Over €2,000,000 already won in 2017 against 6 Spanish banks by CostaLuz Lawyers

Over €2,000,000 already won in 2017 against 6 Spanish banks by CostaLuz Lawyers

by Georgina Spain United Kingdom World

· 13 court cases already won to date in 2017

· British and Irish property buyers queuing up to reclaim lost deposits

· The highest payout in any one case was €958,000 plus interest

· Spanish judiciary working to restore faith in Spanish property market

2017 has been a busy year for the team at CostaLuz Lawyers. After successfully supporting Keith Rule in his quest for justice over the €54,000 deposit payment he made to a Spanish developer who never built the home Keith had paid towards, CostaLuz Lawyers has been inundated with requests for help.

Now working for CostaLuz Lawyers alongside legal eagle Maria de Castro, Keith and his colleagues have so far supported 13 British and Irish claimants to victory in 2017. The cases focus on reclaiming lost deposits from Spanish banks.

“The wording of Spanish law LEY 57/1968 and the ruling made in respect of my own case opened the doors for those in similar situations to come forward and try to recoup their lost investment. It’s not a quick process, but it is possible to beat the banks and reclaim funds that were handed over in good faith, even if the transaction dates back many years.”

Keith Rule, CostaLuz Lawyers

So far, 6 banks have been ordered to make payments to CostaLuz Lawyers’ British and Irish clients this year: SGR, BBVA, Banco de Sabadell, Caixabank, Banco Popular and Caja Rural.

The amount awarded across all 13 cases totaled €2,155,072, plus an amount of interest that is still being calculated. The highest payout in any one case was €958,000 plus interest.

Those being represented hailed from all over the UK and Ireland, while their investment locations were spread out across Spain. The only thing they had in common was that they had paid out money for a dream home, only for their dream to turn into a nightmare.

The reasons for the clients’ legal wrangling were varied. In one case, at La Reserva de Marbella, the homes had been built illegally. Another related to the Malaya political and planning corruption saga at Marbella’s local council. Yet another was due to the developer’s descent into insolvency when Spain’s economy crumbled following the global financial crisis.

Whatever the reason, CostaLuz Lawyers has been fighting to gain back the money that British and Irish property buyers lost.

“These successful judgements are making a huge difference to people’s lives. The stress associated with going through the process of losing so much money can never be taken away, but at least a ruling that the bank is required to pay back the money (plus interest) finally draws a line under the matter.

“However, there’s more to it than simply getting people’s money back. The evolution of Spanish case law that we’re seeing is going a long way to restore faith in the Spanish property market. The Spanish judiciary is working hard to ensure that a system exists in which individuals’ rights are respected and that Spain is one of the safest countries in the world for the purchase of off plan property.”

Keith Rule, CostaLuz Lawyers

For more information, please contact CostaLuz Lawyers’ UK office on +44 1908 635 111 and speak with Keith. To speak with Maria in the Spanish office, please call +34 956 092 687 or you can visit www.costaluzlawyers.es 

Top of the Props: Spain still number one for international buyers

Top of the Props: Spain still number one for international buyers

by Georgina Spain United Kingdom World , ,
  • Spanish property enquiries no.1 on TheMoveChannel.com in April 2017
  • Bulgaria climbs 11 places to take fourth
  • Malta biggest climber to 11th from 24th

 

Spain is still number one for international buyers, reveals TheMoveChannel.com’s latest Top of the Props index. Spanish property accounted for 1 in 10 of all enquiries on the portal in April 2017, stealing back the top spot from the USA. This is the second time that the country has been the most popular destination on the site in 2017, after it ranked first in February, with 14.02 per cent of enquiries.

Spain’s return to the top of the chart is despite much speculation surrounding the impact of the UK’s vote to leave the European Union upon British buyer appetites. Historically, UK buyers have been the biggest spenders on Spanish property. The country’s appeal to a wide range of nationalities, though, remains undiminished: The Spanish Registrars’ latest annual report shows that foreign transactions now make up a record 13.25 per cent of transactions, despite a dip in demand for British investors. On TheMoveChannel.com, Spain also accounted for 31 of the 50 most searched-for locations on The MoveChannel.com in Q1 2017 – an all-time high for any country.

Demand is also booming for Bulgaria, which surged 11 places up the Top of the Props index to steal fourth place. The country accounted for 4.09 per cent of all enquiries in May 2017, marking its first place in TheMoveChannel.com’s Top 10 in seven months and its highest ranking in the Top of the Props index since February 2015.

May’s biggest climber, though, was Malta, which jumped 13 places in the chart to become the 11th most popular country on TheMoveChannel.com. This is the island’s first time in the Top 20 since August 2016, accounting for 1.45 per cent of enquiries, and its highest ranking since July 2013.

Portugal held onto fourth place, with 3.37 per cent of enquiries, while interest in Cyprus continued to climb, as the country rose into fifth place. Cape Verde climbed seven places to seize sixth spot, just ahead of Italy and Indonesia. France and the UAE completed the Top 10.

“Even with the more expensive buying costs for Brits brought about by Brexit, Spanish property’s affordability is at its most appealing in 2017, as bottomed-out prices mean that capital growth is possible for investors,” comments Dan Johnson, CEO of TheMoveChannel.com. “The same is true of Bulgaria, where prices are now rising steadily and the economy is similarly growing: both present overseas buyers with stable markets, potential for rental returns and rising values, and, of course, a life beside the seaside. Indeed, since the Brexit vote last year, we have seen a growing trend among some British buyers looking to Bulgaria for bargain opportunities that won’t break the budget. Whether Bulgaria and Malta can stay in the Top 15 during 2017 is yet to be seen, but with overseas interest in Cyprus staying steady for the second month in a row, Spain is not the only bright spot in Europe this Spring.”

Click here  to see the full top 40 property destinations for May 2017.

 

— ENDS –

Notes to Editors

About Lead Galaxy and TheMoveChannel.com

Founded in 1999, www.TheMoveChannel.com is the leading independent website for international property, with more than 1.4 million listings in over 100 countries around the world, marketed on behalf of agents, developers and private owners.

TheMoveChannel.com is one of more than a dozen international property sites operated under the Lead Galaxy brand. Lead Galaxy provides online marketing solutions to thousands of property companies worldwide, focusing on portal listings, email marketing, qualified leads, paid search and social media advertising.

The business is headquartered at 24 Jack’s Place, Corbet Place, Shoreditch, London, E1 6NN.

——————————-

Do you need comment or statistics for an international real estate article? Our experienced editorial team and management are happy to collate data, provide example properties, or offer insightful comment to support your publication.

Please contact Ivan Radford on ivan.radford@themovechannel.com or +44 (0)207 952 7221

——————————-

Sign up to our Daily International Property Newsletter:

– Daily updates on property market news headlines

– Quirky stories from around the world of property

– Hot properties being launched internationally

– Useful guides, surveys, research and trends

– Gossip, lists and other property chit chat

Sign up here: http://www.themovechannel.com/my/subscriptions/

——————————-

Feature property listings in your publication!

Our technical team has developed a great new solution for content publishers that allows the addition of high impact advertising units, which can be configured to show property listings, relevant to a type of property, country, region or a specific location.

There are 2 types of implementation:

  • Standard Ad Units: These show in 120,600, 160×600, 300×150, 300×250, 300×500, 300×750 and 728×90 formats, with a varying number of listings showing in each version.
  • Dynamic Portfolio: This is a completely configurable panel, where you can choose the number of columns and rows, plus the size of the listings and dedicate a section of a page, or even a whole page to a set of properties.

Please contact Ivan Radford on ivan.radford@themovechannel.com or +44 (0)207 952 7221

Student property remains a smart investment in this Brexit era

Student property remains a smart investment in this Brexit era

by Georgina United Kingdom World
  • Over £2.1bn of UK student accommodation transacted post Brexit referendum compared to £1.9bn earlier in the year (Savills)
  • Almost half of UK university towns and cities have PBSA supply levels below 30% (JLL)
  • Plymouth only has 20% – 30% of PBSA supply relative to student numbers (JLL)
  • Beaumont Square, Plymouth presents a smart investment opportunity in the current market (Aspen Woolf)

 

The latest Student Housing report from Savills (Spotlight 2017) supports the sentiment shared by many domestic and indeed international investors, that investing in PBSA (purpose built student accommodation) is the way to go in the current UK market.

Despite a tricky economic year, over £2.1bn was transacted in the months following the Brexit referendum, compared to £1.9bn earlier in 2016 reports Savills.

Analysis from JLL revealed that across 79 university towns and cities, almost half have student accommodation supply levels below 30% emphasizing strong development opportunities for PBSA. This, in addition with greater restrictions on the alteration of use from single dwellings to HMOs under Article 4, is set to play a significant role in the growth of the PBSA sector.

Indeed, according to experts, the UK’s decision to leave the EU has not resulted in any negative effects to the PBSA sector as of yet, in fact it seems to have intensified the appetite of property investors now that sterling is worth up to 20% less than many other foreign currencies, overseas investments are at an all-time high as Savills reports.

One UK university city with a chronic undersupply is Plymouth; according to JLL the coastal city has only 20% – 30% of PBSA relative to student numbers making leading investment agency Aspen Woolf’s luxurious Beaumont Square development a no brainer for investors looking to enter this Brexit-proof market.

“Now is the time to invest in PBSA and Beaumont Square in Plymouth is the best place to start with. The combination of low levels of PBSA for the city’s population combined with the enforcement of Article 4 has made Plymouth stand out amongst the rest.

 “Having sold PBSA for a number of years now, we are finding that students are looking for more luxurious accommodation and are willing to pay higher costs for it, which in turn is shaping the standard of PBSA units on the market and making those of this high standard even more attractive to investors.”

Oliver Ramsden, Director, Aspen Woolf

Beaumont House offers 39 studio apartments from £78,500 with an 8% NET yield assured for three years. Currently under construction, the brand new, fully equipped student studios complete with high quality furnishing and stylish finishes will be ready for the 2017/18 academic year.

For more information, visit www.aspenwoolf.co.uk or contact Aspen Woolf on +44(0) 203 176 0060.

New home, new style!

New home, new style!

by Georgina United Kingdom World
  • New home registrations hit highest level for 10 years (NHBC)
  • “A new build home is like a blank canvas” (Alexander James Interior Design)
  • Celebrate #NewHomesWeek by learning how to style your new home to perfection (Alexander James Interior Design)

 

Newly published NHBC figures show that the number of new homes registered in the first three months of 2017 have shot up by 17% when compared with the Q1 2016 figures.

In total, more than 42,000 new homes were registered between January and March 2017, making it the best quarter for new home building in a decade.

The figures have been released in advance of #NewHomesWeek, which runs from 15th -21st May to celebrate the benefits of buying a newly built residence. There are myriad advantages to doing so and the interior design potential is one of the most exciting.

 

“A new build home is like a blank canvas – there’s so much scope when it comes to letting your style ideas have free reign. While that’s an incredibly exciting opportunity, it can also be a little overwhelming. It’s important to think through colour schemes for the house as a whole, rather than just individual rooms otherwise you can end up feeling a little like you’re living inside a rainbow, which is hardly relaxing!”

 

Stacey Sibley, Creative Director, Alexander James Interior Design

The professional interior design team at Alexander James strongly recommends starting with a mood board, with sections for each room. That way, the home’s overall style can be considered at the same time as that of individual rooms.

Mood boards are a great way to bring shape to your vision. Bring together everything that has caught your eye, including wallpaper samples, images of pieces of furniture, fabric swatches, artwork examples, striking cosmetic bottles and more. You can then compare and contrast all of these items, considering what works best and shaping your vision for your new build home accordingly.

When it comes to colours, choosing a palette of neutral shades and complementary hues, along with a few bolder accent colours, is a great start. These can be applied throughout the home and will help to create a sense of harmony, with one room flowing beautifully into the next.

 

“Suiting a room’s style to its use is also key. Bedrooms should create a sense of serenity and calm, while family rooms should have a welcoming, relaxed feel. The way you dress your home will impact on how you feel while within the property, so create spaces that make you and your family feel safe, happy and comfortable.”

 

Stacey Sibley, Creative Director, Alexander James Interior Design

Bringing nature indoors is a great way to do just that. The natural world can do wonders for our inner sense of peace, so large leaf prints, vases spilling over with flowers and the presence of natural elements in everything from lamps to tables is a great way to bring serenity into the home. It’s also perfectly attuned to this summer’s hottest interior design trends.

Incorporating natural elements is also a great way to dress your home for the nose, as well as the eyes. The scent of freshly cut flowers can bring a room to life. Scented candles and reed diffusers are also a wonderful way to create rooms that feel harmonious and welcoming. This was demonstrated wonderfully at Lockeswood in Eversley, a new build property dressed beautifully by Alexander James Interior Design.

The final tip from the Alexander James team is to involve younger family members in the process of interior design when it comes to new build homes.

 

“Young people have delightfully creative minds and building a mood board for their new bedroom can be a great way to boost their excitement about their new home. That doesn’t mean covering an entire room with Thomas the Tank Engine wallpaper, however! Bear in mind that children’s tastes change as they grow, so opt for a base colour scheme and then overlay it with items that suit the particular child’s preferences. It’s much easier to change curtains, artwork and accessories rather than having to re wallpaper or paint. Engaging the child in the process can also have an added benefit – if they feel a true sense of ownership for their room, they might just keep it tidy!”

 

Stacey Sibley, Creative Director, Alexander James Interior Design

 

 

For more information, visit Alexander James Interior Design at www.aji.co.uk, email info@aji.co.uk or call 020 7887 7604.

 

Lisbon’s aesthetic inspires design of the city’s latest luxury student accommodation

Lisbon’s aesthetic inspires design of the city’s latest luxury student accommodation

by Sophie Evans World
  • Communal areas show industrial elements and concrete walls inspired by Lisbon’s historic LX Factory (Design Command)
  • Using warm, metallic tones accents the welcoming feeling associated with Collegiate AC residences (Design Command)
  • We felt partnering with a local artist would instill a strong sense of local heritage within Collegiate Marquês de Pombal (Collegiate AC)

 

Now expanding their exclusive student experience to Europe, Collegiate AC’s Collegiate Marquês de Pombal is set to welcome students as soon as this September.

 

Surpassing any standard seen before in the city of Lisbon, Collegiate Marquês de Pombal will provide students with a private fitness suite and swimming pool, a 24 hour concierge service and an on-site cinema, to name only a few of the luxury facilities accessible to residents.

 

With the interior design of the accommodation inextricably linked to the building’s atmosphere and ultimate comfort, we spoke with Collegiate AC’s design team from Design Command to find out what inspired this unique spectacle;

 

“Lisbon is traditionally decorated with blue and white, as you can see in the many ceramic tiles on the buildings’ facade. We wanted this tradition to be reflected in our scheme so for example we added a touch of blue to the bedrooms, warmed up with brown, brass and copper elements.

 

“Communal areas show more industrial elements and concrete walls: the inspiration for this comes from the historic LX Factory in Lisbon, which our team just love! Again our goal was to accent the warm, welcoming feeling that is typical of Collegiate AC residences. We used warm metal tones like copper and brass, soft furnishing, rugs and a new entry for us: foliage! Which is also our interpretation of the Greenery Pantone colour of the year as it brings the same fresh feeling.

 

“We chose to reflect the feel and calming effect of nature through the use of native Portuguese planting to create a relaxed and inspirational environment.  This, coupled with the extensive natural light source make this a truly amazing space to live in.”

 

Committed to incorporating the building’s heritage within the design, many aspects have involved the work of talented Lisbon locals.

 

“The street art set to be featured in the property was commissioned by a local artist. We felt partnering with a local artist would instill a strong sense of local heritage within Collegiate Marquês de Pombal.  We did provide a vague brief but we also want him to follow his own inspiration so the very final result will partly be a surprise for us all.

 

“We are still liaising with a local furnishings company which is helping us a lot. What we try to achieve is a mixture of high end and industrial chic; and obviously, furniture plays a key role in the look and feel of luxurious living spaces.”

 

Part of Collegiate AC’s Prestige Collection and in keeping with the company’s commitment to ‘Superior Living’, the Collegiate Marquês de Pombal will provide students with high speed broadband and Wi-Fi throughout the property, as well as an exclusive club lounge, well designed private and group study areas and even a stylish dinner party room.

 

For more information, contact Collegiate on +44 1235 250 140 or visit www.collegiate-ac.com. 

easyMarkets releases brand new trading app

easyMarkets releases brand new trading app

by Charly United Kingdom World

Industry pioneer easyMarkets have launched their brand-new trading app, a unique, free to download mobile app, based on their award-winning web-platform.

“We have come full circle from launching the world’s first web-based trading platform in 2001 to entering today’s fast paced era with the launch of our trading app. This is as always, another investment in our traders’ best interest and it is specifically designed to make their trading experience easier and integrated in their every-day lives.”

Nikos Antoniades, CEO, easyMarkets

The app promises to be fast, simple and easy – a tagline which carries the promise easyMarkets made to traders and kept for nearly two decades. Even prior to an official launch, the app has been very well received by 6000 active users.

“The easyMarkets mobile application was developed natively for both Android and iOS to maximize its responsiveness and provide our users with the best possible look and feel.

“It supports a broad range of functionality beyond trading, pricing and market news. Funding, withdrawing and reporting, enable the user to enjoy the complete easyMarkets experience on their mobile device. The new easyMarkets app is able to fully replace the desktop experience for its users.”

Alexander St Louis, CIO, easyMarkets

What sets this app apart from other trading apps is its ability to visually and contextually organize features in the most straightforward way. Traders are equipped with several market analysis and risk management tools as they make buy and sell decisions. They can also use easyMarkets’ unique trading tool, dealCancellation*, which for a fee, allows them to undo any losing trade within 60 minutes.

In a time of unparalleled demand for access to information through push notifications, the easyMarkets app taps into that need by providing traders with the ability to enable price notifications and receive around-the-clock alerts about the moves, highs and lows of trading assets.

Among many great features, the app provides graphs, live market news, a financial calendar and easyMarkets’ Inside Viewer which shows the direction fellow easyMarkets’ traders are favoring on a chosen asset.

Several upgrades are in the works which will allow further personalization based on trader preference, and continuous enhancement of user experience.

The easyMarkets trading app is available for download on iOS and Android, in English and Chinese and will soon become available in other languages.

For further details, visit www.easymarkets.com, email pr@easymarkets.com or call +44 203 1500 748.

*Terms & Conditions Apply

Risk Warning: Forward Rate Agreements, Options and CFDs (OTC Trading) are leveraged products that carry a substantial risk of loss up to your invested capital and may not be suitable for everyone. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved and do not invest money you cannot afford to lose. Please refer to our full risk disclaimer. EF Worldwide Ltd

Top of the Props: Overseas interest strengthens in Cyprus

Top of the Props: Overseas interest strengthens in Cyprus

by Charly Cyprus United States World
  • Cyprus re-enters Top 10 destinations
  • Enquiries for Cypriot property up 50pc in Q1 2017
  • USA number one property market for overseas buyers

Overseas interest in Cyprus strengthened in March, reveals TheMoveChannel.com’s latest Top of the Props index. The country re-entered the top 10 most popular countries on the portal for the third time in six months, becoming the sixth most sought-after destination.

Foreign buyers returned to the island’s property market at the end of 2016, with enquiries rising 22 per cent in the second half of the year. After 2016’s strong finish, enquiries faltered at the start of 2017, but buyers are now showing signs of returning in greater numbers. In real terms, enquiries for Cypriot property rose by more than 50 per cent in Q1 2017 compared to Q4 2016. The country accounted for 3.03 per cent of enquiries, its highest share in two years.

Interest also increased in Croatia, which climbed the Top of the Props charts to become the seventh most popular country on TheMoveChannel.com. This is the country’s first time inside the Top 15 since October 2016.

Demand dipped for property in Spain, although the country held on to second place, behind returning number one destination the USA. US real estate accounted for 7.89 per cent of all enquiries, ahead of Spain’s 6.01 per cent. France and Italy also saw their share of enquiries decrease slightly, slipping to eighth and ninth place in the Top of the Props table respectively. Portugal held on to its fourth spot, with 3.96 per cent of enquiries.

The coveted third place was stolen by Indonesia, which accounted for 5.98 per cent of activity. Indonesian interest was driven primarily by a resort on Gili Air, as the development tapped into rising demand for real estate from international investors. The more traditional safe haven of Germany, meanwhile, maintained its position in 10th place.

“The USA and Spain have been battling to be top dog on TheMoveChannel.com for a long time,” commented TheMoveChannel.com Director Dan Johnson. “With prices climbing and sentiment in the USA’s economy staying positive, America remains an attractive market for international buyers. Spain’s appeal is still strong, although with the UK triggering Article 50 in March, British buyers may have postponed any enquiries last month to wait and see how negotiations with the EU begin. With the country making up the three most-searched locations on TheMoveChannel.com in Q1 2017, however, international interest from a diverse range of nationalities evidently remains high.

“Foreign demand for Cypriot real estate is showing signs of strengthening again in 2017. Interest climbed in the final months of 2016, possibly fuelled by buyers racing to beat the deadline for a Capital Gains Tax incentive at the end of the year. Interest softened at the start of 2017, but enquiries have grown once more in March, without the impetus of the tax deadline. With prices bottoming out and climbing across almost all regions, according to multiple indices, conditions in the island’s market are certainly improving, which is beginning to bring back investors. The island’s Golden Visa scheme is also helping to drive recovering demand, with buyers on TheMoveChannel.com particularly interested in citizenship investment opportunities.”

Click here to see the full top 40 property destinations for March 2017.

 

— ENDS –

Notes to Editors

About Lead Galaxy and TheMoveChannel.com

Founded in 1999, www.TheMoveChannel.com is the leading independent website for international property, with more than 1.4 million listings in over 100 countries around the world, marketed on behalf of agents, developers and private owners.

TheMoveChannel.com is one of more than a dozen international property sites operated under the Lead Galaxy brand. Lead Galaxy provides online marketing solutions to thousands of property companies worldwide, focusing on portal listings, email marketing, qualified leads, paid search and social media advertising.

The business is headquartered at 24 Jack’s Place, Corbet Place, Shoreditch, London, E1 6NN.

——————————-

Do you need comment or statistics for an international real estate article? Our experienced editorial team and management are happy to collate data, provide example properties, or offer insightful comment to support your publication.

Please contact Ivan Radford on ivan.radford@themovechannel.com or +44 (0)207 952 7221

——————————-

Sign up to our Daily International Property Newsletter:

– Daily updates on property market news headlines

– Quirky stories from around the world of property

– Hot properties being launched internationally

– Useful guides, surveys, research and trends

– Gossip, lists and other property chit chat

Sign up here: http://www.themovechannel.com/my/subscriptions/

——————————-

Feature property listings in your publication!

Our technical team has developed a great new solution for content publishers that allows the addition of high impact advertising units, which can be configured to show property listings, relevant to a type of property, country, region or a specific location.

There are 2 types of implementation:

  • Standard Ad Units: These show in 120,600, 160×600, 300×150, 300×250, 300×500, 300×750 and 728×90 formats, with a varying number of listings showing in each version.
  • Dynamic Portfolio: This is a completely configurable panel, where you can choose the number of columns and rows, plus the size of the listings and dedicate a section of a page, or even a whole page to a set of properties.

Please contact Ivan Radford on ivan.radford@themovechannel.com or +44 (0)207 952 7221

Collegiate AC continue 2017 expansion launching new division with Rob Clothier at the helm

Collegiate AC continue 2017 expansion launching new division with Rob Clothier at the helm

by Sophie Evans World

With Collegiate AC’s extensive expansion plans set for Europe in 2017, the leading provider of luxury student accommodation in the UK has announced the appointment of Rob Clothier as Development Director.

Set to manage a newly launched division, Acquisitions & Development Management, we spoke with Rob to discuss his role and the future for Collegiate AC;

 

What does your new role entail?  

 

“As part of our continued strategic expansion, Collegiate AC have launched a brand new division; Collegiate Acquisitions & Development Management. Our core objectives will be on supporting our clients through the following stages of new projects to ensure they achieve the Collegiate AC standards for consumer quality, branding and investment sustainability;

 

  1. Evaluation, appraisal and acquisition
  2. Layout, room mix, detailed design and specification
  3. Tendering support, branding and construction phases

 

The team will focus on delivering class-leading stock for our clients and our students, as we enter into longer and stronger partnerships.”

 

 

What is it about this new role that excites you?

 

“Collegiate AC have an outstanding reputation for the delivery and operation of superior student accommodation, whilst delivering the best value for their clients and their students. Working with one of the markets leading providers, establishing an acquisition and development management team – providing more support to a strategic number of clients and investors – and being part of a successful team to grow this incredibly strong brand, both here in the UK and overseas – is very exciting indeed.”

 

 

How does your experience from previous positions prepare you for this role?

 

“I have over 16 years’ experience in the Property / Construction industry.  Starting as QS with a main contractor, responsible for ensuring a high-quality build, within budget and to programme – provided me with essential delivery experience.

 

Within the last 8 years, I have worked for the property development arm of Bouygues UK and specifically their student accommodation brand Uliving, developing over 5,000 purpose built student accommodation beds across the country. This role gave me vital experience in structuring development transactions from the very outset, working with universities and landowners to meet their objectives in full.

 

The combination of roles allowed me to secure a skill set which completes the development cycle, from acquisition through to delivery.”

 

What do you see as being the greatest challenges?

 

“The student accommodation sector is a highly competitive one. Ensuring that we listen to the needs of our students, clients and investors in this time of expansion, whilst continuing to focus on the Collegiate AC brand principals and core values, will be critical in maintaining success and achieving our business plan going forward.”

 

What can the industry expect from Collegiate in 2017?

 

“From a project perspective – a continued focus on the UK market, ensuring that all projects due for completion in time for the start of the 2017 / 2018 academic year, are handed over to the operational team successfully. In addition to this, we are very excited to have launched the first of our European schemes, Collegiate Marquês Pombal, a flagship project in Lisbon, also due for completion later this year.

 

The Acquisition and Development team will be strengthening our activity in the UK and Europe, continuing to work with key clients and investors. Excitingly other transactions across the continent are due for financial close throughout the calendar year.”

 

For more information, contact Collegiate on +44 1235 250 140 or visit www.collegiate-ac.com.

Top of the Props: Foreign buyers go back to Greece

Top of the Props: Foreign buyers go back to Greece

by Charly Greece Italy United States World
  • Greece now 4th most popular country
  • Interest in Greek property at six-month high
  • Italy climbs to third place and Spain holds on to second
  • Investors return to Canada after recent dip in popularity

Foreign property buyers are going back to Greece at the start of 2017, reveals TheMoveChannel.com’s Top of the Props index. The country was the fourth most popular country on the international property portal in January 2017, its first time in the Top 10 in six months.

Greece stormed the charts at the start of the new year, rising 18 places to overtake Portugal in the monthly report. Greek real estate received 2.1 per cent of all enquiries on the international portal during January. This is the country’s highest share of enquiries since August 2013, when it accounted for 3.26 per cent of all enquiries. Greece’s last time in the Top 10 was in July 2016, when it was ranked ninth, with 1.39 per cent of enquiries.

Italy also enjoyed rising overseas interest, climbing five places in the Top of the props chart to be the third most sought-after destination. Italian real estate accounted for 5.97 per cent of January’s enquiries, up from 1.59 per cent in December 2016 and its highest share since August 2012 (6.12 per cent).

Spain held on to second place, confirming the country’s continuing appeal to foreign investors. Portugal rose one place into fifth, increasing its share of enquiries from 1.92 per cent to 2.02 per cent. France slipped into ninth, but remained in the Top 10 for the 17th month in a row, just above Thailand and just below Germany.

After a dip in popularity, following the introduction of Vancouver’s foreign buyer tax last August, Canada saw investors return, with the country climbing into sixth place.

The USA remained the most popular destination on TheMoveChannel.com for the seventh consecutive month, accounting for one in every six enquiries (14.65 per cent).

“After a brief rekindling of interest last summer, the start of 2017 showed signs of overseas demand for Greek property flickering back to life,” comments TheMoveChannel.com Director Dan Johnson.

“Interest was not just contained to one area, but across several regions, with enquiries soaring for property in the North Aegean, Crete, the South Aegean and Attica.

“After a year of political uncertainty elsewhere, talk of national debt and a potential ‘Grexit’ is back in the headlines in 2017, but Greece’s lifestyle appeal has not gone away. In fact, it is more affordable than ever, after house prices have dropped for the last eight years in a row. In 2016, however, they fell 2.2 per cent, the smallest decrease recorded since 2009. With the rate of decline slowing, and owning a holiday home now an attractive alternative to renting, foreign interest in Greek real estate may be showing the first signs of a gradual rebound.”

“US property remains one of the most appealing in the world,” adds Mr. Johnson. “The country’s economy, regardless of its political situation, is stable, with the Federal Reserve still on course to raise interest rates again this year. The country’s economic conditions may be the opposite of Greece, but their popularity shares one key factor: the low price of Greek real estate maximises the potential yield available from rental income, while in the US, investors are racing to find the best possible returns, before property values climb too high.”

Click here to see the full top 40 property destinations for January 2017.

 

— ENDS –

Notes to Editors

About Lead Galaxy and TheMoveChannel.com

Founded in 1999, www.TheMoveChannel.com is the leading independent website for international property, with more than 1.4 million listings in over 100 countries around the world, marketed on behalf of agents, developers and private owners.

TheMoveChannel.com is one of more than a dozen international property sites operated under the Lead Galaxy brand. Lead Galaxy provides online marketing solutions to thousands of property companies worldwide, focusing on portal listings, email marketing, qualified leads, paid search and social media advertising.

The business is headquartered at 24 Jack’s Place, Corbet Place, Shoreditch, London, E1 6NN.

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Please contact Ivan Radford on ivan.radford@themovechannel.com or +44 (0)207 952 7221

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All that glitters is gold as Chinese New Year brings Golden Week property investors to Manchester

All that glitters is gold as Chinese New Year brings Golden Week property investors to Manchester

by Charly United Kingdom World
  • Chinese New Year flight bookings to Europe up 68.5% on last year’s festival (ForwardKeys)
  • Chinese interest in Manchester property in Nov 2016 increased by 53.8% vs 2015 (Juwai.com)
  • “Golden Week provides prospective investors with time to travel and explore Manchester before making property purchases” (Surrenden Invest)

This weekend will celebrate the start of Chinese New Year festivities as the country welcomes the year of the Rooster.

Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, holds over 4,000 years of history and is the most important annual event in the Chinese calendar. The holiday also commemorates the first Golden Week of the year, as Chinese nationals enjoy seven continuous nonworking days.

Golden Week is also an opportunity to travel overseas and new figures released by travel experts ForwardKeys show that Chinese New Year flight bookings are up nearly 10% compared to last year. And it seems that Chinese tourists are returning to Europe with a 68.5% increase in flight bookings compared to the same festival period in 2016.

Many wealthy Chinese even combine business and pleasure by taking a holiday that enables them to investigate overseas’ property markets first hand.

Juwai.com, a Chinese property portal for buyers looking to invest in property overseas, stated that in November 2016 Chinese interest in Manchester property had increased by 53.8%, compared to the same month in 2015.

Jonathan Stephens, Managing Director of leading property consultancy Surrenden Invest, has certainly noticed a rise in Chinese buyers directing their investment toward Manchester. He explains,

“Interest for the local property market has increased from Chinese buyers with Manchester’s credentials as an investment hotspot continuing to grow, not only leading the Northern Powerhouse but also challenging London as the buy-to-let capital of the UK.

“Chinese New Year provides prospective investors with the time to travel and explore the Manchester market before making final property purchases. We expect buyers from China to take this opportunity and believe that as interest in the market continues to rise, many will make Manchester their top destination of choice.”

Surrenden Invest’s most recent development in the heart of Manchester, Mason Street, is one such investment opportunity that Chinese buyers visiting this Golden Week might consider.

Embracing modern low-carbon technology to ensure the building is one of the city’s most energy-efficient, Mason Street is located in the historic New Cross neighbourhood, just a short walk from the Northern Quarter. Mason Street will provide a new lease of life for one of Manchester’s heritage buildings as it is transformed into 10 high end apartments from £200,000, with a 2 year guaranteed NET rental return of 6%.

For more information, visit www.surrendeninvest.com or contact Surrenden Invest on 0203 3726 499.