Philippines apart-hotel success

Investors have flocked to Continent Fairways, an apart-hotel luxury golf resort on Boracay, with only half the units remaining since its launch in the summer, according to the agent, Asset Property Brokers. Attracting them is a combination of a buoyant tourism, despite the downturn, relatively low starting prices, a beautiful setting and high yields.

Boracay beach

This has led to major investment in tourism in the Philippines. For example, a new airport is planned for Boracay, and new air routes have opened or are about to start operating. Boracay is a beautiful tropical island offering world-renowned beaches and reef diving.

Championship golf course

Being built by Filipino developer, Paradisya Land, Continent Fairways comprises 50 studios and two-bedroom apartments, of which 24 have been sold. The development is located in the established and popular Fairways & Bluewaters Golf and Beach resort, which boasts a par-72 championship golf course that draws a global guest list.

Guaranteed net yields are up to 14.2 per cent with apartment prices starting at US$110,035 while long-term bookings from major travel companies have been secured by the management company, Continent Group, which enable it to offer occupancy rates of 80 per cent, underpinning yields for investors.

Each apartment will have high-quality luxury fittings with guests having access to many luxury facilities, including a fully equipped fitness centre along with spa. In addition to this, the resort boasts a clubhouse with bar and cocktail lounge and restaurant for lunches and evening meals.

Over the first quarter of 2009 tourist arrivals in the Philippines rose by a staggering 51 percent to 1.3 million people compared to 858,244 during the same period last year, according to the Philippines Department of Tourism (PDoT).

Direct international flights

The new airport will be built on nearby Caraboa Island and is expected to be opened in 2012. It will be able to accommodate short haul and medium range Airbuses and similar aircraft, allowing direct international flights from new destinations such as Seoul, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Kuala Lumpur.

Continent Fairways

New charter services from Taiwan to Kalibo, the island’s current international gateway, were launched earlier this year while Mandarin Airlines will start flights in October.

China’s growth rose from six per cent for Q1 to eight per cent for the Q2 of this year. South Korea and Singapore have also increased output. India’s industrial output rose by eight per cent compared to last year.

For the first quarter of this year tourist arrivals from China rose by 10 per cent compared to the previous year, according to the Philippines Department of Tourism.

For further information about Continent Fairways, contact Asset Property Brokers at http://www.assetpropertybrokers.com or email: sales@assetpropertybrokers.com or Tel: +44 (0)1373 888112.

© 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.

Balearic Islands – finding a property

Anyone thinking of buying a home for holidays, for investment or for retirement would do well to look at the Balearic Islands. The history and the name of these Mediterranean gems date back to ancient times when local mercenaries, known as Balears, were employed in various wars because of their skills with a slingshot and stones.

The residents of each of the three main islands, Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza are fiercely proud of their homes and I remember once making the mistake of describing Ibiza as part of Cataluña, the region ruled over by Barcelona, in front of an elderly Ibicencan man.

His reply was a grimace, a lecture about geography, history, politics, culture, wine, fishing and agriculture and, I suspect, my parentage, although my Spanish wasn’t good enough at that point to understand what he actually said. The local dialects were banned during Franco’s years in power and residents were forced to speak Castillian Spanish.

However, once this law was repealed, the languages burst into full flower once again and with them, so did the future of the islands. Ibiza became a clubber’s paradise; Mallorca, which had been known as a package tourist’s paradise received government aid to completely refurbish its infrastructure, and Menorca, which had always remained slightly apart from the tourist explosion, gradually moved into building low rise developments aimed at foreign residents.

Foreigners who come to the Balearic Islands are a multi-cultural group, with people drawn from every corner of the world. Britons, Germans, French, Dutch, Americans, Australians, Canadians, mainland Spanish and the locals all rub shoulders happily on each of the islands both as tourists and residents.

Marine views

Each of the three islands has its own character in every sense of the word. Ibiza looks like a Cubist painter’s dream with small white farmhouses with room after room stacked up on top of each other, its tree-clad hills and its rich red earth; Mallorca with its majestic mountain range rearing up to Valldemosa and its links with Chopin, its central plain and coastal resorts; Menorca and its historic links with Britain, Nelson, ginger beer, cricket and its prehistoric monuments.

And then, of course, there’s Formentera, just a boat ride away. Flat, small and gentle, Ibiza’s delicate little sister is not for the seeker after overdoses of noise and nightlife. But Formentera, whose length you can cycle in just half an hour, is ideal for those wanting a beach, an umbrella and a quieter way of life.

Are the Balearic Islands a good choice for buying an overseas property?

There’s so much choice, but where should you look for a home? The first question is: What do I want? The fact is that the Balearic Islands provide the property seeker with a world of choice. From crowded beaches full of suntan cream, naked bodies and beach bars, through family resorts with quieter restaurants, calmer harbours and homes set back from the hustle and bustle to serene farmhouses set on hillsides clad in majestic pines, the islands have it all. And getting there is simple from almost anywhere in Europe.

Mallorca

Traditionally the capital of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca woke up about 10 years ago and realised how far down the slippery slope it had gone in terms of quality of tourism. Always a popular holiday destination, Mallorca has attracted many foreign residents who bought apartments and house in almost every corner of the island, but the quality of the infrastructure had suffered badly. The island was a tired old lady in severe need of a facelift and several weeks in a health farm.

The islanders set about changing their home and billions of pesetas were invested in roads, water, drains, telephones, the airport and cleaning up the beaches and today, Mallorca ranks high in the list of places where the jet set goes. The image of the island today is one of an up-market destination where property purchasers can enjoy a superb quality of life. The capital is Palma de Mallorca, a fine city with excellent restaurants, great hotels and superb shopping and a great airport linking it with the rest of the world.

Home to golf courses, an opera house that features stars from all over the world, harbours and marinas where some of the most luxurious boats in the Mediterranean tie up, Mallorca has property developments second to none with some of the most elegant homes in Europe.

A number of international celebrities own home on the island. They include film stars such as Michael Douglas and his wife Catherine Zeta Jones and former F1 star, Michael Schumacher, while Don Juan Carlos, King of Spain and his wife Sofia enjoy summer holidays there

Menorca

Menorca has always been modest about its achievements and its many qualities. Perhaps the fact that it was owned by Britain during the 18^th century makes it slightly different to the other Balearic Islands. Certainly the locals are proud of their Georgian architecture, their dairy farms and their enjoyment of gin.

Menorca hasn’t repeated the mass tourism mistakes made by Mallorca and Ibiza. Rather, it has concentrated on developing its shoe industry and only in recent years has it started to encourage foreign residents.

Low level developments are being built around the coast, but great care is being shown and perhaps those seeking to buy a property on Menorca will be looking for a quieter, more laid-back lifestyle. The two main towns, Maó (or Mahon) and Ciutadella are different from each other.

Maó is where the tourist will find the most typically Georgian buildings and has a distinctly international feel, doubtless thanks to its wonderful harbour, while Ciutadella retains more of a Spanish air and in the past has provided palaces for wealthy Catalan families.

You’ll find that the island of Menorca is pretty much bisected by one main road which connects the two towns. Between, there is a rural landscape of dry stone walls, market towns and factories which produce everything from ice cream to shoes.

For those that love the sun, sea and sand, look for names such as Cala D’Algairens, Cala En Turqueta, Cala Macarella and Cala Pregonda. These aren’t the typical tourist beaches but there are properties to be bought and if it’s a typical tourist development you want, head for Cala Santa Galdana.

Menorca is emerging carefully into the tourist 21^stcentury and with it, there are more and more places for the property purchaser to think about. But this is an island where tradition counts, and you can be sure it won’t allow the island to be spoiled by too much concrete.

Ibiza

Ibiza (or Eivissa as it’s known locally) is the Balearic Island that’s known the world over for its nightlife and for its clubs. But don’t be put off by this if staying out till dawn isn’t your thing. The locals are going through a similar process to the ones in Mallorca and they are putting their house in order. While this doesn’t mean they’ll be closing down the clubs, emphasis is being placed on the quality of the lifestyle for the permanent island residents.

As in the rest of the Balearic Islands, it is now recognised that tourists are great for about four or five months of the year, but it’s the year-round residents that keep things going for the rest of the year. Towns and villages such as San Carlos, San Jose, Santa Gertrudis and San Juan are still home to many who love Ibiza for its many fine qualities and these days the facilities, such as water, phones and electricity function as they should.

The White Island, or La Isla Blanca, Ibiza is dotted with fincas, or farmhouses, have grown just as the families grew. As another generation came along, so an extra room was added and the whole thing was whitewashed, making it look as the house has been built with a child’s building blocks.

This is a truly international community and foreigners have bought fincas, modern houses and apartments all over the island. Go out to dinner and, just like Mallorca, Menorca and Formentera, you’ll be surrounded by a dozen different languages, and they’ll all be saying the same thing; “Isn’t this a great place?”

San Antonio in Ibiza is still the main destination for those seeking long nights and lazy days. Clubs and bars abound but for those with the energy to get up and go to the beach, there’s plenty of choice as well. Boats make regular trips up and down the coast and there are plenty of beach restaurants for long lunches before heading back to the serious business of a long night of fun.

Ibiza town is the capital of the island and main administrative centre, as well as having great shopping, restaurants and bars. Check out the La Marina area and wander through the cobbled streets of D’alt Vila up to the Cathedral. See whether an apartment in town would suit you.

There again, perhaps Santa Eulalia will be your ideal local village, with its sugar cube church sitting atop the village, its easy-going lifestyle and its many bars and restaurants. Nearby San Carlos was originally the haunt of the island’s original hippies back in the 1960s and there are developments in this part of the island with houses and apartments to suit all tastes.

In fact, despite all the things that have been said about Ibiza in the press, it would be hard to find somewhere (apart from Mallorca or Menorca – choices, choices!) that had as much to offer the second home buyer or retiree.

Formentera

Formentera is the little sister of Ibiza and, so far is only within reach by boat (or your own private helicopter). Two high plateaux one in the west and one in the southeast are linked by a flat part in the middle. On either side of this lie two beaches, Platja de Tramuntana to the north and Platja de Mitjorn to the south. Formentera harks back to an earlier time and even if you buy a property on one of the other islands, don’t miss the chance of spending time on the smallest of the Piutiusas, the little gems of the Balearic Islands.

© 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.

Philippines golf resort tees off for investors

A new golf apartment-hotel development, Continent Fairways, has been launched on the island of Boracay, a popular tourist destination in the Philippines.

John Scott, finance director at Asset Property Brokers, the investment property specialist promoting the resort, said: “The beautiful island of Boracay is a major attraction for tourists. Combined with the appeal of a world-class golf course and facilities, this provides even more of a draw, resulting in high yields for investors.”

Located within the grounds of the Championship Fairways and Bluewater golf course, the resort will offer 56 units, comprising studio and two-bedroom apartments, at prices starting at $110,035 (£66,836) and guaranteed yields of up to 14.2 per cent.

Boracay white sand beaches

Each apartment will have high-quality luxury fittings with guests having access to many luxury facilities, including a fully-equipped fitness centre along with spa/Jacuzzi, in addition to this the resort boasts a clubhouse with bar and cocktail lounge and restaurant for lunches and evening meals.

Continent Fairways golf development

For those looking for more adventurous excursions there is horseback riding on the beach, and various water sports. Long-term bookings from major travel companies have been secured by the management company which enable it to offer occupancy rates of 80 per cent, underpinning yields for investors. The development will be run by the Continent Group.

Unit owners will benefit from a free-stay period at their property. As corporate members, they are also able to enjoy use of the 18-hole par 72 golf course and the club facilities. Up to 50 per cent developer financing is available on the purchase price.

Yahoo Travel’s Most Popular Beach

Just an hour’s flight time from Manila, Boracay has extensive powder white sand beaches, clear azure seas and shady palm trees that are perfect for relaxation. The island has also much to offer the active tourist, such as coral reef scuba diving and wind surfing, while the nightlife has something for everyone, from peaceful restaurants to vibrant bars and clubs. Boracay was ranked as the world’s number one beach destination in Yahoo Travel’s Most Popular Beach in 2007.

Over the first quarter of 2009 tourist arrivals to the Philippines rose by a staggering 51 percent to 1.3 million people compared to 858,244 during the same period last year, according to the Philippines Department of Tourism (PDoT).

Call: 01373 888112 for more information or go on line at http://www.assetpropertybrokers.com