Favourable FX rate sees Brits eyeing up luxury homes and yachts in Mallorca

Favourable FX rate sees Brits eyeing up luxury homes and yachts in Mallorca

by Louise Spain
  • GBP/EUR exchange rate reaches 7.5 year peak (Currency News)
  • Balearic property transactions up 29.2% in 2014 (Spanish government)
  • Luxury beach properties from €230,000 (Taylor Wimpey España)

With the sterling to euro exchange rate hovering around the 1.39/1.40 mark, having this month reached the best rate in more than 7.5 years, many Brits are seeing now as the perfect time to invest in luxuries across Europe and in Mallorca, luxury shopping is easy to do. The largest of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca offers high end goods at high end prices from designer clothes to yachts.

With the favourable exchange rate, Mallorca’s temptations have become even more attractive to British buyers and many keen sailors are looking to do the double while the price is right and buy that holiday home and yacht that they have always dreamed of. The forthcoming pensions freedom day in the UK makes the proposition even more exciting.

Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director of leading Spanish homebuilder Taylor Wimpey España and resident of Mallorca comments,

“Mallorca is known for its idyllic climate, stunning beaches and fantastic sailing clubs. Porto Cristo is one of the most beautiful places on the island and a popular marina with those stopping off for a day or two of shopping and with those looking to spend longer periods of time on Mallorca.”

Mallorca is a favourite of the sailing community and the island frequently hosts world cups, regattas and other events. From serious competitions to regattas held purely as social events to celebrate a love of sailing, the calm waters and glorious sunshine of Mallorca position it perfectly as a host island.

Many of those who visit Mallorca are quickly drawn in by its unique charms and discover it is the perfect location for the second home they have always dreamed of. Property sales on the island are on the up. In fact, transactions across the Balearic Islands increased by 29.2% from 2013 to 2014, according to data from the Spanish government.

Property on Mallorca offers incredible value for money in light of the current exchange rate. Taylor Wimpey España’s stunning Cala Anguila II site, where prices start at €245,000 for a two bedroom apartment, is just 3 km from Porto Cristo. One of the last remaining developments with direct access to the beach on the island, it features high end apartments arranged in small clusters around generously proportioned communal pools. Designer fixtures and fittings, air conditioning, double glazing and security doors are all included as standard.

Also near Porto Cristo, Cala Magrana III, where two bedroom apartments cost from €230,000, is just 600m from the beautiful Cala Anguila beach. The apartments enjoy spacious terraces, gardens and/or roof terraces, with key ready properties that are perfect for those looking to make their Balearic dream come true.

For more information, please contact Taylor Wimpey España today on 08000 121 020 or visit www.taylorwimpeyspain.com. Those residing outside of the UK should call 0034 971 70 69 72.

Portugal tipped to become pension tax shelter for British property buyers

Portugal tipped to become pension tax shelter for British property buyers

by Louise Portugal
  • Non-habitual residents scheme offers 10 years tax free in Portugal
  • 4 bedroom Algarve home with 3 rental apartments costs just €325k (Ideal Homes Portugal)
  • UK pensions freedom day to bring ‘frankly unchartered territory’ (FCA)

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has spoken about how the UK is entering ‘frankly unchartered territory’ as pensions freedom day (6 April 2015) draws inexorably nearer. Nobody knows what the impact of suddenly granting those aged 55 and over the freedom to manage their own financial future will be, but a study published by Hargreaves Lansdown has indicated that around 16% of those who plan to withdraw their entire pension intend to put it into property.

A second or even first home overseas is a tempting choice for those who have worked hard their whole lives to save up for their retirement years and Portugal is an excellent choice, as Chris White, founding director of boutique estate agency Ideal Homes Portugal, reveals,

“There’s a really exciting vibe running through the Portuguese property market right now. Sellers here definitely feel that prices have bottomed out and are set to rise over the course of 2015. There’s a feeling of optimism about the market and we’re seeing buyer numbers pick up as both domestic and overseas purchasers look to buy before prices rise too far.

“Portugal is within easy reach of the UK, has a wonderful climate in the southern Algarve region and offers a low cost of living. It also benefits from the non-habitual residents taxation scheme, where those who live there for more than six months of every year can enjoy ten years of their income (from employment or a pension) tax free.”

For buyers in the UK, the exchange rate is also adding to the already considerable attractions of a life in Portugal, as well as other sun-kissed parts of Europe. With the best rate in years making headlines recently, many of those who were considering a property purchase are suddenly pushing forward their plans as they realise how much more they can get for their money with a well timed purchase. The soon-to-be available pension pots offer the ideal way forward for many buyers.

Ideal Homes Portugal’s villas with pools are particularly popular with British buyers who have had enough of the cold over the winter months and certainly offer excellent value for money at present. A three bedroom two bathroom traditional villa with pool, mature gardens and paddock costs just €385,000, including a fully refurbished designer kitchen and a sauna room by the pool.

Buyers looking for a more modern exterior can pick up a stunning contemporary four bedroom villa with pool in Pêra for €750,000. In addition to the garden, a spacious rooftop terrace provides 360 degree views of the surrounding area.

“We are definitely seeing a push of British buyers who have been encouraged by the exchange rate to purchase their dream home in the Algarve,” continues Chris White. “Many clients are seeing their purchase as an investment in terms of the potential for capital gains. Some are planning to reside permanently in Portugal and enjoy the taxation benefits of doing so, while others plan to use their property for part of the year and benefit from rental income at other times. It is definitely a buyers’ market at the moment.”

The wealth of properties available means that those looking to put their pension into an investment property such as a B&B or a cluster of self-contained rental apartments have some excellent options available to them. In Albufeira, this four bedroom villa with three attached rental apartments and good size swimming pool for €325,000 would make an ideal home for someone looking to live on site and manage their rental properties personally.

So far as Portuguese property is concerned, it really does look like the time to buy is now, with the exchange rate and pensions freedom day coming together to create the perfect storm.

For further details call Ideal Homes Portugal on 0800 133 7644 or +351 289 513 434, email enquiries@idealhomesportugal.com or visit www.idealhomesportugal.com.

From business to pleasure – how a new friendship is helping property buyers discover the Algarve

From business to pleasure – how a new friendship is helping property buyers discover the Algarve

by Louise Portugal
  • Ideal Homes Portugal and Jones Homes launch new partnership
  • Algarve buyers set to benefit
  • Townhouses just a few metres from the sea priced at only €225k

As a business owner, you often meet people that you enjoy working with. More rarely, you meet individuals that you genuinely enjoy getting to know, with a business relationship turning into a friendship.

This is precisely what happened when Chris White of boutique estate agency Ideal Homes Portugal and Peter Emerson Jones of The Emerson Group first ran across each other in the property sector.

Peter Jones has been in the trade for decades, having founded the Emerson Group in 1959. His company is now one of the biggest privately owned property development companies in the UK, specialising in leisure, residential and commercial developments. One of the company’s three main divisions is Jones Homes, which builds superior residential properties in the UK and in Portugal through Jones Homes Portugal. Reportedly worth over £700 million and approaching his 80th birthday, Peter Emerson Jones really has seen it all after a career spanning seven decades in the property sector.

Chris White, Founding Director of Ideal Homes Portugal, is delighted to have forged a friendship with Jones and now the pair is seeking to use their combined talents to benefit those looking to purchase property in Portugal. Chris comments,

“I am thrilled to announce the new partnership between Jones Homes and Ideal Homes Portugal, which will see the Algarve opened up to UK buyers like never before. Finding and purchasing your dream second home in Portugal is now easier and swifter than it has ever been and I am delighted that Jones Homes and Ideal Homes Portugal are working together to make that happen.”

The duo exhibited together at A Place in the Sun in Manchester earlier this month, the city where Peter Jones was educated and an area where the Emerson Group has built some 4,000 homes over the years.

In Portugal, the focus is on the southernmost Algarve region, which is popular with holidaymakers, second home owners and expats looking for sea, sunshine and a relaxed pace of life. Golf properties are a speciality, with a delightful, four bedroom, south facing villa with pool in Quinta do Lago available for €850,000.

For those who prefer the beach to the golf course, the Algarve has some fabulous properties to offer. Smart townhouses just a few metres from the sea in Benagil cost just €225,000, including air conditioning and satellite dish.

Golf, beach or inland, whatever buyers prefer they can now turn to Ideal Homes Portugal and Jones Homes to make their Portuguese property dreams come true.

For further details call Ideal Homes Portugal on 0800 133 7644 or +351 289 513 434, email enquiries@idealhomesportugal.com or visit www.idealhomesportugal.com.

Tantalise your taste buds with a timely trip to Mallorca

Tantalise your taste buds with a timely trip to Mallorca

by Louise Spain
  • Spanish supermarket sales expected to rise in 2015 (Kantar Worldpanel)
  • Spring fairs and Easter feasts held across Mallorca, including local produce markets and annual Pollensa Wine Fair in April
  • Test out your Balearic culinary skills in your own kitchen with a luxury second home from Taylor Wimpey España

The economic crisis affected countless areas of life in Spain and one of the hardest hit sectors was the food and services sector. Quite simply, a struggling economy meant families were eating out less and cutting down their weekly shopping bills. Restaurants failed as their clientele dwindled and Spain’s supermarkets saw sales drop by 2.9% in 2014.

However, a new report from Kantar Worldpanel has shone a beacon of hope onto the Spanish supermarket sector, predicting a modest recovery in sales volumes over the course of 2015 as shoppers relax their budgets slightly and begin adding treats to the trolley once more.

The quest for value has seen many shoppers turn away from the big stores to local food outlets and markets instead, where they can shop more often and spend a little at a time. It’s a habit that promotes economy and reduces waste. Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director of leading Spanish homebuilder Taylor Wimpey España, has observed the trend on his home island of Mallorca. He comments,

“There’s definitely a focus on buying local produce right now. For some shoppers, it makes sound economic sense. For others, it’s a matter of environmental concern, with buying local produce offering a way to reduce their carbon footprint. At this time of year, the spring fairs will soon be underway here on Mallorca, and many locals and visitors to the island will be keen to sample the tasty treats that the myriad local markets provide.”

Spring is also the time for Mallorca’s Pollensa Wine Fair, which allows visitors to try a range of wines from Mallorca and the other Balearic Islands in the atmospheric setting of the Claustre del Convent de Santo Domingo. Held in April each year, the event calls out to those who know their wines, from local connoisseurs to second home owners looking to stock up on refreshing local vintages.

Easter’s arrival is also an important time for the Spanish food industry. Rich, wine and honey-soaked torrijas, chocolate Monas de Pascua, sesame and honey pastries, Easter doughnuts and sweet, crunchy flores do Semana Santa provide a delicious gastronomic tour of this important event in the Spanish religious calendar.

One of the delights of owning a holiday home is the ability to experiment with cooking local produce, which those staying in hotels can only enjoy by eating out. Taylor Wimpey España’s homes have been designed with buyers’ stomachs firmly in mind, with high end kitchens encouraging families to enjoy the host of delicious produce on offer and outdoor terraces that are perfect for long, relaxing meals as day slowly melts into night.

At Cala Anguila II at Porto Cristo, where prices start at €245,000, the two bedroom apartments are part of one of the last remaining developments with direct beach access in Mallorca. This peaceful development is close to the bustling shops and supermarkets of Porto Cristo, ensuring that owners can enjoy shopping locally and stocking up their well-appointed kitchens. The coastal location means that locally caught seafood is in plentiful supply, though those who don’t fancy tackling a lobster in their own kitchen may prefer to opt for one of the area’s many excellent restaurants!

For more information, please contact Taylor Wimpey España today on 08000 121 020 or visit www.taylorwimpeyspain.com. Those residing outside of the UK should call 0034 971 70 69 72.

New Ideal Homes Portugal and Hamptons partnership pushes Portugal up the list for UK second home buyers

New Ideal Homes Portugal and Hamptons partnership pushes Portugal up the list for UK second home buyers

by Louise Portugal
  • Ideal Homes Portugal joins forces with Hamptons to bring the Portuguese dream closer to UK buyers
  • Dream holiday homes available for as little as €75,000
  • Or why not buy a whole lakeside village for €4 million!

A second home in the sunshine, or even a new life overseas in Portugal’s sunny Algarve has just been made even easier, thanks to a new corporate partnership from leading boutique estate agency Ideal Homes Portugal.

Fresh from being the premier company representing Algarve properties at A Place in the Sun live in Manchester earlier this month, the Ideal Homes Portugal team has now announced a new partnership that will help those in the UK looking to purchase a property in Portugal.

Founding Director Chris White reveals the details,

“Portugal has been our passion for a long time and I am delighted to announce that we are now teaming up with Hamptons in order to make the Algarve accessible to even more UK buyers. The purpose of the partnership is to help UK buyers to find their dream Portuguese property even more easily and ensure that a second home (or indeed a life overseas) is achievable for those who wish for it.”

Portugal is certainly working hard to push itself up the list of second home destinations for UK buyers, with generous tax incentives in place for those looking to purchase property there and/or make a permanent move.

Less than three hours from the UK by air, Portugal offers the sunshine and relaxed pace of life that many of those in Blighty daydream about during those long, grey, typically British winter days. A huge range of property is available in the popular Algarve region, from budget apartments to enormous villas.

House prices start from as little as €75,000, which is sufficient for a one bedroom house with a small plot of land in Portelas, near Lagos. There’s even enough room on the land to grow your own citrus fruit, with mature trees included in the sale. For and extra €5,000, you can pick up a one bedroom apartment just 300m from both the fairway and the sea. Or, for €85,000, you can opt for an apartment with communal pool in Albufeira.

At the other end of the scale, spending between €4m and €5m will ensure you have a huge choice of detached villas with their own pools. A stunning new five bedroom villa overlooking the famous Quinta do Lago south course can be had for €4.9m, complete with home cinema, pool and Jacuzzi.

And if one villa isn’t enough, €4m is enough to pick up an entire lakeside village. Funcho Village is located in a stunning rural setting and is ripe for development as a tourist resort by someone with the vision to pull it off. The village’s revitalisation has been approved by the Portuguese government, with permission granted (subject to approval) for the inclusion of an hotel, log cabins and a full range of support services including restaurants, water sports facilities, a dry ski slope and an observatory.

For those looking to sell up in the UK as part of buying into the Portuguese dream, Ideal Homes Portugal’s new partnership with Hamptons offers the perfect solution, providing continuity of service throughout the process of selling in the UK and buying in the Algarve.

For further details call Ideal Homes Portugal on 0800 133 7644 or +351 289 513 434, email enquiries@idealhomesportugal.com or visit www.idealhomesportugal.com.

Holiday homes for mums – make relaxation the ultimate Mothers’ Day gift

Holiday homes for mums – make relaxation the ultimate Mothers’ Day gift

by Louise Italy Portugal United Kingdom , ,
  • Number of working mothers increases by a fifth in a single generation (ONS)
  • Just 1 in 10 women stays at home after having children (ONS)
  • Relaxation provides the perfect present for mums this Mothers’ Day

Mums do it all these days. Since 1996 the number of working mothers has leapt by almost 800,000, to a total of 5.3 million according to a study by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The figures show that the number of women in the workplace with dependent children has leapt by almost a fifth in just one generation.

The change is partly thanks to government initiatives to encourage single mothers to work, but even the number of non-single mothers who work has jumped by 10% since 1996. ONS data shows that just 10% of women now stay at home after having children.

Though many mothers feel guilty about leaving their offspring in order to work, successive studies have shown that the impact on children is actually a positive one. The latest, from economics professor Silvia Mendolia at Australia’s University of Wollongong, has shown that children of women working more than 35 hours per week are actually more likely to pursue higher education.

The pressure is certainly on for mums to achieve it all and balancing fulltime work and childcare responsibilities is without question a tiring feat. So, this Mothers’ Day, make relaxation the ultimate gift, as working mum Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs of luxury fractional ownership company Appassionata explains,

“I feel lucky that my business allows me to balance time with my children and grandchildren, but not all mums have the flexibility to do so. Demanding careers and parental responsibilities can be exhausting and I know so many mothers who are lucky if they even get five minutes to themselves during the day. It means that the times when they do get to relax are so important.”

And what better way to relax than on a holiday in the sunshine? Appassionata’s latest fractional ownership holiday home, Casa Tre Archi, is perfectly located for families with young children who want to experience life in Italy while having everything on hand that they might need. Owner Chris Everard was delighted with how beautifully the house had been set up when he visited recently with his daughter and brand new granddaughter,

“The thoughtfulness, unrestricted kindness and generosity of spirit displayed by the Appassionata team in the setting up of a beautiful new baby’s cot, a selection of mats, toys and baby equipment was a true act of empathy and kindness.”

For mums with older offspring who might like to relax on the golf course with their family this Mothers’ Day, Portugal offers an ideal destination. Caroline May of boutique estate agency Ideal Homes Portugal comments,

“Portugal’s Algarve region is home to some stunning golf courses and many women who holiday here enjoy a round in the sunshine with friends and family members. It’s a great way to relax, socialise and stay fit at the same time.”

As Cascatas, at Vilamoura, is particularly keen to attract lady golfers and specialises in breaks for them, describing itself as “one of the Algarve’s most female friendly golf resorts.” For those who prefer being pampered, it also has the largest spa in the Algarve. The Vilamoura area offers holiday accommodation to suit every mother’s tastes, from a newly renovated apartment with communal pool priced at €120,000 to a majestic, five bedroom villa with its own pool for €1,575,000.

Mothers returning to the UK after their holidays need not despair that their fun is over. Prime Surrey estate agency Barton Wyatt specialises in properties that have luxury features that mothers can enjoy. Wilton, on the Wentworth Estate in Virginia Water, Surrey, for example is a superb seven bedroom family home, which comes with a large gymnasium on the ground floor – perfect for shedding those post-pregnancy pounds. It also has a staff flat over the three-car garage, which is ideal for a nanny, ensuring that mum has all the help she needs just a stone’s throw away. This fantastic property is priced at £4,950,000.

James Wyatt, Partner of Barton Wyatt comments,

“Mothers are finding themselves more and more pushed in terms of their time commitments these days, so a house like Wilton is the ideal solution. The on-site gym is perfect for mums who want to keep in shape, while just a short walk away is Virginia Water with its spas, salons and boutique stores. Relaxation really is at a premium in the modern world and I’m sure mothers around the country will be delighted to enjoy it as the ultimate Mothers’ Day gift.”

 

For more information please contact:

Appassionata: +39 33154 13225 or www.appassionata.com

Ideal Homes Portugal: +44 800 133 7644 or +351 289 513 434 or www.idealhomesportugal.com

Barton Wyatt: 01344 843 000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk

UK buy-to-let sector braces for surge in silver landlords as pension freedom day approaches

UK buy-to-let sector braces for surge in silver landlords as pension freedom day approaches

by Louise United Kingdom
  • 54% of people see property as a better investment than a pension (Property Moose)
  • 16% of those taking their entire pension pot plan to put it into property (Hargreaves Lansdown)
  • Liverpool buy-to-let property available to silver landlords from just £64,950 (Property Frontiers)

As March marches onward pensions freedom day is drawing ever closer and the UK buy-to-let sector is tingling in anticipation of a surge of silver landlords ready to put their pensions into property. The pension reforms due to come into force on 6 April 2015 will represent the biggest shakeup to the way retirees manage their future for decades.

While nobody can say for sure what the impact of pensions freedom day will be, indications are that around 200,000 individuals are planning to cash in their entire pension pot, according to Hargreaves Lansdown. Some 21% intend to spend their hard earned savings on a holiday, while 13% plan to pay off debts and 12% will use the money for home improvements.

Around 16% plan to reinvest in property, with the UK’s already booming buy-to-let market looking like a tempting prospect for many of those who are new to property investment.

The timing of pensions freedom day could not be better for those wishing to become silver landlords. A survey published by Property Moose last year found that 54% of respondents felt that residential property was a better investment option than a pension, versus 11% who saw a pension as the better option. Now, that 54% have the chance to put their opinions into practice.

Ray Withers, Chief Executive of specialist property investment company Property Frontiers, is looking forward to April with anticipation. He comments,

“It’s excellent news that the UK’s pension holders are finally being given the freedom to spend their life savings as they see fit. Too many have been trapped in annuities over the years that mean they have to spend their retirement watching every penny. Now, retirees can choose to make their money work for them however they wish and the UK’s buy-to-let sector looks certain to be one of the beneficiaries of the situation.”

Buy-to-let opportunities in and around London are in abundance, but many pensioners may not be able to afford the price premium that the capital commands, or may wish to spread their funds across several lower priced properties rather than just one in London. For these buyers, the UK’s second tier cities provide some excellent opportunities.

In Liverpool luxury apartments in the sought after L1 postcode area of the city centre can be snapped up from £64,950. Property Frontiers is offering 91 studio suites and one bedroom apartments in the iconic former Reeces Ballroom building (where John Lennon held his wedding reception), in a fully managed investment opportunity with 6% net yield assured for five years.

In Belfast, where brisk market conditions saw price rises of 4.9% in the past year according to ONS figures, buy-to-let properties in the strategically located development at The Sandford can be had from just £108,100. With Northern Ireland’s house prices still around 45% below their 2007 peak based on ONS figures, many silver landlords will be looking to play the long game and enjoy capital growth with a Belfast property, as well as regular rental income.

The full impact of pensions freedom day will only be known months or even years from now, once the dust has settled, but in the near future, the buy-to-let sector and all those who are a part of it are bracing themselves for a surge in those looking to put their pension into property in order to turn it into pounds.

For further details, visit www.propertyfrontiers.com or call the team on +44 1865 202 700.

Rapidly expanding market drives up property employment in Spain

Rapidly expanding market drives up property employment in Spain

by Louise Spain
  • Property employment in Spain expected to rise from 7% to 10% by 2020 (KPMG)
  • Leading developer Taylor Wimpey España takes on new recruits on Mallorca and beyond
  • Mallorca sees 1 in 3 properties bought by foreign buyers (Association of Property Registrars)

Spain’s property market is expanding rapidly once more, with the latest figures from the Spanish notaries showing a 19% year on year jump in the number of properties sold there during 2014. Prices are on the up too, with the Ministry of Public Works reporting a rise of 0.5% in Q4 2014, the first uptick in the market since 2008.

The positive movement in the market looks set to continue, with KPMG predicting that the number of jobs in the Spanish property sector will rise from the current level of 7% to reach 10% or workers by 2020. Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director of leading Spanish homebuilder Taylor Wimpey España, certainly believes that will be the case. He comments,

“We’re seeing property employment rise across Spain right now. Taylor Wimpey España has taken on six new employees in the last few weeks alone and the expanding property market should see additional increases in jobs over the course of 2015 and beyond. Right now, foreign demand for Spanish property is soaring and employment in hotspots like Mallorca is increasingly rapidly as a result.”

Property in Mallorca is so popular with overseas buyers that the Association of Property Registrars in the Balearics has reported a tripling in the number of foreign-bought homes, with 30.7% of homes sold in the islands picked up by non-Spanish buyers. And it is the luxury end of the market that is attracting keen interest, with 15% of purchases topping €500,000 (compared with a Spanish average of just 5%). Wealthy foreigners have taken such an interest in the island that the president of Mallorca’s marketing board has proclaimed the airport didn’t have room for any more private jets last year!

Figures from Taylor Wimpey España show that it is German buyers who are taking a keen interest in Mallorca, with a cumulative increase of 200% so far in 2015. The exclusive Camp de Mar Beach development at Puerto Andratx, where two and three bedroom townhouses are set in lush communal gardens with a large modern swimming pool, is one of the island’s most exciting developments, with buyers able to personalize their purchase in order to create their dream home. Prices start from €377,000.

Dutch buyers are also a key market for Mallorca over the months and years ahead, having grown significantly in number over the last two years, so much so in fact that Taylor Wimpey España has just launched a Dutch language version of its website.

Of course Mallorca also remains popular with British buyers and the forthcoming Pensions Freedom Day is expected to make it even more so, as Marc Pritchard concludes,

“Mallorca has long been a popular location for British buyers wanting second homes due to the island’s fantastic climate, stunning scenery and the wide range of sailing and water based activities available here. With Pensions Freedom Day on the horizon, we expect that even more Brits will look to use their pension monies early to purchase their dream holiday home in this island paradise.”

For more information, please contact Taylor Wimpey España today on 08000 121 020 or visit www.taylorwimpeyspain.com. Those residing outside of the UK should call 0034 971 70 69 72.

Spanish property portal Kyero.com reports record month with unique enquiries up 93%

Spanish property portal Kyero.com reports record month with unique enquiries up 93%

by Louise Spain ,
  • Soaring enquiry levels makes January 2015 record month for Kyero.com
  • Unique enquirers up by 93%, enquiries 90%, page views 26% and visitors 10% (Kyero.com)
  • €6.05 billion spent on property by non-Spaniards in first 9 months of 2014 (Ministry of Public Works)

Leading Spanish property portal, Kyero.com, which lists more than 175,000 homes from 2,500 estate agents, has seen a huge surge in enquiries during 2015, with January representing the company’s biggest ever month.

Unique enquirers on the portal were up by 93%, enquiries by 90%, page views by 26% and visitors by 10%, as foreign buyers rush to take advantage of bargain Spanish property prices while the market has bottomed out.

Kyero’s Director, Martin Dell, comments,

“Foreign interest in Spain has been slowly creeping up for a few years, but in the last 12 months we have seen a massive resurgence of purchasers from overseas, as buyers look to pick up bargain properties. More foreign buyers are using Kyero to find more properties in Spain that ever before and we are expecting February 2015 to be just as strong as record breaking January.”

Indeed Spain and its Balearic Islands have long been favourite holiday destinations – just last month they were revealed as two of the top three destinations in terms of booking numbers by holiday specialists On The Beach – and it seems that for a growing number of holidaymakers now is the perfect time to buy that second home in the Spanish sunshine.

Figures from the Ministry of Public Works show that non-Spaniards spent €6.05 billion on Spanish property during the first nine months of 2014, an increase of 30% on the same period the year before. The number of dwellings purchased was up by 27%, to 40,338, indicating that foreigners are also spending more per property than they were during 2013.

In fact, foreign buyers accounted for some 13% of all homes sold in Spain during 2014, according to the country’s property registrars. The British led the charge, accounting for 17% of foreign purchases during the year.

The Valencia, Andalusia and Catalonia regions were the most popular, according to the Ministry of Public Works. All three regions feature fantastic bargains currently, based on Kyero’s listings. A two bedroom apartment with sea views in Gandia, Valencia, can be had for just €68,000, while in Andalusia €99,000 is enough for a three bedroom house in the country in Iznajar, Cordoba.

As one might expect, Catalonia commands something of a greater price premium, but even there bargains are still plentiful. A three bedroom villa with pool in L’Ampolla costs just €265,000, while in Barcelona itself a stunning two bedroom apartment with terrace can be had for €318,000 – a great deal considering the city is the most expensive in Spain (based on figures from Kyero’s Spanish House Price Index Q4 2014).

With prices only just beginning to rise again, 2015 is expected to be another bumper year so far as overseas buyers in Spain are concerned. As Martin Dell concludes,

“Not only have prices in Spain bottomed out so far as residential property has concerned, but for British buyers in particular now is the time to buy due to the fantastic exchange rate. Many are looking to purchase before prices rise too steeply and what they can get for their money right now really is incredible.”

To view properties across Spain available for sale and to keep up to date with the latest in Spanish property trends, visit www.kyero.com.

Star gazing yoga windmill proves there’s more to the Algarve than beaches and golf!

Star gazing yoga windmill proves there’s more to the Algarve than beaches and golf!

by Louise Portugal
  • Yoga, horse riding, canoeing in mountain lakes – ‘hidden Algarve’ is in plain sight to those with vision
  • Windmill and two miller cottages in hillside paradise just €159k (Ideal Homes Portugal)
  • Sao Marcos da Serra reveals an Algarve untouched by modern tourism

The Algarve enjoys a well deserved reputation as a paradise for beach bunnies and wannabe pro golfers, but there is more to Portugal’s south coast than meets the eye.

Chris White, Founding Director of boutique real estate agency Ideal Homes Portugal, has come across some exciting and unusual properties during his years of operating in Portugal, but the star gazing yoga windmill in Sao Marcos da Serra has to be the most unique.

He comments,

“The Algarve is known to many for its beaches and first rate golf courses, but it has a huge range of lesser known attractions. It’s a brilliant area for star gazing once you move away from the large resorts, as the skies are so clear thanks to the lack of light pollution. It’s also a wonderfully peaceful place when you head up into the hills and mountains, making it ideal as a yoga retreat. The light in the Algarve also makes it a popular destination with painters, photographers and other artists.”

With these special attractions in mind, the team at Ideal Homes Portugal was pleasantly surprised to find a property that featured all of these opportunities in one place, but that is precisely what they discovered in Jerome Gay’s windmill and two attached miller cottages.

Jerome’s property is nestled in the hills of Sao Marcos da Serra, where he obtained a grant from the local council to turn it into a star gazing retreat, as part of a drive to show that there is more to the Algarve that sand and sea. The windmill features a raised gallery that provides stunning panoramic views, as well as retaining quirky original features such as the millstone, which is now a table in the main living area.

Jerome has overseen the renovation of the windmill and the two linked cottages and has been delighted with the potential of the property. The area is ideal for those who love horse riding or mountain biking and would make a wonderful setting for a yoga centre thus creating an exciting opportunity for someone with vision. The site is priced at €159,000.

As if star gazing, horse riding, mountain biking and yoga weren’t enough, the windmill also has a lake next door, making it a charming spot for canoeing and other water-based activities. The three dwellings each have one bed, one bath, a kitchen and a living area, though the large mezzanines in the cottages mean that they could flex to sleep four or five people in a dormitory style arrangement.

This unusual property certainly has the makings of one of the most interesting tourist destinations in the Algarve, once the individual with the vision to take it forward snaps it up. Drawing tourists away from the coast and into the ‘real’ Portugal is part of an initiative to show that the country is about more than just golf courses and beaches.

It is a land of stunning mountain scenery, rich vegetation and sparkling inland lakes. The people are peaceful and friendly. The air is clear, scented with orange blossom and tinged with the distant tinkle of goat bells, which make for a wonderful soundtrack to life beyond the beach. This is the Algarve as Portugal’s population has known it for centuries and which so many tourists are entirely oblivious to. Perhaps this unique property will be the means through which the ‘hidden Algarve is finally revealed?

For further details call Ideal Homes Portugal on 0800 133 7644 or +351 289 513 434, email enquiries@idealhomesportugal.com or visit www.idealhomesportugal.com.