A hit with the tourists – Portugal’s charms bring record numbers of visitors to its shores

by Louise Portugal Ideal Homes Portugal

Portugal’s hotel visitor numbers up 4.2% in 2013 (Portuguese government)
Foreign property purchasers account for as much as 57% of some markets (Savills)
Overseas Property Show set to bring Portuguese property market to the UK (Ideal Homes Portugal)

2013 was a record year for tourism in Portugal, with some 14.2 million visitors staying in the country’s hotels, up 4.2% on the year before. The figures, released by the Portuguese government, show that foreign visitors accounted for the majority (58%) of overnight stays – an increase of 8.3% on 2012.

“2013 was a record number in terms of the number of tourists in Portugal and the number of overnight stays. It was crucial for Portugal’s economic recovery,” reports Economy Minister Antonio Pires de Lima.

The data shows that foreign tourists’ spend during the year contributed more than €9 billion to the recovering Portuguese economy, with British, German and Spanish visitors proving particularly fond of Portugal, along with a blossoming market of US visitors. Portugal’s National Statistics Institute (INE), reported an increase of 16.4% in overnight hotel stays by American visitors, accompanied by a revenue surge of 21%. Jayme Simoes of the Portuguese National Tourist Office comments,

“The US was one of the fastest growing inbound tourism markets in Portugal in 2013. In these uncertain times, American travelers are looking for two things: value for the dollar and the value of experience, [and] Portugal is strong on both counts.”

Indeed, Portugal’s attractions are enough that the Iberian country actually attracted significantly more visitors during 2013 (14.2 million) than it had residents, which the 2011 Census confirmed as just over 10.5 million.

For many of those visitors, Portugal’s stunning scenery, balmy climate and championship golf courses proved too much of a lure, leading to a buoyant second home market. The golf-focused Quinta do Lago region of the Algarve, for example, saw British buyers account for 57% of all property purchases during 2013 according to Savills. Chris White, Founding Director of boutique real estate agency Ideal Homes Portugal, observes,

“Demand from British buyers looking for second homes in Portugal – and specifically in the Algarve – is extremely strong at the moment. So much so, in fact, that we are bringing a slice of the Portuguese property market to Britain, through the Overseas Property Show roadshows being held in leading UK cities between September and November.”

The Overseas Property Show will give all those interested in purchasing their dream second home in Portugal the chance to interrogate the Ideal Homes Portugal team of experts on everything from details of how and where to buy in Portugal to the Algarve’s best golf courses. Apartments, townhouses and villas are all available to UK buyers, including a stunning five bedroom villa at Quinta do Lago with its own pool and private jetty on to the lake.

The Ideal Homes Portugal offering was certainly more than enough for Duncan Bannatyne of Dragon’s Den fame, who recently purchased a villa in the Algarve through the company and who will be attending one of the upcoming Overseas Property Show events.

For further details of the Overseas Property Shows and of leading Portuguese properties, call Ideal Homes Portugal on 0800 133 7644 or +351 289 513 434, email enquiries@idealhomesportugal.com or visit www.idealhomesportugal.com or www.theoverseaspropertyshow.com.

Portugal tipped to lead the stampede as Overseas Property Show opens up international second home markets to UK buyers

Overseas Property Show to visit 7 UK cities over next 3 months
Demand for Portuguese property at 8 month high (TheMoveChannel.com)
Portuguese prices fell for 3 years before increasing by 1.2% in Q1 2014 (Statistics Portugal)

This September, the sector-leading Overseas Property Show is set to bring the international second homes market to the doorstep of British buyers. With properties available across Europe and the US, the show is renowned for helping UK buyers to easily and transparently buy the holiday home of their dreams.

And at this year’s show, Portugal is tipped to be the country of choice by property expert Chris White, Founding Director of boutique real estate agency Ideal Homes Portugal:

“Everything is pointing to this being the year that Portugal leads the stampede for Brits buying abroad. The latest research from TheMoveChannel.com has shown that demand for property there has reached an eight-month high, following three years of falling values.

“The price drops have led to there being some incredible bargains available, particularly in the sun-kissed Algarve region. Savvy buyers know that now is the point to buy, before prices climb too steeply.”

Indeed, the year to the first quarter of 2014 saw the start of the long-awaited price rises in the Portuguese housing sector, with Statistics Portugal reporting an increase of 1.22%. Thanks to the Overseas Property Show, UK buyers will find it easy to act swiftly and decisively while the market sits at this turning point.

The show will visit seven leading UK areas in total: Birmingham, Surrey, Leeds and Glasgow in September; Manchester and Newmarket in October; and Aberdeen in late October/early November. Tickets are free and can be obtained via the Overseas Property Show website.

One man who has already secured his ticket is Dragons’ Den star Duncan Bannatyne, who earlier this year purchased a stunning Algarve villa through Ideal Homes Portugal. The entrepreneur is currently working with Ideal Homes Portugal on a series of television advertisements, which should further spur on UK buyers who have yet to discover the delights of the Algarve.

Attendees at the Overseas Property Show will benefit from insider knowledge of the Portuguese property market, with Chris White and his team on hand to share their expertise. Apartments, townhouses and villas will all available, from €100,000 bargain apartments with communal pools in popular areas, to luxury countryside villas with their own pools, jetties and other fabulous features, costing in excess of €10,000,000.

For further details and to obtain tickets to attend the Overseas Property Show in your local area, visit www.theoverseaspropertyshow.com. For information on the stunning range of properties currently available in Portugal to UK buyers, call Ideal Homes Portugal on 0800 133 7644 or +351 289 513 434, email enquiries@idealhomesportugal.com or visit www.idealhomesportugal.com.

New survey reveals Spain as the UK’s most popular overseas retirement destination

by Louise Spain Taylor Wimpey Spain

6 million UK adults plan to retire abroad, with Spain getting 26% of European vote (MGM Advantage)
7.9 million international visitors attracted to Andalucia in 2013 (Andalucia.com)
Dream 3 bedroom townhouses from just €145k attract British retirees (Taylor Wimpey España)

New research has revealed that more than 6 million UK adults are planning to head overseas when they retire, with Spain’s sunny shores emerging as their destination of choice. The poll from MGM Advantage identified some 3.2 million adults looking to leave the UK in order to retire to European destinations, with Spain garnering 26% of the vote and topping the list of preferred destinations.

Spain has long been popular with Brits looking to pick up a holiday home in the sunshine and for many families the property also acts as the bolt hole to which they plan to retire. The gentle climate, delicious cuisine and stunning coastal scenery of Spain have proven a consistent draw to UK holidaymakers and those in their golden years.

Andalucia, in particular, attracts tourists and retirees in their droves. The southern Spanish region, which is home to the perennially popular Costa del Sol, attracted some 7.9 million international visitors during 2013, up 4% on the previous year, according to Anadalucia.com. The site reports that 26% visited for the climate, 17% for cultural reasons and 15% for the beach.

Taylor Wimpey España, the Spanish arm of prestigious UK homebuilder Taylor Wimpey, is extremely familiar with the British fondness for the Iberian country. Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director for the firm, comments,

“Our buyers are looking for high spec properties in Spain’s most popular areas. The relaxed pace of life in Spain, together with the weather and the wonderful culture, combine to create the perfect destination.

“For many of our buyers, retirement to Spain is the ultimate goal when purchasing their property. They want to use it for holidays with family and friends while they are still working, then move into it permanently to enjoy their golden years.”

Such buyers have a clear vision in mind of the property they want, which has helped to shape Taylor Wimpey España’s offerings over the years. Developments consist of Mediterranean style buildings that blend delightfully with their surroundings in areas of outstanding natural beauty.

La Floresta Sur in Elvira, Marbella, is the perfect example. The exclusive development offers two and three bedroom apartments as well as penthouses from just €178,000. The apartments benefit from both sea and mountain views in a UNESCO natural biosphere reserve and are surrounded by the region’s lush and peaceful pine forest. They are located close to Elvira’s stunning beach, while the resort also offers two communal pools. Large gardens and terraces make them ideal for outdoor entertainment and enjoyment of the wonderful Spanish climate.

As the UK remains Spain’s largest inbound tourism market, with UK visitors accounting for 27.6% of total arrivals during May 2014 based on Ministry of Industry, Energy & Tourism data, demand for second homes there remains strong. Key-ready properties are extremely popular, such as the delightfully appointed apartments at Brisas de Alenda Golf in Elche, on the Costa Blanca. The private complex comprises beautiful three bedroom townhouses that are perfectly located for those looking to hone their golfing skills during their holidays and on into their retirement. Priced from only €145,000 for the split level houses with private gardens, and just 15 minutes from the beach, the development is understandably popular with British buyers.

As the cost of retirement in the UK seems to rise inexorably, with a 2013 study by retirement specialist LV showing that Brits need some £225,756 in their pension pot to enjoy a typical 17 year retirement fully, it is clear to see why the lower cost of living in Spain, as well as the country’s countless other charms, is leading to so many UK adults planning their retirement overseas.

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.

Italian estate agents are feeling increasingly cheerful so is now the time to buy that dream casa?

by Louise Italy Appassionata

Confidence in property market improvement jumps 5 percentage points (Bank of Italy)
Investors confident as interest on Italian debt touches record low of 2.666%
International tourist arrivals increase 2.9% in 2013 (World Tourism Organization)

Italy’s estate agents are feeling cheerful. Well, 43% of them are at least. That’s how many forecast that their country’s housing market is going to improve in the next two years, according to a Bank of Italy survey conducted in May 2014. The figure has jumped from the previous survey’s confidence level of 38% back in the fourth quarter of 2012.

The survey marks a turning point for the Italian property sector, as Fabio Longo, director at Sankaty Advisors Inc, explains,

“The Italian real estate market has stronger fundamentals than other southern European markets and Italian banks’ provisions are improving… We see Italy as a core source of opportunities.”

The projected improvements to the property market are just one reason why Italy is looking strong for H2 2014. Another reason is the boost the economy has received of late thanks to Italian debt touching record lows of 2.666%.

With investor confidence driving economic improvement, the feeling is one of a starkly different environment than Italy has experienced over recent years. Gone are the concerns that Italy may need to join Portugal and Greece in receiving an international bailout. Instead, investors are now casting an appraising eye over Italy’s offerings. Patrick Jacq, bond strategist at BNP Paribas, comments,

“The fact that these rates continue to decline and there is no reversal shows that nobody sees issues that are likely to push yields higher.”

With its facts and figures in order, Italy could well be shaping up for a good H2 2014, but the country’s essential appeal is not quite so black and white, as Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs of luxury holiday home company Appassionata explains,

“Over the last 10 years I’ve seen Italy experience the good times and the not so good times and it really feels as though the country has turned a corner now. Italy has so much to offer – a rich history, friendly culture, world-class cuisine, beautiful weather – it’s almost impossible to sum up the country’s charms in words. It’s more of a feeling – Italy just gets under your skin somehow and makes you yearn to keep coming back – it did us!”

The observation is certainly true so far as Italy’s visitor numbers are concerned. World Tourism Organization data shows that international tourist arrivals increase by 2.9% from 2012 to 2013, when 47.7 million visitors made Italy their holiday destination of choice.

With H2 2014 shaping up so well, many of those tourists are seeing now as the ideal time to invest in a second casa within Italy’s borders. The Le Marche region, where Appassionata is based, offers a taste of Italy that is unspoiled by mass tourism. Indeed, those purchasing a fraction of Appassionata’s Casa Tre Archi can enjoy traditional Italian town life for five weeks of every year from just £65,000.

The three bedroom, three bathroom Casa Tre Archi offers immediate access to the cafés, shops and piazzas of the medieval town of Petritoli, while still being within close proximity to several of the area’s pristine Blue Flag beaches. Three levels of outside space allow owners to soak up the sunshine as they gaze over Le Marche’s rolling landscape, with a glass of locally produced wine in hand, perhaps contemplating how lucky they were to have invested in Casa Tre Archi just before Italy’s economy surged back to life and drove prices up.

For more information on fractional ownership and the wonders of the luxury Italian urban lifestyle, contact the Appassionata team on 0039 073 465 8775 or visit www.appassionata.com.

Spanish property market rebounds as economy turns a corner and attracts international buyers

by Louise Spain Taylor Wimpey Spain

Spain’s economic growth forecast for 2014 increased to 1.2% (IMF)
Spanish residential property transactions up 48% (INE)
Record tourism sees 28 million visitors to Spain in H1 2014, up 7.3% (Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism)

Spain’s economy has been looking up of late, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) adjusting its growth forecast from 0.6% to 1.2% for 2014. James Daniel, head of the IMF’s mission to Spain, explained recently,

“The economy has turned the corner, recovery is on the right track and the outlook is better than it was a year ago thanks to society’s efforts and adopted measures.”

Longer-term, the IMF is projecting steady growth as far ahead as 2019, by which time the rate should reach a comfortable 2.0%.

With the Spanish economy turning the corner, the news on the housing market from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE) is also positive. The INE data shows that Spanish house prices have begun to rise, increasing 0.15% during Q2 2014. The figures also highlight a boom in residential property transactions, which increased by 48% during Q1 2014, compared with a year earlier.

The improving economic picture, along with Spain’s continuing popularity as a tourist destination, are leading many second home buyers to see now as the perfect time to invest in their dream Spanish property.

Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director of leading Spanish developer Taylor Wimpey España, comments,

“Spain has long been a popular second home destination for buyers from across Europe and the Balearic Islands in particular have seen significant investment from those looking to purchase the ideal holiday home in the sunshine.

“While Spain has an abundance of beautiful locations from which to choose, the island of Mallorca remains a firm favourite thanks to its stunning beaches, vibrant capital city and wonderfully cosmopolitan lifestyle.”

Indeed these magnetic draws have once again made the Iberian country a hit with tourists this year, with a record-breaking 28 million visiting during the first half of 2014. The figure, reported by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism, represents an increase of 7.3% over the same period in 2013. In June alone, over 6.5 million international tourists visited Spain, some 4.5% above the same month a year earlier and another record-breaker.

The good news looks set to continue further into the summer, with the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism predicting that Spain will receive some 22.7 million international tourists during the third quarter of 2014, with projected spending in excess of €23 million.

Data from Ibestat also confirms Mallorca’s popularity with tourists, with almost 9.5 million visiting the island during 2013. Many visitors use the opportunity to consider the local property market, which includes gems such as Taylor Wimpey España’s Cala Magrana III development.

Cala Magrana III is the epitome of luxurious island living, with two bedroom apartments starting at just €230,000. The apartments afford delightful views out over the sparkling sea, while peaceful sandy beaches, hidden coves and crystal clear waters just wait to be discovered. A generously proportioned swimming pool complements the beautifully designed properties with their spacious terraces.

With Spain’s housing market once more on the move and with positive economic growth predicted for at least the next five years, it seems that the time is ripe for those looking to pick up their perfect second home in the sunshine.

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.

Crowd Investment Platform To Transform Private Capital In Emerging And Frontier Markets

by Louise United Kingdom Emerging Crowd Ltd

Emerging Crowd today announces the upcoming launch of its UK-based equity crowd investment platform aimed at unlocking the huge growth potential of strong, well-managed companies in emerging and frontier markets. The platform is planned to go live in October 2014 once FCA authorisations are in place and will provide ordinary investors with direct investment opportunities in individual growth stage companies through a secure, risk-managed and cost effective online process.

There are reportedly 3 million ‘DIY investors’ in the UK, and this is forecast to increase to 5.5 million by 2017. Emerging Crowd will provide this self-empowered community with the opportunity to explore new exciting markets through their investment choices. The Holy Grail for investors is to be among the first to identify a long-term investment trend and to get in on the ground floor. A quarter of a century ago it was almost inconceivable that ordinary investors could invest in a Chinese internet giant on a major stock exchange or that a South Korean automotive company would conquer international markets.

Lucien Moolenaar and Will Tindall (biographies below), the Co-Founders of Emerging Crowd, have both spent many years working on cross-border fundraisings in emerging and frontier markets. They observed that even profitable, well-managed companies often struggled to access private capital and that opportunities to invest in these growth stage companies were few and far between.

Lucien Moolenaar, Co-Founder of Emerging Crowd, explains:

“For established growth companies in emerging and frontier markets, traditional cross-border fundraising models often fail to provide the necessary transformational capital. Even the best companies are not adequately served by conventional banking and brokerage models. We have created Emerging Crowd to bridge this gap, so that investors can discover and invest directly in growth stage companies from around the world.”

The Co-Founders recognised that crowd investment had begun to revolutionise the marketplace for startups and early-stage companies in developed markets and felt that this technology could also bring much needed agility and transparency to later-stage emerging and frontier market investing. According to a recent report from the World Bank, crowdfunding in developing countries could grow to £50-55 billion over the next twenty years.

Will Tindall, Co-Founder of Emerging Crowd, commented:

“New technologies are greatly enhancing private market efficiencies. Emerging Crowd offers the potential for a major overhaul of a largely institutional framework for allocating capital to companies in emerging and frontier markets. It provides the possibility of leapfrogging the inefficient legacy systems prevalent in the developed world and opening additional sources of funding to these undercapitalised markets.

The platform will be highly curated, and companies seeking to raise capital must already have strong financial performance and growth prospects, along with an experienced management team, strong corporate governance and near-term liquidity options.

Emerging Crowd is headquartered in London and will initially focus on selected emerging and frontier markets in Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia and South-East Asia, including those countries that have demonstrated economic and political stability, a reliable investor protection framework, legal and regulatory certainty, transparency and market integrity.

Emerging Crowd will leverage best practices from both public markets and existing crowd investing, whilst reducing investment costs and eliminating the need for confusing and opaque investment structures. Investors will benefit from clear and compliant disclosures on the platform and will have direct access to issuers and their management before investing.

Media Enquiries

For more information, please see www.emergingcrowd.com or contact:

Will Tindall
Co-Founder

Email: wt@emergingcrowd.com
UK Mobile: +44 7776 195209
Skype ID: willtindall
LinkedIn: willtindall

Lucien Moolenaar

Co-Founder

Email: lm@emergingcrowd.com

UK Mobile: +44 7785 292558

Skype ID: lucienmoolenaar

LinkedIn: lucienmoolenaar

Booming Belfast brings buy-to-let property investors bounding towards it

by Louise United Kingdom Property Frontiers

House price rises of 4% predicted for Northern Ireland in 2014 (RICS)
Rental transactions up 6.4% (Northern Ireland Housing Executive)
Returns of more than 250% in just five years on Belfast property (Property Frontiers)

“The trajectory of house prices in Northern Ireland is continuing to broadly align with the wider economic picture, as a range of indicators are pointing to positive growth.

“The evidence is that overall transaction levels are also picking up, something that we expect to see continuing into the spring and summer months, when the market is traditionally busier.”

So speaks Samuel Dickey, spokesperson for RICS, about Northern Ireland’s blossoming property market. Having been hit hard by the global recession, the market has taken some time to truly establish its recovery, but now it seems that prices have finally bottomed out and begun to rise again.

The news has drawn the attention of global investors looking to benefit from the country’s lowered prices to expand their property portfolios. At the same time as Northern Ireland’s property prices are offering excellent value for money, its private rented sector is expanding hugely, creating the perfect environment for buy-to-let landlords. Ray Withers, Chief Executive of specialist property investment company Property Frontiers, comments,

“RICS has predicted house price rises of 4% for Northern Ireland during 2014, providing strong potential for investors to grow their capital through the country’s property sector. Rental yields also look promising for buy-to-let properties, with Census data showing an increase in the private rented sector of 128% in the decade to 2011.

“In the first six months of 2014 alone, this trend can be seen continuing, with an increase in rental transactions of 6.4% over the first half of the year, according to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. There has rarely been a more encouraging set of circumstances, so far as buy-to-let investment has been concerned.”

According to Withers, Belfast is the place to focus on when it comes to property investment at present. Prices there reduced by 45% between July 2008 and June 2014, according to Home.co.uk. However, figures from Zoopla show that the city has finally turned a corner, with an average property price rise of 8.7% in Belfast over the past 12 months.

Ever responsive to such incredible opportunities, Property Frontiers has just launched its latest set of exclusive buy-to-let apartments, close to Belfast’s popular Titanic Quarter and within walking distance of the city centre. The 56 elegant, spacious apartments at the Sandford are available at 16% below RICS valuation, from the discounted price of £96,000 for a one bedroom apartment, rising to £117,000 for a two bedroom penthouse.

Expected yields of 9%, back up by a recent valuation, mean that as a long-term prospect, investment in the Sandford could deliver up to an exceptional 253% over the next five years. The incredible opportunity is described in more detail in the new downloadable Insight Guide from Property Frontiers.

For further details contact Property Frontiers or call +44 1865 202 700 to request a copy of the Insight Guide.

$The five golden rules of buying a fractional ownership property$

The five golden rules of buying a fractional ownership property

by Louise Italy Appassionata

Expert insight from Appassionata on how to find the perfect fractional ownership property
Buy a luxury slice of the Italian dream for just £65,000
Remember the fundamental rule – location, location, location

Fractional ownership is, at its core, a means for individuals to purchase a luxurious item as a group that they would not individually be able to afford. From jet planes to super yachts to high end property, fractional ownership has opened up a world of luxury to those who might otherwise never have known it.

Overseas property, in particular, is ideal for fractional owners looking for a holiday home a cut above the rest. With a management company in place to deal with the maintenance and upkeep of the property, fractional ownership offers the capital growth benefits of a regular holiday home, but with less hassle and a far superior property.

As fractional ownership is still a relatively new concept compared with other methods of property investment, Italy-based fractional expert Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs of luxury holiday home company Appassionata here provides her five golden rules of buying a fractional ownership property.

The five golden rules of buying a fractional ownership property

Location, location, location – as with any property purchase, be sure that the location offers everything you desire, whether it’s mountain views, access to stunning beaches, fabulous local cuisine or an easy flight from the UK. If it’s all of the above that you seek, then look no further than Italy’s Le Marche region!
Value for money – ensure the purchase price is in line with the local market and offers value for money, with transparent annual maintenance charges. Check out the purchase procedure as well – it should be simple and straightforward, with clarity built in at every stage.
Property size – think carefully about how many bedrooms you need and the property’s other rooms and features. Bear in mind that over time your holiday needs may change, with extended family and friends all able to join you if you have a sufficiently spacious property.
Residency calendar – be sure to investigate how the property’s residency calendar works. It should be a simple system that is easy to understand, with a means of allocating weeks that is fair to all owners.
Confidence – ensure that you have confidence in the company that you are buying from. The fractional ownership company should engender trust from the start. Here at Appassionata our clients get to meet the whole team, which as we are a family business even includes the grandchildren. We like our clients to know that we are nearby should they need us, especially for their first visits when everything is new to them.

Appassionata currently offers three fractional ownership holiday homes – two nestled within the rolling hills of the Le Marche countryside, plus their latest property, Casa Tre Archi, which offers Italian urban living in its purest form, in the medieval town of Petritoli. Dawn was careful to look at all three properties through their potential fractional owners’ eyes before purchasing.

Attached to the ancient turrets and entrance arches of the town walls, Casa Tre Archi offers three bedrooms, three bathrooms and three levels of outside space, including a stunning roof terrace with sea views. Unique features abound, including beamed ceilings, old turret walls and travertine stone floors. Fractions are currently priced from £65,000 each for a one tenth share, which entitles the owner to five weeks’ usage per year.

For more information on fractional ownership and the wonders of the luxury Italian urban lifestyle, contact the Appassionata team on 0039 073 465 8775 or visit www.appassionata.com.

Pick Portugal! New report puts Portugal in top 3 most affordable European property markets

by Louise Portugal Ideal Homes Portugal

Portuguese market beginning to recover, with 1.22% increase in prices (Statistics Portugal)
50,000 Algarve properties now owned by British and Irish buyers (Ideal Homes Portugal)
Portugal among top 3 most affordable residential property markets in Europe (Deloitte)

The Portuguese property market is showing significant signs of improvement, as domestic and international buyers alike take advantage of the excellent prices that the Iberian country now offers.

After three years of falling values, Statistics Portugal has revealed that property prices increased by 1.22% in the year to the first quarter of 2014, though prices are still well below their 2007 peak. In the southern Algarve region, for example, they remain 22.5% below their peak level. The result is a market packed with affordable properties – so much so that the third edition of the Deloitte Property Index Report has revealed Portugal to be among the top three most affordable residential property markets in Europe (along with Germany and Denmark).

The positivity within Portugal’s housing sector is being felt both domestically and further afield. The Algarve in particular is popular with foreign buyers, from investors to holiday home owners to expats. Some 50,000 properties in the Algarve are now British or Irish owned, according to boutique real estate agency Ideal Homes Portugal. Founding Director Chris White comments,

“Many foreign buyers are drawn to Portugal by the weather, the stunning beaches and the low cost of living. The Portuguese government has put a number of incentives in place to encourage foreign investment in the country’s market. The Non Habitual Resident Tax Regime, for example, offers up to ten years of tax incentives for those settling in Portugal, while a Golden Visa programme grants residency to non-EU citizens who purchase property costing €500,000 or more.”

Combined with the lack of restrictions on foreign ownership and the current rock bottom prices, these incentives have encouraged many to consider Portugal as the location of their dream holiday home or even their permanent residence. The wide variety of accommodation on offer, from villas in the mountains to penthouse apartments overlooking the sea, means that the country has something to suit every taste and budget.

Ideal Homes Portugal is known for bringing the best in Portuguese property to the UK market, through Overseas Property Show roadshows where potential purchasers can meet face to face with their team of experts, for advice and guidance on how to buy in Portugal, which areas are most suited to their choice of leisure pursuits and what they can get for their money.

€105,000 is enough to purchase a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment in Olhos d’Agua, just 1,500m from the idyllic Falesia beach and the famous Pine Cliff Golf Resort. The Algarve is dotted with championship quality golf courses such as Pine Cliff, with an annual KPMG report highlighting it as the second most popular golf tourism destination in the world (second only to Spain).

For €239,000, buyers can delight in a two bedroom, two bathroom town house with panoramic sea views in the picturesque town of Carvoeiro. Its cliff top location and proximity to two secluded beaches, along with a generous roof terrace and private swimming pool make this the perfect place for enjoying family life.

Towards the upper end of the scale, buyers looking to spend in the region of €1.5 million can purchase a unique, ultra-modern five bedroom villa with swimming pool and landscaped gardens, set in a quiet cul de sac between the upscale resorts of Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo.

With such variety on offer for such excellent prices, and the current strength of sterling meaning that British buyers get a great deal more for their money than has been the case for the past few years, it seems that the Portuguese property market looks set to continue benefitting from foreign investment for quite some time.

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

Award-winning agency Ideal Homes Portugal appoints AB Property Marketing to promote overseas property roadshows – coming to the UK soon!

by Louise Portugal AB Property Marketing, Ideal Homes Portugal

Following the successful public relations campaign for The Overseas Property Show, undertaken by AB Property Marketing earlier this year, award-winning Algarve estate agency, Ideal Homes Portugal, who organised and hosted the show, has once again appointed the leading property PR agency to promote the next series of UK roadshows coming soon.

Based in the perennially popular Algarve region of southern Portugal, Ideal Homes Portugal was founded by Director Chris White, now in his tenth year of helping sun-seeking Brits find the perfect property overseas.

At the heart of Chris’ ethos is a commitment to providing a personal, expert service to every single client who contacts his firm; backed by a passionate team who share his enthusiasm for Portugal, and for providing unbeatable service.

Chris commented: “We believe in meeting clients in person and building a relationship with them, which is why we invest in our roadshows. Visitors will be able to meet our team, browse villas, apartments and townhouses for sale at reduced prices – in some cases up to 60 per cent, as well as receive one-to-one specialist advice on overseas mortgages, taxation, the legalities of buying abroad and currency transfers”

From off-plan apartments through to multi-million pound luxury villas and bank repossessions across the Algarve, Ideal Homes Portugal will be shouting loud about the superb range of properties on offer, as well as their exceptional service

Commenting on the appointment, ABPM Managing Director, Charlotte Ashton, says,

“After working successfully on The Overseas Property Show earlier this year, the team and I are delighted to be working with Ideal Homes Portugal once again. With the traditional second homes market in Europe picking up once again, it will be superb to be able to fulfil the media appetite for Portugal property market news and inform buyers of the opportunities available.”

What can Ideal Homes Portugal offer the media?

The ABPM team are available 24/7 to supply the following on behalf of Ideal Homes Portugal:

Insightful expert market comment from Founder Chris White
Detailed market reports and statistics
Information on a wide range of properties for sale
High resolution imagery
Client case studies – including celebrities and household names
Press trips to the Algarve (for secured commissions only)

For more information on Ideal Homes Portugal please contact Charlotte Ashton on +44 845 054 7524, email charlotte@abpropertymarketing.co.uk or visit http://www.idealhomesportugal.com.

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