important centres for tourism, shopping, culture and business. Casinos, concerts, museums, fiestas, theatres, water parks and theme parks are just some of the leisure activities on offer. At night the coast comes alive with restaurants, bars, discos and nightclubs.

The Costa del Sol’s setting is ideal for sports lovers and especially golfers. This is the predominant sport and the Costa del Sol is a Mecca for thousands of enthusiasts. There are wall to wall courses to be found over a relatively small area – in places like Marbella, Malaga, Estepona, Guadiaro, San Pedro de Alcántara, Alhaurín de la Torre, Artola, Mijas and Puerto Banús.

Getting to Spain

According to www.travelsupermarket.com there many non-stop flights into Southern Spain as follows:
· Malaga – the major gateway with multiple daily non-stop flights year round from up to 20 UK airports with Easyjet, Ryanair, Monarch, British Airways, Aer Lingus, bmibaby, jet2, Flyglobespan and flybe

· Granada – non-stop flights with Ryanair from Stansted, Liverpool and East Midlands – frequencies vary but operate year round

· Almeria – non-stop flights with Monarch from Birmingham and Manchester with Monarch, Easyjet from Gatwick, Ryanair from Stansted, bmibaby from East Midlands and jet2 from Leeds. Most services on this route are summer only

· PLUS Gibraltar – non-stop daily flights with Easyjet from Gatwick, British Airways from Heathrow and Monarch from Luton and Manchester

Flight times to Southern Spain are two and a half to three hours

Prices are from as little as £5 one ways when seat sales are on with carriers such as Ryanair. Average prices are around £80 to £150 return.  See www.travelsupermarket.com

© Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Spanish property news

Spain’s Costa Cálida – price properties well and they will sell

The property buying public are after bargains and that’s exactly what they’re getting on the Costa Cálida. Price two bedroom terraced villas on an established golf community from as little as 50,000 euros (approximately £46,000) and they will sell.

Director of Mercers’ Mazarron office, Gerard Rees, explains, “The bottom line is that price drives sales and our discounted properties offset any exchange rate concerns. In euro terms, prices at our most popular resort, Camposol Golf, have fallen by about 30 per cent.  Meanwhile the vendor is content with repatriating increased funds back to the UK. While buyers may have dried up on other Costas, here on the Costa Cálida we have no shortage of lifestyle buyers who are unaffected by the recession and looking to take advantage of bargains.”

Gerard continues, “On Camposol Golf in particular we have resale properties priced about the same as new in 2002. Loan-to-value rates currently being offered by Spanish banks are also back to their old levels.  For UK buyers this means now around 50 per cent – 65 per cent and for Spanish nationals 65 per cent plus. Although not good, this is exactly how it was for us in the 1990’s right up until the early 2000’s with most of our buyers borrowing in the UK, having the cash or a combination of the two.  So really we are going back seven or eight years in terms of pricing and bank lending.

Once lending increases then house prices will return to where they were 18 months ago within a fairly quick time frame. In the meantime prices have certainly bottomed out.”

 

Rosa Villa is a real bargain on the Costa Calida

Rosa Villa, Camposol, Mazarron, Costa Cálida

 

With Camposol Golf’s average Rosa style villa selling for 155,000 euros, this 95,000 euro example is Mercers’ best bargain. Comprising two bedrooms and two bathrooms, the detached home is on a 400m² corner plot providing plenty of scope for a swimming pool.  The property is delivered fully furnished, is fitted with air-conditioning and has a spectacular rooftop solarium with views across the countryside and surrounding mountains.

Price just 95,000 euros (approx. 86,000 pounds)

Neptuno Villa, Camposol, Mazarron, Costa Cálida

Neptuno Villa is on the market for €160,000

Exceptional three bedroom three bathroom Neptuno style villa set on a 285m² plot within the popular Camposol Golf resort.  The detached home has all extras from hot and cold air-conditioning to a solar panel for hot water and satellite television.  The rooftop solarium has wide countryside views and furniture including white goods and a luxurious outdoor Jacuzzi is included in the asking price.

Price 160,000 euros (approximately £146,000) and open to offers

Contact Mercers on 00 34 968 199 188, UK Local Rate 0845 017 7805, email ccsales@spanishproperty.co.uk or visit www.spanishproperty.co.uk

Spanish property buyers could save thousands of pounds following UK agent’s link with leading foreign currency specialist

News of a link forged between the Cheltenham-based Spanish property firm The Almanzora Group and leading foreign currency and international payment specialist Axia FX of London means that the buyers of new properties in resort, village and beach locations in south-east Spain could save thousands of pounds.

The Almanzora Group – which acts exclusively as the principal agent in northern Europe for the for the development companies comprising the Almanzora Bay Group which is building in the Almeria region of Spain – says that its new partnership with Axia FX will give potential buyers a fast-track link to currency exchange rates which could save them significant sums on the cost of buying their properties.

They are at Desert Springs, Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course, the traditional fishing village Villaricos and nearby Playa Marques, known for its seven kilometre long Great Sandy Beach, El Playazo.

Simon Coaker, The Almanzora Group’s sales and marketing manager, says: “We are selling properties ranging from apartments, townhouses and cottages to villas, beach houses and country houses at prices from €178,000 to more than €1 million, but with the Euro and Pound Sterling virtually at parity, favourable exchange rates are essential when calculating the total purchase cost.

News of a link forged between The Almanzora Group and Axia FX means that the buyers of new properties like these in south-east Spain could save thousands of pounds.

“With Axia FX having access to Interbank rates, they can ensure the prices the client receives are much better than they would have received from their bank, providing him or her with considerable savings. In fact, for Almanzora’s clients, Axia FX will guarantee an improved rate compared with that received from any high street bank.

David White, managing director of Axia FX, said: “We will ensure that clients of The Almanzora Group always receive excellent service and we are able to fix quoted rates for up to one year in advance.”

For more information about the properties available, call The Almanzora Group on 01242 680299 or visit www.almanzora.com

For full details of the services offered by Axia FX, call Tim Sullivan, head of private clients: on 0207 093 7852 or visit www.axiafx.com

Axia Fx

Axia Fx was formed in April 2006 and commenced trading in June 2006 with the sole aim of making Foreign Exchange as simple and cost effective as possible. Having started life alongside a parent company, it has recently become a privately-owned company under the stewardship of David White.

The company’s head office is in the Canary Wharf area of London ensuring the company has first hand access to all market information gleaned through its global network of traders, economists, officials and market participants.

The Almanzora Group

The Almanzora Group, a subsidiary of the Robert Hitchins Group, acts exclusively for the development companies which comprise the Almanzora Bay Group. The Almanzora Group Ltd is the principal agent in northern Europe, including the UK and Ireland, marketing new properties developed by The Almanzora Bay Group in resort, village and beach locations.

www.travelsupermarket says the best ways to get to Spain are:

There are many non-stop flights into Southern Spain as follows:

• Malaga – the major gateway with multiple daily non-stop flights year round from up to 20 UK airports with Easyjet, Ryanair, Monarch, British Airways, Aer Lingus, bmibaby, jet2, Flyglobespan and flybe
• Granada – non-stop flights with Ryanair from Stansted, Liverpool and East Midlands – frequencies vary but operate year round
• Almeria – non-stop flights with Monarch from Birmingham and Manchester with Monarch, Easyjet from Gatwick, Ryanair from Stansted, bmibaby from East Midlands and jet2 from Leeds. Most services on this route are summer only
• PLUS Gibraltar – non-stop daily flights with Easyjet from Gatwick, British Airways from Heathrow and Monarch from Luton and Manchester

Flight times to Southern Spain are two and a half to three hours
Prices are from as little as £5 one ways when seat sales are on with carriers such as Ryanair. Average prices are around £80 to £150 return.

For more information, go to: www.travelsupermarket.com

© Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.