Iberian countries top list of favourite retirement destinations for UK-based sun seekers

Iberian countries top list of favourite retirement destinations for UK-based sun seekers

by Eleanor Portugal Spain United Kingdom , ,
  • 26% of Brits plan to retire to Spain (MGM Advantage)
  • Las Palmas, Mallorca, is cheapest Spanish city for cost of living (Numbeo)
  • Portugal’s Algarve is best destination to retire to (Retire Overseas Index)

The world is a vast and exciting place. From the mysteries of the Far East to the natural beauty of New Zealand and the endless variety of India, it is a planet that is ripe for exploration. But when it comes to retirement, it is those destinations much closer to home that regularly top Brits’ list of desirable locations, with Iberian countries proving the most attractive.

According to Silver Travel Advisor, 80% of the UK’s wealth is held by the over 50s. They are wealthier than ever before and expect to live longer: the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs puts life expectancy for UK residents at 80.45 years. That’s plenty of time to soak up the sun after cashing that final pay cheque!

Retiring to Spain

A poll by MGM Advantage found that 26% of Brits planned to retire to Spain. While it seems unlikely that a full quarter of those in their golden years will decamp to the Costas (figures from Brits Abroad show that it is closer to one in ten Brits who lives overseas), Spain is certainly a hugely popular destination with British retirees. Some 761,000 UK British citizens live in Spain, according to Brits Abroad, accounting for 13.8% of the total number of Brits residing overseas.

Martin Dell, Director of leading Spanish property portal Kyero.com, explains the country’s continuing attraction in the eyes of British retirees,

“Retirees these days have more funds behind them to explore the world with, but a considerable number look no further than Spain when it comes to where they want to live during their golden years. When you consider Spain’s advantages, it’s easy to see why.

“There’s the great weather, healthy cuisine, delicious wine, pristine golf courses and beautiful beaches, for a start. Spain also has a rich history, with plenty of cultural attractions and inspiring architecture for those who move there with discovery in mind. The cost of living is also a factor, as well as the cost of property. Those on a fixed income can get more for their money in Spain.”

Even Spain’s infrastructure ticks the right boxes when it comes to retiring. According to the International Living Global Retirement Index 2016, Spain was the top country in the infrastructure category thanks to its excellent internet coverage, modern roads and extensive public transportation system. The country also has a high number of doctors in proportion to its population, according to OECD Health Statistics 2015, with healthcare offered freely and universally.

New pension freedoms mean that retirees can approach their years of leisure with far more flexibility. This is having an impact on the plans of those currently looking at retiring overseas. When it comes to property, the average UK home costs £200,251 based on Nationwide’s figures. That’s roughly €255,142 – enough for a five bedroom, three bathroom villa with pool close to the beach, marina and four golf courses in the pretty Spanish town of Villamartin.

Clearly size matters when it comes to a retirement property. The UK is home to the smallest properties in Europe according to a Cambridge University study, which found that 79% of residences were either near acceptable size or below it. A five bedroom villa in Spain, with plenty of room for the family to come and enjoy holidays in, offers far more value for money that one could expect from an English property that cost the same amount.

Nor is it just mainland Spain that retirees love. Las Palmas, in Mallorca, is the cheapest Spanish city on the Numbeo Europe: Cost of Living Index 2016. Like mainland Spain, Mallorca enjoys quick and easy connections to the UK, which makes it ideal for retirees who want to live overseas but also maintain regular contact with their friends and family back home.

Mallorca is home to some stunning properties and leading Spanish homebuilder Taylor Wimpey España has plenty to offer on the island, from key ready apartments and townhouses at Costa Beach – Port Vell from €240,000, to spectacular seafront houses on the clifftops of Cala Magrana Mar – Porto Cristo, priced from €640,000.

Retiring to Portugal

One position after Las Palmas on the Numbeo Europe: Cost of Living Index 2016 is Braga, in Portugal, closely followed by Coimbra, Aveiro, Porto and Lisbon. Portugal is another favourite with retirees from the UK, thanks to its excellent value for money, fabulous weather, friendly people and laid back way of life.

Portugal also has a good infrastructure when it comes to healthcare, internet coverage and flight connections with the UK, all of which are influential factors when it comes to UK residents seeking out a sun-drenched retirement spot.

According to the Retire Overseas Index 2015, Portugal’s Algarve is the best place in the world to retire to. It is the second year in a row that the region has taken the top spot, with its low cost of living, affordable property cost and established expat community all highlighted as distinct draws. The Retire Overseas Index also notes that it is, surprisingly, possible to live in the Algarve and only speak English.

Portugal also made it into the top ten of International Living’s Annual Global Retirement Index again in 2016, thanks to its “near flawless weather, abundance of golf and water sports, and superb fresh food.”

Retirees looking for a laid back, beach-based lifestyle will feel right at home in the Algarve. For those on a budget, a simple studio apartment just a few minute walk from the marina, beach and shops in Vilamoura can be bagged for €75,000 including furniture. At the other end of the spectrum, buyers with €4.9 million to spend can pick up an impressive five bedroom villa with pool and sea views in the popular Quinta do Lago golf resort.

Chris White, a British expat who runs boutique estate agency Ideal Homes Portugal, explains the enduring appeal of the Algarve when it comes to retirement,

“The Algarve is a beautiful region that has a wealth of attractions when it comes to attracting retirees. The cost of living here is incredibly low compared to much of Europe and it’s possible to eat and drink extremely well on a limited budget. A morning coffee and pastry costs just €1.50, while a full meal with wine at lunchtime can be had for €12-15. Then of course there’s the 300 plus days of sunshine per year, the great healthcare system, world-class golf courses, countless castles to explore… the Algarve really does have everything you could wish for from an idyllic retirement destination.”

No wonder then that when it comes to retirement the lure of Iberia is too strong for many Brits to resist!

For more information please contact:

Kyero.com: www.kyero.com

Taylor Wimpey España: +44 08000 121 020 or www.taylorwimpeyspain.com. Those residing outside of the UK should call 0034 971 70 69 72.

Ideal Homes: 0800 133 7644, +351 289 513 434, www.idealhomesinternational.co.uk or www.idealhomesportugal.com

Overseas Property Show to bring second home ownership dream one step closer for Birmingham residents

Overseas Property Show to bring second home ownership dream one step closer for Birmingham residents

by Eleanor Portugal United Kingdom

The hugely successful Overseas Property Show is set to bring the dream of second home ownership one step closer to becoming a reality this month. The free to attend show will be held at the Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th May 2016.

The Overseas Property Show provides individuals with the opportunity to explore their dream of home ownership overseas, by talking to property experts from around the world at a convenient local venue.

Chris White, Founding Director of boutique real estate agency Ideal Homes Portugal, which exhibited at every show during 2015 and plans to do so again in 2016, comments,

“The Overseas Property Show is a great way to connect with people looking to purchase property overseas. Some are after a second home, others are looking for an investment property and others want to take the plunge and start a new life abroad.

“Whatever the motive, it’s always a really useful experience for them to have access to experts in overseas property ownership. We’re also on hand to answer lifestyle questions too – anything from the price of milk to local customs!

The 2016 Overseas Property Show will focus largely on properties from Portugal, Spain and Florida, with a handful of opportunities in countries like Italy and Cyprus thrown in for good measure.

2015’s shows were hugely successful. The shows welcomed thousands of visitors through the doors over the course of the year. For many of those visitors, it was the start of their holiday home dreams coming true. Many went on to book inspection trips and ultimately to purchase a sun-kissed second home overseas.

Portugal is one of the most sought-after destinations for those visiting the shows. The housing market there offers excellent value for money when compared with the UK. Prices have been gently increasing for some time and the January 2016 Portuguese Housing Market Survey from RICS/Ci observing that price expectations point to steady gains over the course of 2016, with house price inflation expected to be around 2.5% in the Algarve (the country’s most popular region with British buyers).

Ideal Homes Portugal is at the forefront of connecting UK buyers with fantastic Portuguese properties. Founder Chris White observes,

“The whole Brexit debate doesn’t seem to be affecting interest in Portuguese property. There’s still strong demand for holiday homes there from those based in the UK. Whether you want a stunning golf residence, a remote mountain villa or a laid back beach apartment we’ve got the perfect place.”

Whether it’s advice, guidance, a second home or a celebrity-style super home that you’re after, the Overseas Property Show is the place to be! Tickets are free to obtain and full details can be found at www.theoverseaspropertyshow.com.

For further details visit www.theoverseaspropertyshow.com, call (0800) 133 7644 / +351 289 513 434 or email info@theoverseaspropertyshow.com.

New Portofino resort highlights investment possibilities of Philippines’ hotel sector

New Portofino resort highlights investment possibilities of Philippines’ hotel sector

by Eleanor The Philippines
  • International tourist arrivals top 500k per month (Jan 2016)
  • Philippines will be the 16th largest global economy by 2050 (HSBC)
  • BBB Stable credit rating maintained (Standard & Poors)
  • Luxury boutique resort investment available from US $109k (Property Frontiers)

A brand new boutique hotel investment opportunity is highlighting the beauty and exclusivity of the Philippines to investors around the world.

The Portofino Ocean’s Edge Resort is a stunning villa resort with 10 cliff villas, 26 studio villas and 6 two-bedroom villas, along with its own private resort beach, private cove, cliff edge clubhouse, restaurant, bar, infinity pool, spa, wellness centre, beach bar, dive shop and private jetty. There’s even an on-site helipad for those guests looking to really arrive in style.

The five star beachfront Portofino Ocean’s Edge Resort is set on the gorgeous Filipino island of Carabao. It will bring a new level of elegance and luxury to tourism in the area when it opens in 2016.

Ray Withers, CEO of specialist property investment company Property Frontiers, comments,

“Portofino Ocean’s Edge Resort is the ideal investment for those looking to be a part of the Philippines’ resounding economic success story and the growth of its tourism sector. The opportunity offers all the advantages of a hotel investment and even includes 14 days’ personal usage per year, with no restrictions around when it can be used.”

The Philippines is the fastest growing country in East Asia, with more than 100 million citizens spread across its 7,000 islands, as well as some eight million or so working and living indefinitely overseas. The rich natural landscape of the islands attracts tourists from around the world, while local talent has led to a thriving services industry and manufacturing sector.

The country’s recent economic success and stability resulted in Standard & Poors reaffirming the Philippines as BBB Stable in April 2015 – its highest ever credit rating and one that the Filipino government is working hard to maintain. The country is committed to remaining one of Asia’s most attractive investment destinations, with a programme of infrastructure improvements underway as part of that commitment.

Fitch followed in Standard & Poors’ footsteps in September 2015, with a rating of BBB- Positive, while Moody’s graded the Philippines as Baa2 Stable in December of the same year.

Yet despite this significant economic progress, there remains a lack of high end hotel accommodation to service the government’s target of 6 million tourists in 2016. Kevin Wallace of Plateno Group, which is behind the luxury Portofino development, explains,

“There’s a big shortage of hotel rooms in this country and an even bigger shortage of branded rooms with a consistent quality.”

Investment in Portofino Ocean’s Edge Resort starts from US $109,000 for a studio villa. Cliff villas are available for US $120,000 and two bedroom villas for US $272,000. 10% interest is paid during construction and investors benefit from 10% underwritten (minimum) NET return.

Portofino Ocean’s Edge Resort has a clear exit strategy, with optional developer buyback at 120%, offering 70% minimum return on investment across five years.

Completion of the resort is scheduled for September 2016, but as only 50% of the rooms have been released for private investment they are expected to be snapped up long before then.

The Philippines is well used to money flowing in from overseas. Remittances from overseas Filipino workers account for around 13.5% of GDP. This was a significant factor in the country’s investment status upgrade and affords the Philippines an excellent measure of income stability, with money flowing in from different sources.

As well as remittances from overseas, the Philippines benefits from a flourishing manufacturing sector, with electronics and aerospace products making a significant contribution to GDP. Tourism also plays its part, with in-month international arrivals topping the 500,000 mark for the first time in January 2016 (they reached 542,258 in total for the month).

HSBC has projected that the Philippines will be the 16th largest economy in the world by 2050. It’s a country that’s moving from a largely agricultural past to a future dominated by the services industry (particularly banking), manufacturing and tourism.

Those wanting to be a part of its future should contact Property Frontiers for further details: visit www.propertyfrontiers.com or call the team on +44 1865 202 700.

Are you revision ready? Luxury student accommodation provides the ideal study environment

Are you revision ready? Luxury student accommodation provides the ideal study environment

by Eleanor United Kingdom
  • Only 43% of students residing in private halls feel their accommodation allows for effective course engagement (NUS)
  • Collegiate AC ensures its residents modern and spacious areas for effective and productive study
  • Top 5 Revision Tips from Heriberto Cuanalo, CEO, Collegiate AC

With final exams and end of term assignments just around the corner, students are once again burying themselves in their books. However, finding a productive environment to revise in can be a task in itself for students, especially when their desks are too cramped or the library Wi-Fi too slow to load a webpage.

The most recent ‘Homes fit for study’ research report released by the National Union of Students (NUS), shows that students are increasingly looking for accommodation that will provide them with a good study environment, with around 75% saying their current student property offers this facility. However, just 43% of students residing in private halls, and 54% of those in institution-managed halls, feel that their accommodation has facilities that allow for effective course engagement.

Exclusively designed with students in mind, Collegiate AC offers luxury student accommodation that provides its residents with modern and spacious areas for effective and productive study. With ample desk space in every room, a common room and group study areas, Collegiate caters for every study technique and learning style.

Heriberto Cuanalo, CEO of Collegiate AC, explains how students’ revision environments play an important role in effective study,

“A comfortable individual environment, where students feel happy, relaxed and safe, alongside additional features such as common rooms, group study areas and luxury lounges combine to create the ideal environment to make the very most of revision periods and to support students through the difficult dissertation process.”

In addition to their accommodation providing a suitable environment, students also consider Wi-Fi as an essential requirement for any study session. The latest figures from The London School of Economics and Political Science’s Student Accommodation Satisfaction Survey show that 98.41% of residents rated Wi-Fi as ‘Fairly Important’ or ‘Very Important’. Students’ satisfaction with their Wi-Fi however, was only rated 52.41%. Collegiate AC provides high-speed broadband and Wi-Fi throughout each of their student properties. Heriberto comments,

“At Collegiate AC, we have taken a thorough approach to the creation of our student accommodation, with attention to detail at every turn. This includes a recognition of the key role of effective study spaces and additional facilities, such as free high-speed Wi-Fi, that will make the revision process easy and as pain-free as possible.”

As part of their focus on making students’ study time more efficient, Heriberto Cuanalo gives his Top 5 Revision Tips:

     1. Plan to succeed!

Start as you mean to go on and draw up a revision timetable. Be disciplined with yourself and set aside time each day to revise, don’t leave it to the last minute, and start early – research shows that you are more likely to do all the planned work if you start early in the day, because as it gets closer to the evening, there is a greater tendency to be distracted.

     2. Two heads are better than one!

Buddy up with a friend or two from your course and share ideas on a topic. Discuss key points, test topic knowledge by asking each other questions, or even simply sit alongside each other in a comfortable communal area in quiet study to feel less alone. Just don’t get distracted by the TV!

     3. Learn from the past…

Don’t be afraid to look at past papers and check your knowledge against them. You may well find that once you have studied three or four past papers, chances are some of the questions that appear on the day of your exam will look very familiar! This will also allow you to familiarise yourself with the layout of questions asked in exam papers, which can save you time and help to earn marks on the big day.

     4. Work smart!

Try to reduce pages of information into brief, clear notes, then summarise these into a few key points which will help remind you of the whole subject. You can then carry this ‘key points’ sheet with you and revise regularly, even if it’s for short periods of time.

     5. Revise – and reward

Try to find the right balance between study and leisure. Make sure you eat healthily and balanced meals but also ensure you treat yourself after a hard day’s study. Go out with friends after a productive day of revision, play a game of pool or table football in the games room, or simply put your feet up for some chill-out time in the lounge or home cinema if you have one.

Collegiate AC offers a range of beautifully designed, luxury student accommodation across the UK and boasts unrivalled facilities ideal for 21st century student living. These include private gyms, in-house cinemas and games rooms as well as spacious rooms with comfortable double beds, modern kitchens and for added peace of mind each building has CCTV, secure electronic door entry and 24-hour on-call support.

For more information, visit www.collegiate-ac.com or contact Collegiate on 01235 250 140.