What would you do if you saw a property priced below its going rate? The sensible decision would surely be to open your wallet and snap it up as quickly as possible. Indeed, buying below market value (BMV) property, essentially below the prevailing market value is quite simply the key to any good investment, allowing investors to enjoy instant equity in most cases.

With the global property market having slowed in recent years, buying BMV property can certainly have some fundamental benefits to the investor. For example, if prices within the market become stagnated or even experience a slight dip, buyers will still be able to make money on their investment aided by the safety harness of having built-in profit from the very beginning.

As well as this, purchasing BMV will also make your property easier to sell thanks to capital growth automatically being factored into the property purchase meaning that the investor doesn’t need to obtain the maximum price to make a sufficient gain. Strong rental yields can of course also be achieved as no matter what its sale price the right property in the right location will attain the same rental income as a comparable property which has been purchased at full price.

Many would argue that BMV is a win-win situation for both developers and investors but what questions should you ask when buying BMV?

Nick Stuart, MD of leading Spanish estate agent Spanish Hot Properties, offers these 5 must-ask questions when buying BMV properties:

If you are a small investor who is looking for a bargain or a ‘life style’ purchase these are the questions you should consider:

1.  What was the original sales price and what is the discount?
2.  If I intend on using the property myself, does it fit my requirements and needs?
3.  Can I get a large mortgage?
4.  Do I need to invest in the property to bring it up to a usable state?
5.  Can I rent the property?

On the other hand, if you are a large professional property investor these are the questions you should consider:
1.  What is the market value?  (The Spanish valuation system can be unreliable
2.  What is the exit strategy?
3.  How quickly can I get my money back?
4.  What is the threat of the market in terms of the failed sovereign debts and macro economic factors?
5.  What is the degree of hands on work required for the investment?”

Now you have an idea of what questions you should ask, why not take a quick look at what BMV properties Spanish Hot Properties have on offer in Spain.

Samara – Set into the hills of Marbella, this is luxury living at its finest. All Samara properties are spacious, light and exquisitely finished, providing everything you need for a luxurious stay. Each property benefits from an open-plan living room which has been carefully designed to maximise the spectacular views whilst still delivering complete privacy.

The attention to detail is clearly evident in the finishing touches. Kitchen furniture is by leading Italian specialists Snaidero, electrical appliances Bosch, and each property has a pre-installed Bang & Olufsen audio system. Bathrooms come with under-floor heating and every room benefits from cold/warm air conditioning. Two bed apartments are available from €206,500, previously priced at €360,000 – a massive decrease of over 48%.

Banus Beach Gardens – An exclusive residential complex of 14 penthouses, 23 garden apartments and 23 first floor terrace apartments situated in over 8.000 square meters of private tropical gardens with lake style swimming pool or relax at your private spa, with its own gymnasium, Jacuzzi, Turkish bath, sauna and fantastic indoor heated swimming pool.

Two bed, two bathroom apartments have been dropped to just €470,000.  Previously priced at €950,000 – over 50% decrease.

Marina de la Alcaidesa – A stunning development close to excellent restaurants & bars, miles of beautiful, uncrowded beaches, championship 18 hole golf course, shopping and bustling nightlife and within easy reach of the airport.

Prices for a 2 bed apartment from €240,000 reduced from €720,000 – a staggering 69% discount!

For more information on these BMV properties please contact Spanish Hot Properties on 00 44 207 558 8355 or visit www.spanishhotproperties.com

Quite simply Spain has something for everyone and is the chosen second property or holiday home location for most of Northern Europe including UK citizens as well as buyers from Scandinavia, Finland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Russia who are attracted to the Iberian nation for its year-round sunshine, easy to reach location, stunning scenery, brilliant golf courses, excellent transport and relaxed lifestyle.

The Costa del Sol is the destination of choice by some distance for international property buyers and with the population expected to grow by as much as 50%, rental incomes and good capital growth in the long term is predicted to flourish – great news for potential buyers!

So for those thinking about buying property on the Costa del Sol for its 320+ days of sunshine a year, excellent schools, sublime restaurants and wonderfully diverse landscape, why not take a look at leading estate agency Spanish Hot Properties’ top tips for buying Spanish property in the forever popular ‘Coast of the Sun’.

Before you begin…..

1. Think about your budget

This is the most important question you should ask yourself before you begin your property search. Work out your budget and then deduct 10% buying costs from that budget to help you figure out what you can afford.

2. Why am I buying?

To determine what type of property you need you must first decide what you want. If you are looking for a holiday home you will probably want the property to be in close proximity to amenities such as the beach, restaurant and shops. If you are looking for an investment you ideally want a property that can be let all year round thus giving you a good return on your investment. If you’re buying for retirement it will be important to make sure your property is within reach of high quality healthcare facilities. Finally, if you’re buying with the intention of living in Spain full-time you need to think about what type of lifestyle you want on a daily basis.

Next Steps….

1. Area Focus – Chose your location

Peace and Quiet – Estepona to the west of Marbella and Benahavis, known as the “table room” of southern Spain because of its high concentration of top quality restaurants are major attractions for property buyers who want a slightly more relaxed way of life.

Stunning Views – Mijas Pueblo is a typical old style white Spanish village with stunning views of the Costa del Sol, Gibraltar and Africa while La Cala de Mijas is in close proximity to the beach but maintains a village feel making it a highly desirable location.

High end – The Golden Mile is the chosen home for many overseas property buyers. Puerto Banús affords the very best designer brand shops, stunning boats and of course, upmarket bars and restaurants popular with the rich and famous if glitz and glamour is your thing.

2. Reserving your dream home

You will usually need to place a reservation deposit of around 6000 Euros made by credit card or bank transfer. Make sure the sum is readily available as a delay could mean your dream becoming another person’s reality. Payment of this sum fixes the price, confirms your intention to buy and means that the property is taken off the market and reserved for you and will stop you getting gazumped.

3. Consider finance options

Take into consideration your personal circumstances. If you require a mortgage and prefer to use a Spanish lender you will usually be able to borrow up to 70% of the value of your property repayable over 10 – 30 years depending on your age. Generally your repayments must not exceed 35% of your net monthly income or joint monthly income if two people are applying. Costs involved can amount to 3 – 4% of the amount you are borrowing.

4. Instruct a Lawyer

Select someone with local knowledge who speaks your language. Your lawyer will carry out numerous checks to safeguard your investment so when you receive ownership of your property you will not inherit any outstanding debts.

What’s on offer?

Now you have an idea of what you should do, why not take a quick look at what Spanish Hot Properties has on offer on the beautiful Costa del Sol.

Los Monteros – Located in the prime suburb of Los Monteros, within walking distance of some wonderful beaches and restaurants, Spanish Hot Properties have a sublime villa on offer with facilities including a gymnasium with attached steam room, home cinema, intelligent networks that control climatic conditions and security, climatic controlled bodega, laundry, garage space for four cars and independent staff quarters. With 6 beds and 6 bathrooms this fabulous villa is priced at €8,000,000.

Villa Natasha – This property has excellent views over the well-manicured Las Brisas golf course and is in close proximity to Puerto Banus, Marbella. Built on three floors, this ample and generous property also lends itself to an excellent rental potential. The elevated plot has a wooden decked pool, home cinema and master suite which has been placed in a tower affording privacy and seclusion. A five bedroom and five bathroom villa for €3,450,000.

La Cala Golf Resort – One of Southern Europe´s finest golf and leisure destinations, just 30 minutes from Malaga International Airport and just a 10 minute drive from the nearby coastal attractions, La Cala Golf Resort features three 18 hole golf courses, a 5 star hotel, a stunning new health and beauty spa with indoor pool, tennis courts, gymnasium, clubhouse, bars and restaurants.  All properties have either a golf mountain or sea view and have been built to the highest standards. Luxury 2 bed Townhouses from €255.000.

What if I still can’t decide and need more help?

That’s one of the easier questions to answer, just contact Spanish Hot Properties and their dedicated team will only be too pleased to discuss your own situation in detail and give you the correct advice to put you on track for your Spanish property search. They will also be able to help you with any specific questions with regards to living in Spain and any other general questions that you may have.

For more information contact Spanish Hot Properties on 0034 952 799 191 or visit www.spanishhotproperties.com

Glorious rays of warm sunshine, golden beaches, superb culture and laid back living are ubiquitous features of Spanish tourism and the industry seems to have fared well as figures released by the Frontier Tourist Movement (FRONTUR) reveal that Spain has received 7.4% more international tourists this year compared to the same time in 2010.

Around 32.3 million international tourists visited Spain between January and July of this year with July alone welcoming 7.5 million foreign tourists with the main markets up to July being the UK, with 7.4 million passengers (35.8%), Germany with 4.2 million (20%) and Italy with 2.2 million (10.7%), while the highest registered increases to Spanish shores in July were from Sweden (40.8%), France (31.6%), and the Netherlands (28.9%).

Indeed, up to July 2011 Spanish airports received nearly 36.5 million passengers, of which 4.4 million arrived on budget airlines, while 43% (15.7 million) opted for a regular airline, with the busiest budget airlines being Ryanair which experienced a 25% increase in air traffic to Spain in July as well as easyJet and Air Berlin who together with Ryanair transported 54.1% of passengers in the month.

With this in mind, the influx of passenger numbers to Spain has of course impacted on hotel occupancy with rates 3 points higher in July than the same period in 2010 according to research firm Magma Turismo.

The study highlights that in July this year hotel occupancy for the Costa del Sol reached 87% compared to 82% in 2010 while the Balearic Islands stood at 85% compared to only 79% last year. Meanwhile, Canary Island hotels experienced a 4% growth from last year standing at 76% while the Costa Brava also increased slightly to 76%.

Of course, the hotel rates reflect the popularity of one of the more traditionally popular regions of Spain, the golden coastal strip of the Costa del Sol in the Malaga province which lures in the largest number of foreign tourists seeing 6.3 million flock to the glittering shores last year according to figures issued by the Tourism Board.

Nick Stuart, Managing Director of Spain’s first and premier internet estate agency, Spanish Hot Properties founded in 2007, comments,

“Of all the tourists who chose to holiday in the Costa del Sol, around 72% said they were attracted mainly by the prospect of sun and sand which will come as no shock considering the regions exceptional climate, luxurious lifestyle, spectacular scenery, state of the art infrastructure, hi-tech communications, availability of low cost direct flights and top healthcare. It is one of only a small number of places in the world where you can spend a morning skiing on the Sierra Nevada slopes and the afternoon soaking up the sun on a beautiful beach.

"Hailed as the ´California of Europe´, the Costa del Sol is an area where the demand for property is proportional to the quality of life and has a strong and proven property market. We have seen a huge surge in demand for luxury homes in Spain worth up to £20 million with 60% of our high- end properties being sold costing between €1.2 – 2.5 million with a large proportion looking for tasteful properties located away from the centre of holiday towns along the Costa del Sol.”

Operating across Spain, Spanish Hot Properties offer something for everyone with a choice of over 15,000 properties from high quality studio apartments to multi-million pound luxury mansions.

Doncella Beach situated right on the shore-line of the beautiful blue waters of the Costa del Sol consists of 85 exquisite apartments and penthouses in 7 elegant buildings with facilities including a Jacuzzi, Turkish bath, sauna, special aroma-therapy showers, gym, yoga room and solarium deck by the effortlessly chic pool bar priced from €799,000 for a 2 bed, €1.6 million for a 3 bed penthouse and €3.5 million for a 5 bed luxury penthouse, quite simply the most luxurious penthouses in Spain.

For more information on purchasing a piece of Spanish heaven on the forever popular Costa del Sol please contact Spanish Hot Properties on 00 44 207 558 8355 or visit www.spanishhotproperties.com. 
 

The Spanish Government has finally acted with decisive action to boost the new build sector of the Spanish property market by slashing IVA (VAT) from 8% to 4% thus saving a property purchaser a sizeable €8,000 on a €200,000 purchase.

News of the 50% reduction in VAT applicable until 31st December 2011, was greeted with an ecstatic reaction from real estate professionals especially those on Costa del Sol, a popular area for new build homes.

Nick Stuart, Managing Director of Spanish Hot Properties, located in Benahavis on the Costa del Sol, couldn’t hold back his excitement and claimed that this action would stop some agents going out of business,

“It has been fairly clear to us that some agents this summer have been very much on the edge and this news will certainly help them ride the storm out. A reduction in VAT will hopefully spark some movement in the market as new build properties become more affordable.”

According to Jose Blanco, Minister of Development, the measure aims to “revive the construction sector” and “contribute to creating employment in the sector most affected” by the recession. Surely welcome news for many Spaniards.

For more information on this significant change in IVA rates and to find the perfect new build home in Spain contact Spanish Hot Properties today on +44 (0)  207 558 8355 or visit www.spanishhotproperties.com.

West of Tarifa, facing the Atlantic lies the stunning Costa de la Luz, a region that comprises two main provinces in the Spanish expanse of Andalucía – Huelva and Cadiz – which unlike the more commercial tourist hotspots of the Costa Blanca or Costa del Sol, could be an altogether different country.

Away from the hustle and bustle of mass tourism and with equally good beaches and attractions but with a greater sense of tranquility blended with tradition and wrapped in history, the Costa de la Luz is suited to those who wish to sample the true authenticity of Spain.

Here you will find relatively unspoiled beaches that stretch for miles, welcoming locals, delicious food and fine wines and ample leisure activities. For instance, thanks to its close proximity, you can easily explore nearby Portugal or take a short 35 minute ferry trip over to Tangiers in Morocco.

However, the Costa de la Luz is especially noted for being a nature lover’s paradise with its natural reserves and a number of first-rate natural attractions such as the salt marshes of Barbate and the World Heritage Site of Doñana National Park which holds more than half of Europe´s species of birds including the endangered Spanish Imperial Eagle. Besides these advantages, there are also charming Roman and Moorish influenced Andalucian Mediterranean-style towns, each with their own unique qualities and landscapes.

Although growing in international popularity over the past few years, the Costa de la Luz or ‘Coast of Light’ is typically where you will find vacationing Spaniards and the more discerning, wealthy foreign visitor and is also a destination where property investors have focussed their attentions recently thanks to considerably lower property prices than in other parts of the country.

Nick Stuart, Managing Director of Spain’s first and premier internet estate agency, Spanish Hot Properties founded in 2007, explains,
 

“The Costa de la Luz is like the Caribbean of the Spanish property market and offers a totally different lifestyle for property owners especially for those who want to get back to real Spain. Certainly once you have visited the Costa de la Luz you will know immediately whether it is for you with the charm of the area effortlessly luring you to buy a property. This is the attraction of Costa de la Luz, hence why we are planning on opening a new office in Ayamonte in the Huelva province.

“Indeed, our biggest challenge is to make potential property buyers aware of the great alternatives the Costa de la Luz has to offer but at the same time explaining to potential customers that whilst property overall costs less than that in Costa del Sol, those looking for homes on the Costa de la Luz should not be driven by price but by the totally relaxed Spanish lifestyle on offer.”

With this in mind, Spanish Hot Properties has a beautiful development situated in the up and coming area of Huelva, which has escaped over-development from mass market hotels and low end touristic real estate, costing from just €270,000.

El Rompido, comprising luxurious villas and a low rise apartment blocks with one of the best views in Europe of the Atlantic is set in a very unspoiled location with the nearby golf courses attracting many northern Europeans that come for well-priced golf and beautiful pine tree fairways.

This “bolt hole” development is perfect for weekend and holiday stays and suitable for a very special kind of clientele that wish for a quieter, less intrusive lifestyle. Here you can stroll along the beaches and sit beneath the pines against the water without your privacy being invaded.

The villa is a four bedroom, three bathroom design with a vaulted lounge ceiling with a skylight window. For more information contact Spanish Hot Properties on 00 44 207 558 8355 or visit www.spanishhotproperties.com
 

So with the cost of construction in Spain at its lowest for many years, maybe building your own dream villa in Spain is looking more attractive now than it did before. The obvious question is if you are new to building in Spain this task maybe quite daunting and getting good sound advice can be quite difficult. So to settle those nerves and avoid simply mistakes why not follow the top tips below and help make your Spanish villa dreams a reality.

Tip 1: Make Sure You Have a Very Good Lawyer & Architect

Whilst this applies for any property transaction in Spain it’s imperative that you have a lawyer who understands the law and makes sure that the plot of land you want to construct your dream villa on is fully legal and has the necessary building consents. Also, a good Architect is an absolute must, someone who can help you successfully build the villa you want and explain all the likely issues that might arise in the process are worth every penny.

Tip 2: The Cheapest Building Quotation Can Be The Most Expensive

Once your building project has been approved by the Architects College in Malaga you will then start the process of putting your villa project out to tender and deciding which builder to use based on the plans and costs built into the project by your Architect.  You need to bear in mind that the so called ‘cheapest’ quote may not be that at all. You should base your choice of builder on reputation and a proven track record of delivering on time and on budget. In a nutshell, always dig deeper and do your research!

Tip 3: Make Sure Your Tender Has Everything You Want Included

This is very important because any upgrades or extras you put onto a house in the middle of building will cost you more than they would have had you budgeted for them at the start. Put very simply, if your tender allows 20 Euros per square meter for tiles and you change your mind on the tiles to ones that are 40 Euros a square meter you will have to pay the difference and some additional charges. So it’s best to have those eventualities covered upfront by making sure your tender is realistic to your needs.

Tip 4: The Most Expensive Quote Might Be The Most Economic

It may be the reverse of tip 2 but the safest way to build your dream villa in Spain is a bespoke turnkey villa where you have a guaranteed price in place at the outset. This way you know your outlay before you start and what your budget is. On the face of it, you may do the math and decide to find the plot and build the property yourself hoping it might work out cheaper than going to builder with a guaranteed price. However, even with what appears most cost effective at the beginning could end up taking you way over budget with many going it alone seeing costs spiral out of control.   

Tip 5:  Choose Your Plot Carefully

Just remember your villa will cost the same to build whether it’s inland in a beautiful rural area or whether its frontline beach in Puerto Banus. However, the end value is going to differ considerably depending where you build. With this in mind, it’s very important to make sure you buy a plot in a desirable area where your property will be worth much more in the long run.

For more top tips on building your own dream villa in Spain please contact the experts Spanish Hot Properties on 00 44 207 558 8355 or visit www.spanishhotproperties.com. 

Summer on the forever popular Costa del Sol is set to sizzle with a forecasted 10% growth in both the number of visitors and tourist generated revenue this season with the President of the Costa del Sol Tourist Board, Elías Bendodo estimating that tourist generated income is expected to reach €1.2 million over the summer months.

In a press conference Bendodo stated that the glorious ‘Coast of the Sun’ is reaping the benefits from tourists who have chosen the Costa del Sol this summer, with the majority of visitors arriving from Britain and Germany. In spite of this positive outlook, Bendodo wishes to push tourism further focussing his attention on Spanish culture, cuisine and residential tourism as well as encouraging foreigners to spend their retirement on the sun drenched Costa del Sol.

Indeed, the growth in tourist numbers will be cheered on by Costa del Sol hotel owners with overall hotels in the area expecting occupancy levels to increase by 4% this year compared to 2010.

And there is even more good news for the golden coast with a second runway now ready and expected to be in operation from January 2012 at Málaga Airport, vital to cope with the increase in passengers expected over the coming years. The new runway will help double the airports number of take-off and landing operations from 37 to 72, with as many as 9,500 passengers able to arrive or depart every hour, accumulating to around 30 million passengers a year.

Of course, it is simple to see why the Costa del Sol is so perennially popular with its dazzling blue flag beaches and cultural and historic offerings in cities like Malaga, a city said to be attracting tourists with more spending power than the rest of the Costa del Sol according to the local Tourism Observatory with the average expenditure of visitors spending up to €74.6 per day, well above the average of €50.4 per day for the rest of the province.

Conversely, tourists who are looking for the more luxurious side of life will look no further than the sleek and sophisticated town of Marbella. In a class of its own, Marbella is one of the most exclusive and sought after areas of Spain, bursting with hip boutiques, chic restaurants and pumping nightlife. Furthermore, it is well documented that the trendy town attracts the rich and famous and this year, glitterati stars Antonio Banderas and Eva Longoria will be holding the Starlite charity gala in Marbella on August 6th in response to the success of last year’s event which saw 500 people attend the €1,000 -a-head gala held at the Villa Padierna.

Nick Stuart, Managing Director of Spain’s first and premier internet estate agency, Spanish Hot Properties comments,

“Summer on the Costa del Sol will be a hot one in terms of visitor numbers this year. Certainly with the mostly disappointing summer weather in northern Europe as well as the strife in the Middle East, a bigger proportion of tourists have decided to make the reliable and reassuring Costa del Sol their summer holiday escape. Indeed, the increase in Dutch and Scandinavian visitors as well as the loyal British travel market has certainly helped with the turnaround in Costa del Sol tourism.”

Operating across Spain, Spanish Hot Properties offer something for everyone with a choice of over 15,000 properties from high quality studio apartments to multi-million pound luxury mansions.

Located in Puerto de la Duquesa, Marina del Castillo on the Costa del Sol affords 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and penthouses on a beautiful 1st line beach from €189,000 for a 2 bed apartment. The properties include electric shutters in the living room and bedrooms, fully fitted kitchen with all electro domestics and a hydro massage bath in all master bathrooms with up to 69% discount and up to 100% finance.

For the more lavish buyer, Doncella Beach situated right on the shore-line of the blue Med consists of 85 exquisite apartments and penthouses in 7 elegant buildings with facilities including a Jacuzzi, Turkish bath, sauna, special aroma-therapy showers, gym, yoga room and solarium deck

by the effortlessly chic pool bar priced from €799,000 for a 2 bed and €1.3 million for a 3 bed penthouse.

For more information on purchasing a slice of heaven on the forever popular Costa del Sol please contact Spanish Hot Properties on 00 44 207 558 8355 or visit www.spanishhotproperties.com. 
 

Capitalising on the seemingly insatiable appetite for Spanish property not only from potential buyers but also domestic and international media, leading property PR agency, AB Property Marketing has been appointed as representative of Spain’s first and premier internet estate agency – Spanish Hot Properties.

Founded by Managing Director Nick Stuart in 2007, Spanish Hot Properties is headquartered in Andalucía where the team of property professionals combines years of experience, knowledge and a thorough understanding of the market, trends and hotspots across mainland Spain and Balearics.

Working across the country with the main focus being Mallorca, Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and Costa de la Luz, the Spanish Hot Properties network is able to offer something for everyone with a choice of over 15,000 properties from studio apartments on the Costa Blanca through to multi-million pound luxury mansions on the perennially popular Costa del Sol.

Nick Stuart comments,

“The very highest standards of professionalism, market knowledge and customer service are at the heart of Spanish Hot Properties. I have taken the time to personally meet every one of our team based in our four major areas of Spain to ensure that these standards are being met and that every client has a positive experience when buying their dream home in Spain.”
Spanish Hot Properties aims to make the property buying experience as simple as possible with an easy to navigate search function on the website , video tours, dedicated consultants, regularly updated blog , twitter feed and Facebook page.

Commenting on the recent appointment, Charlotte Ashton, Director of AB Property Marketing, says,

“We are delighted to be representing Spanish Hot Properties to the UK media. Nick and the team have operated in this industry for many years and their dedication to sourcing only the finest Spanish homes and understanding of the market is second to none. Already well respected, we look forward to propelling the brand further and making Spanish Hot Properties the number one internet estate agency for Spanish property.”

What can Spanish Hot Properties offer the media?
Latest ‘on the ground’ news and market insight
Wide range of properties on the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Costa de la Luz and Mallorca
Expert comment and interviews with Nick Stuart, MD
Case studies and testimonials
High resolution imagery
Press visits
B2B comment for trade publications
For more information on Spanish Hot Properties or Media Requests please contact Charlotte at ABPM on c.ashton@abpropertymarketing.co.uk, call + 44 (0) 207 952 7227or visit the ABPM Media