For many years Spain seemed to enjoy and thrive on the booming economy that followed from the continually expanding growth which was common across much of Europe. With new finances in place, redeveloping the infrastructure then swiftly took hold, which enabled many new roads, motorways and other essential facilities to be built ahead, or in conjunction with the enormous coastal redevelopment schemes that were being planned for each region.
The face of the Mediterranean coastal landscape started changing, noticeably from the French border region around Girona, gradually spreading southwards through Costa Brava, Costa Dorada, Costa del Azahar, and the largest of all, Costa Blanca which covers both North and South of Alicante Town. The advancement continued along the Costa Almeria, Costa Tropical, Costa del Sol, and finally reached the southern areas around Costa de la Luz as it approaches the border with Portugal.
The provincial towns nearest to the developing regions, such as Alicante, Cartagena, Mucia, Malaga, Marbella and Tarragona supplied much of the employment which was required to support the building and creation of so many new businesses and property developments being constructed. The established cities of Barcelona, Valencia, Granada, Seville and Zaragoza all must have seen a rise in tourism related wealth which sustained much needed employment within their cities. The port city of Cadiz, formerly the Capital of Spain, has retained much of its originality but manages to accommodate a number of regular cruise ships who disembark their passengers.
Owning or renting a villa in Spain seemed like paradise for millions of tourists or would-be property owners, who were surprised at the benefits from owning or renting holiday accommodation in Spain instead of using hotels. Numerous of European people did see the attraction of purchasing their own villa in Spain and being able to live in the sun for many months each year, or rent out the property in order to supplement their income. Whilst the country's economy may still be gloomy, at least the weather is not.
Paul enjoys stays in self catering holiday accommodation in Spain during his travels for both business and pleasure across Europe and also manages a number of private holiday rentals worldwide.
I guess at this point in the economic cycle the answer to that question depends on who's asking it and who's answering!
From many years of dealing with property buyers in Southern Spain, I understand that the pre-requisite is the need for a buyer to be genuinely interested in the prospect of buying. As a result, the answer to this question reinforces - or not - their planning.
Let's confront the general perception of Spain through in the eyes of an interested buyer.
The media has had a high old time kicking the "Spanish Costas" with their indignant headlines and generally wallowing in the misery of those Brits embroiled in planning scams etc. Of course, I am not going to pretend that there haven't been some awful cases featuring the most appalling rip offs. But for me, nearly three years after the bloodletting started the mid-term prospects for the market are starting to brighten. A host of the charlatan element has been eradicated and the shady operators have been forced to move onto easy picking pastures new. Sharp practices delivered by in those in sharp suits is now old hat, as clichd as the "bag of cash" purchaser.
The municipalities - the local Town Hall's - in places like Marbella have confronted their past transgressions. Under the intense spotlight of the world's media, they have been dissected by the microscopic investigations of sophisticated professionals, police and regulatory bodies. The legacy of greater transparency and accountability has been the result. After having their collective backsides kicked by regional, national and supranational governments - some even being carted off to prison for their sins - I am now - and frankly only recently - getting the distinct impression that the winds of change are blowing and drying the ink on the Town's strategy to revive Marbella and its image.
The certainty delivered to the real estate market by the extensive, and costly clean up, now means - and I believe this to be no exaggeration - that Marbella may now be regarded as one of the securest places in Spain to buy a property. I simply couldn't have said that three years ago.
The planning issues of the majority of previously questionable developments have been resolved - there is now clarity. Sadly for the owners of properties in those developments where it has proved impossible to regularise - and we all know which they are - the advice is simple - avoid them.
The effects of the turmoil in world banking post the sub-prime market collapse; have been felt in Spain as elsewhere. Along with most of the known world, the tendency to over value was widespread here and reached its peak in spring 2007.
The attendant borrowing that mirrored the swollen valuations and the subsequent decline in the market has left many Spanish lenders out in the cold. Let's not forget that they fought tooth and nail for market share, allegedly providing mortgage funds to anyone "with a pulse and a passport". I don't have huge sympathies but their marketing strategies worked - probably too well. The major Spanish Banks and Cajas (Savings Banks) have been left them with the Mother and Father of all hangovers.
The risks of Bank and Caja failure, state intervention and merger to avoid total meltdown have characterised the last two years in Spain. Mortgage and developer debt has been moved on and off the balance sheets of the lenders to protect share prices or parked in subsidiary companies.
The overwhelming sense is that despite the best efforts of the bank to portray "business as usual" the reality is that all was not well. A major cause of this continuing hiccup was the insistence of the National Bank - the Bank of Spain -under its operational liquidity rules that if a debt was declared by its lender as "bad" - or morosidad - then the declaring bank must place a deposit with the Bank of Spain. A major cost bearing in mind the amount of bad debt being held.
So the banks have tried to sell their seized real estate through branded on and off line sales operations. Let me give you a second to consider the farce that ensued with bankers playing estate agents...yes, I am sure you can picture it! The net result has been that they have conjured with all manner of incentives to induce a purchaser to take over the mortgage and buy a bank owned property effectively replacing a defaulting borrower with a new purchaser who appears to be a better risk. As you can imagine, in this way only penny numbers have been sold.
Fraught because of the sheer volume of great - but seriously overpriced - property stock, the banks have turned to certain long established real estate agents to help. This has resulted in the selected agents being allowed treasured access to the banks defaulted mortgage lists, cherry picking some of the regions primmest real estate and making it available at severely reduced, very attractive prices, to would be purchasers.
Here we need to import some reality. I am firmly of the opinion, that until relatively recently, a view prevailed amongst an interested market - particularly in the UK - that there was a clear possibility that you could get on a Malaga bound flight armed with a budget of €75,000. On arrival the plane steps would be mobbed by property owners waiving details of their four bedroom villas in Golf Valley Nueva Andaluca and begging you to take it off their hands for the sterling equivalent of 62,000. Sorry guys....reality check number one. Even a burnt out ruin in Nueva Andaluca would have a land value in excess of €75,000.
Realty check No.2 - in our current experience of distressed price, bank held real estate, we would confidently expect that you should not pay more than between 25% to 40% less than their previous selling price. We have many examples of two and three bed properties that had previous sales prices in excess of €300,000 and €350,000, respectively that should now cost you no more than €220,000 and €249,000.
May be something of a barometer is my own experience and interest. For many years my loyal readers will have been regaled with tales of my family's experiences in Spain. As a former lawyer, my interest has always been in advising, providing information and helping clients to assess and consider their actions. Even in operating my property services portal my main obsession was the quality of the advice and care and attention being received - the hand holding. I have testimonials attesting to the fact we provided a great service - and it's not really that difficult.
So recently when a couple of my colleagues and I were asked to join a team that had been operating very successfully in the Spanish real estate market for over twenty years, my concerns were that we'd have a clash of cultures.
I am delighted to report that we seem to have been using the same "song sheet" and the paramount interests of service and respect for client are ingrained in the business of Crest Group International (CGI) as they had been in my business. Moreover, CGI is a preferred agency partner for the majority of the banks and Cajas from whom great deals are being unearthed.
Over the course of the next few weeks my intention is to demonstrate to you that, as with most things in life, the presentation of bold facts result in the recipients needing to interpret their meaning without spin, pitch or motive. As far as I can tell I don't have a crystal ball but my senses are often correct. My assessment is that the answer to the question invariably lies in the hands of he/she who receives the information. Solid information and supporting data is the key! I intend to make available to you challenging nuggets of property intelligence from the Andaluca region which you can digest and evaluate and, who knows, you may wish to act on.
If you'd be interested to sign up to receive further information from our discrete property advisory service, please contact me on the following e-mail: mark at crest group international dotcom
Here's a brief summary and the problems you can get.
The 3 usual stages during the purchase process are:
1. The reservation fee Often the estate agent or seller will ask for a reservation fee of anything up to 5% of the price.
In my experience, both as a buyer and a seller, this is a complete waste of time. The only instance it's necessary and useful is when you're buying off-plan.
If you're buying, then unless you have a proper contract it's too easy for someone else to come along and beat your offer. You've then got the hassle of trying to get your money back. If you're selling it's the same; without a formal signed contract and at least a 10% deposit you've got nothing.
2. The private contract (contrato privado). This is drawn up by your lawyer, if you've any sense (some estate agents will offer to do this for you - forget it, you don't ask your lawyer to sell your house, do you?) Basically it states who is buying what; from whom; for how much; what the timescale is; what conditions are attached; what deposit is to be paid.
When the seller and buyer sign this contract the buyer hands over the agreed deposit. Spanish law is good here in that if the seller drops out of the sale they have to pay you back double the deposit.
3. The Sale Contract (escritura de compraventa) This is the important one which both buyer and seller sign together in front of the Notary. This then gets covered in loads of official stamps and stickers, becomes your public title deed (escritura pública), and is registered as such at the Land Registry...eventually. I've just got mine back, one year and 10 months after buying!
You don't have to go through all the stages. Sometimes you can go straight to the Notary; a lot of sales don't even do this, they're just private sales completely bypassing officialdom and therefore saving money. The problem here is the property won't be officially registered in the new owner's name.
People do this to avoid tax, lawyer's fees and Notary fees, but it comes back to haunt them when they want to sell on, because they can't prove officially and publicly that they own the property.
Most land and village houses are like this. The ones with proper deeds and clean title are the exception not the rule, which is why you need a lawyer to sort it all out for you.
The author moved to Spain in 2003. He has built his own villa, bought and sold land, and refurbished a village house. He knows only too well the perils and pitfalls of buying property in Spain.
For years the discerning Spanish have watched on bemused as tourists flock to the eyesores of mass tourism, which to be fair they themselves have created to entice us in to soak up the sun.
They themselves then confidently pack their bags and head deep into the "real" Spain, where the truly glorious countryside of this amazingly diverse peninsula awaits them. Now we are starting to follow suit. In spite of the severe crisis in which Spain finds itself, rural tourism has experienced rapid recent growth and a significant trend towards active holidays for all the family. As the world tightens its belt we can all be forgiven for feeling the asphyxia of our everyday surroundings and stress, as more and more escape out to the unspoilt countryside.
The country houses "casas rurales" and boutique hotels "hoteles rurales" on offer, all of which reflect the genuine history and character of each region, open the door to a quality and above all genuine travel experience. The Internet has let the world know just how simple it is to soak up the real Spanish countryside. These private owners have found the means to bring us to their door. How lucky we are!
Where do you start on your journey? Each province offers a cultural experience as diverse as the landscape. There is the delightful Asturias, a pocket of "Green Spain", with its traditional farmhouses and country cottages dotting the slopes and valleys of the magnificent, snow-capped Picos de Europa. Contrast this with the heat and passion of the Moorish Andalucia or the splendid volcanic landscape, medieval villages and spectacular Pyrenean National Parks of Catalonia. It just goes on and on...
Follow the Spaniards' lead and enjoy their countryside in the finest of farmhouses, country cottages or exclusive rural hotels. The quality and personality of these refurbished country houses for the price per person can leave you searching for the catch; there isn't one! Add to this the chance to live and breathe the agricultural Spanish life, the latest trend in "agrotourism", and you can find yourself in a bull rearing "Posada Real" in Salamanca, traditional working farms in Navarra, an Andalusian Equestrian Homestead, a grape picking holiday in Rioja and so it goes on.
Or quite simply, you and your family and friends get to enjoy the quality of a fine Spanish home, with your own private pool, mountain bikes to explore the Iberian countryside or a roaring fire at the end of a day on the pistes; all at an exceptional quality/price ratio. Enjoy!
Karen Denny Bernat is a Travel Writer who has been living in Spain for the past fifteen years, writing on the wealth of potential for Holidaymakers in Spain and co-founder of Casas Rurales Europe; a selection of quality and diverse rural accommodation throughout Spain with Online Booking. Reserve your own breath of Spanish fresh air online now.
One way to earn money is to invest in Spanish real estate. The value of real estate in Spain is expected to appreciate, especially if the property is located in high-traffic and developed areas. Tourist spots and holiday destinations are some examples. In a few years' time, the money you invest in Spanish real estate may even be doubled if you play your cards right.
Instead of keeping your money in a bank, it is better to invest it with high likelihood of future returns. Investing doesn't only help your personal finances. It also stimulates the economy and helps relieve the recession.
Here are 10 tips that will help you earn more when you invest in real estate in Spain:
If you see high-quality real estate on sale in the Spanish real estate market, don't let it pass. Don't keep on waiting for a better opportunity. Make decisions quickly but with foresight and research. According to educated speculations, expect property prices for Spanish real estate to go up again in 2011 and at most in 2020. Now is a good time to decide to buy. You should consider buying unfinished properties. The price is not as high as finished projects and you can complete it according to your specifications, if you have something better in mind. Invest in golf property. Top real estate buyers are always looking for this type of property, which means that you will not find it difficult to sell again with interest. Other fast-selling investments are Spanish villas near tourist destinations and yacht harbours. It's better to buy second-hand property in an expensive but quality resort than to buy a newly built one in a cheap neighbourhood. You might need to shell out extra cash for repairs and new fixtures for a second-hand property, but you know that the price will not depreciate due to its good location. Buy only properties that have good views and relaxing surroundings. Future buyers will be more encouraged to buy it, compared with property located in a shady neighbourhood. Don't buy immediately just because the price is low and you think that it will rise in the future. Evaluate your options first and consult with the experts. The price is not the only determinant in making a good investment. Never buy property if it's within 500 yards of the seashore because in some places there is a limit set by law. Also, house or land too near the beach may be washed away by the waves during high tide or a storm. If you're buying a small property such as a villa or an apartment, it isoften better to pay in cash. In this case, taking out a loan, however small, is not justified because of the high interest you will need to pay later on.
Guy Marrison runs Marrison Properties, a Marbella based Property Company specialising in Real Estate in Marbella.
Visit the Marrison Properties web site for more information about the Marbella Property Market
Reports on the death of the Spanish property market are premature. The market is starting to recover slowly after two years of falling prices and the patent lack of lending from the banks. As the banks are now loosening up their lending for anyone with some money to put aside as deposit especially on their own repossessed stock they are wanting to finance 100% where possible to get the liability off the books.
The recovery is not everywhere though and not all types of property are recovering and I certainly do not expect to see price rises any time soon. With that in mind, I will give you some examples where I do not see falls abating currently and then tell you what a prime property consists of. This segmentation of the market is a very important concept to understand because without it you treat all properties in the same way and that is not how to look at the Spanish Property market, it is not a monolithic whole.
For a property to be considered "prime" it must have an intrinsic value which is easily measured. "Sub-prime" property does not have this same intrinsic value. Sub-prime is a lot more prone to sentiment and demand within the market. There is little or no demand for "sub-prime" property outside the big cities and their periphery. A good example would be a series of properties built on an estate where everything is similar inland and away from the beach with few facilities around and where everyone must use the car for all journeys. (It is impossible to segment the properties on this estate, they all fall into the same category of sub-prime). It is likely that transport costs will rise bit by bit over the next few decades and these properties will become less and less desirable as a result. The opposite is also true of course meaning that prime properties with little distance to travel in conurbations and with good facilities become more desirable. This will mean that their prices rise while the sub-prime group drops increasing the disparity in prices between prime and sub-prime.
Spanish coastal properties will be another sector to suffer if they do not have rapid access to the coast. The description "coastal property" has been abused so that it includes properties even a couple of miles or more from said coast and therefore it is easier to make a segmentation in this area. My own opinion is that if you cannot walk comfortably to the beach with all your things for a day by the sea in hand then you do not have what can be termed a coastal property. First line property with uninterrupted views of the sea and even second and third with good sea views will hold their value quite well because evidently they have a prime position and there is a limited supply. Anything further back can no longer be considered prime and the segmentation is evident in the disparate prices.
What type of property will hold its value? Large city centres are good bets as people move ever more so into cities and large towns to look for work. These areas keep their value as the demand curve outstrips the supply curve in almost every case. A city centre flat is a city centre flat and nothing can create more space in those cities meaning there are limited numbers available because of planning restrictions and replacement new for old. The centre of a city therefore is a segment. Spanish cities have no more land available for development in the centre of so there is very little possibility of supply outstripping demand if people continue moving to the city,something that continues to be the trend for the whole of Spain.
Other properties that will hold their values are those that have a little something special, spectacular views, fantastic and timeless design, built in and unobtrusive security features, shopping and leisure facilities and more. When you wrap all of these things up into a whole in just one property then you have the perfect property investment which is bound long term to hold its value and you also get quite a nice place to live too. It is the perfect segment.
Graham Hunt is an estate agent in the Valencia region of Spain with a decade of experience in the field and a two decade history in Spain. Some examples of perfect property investments can be found on our website of course, Valencia Property, but the same applies all over Spain in the prime areas.
Go to the websites http://www.valencia-property.com and http://www.houses-for-sale-in-spain.net as they are considered to be filled with high quality, great value properties and more importantly excellent information about the process of buying and selling property in Spain and lifestyle issues in Spain. If you require more information then send an email by clicking on the top of the first website in this resource box.
Well as the winter drags on and on here in the UK myself and my wife are really looking forward to taking a short holiday in Spain. While we are there we will be looking at property for sale as we intend to move to the Costa Blanca in the very near future.
We have several villas and apartments to view and have narrowed the search down to the ones we like the look of and of course the price. It appears that prices are still falling in some parts of Spain so bargains are there to be found. If you are moving from the UK it is worth keeping an eye on the exchange rate, with the Euro struggling you could get more for your money.
There are many specialist removal firms who will make the move easy although if you are thinking of buying ready furnished you may only need to transport yourself. The most cost effective way of getting to the Costa Blanca is of course to fly. Traveling by ferry to France and then driving is probably the next cheapest with the ferries from Southern England to Santander being quite expensive but having the advantage of being more relaxed.
You can find more information on moving to the Costa Blanca and other parts of Spain on the Blog site listed below, there you will find regular updates and useful links to estate agents, travel agents and other essential services required for your move to Spain.
Every year, Spain welcomes a huge number of tourists, who come to relax and relish in this admirable country. The country is a integrated whole of diverse forms of entertainment, festivals, events and sports, with one thing in common - the spirit of Spain. With such varieties put together, Spain makes a wonderful place to stay for a year, for several years and also for a lifetime.
Villas in Spain- To stay in Spain, or to invest here, you can opt for different options available to you. One such option is villas in Spain. You can buy Spanish villas that set new standards of luxury. There are villas in Spain that are suitable for each kind of buyer.
Where all can you buy Villas in Spain- Every part of Spain has something to offer. And therefore every place in Spain is ideal for buying villas in Spain. However, the Spanish mainland resorts have become quite popular, like the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Costa Brava, Costa Calida, Costa Almeria and Costa de la Luz.
What all can you buy- Not just villas in Spain, you can also check out the stylish and elegant penthouses of Spain. Or you may want to invest in the townhouses or apartments of all profile. You can also choose to buy your penthouses and villas in the beaches, golf resorts, town side or the rural side.
Discount on golf courses- There are various offers and facilities to those who own properties in Spain. For example, if you buy properties in golf resorts, then you may be entitled to heavy discounts in the golf courses.
Buying Villas in Spain through Agents- If you want to get the best of deals, then it is always advisable to go through an agent. Taking the help of someone who knows Spain and properties in this country is better, especially if you are new to this side of the world.
About The Author: Brittney Jackline is a well known professional writer. She has won appreciation especially for good writing about the Real Estates Topics like Villas in Spain
There is a wide variety of Costa Blanca villas and apartments for sale and resale on the different parts of Costa Blanca in Javea, Moraira, Denia, Altea and others; and very promising exciting investment opportunities on the Costa Calida and Costa del Sol.
These villas have special properties which makes it a most perfect place for retirement. When contemplating on searching for your dream home, Costa Blanca Villas has a lot to offer. Nonetheless, purchasing a property in Spain or any other foreign country is always a complicated process which needs extra caution.
Here are some helpful tips and useful information about how to go along with your plan of purchasing your dream home on Costa Blanca villas to ensure that it is less of a burden and more of a pleasure.
• Know the area beforehand. Refer to all kinds of maps and plans for the surroundings of your future villa, especially if the building is in a quiet, distant neighborhood; it might attract unwanted visitors. Better yet, make sure that it is not too quiet or isolated. You can search around with local villas agents and friends.
• Check what the property looks like in off season. Make sure you have already spent some time not just in summer but also during winter, so you know the place from both sides of the coin.
• Rent various flats and apartments before you decide on purchasing a property to watch out for intensity of noise and sounds both during day and night; and look out into the day and night traffic to see what the transport vehicles are like.
• Don't just transact in villa vendors, look also into national agents. Search the web who can help you find different Costa Blanca Villas guides or agents. It is important that you check if these agents are API trained.
• It is always safest to employ your own legal representative. Having your own legal representative ensure your best interests. Of course, some estate agents will assure you that they will arrange all the legal business for you (similar to a conveyencor in the UK), but in case of a problem, who exactly will they represent - you or their client? The legal representatives in Spain licensed to carry out property purchases fall into two categories:
1. Gestors (pronounced Hestor), are more like an ordinary Solicitor charge between €500 to €1,000, whilst the 2. Abogados (similar to a Barrister), are more qualified and able to represent clients in court, charge between €1,500 to 1.5% of the purchase price.
• Look at several websites to get an idea of Costa Blanca Villas prices; Never from TV programmes as they give a false impression. Generally, inland prices are cheaper, whilst prices in coastal areas are more expensive. However, one should bear in mind that in inland areas local dialects are frequently used.
• If you still have doubts about the property you want to purchase, you can always do your own research. Ask your future neighborhood. Most Costa Blanca people can speak in English, French or German language, and so as far as language is concerned there is no problem purchasing Costa Blanca Villas.
There are too many dreadful, disgusting stories of people losing their money or property because of purchases made from wrong information and sources. Extra caution is highly recommended.
For more helpful tips and information about Costa Blanca Villa, visit villas Spain.
Vacation Villas in Spain Continue to Be Popular on the Sunny Costa Brava
Vacation villas in Spain and apartment vacation rentals in Spain continue to be popular on the sunny Costa Brava which is the coast of the Catalan province of Girona. It runs from Blanes, which is 60 kilometers north-east of Barcelona, to the French border. There are three parts to the Costa Brava - the southern end with popular tourist resorts like Tossa de Mar, Blanes and Lloret de Mar, the northern end which is a magnet for water-sport enthusiasts and the middle part which is the most unspoilt and where many Spanish people take their vacations. Tourists who book vacation villas or apartments and are seeking cheap flights to Costa Brava have a choice of airports to fly into - Barcelona and Girona.
A lot of people rent vacation villas in Spain on the Costa Brava because of the sunny Mediterranean climate with long hot summers and relatively short mild winters. The Costa Brava weather is slightly less reliable and not quite as sunny as some of the other Costas further to the south but the region is still an excellent all-year-round destination. The average temperature on the Costa Brava is around 22 degrees Celsius, with temperatures in the summer months often reaching a hot 30 degrees Celsius. If you rent your vacation villas or apartments on the Cost Brava in the autumn you can expect very pleasant temperatures of between 21 to 24 degrees Celsius, with October being the wettest month.
The beautiful countryside all along the Costa Brava is another reason why people rent vacation villas in Spain here. If you are a nature lover you must visit the Cap de Creus National Park just north of Roses Bay. It is the largest nature reserve in Catalonia and is home to a wide range of animal species. The park is made up of two land reserves; the Creus Cape Point and the Norfeu Cape. It is also made up of three under water reserves known as Gros Cape, Creus Cape Point and Norfeu Cape, making it a truly magnificent place to visit if you book your vacation villas or apartments on the Costa Brava. Other popular attractions include: the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes, L'Emporda National Park and the Fageda d'en Jorda which is a forest area within the National Park where picturesque beech wood trees grow on top of the Croscat Volcano lava flow. The area is one of the finest examples of volcanic scenery in Spain.
Vacationers who reserve their villa or apartment vacation rentals in Spain on the Costa Brava are within striking distance of Port Lligat, just north of Cadaques, where you can see the former home of the celebrated painter Salvador Dali. The property consists of a collection of traditional fishermen's huts clustered together which overlook the bay area. If you enjoy this and are interested in seeing more of the artist's work you should also visit the Dali Theatre-Museum at Figueres which exhibits many good examples of the artist's work, from his earliest artistic experiments and his surrealist creations down to the works of the last years of his life.
Costa Brava golf courses are rapidly becoming known as the best destination for a golf vacation in Spain. There are many excellent courses including the PGA Catalunya Golf Course, built in the Girona Mountains. It has beautiful green fir trees and purple heather lining most of the fairways. It is already a new entry into Europe's top 10 courses will probably get into the top five in the near future. Another popular course is the Costa Brava Golf Course which was designed in 1968. This is one of the oldest courses in the Costa Brava and it is set in beautiful surroundings of pine trees and cork oaks with flat terrain and wide fairways. For those visitors who book vacation villas in Spain on the Costa Brava and who like their sport on the beach, para-sailing, diving and surfing are also widely available along this stretch of coast.
Vacation villas in Spain, rented directly, would seem to be a perfect choice if you wish to please yourselves on your vacation. In accommodation that it not restricted to one room, you will be able to prepare food, take it easy and have a great time with companions or close family and just 'do your own thing'. Why not consider booking an apartment or villa vacation rentals in Spain which are readily available to book direct on the Costa Brava. Try searching online for a website which lists vacation villas in Spain for rental from the property owner. You will be able to search through a huge selection of vacation homes for the perfect property then you can contact the owners direct and discuss prices and bookings.
If you want a sunny summer getaway, rent vacation villas or apartments on the Costa Brava in Spain. There are plenty of vacation rentals in Spain on offer, but book early and make sure you get the property you want! You can book many vacation villas in Spain directly with the private owners. Clive Long, the author, is a Director of the Holiday-Villa-Select website which offers cost effective holiday rentals in Spain booked direct with owners who advertise their holiday villa or apartment on this website no commission charged.
From its privileged natural position lodged between sea and mountains to the eye-popping, man-made architecture that spans the centuries from the courts of the Catholic kings, from the cathedrals of Gaudf to the sensuously evocative Torre Agbar skyscraper by Jean Nouvel, there is nothing shy about Barcelona. Indeed such is its appeal that the world's leading designers and architects clamour to work here: even now Richard Rogers revamps the abandoned bull ring near the Placa d'Espanya, while Frank Gehry plots a new train station, La Sagrera, in the style of Gotham city. Nothing ever stands still in Barcelona.
Christened "Barkeno" by the first Iberian settlers (according to legend, the city was founded by Hercules nearly half a century before the building of Rome), then "Barcino" by the Romans, until eventually settling on Barcelona as it is known today, the city has a dramatic 2,OOO-year-old history and Hughes' book is a good place to start for those who want to delve into the past.
At its peak, the city and its residents were among the most prosperous in Europe and keepers of a mini-empire that included Sicily, Malta, Sardinia, Valencia, the Balearics and parts of Southern France. An outbreak of the plague in the 15th century, however, pretty much crushed all that Barcelona had gained. Typically resilient, though, the city's second renaissance came in the form of Catalan Modernisme at the turn of the 19th century. Keen to flaunt their new- found wealth once trade with America was permitted in 1778 and Spain's Industrial Revolution was well on course to making millionaires of paupers, not to mention their own boom in textiles, the Catalan aristocracy commissioned ostentatious palaces and villas like La Pedrera and the Casa Batlle, and a new era of the belle epoque was born.
The cash injection of the 1992 Olympics fuelled a third renaissance, and money has been lavished upon the city, sprucing up the famous Gothic quarter, transforming the Born into an area of trendy boutiques and bars, and bringing high-class restaurants into the Eixample. The most recent areas to undergo gentrification are the quiet neighbourhood of Poble Sec and the old fishing quarter of Barceloneta.
Today it is a city that attracts millions of people each year as a long-weekend destination for those visiting from Northern Europe, and a must-see stop on the European itineraries of those coming from across the seas. And then there are those who came and never left. Barcelona's expat population grows by the year. Gastronomy has played a major role in putting the city on the map, with legendary chefs such as Ferran Adria being voted the best chef in the world several times over by various high-profile publications, making Barcelona a destination for food-lovers. It even surpasses Paris as a do-before-you-die kind of experience. The city is literally bursting with restaurants and tapas bars that are chewed over and digested by the world's leading food critics, before being proclaimed brilliant. And the nightlife, while not quite New York, is nevertheless legendary among partygoers.
Barcelona, Spain - An Online Guided Tour of Barcelona
The summer sees the city become a hub of live music festivals, ranging from the stellar electronic festival, Sonar, to Indie Rock Fest Summercase, and free opera recitals in the shaded courtyards of the Barri Gotic. Add to this a population with an almost unparalleled lust for life, and if you learn only one thing from your visit it will be to remind yourself: life is for living!
For an online guided tour of Barcelona, Spain or for more information about the beautiful city of Barcelona visit http://www.GuidedTourBarcelona.com.
For an online guided tour of Berlin, Germany, or for more information about Berlin visit http://www.GuidedTourBerlin.com.
Hi, we just got back from a short break to the Costa Brava Spain and viewed a few Villas for sale while there, these villas are for sale now (April 2010) All are priced around 200,000 Euros. They are located around Calpe and Benidorm area but not in Benidorm itself (too commercial for a home). I will upload more video over the next week or so as I get time. If you want to know more you can find details on these villas and many more here http://www.Kyero.com We have no connection with this or any other agent, we are just looking for a home in the sun and sharing our experiences with you. Gordon and Eva
A good place to start sightseeing in Madrid is at the Plaza de Oriente. Although its name connotes an eastern location, the Plaza is actually located at the western area of Madrid in Spain. However, it is located east of the Palacio Real, or Royal Palace, hence its name.
The Plaza de Oriente in itself can be considered an attraction. Here, there are landscaped gardens that offer a respite from the busy city streets. Statues of past kings of Spain line the square. These statues were actually intended to be set atop the Royal Palace; however, they later found out that they were too heavy and decided to put them in the plaza instead. In the center of the Plaza, and atop a fountain, you will find a bigger-than-life statue of Felipe IV riding a horse.
Located next to the Plaza de Oriente is the Royal Palace, or Palacio Real. The Palace is the largest building you will find in the city, and the Spanish Flag waves proudly atop it. This Palace is also one of Europe's more important museums as it houses lots of important works by famous artists such as Goya, Meng, Giordano and the like. Other treasures such as priceless furniture, sculptures and tapestries are also found within its walls.
Fronting the Palacio Real and right next to the famous Cafe Oriente is the Royal Theater or, as the Spaniards call it, the Teatro Real. Built in 1850, it still serves as a major opera house in the city today. Donizetti's "La Favorite" was the first opera to grace its halls.
Pollux Parker is an adventurer who loves discovering secret island getaways in each country he visits. Pollux also likes to collect Spain Flag and buy cheap Spain Flag.
Investment Property in Spain - A Look at Spanish Property Investments
Although this year (2007) has seen a general slowdown in the overseas property market and especially within the Spanish property sector it still seems that Spain accounts for almost half of the property searches conducted on most of the popular property portals. With an ever increasing number of visitors and second-home investors from all around the world looking at the Spanish property market Spain will never fall out of the popularity charts.
The country has always attracted millions of visitors every year due to its inviting climate and year round sunshine. Spain has some picturesque locales that have lured visitors to explore more of the country on every visit. Additionally, the country has a rich culture and tradition, which is uniquely popular around the globe. Resultantly, a constantly rising demand for every kind of investment property in Spain is evident!
Spain an Investment Opportunity
Spain has been offering excellent property investments opportunities for over 3 decades with foreign investors, particularly the British, finding the Spanish property market immensely lucrative from the investment point of view. Spain is a popular second home destination among Europeans and if you are conversant in Spanish, there is really no better place to invest your hard-earned cash than Spain. You'll experience some of the best facilities and high standards of living in Spain, which is an important factor as far as second home buyers are concerned. An estimated half million Europeans have already bought a property in Spain over the past 5 years!
The country's varied geographical regions have played a quintessential role in determining the future of investment property in Spain. The southern part of the country including the Costas has a vast coastline that offers some of the best beaches in the Mediterranean. The region is particularly acknowledged for its year round sunshine, which has always proved a magnetic for the British.
The snow-capped Pyrenees has been another attraction for visitors keen on the skiing opportunities on offer in Spain. The region bordering Spain and France is a visual delight with rivers, mountains, water-features and forests occupying the attention of onlookers.
Spanish cultural heritage is apparent from its famous food, opera, literature, and Spanish architecture? Spain is well connected with regular cheap flights to and from the country and to and from prominent cities around the world, this makes Spain easy to reach, affordable and quite different from its neighbouring countries.
Spain is also one of the relatively less expensive countries of Europe. This makes the world-class living and working conditions of Spain even more lucrative for anyone looking to relocate to Spain.
Post-1975, Spain has been a successful and thriving democracy with a stable government at the helm, which is committed to attracting all kinds of investments - foreign and domestic - within the country. The plan is to build a culturally rich Spain with a modernistic outlook.
All this makes Spain a perfect spot for a holiday property investment as well as a second home destination.
Types of Investment Property In Spain
Spain offers a range of properties, including farmhouses, fincas, traditional houses, mansions, apartments, beachfront properties, villas and golf properties in Spain. The best part is that currently, the real estate market is in a twilight stage, where the prices are neither too low nor too high. An astute investor can easily strike a handsome bargain in Spanish property. According to rough estimates, the average price per square metre in Spain is still about 20-50% below the UK.
Besides the regular constructions, it's the resort properties that are currently occupying the top of the charts as far as the Spanish real estate sector is concerned. The Polaris World Golf Resorts are, particularly, among the top-notch choices for domestic and overseas investors. You can lay your hands on a Polaris World Golf Suite for as little as £57K.
Obviously, you have to spend a larger sum if your requirements are for a bigger property. For instance, apartments in the golf resort of Desert Springs in Almeria commands a £103K+ price range. Similarly, apartments on the Costa del Sol can fetch upwards of £150K.
The hottest places to invest in Spain include Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Costa Brava, Majorca - or Mallorca as its spelled Menorca, Tenerife, Andalucia, Costa Tropical, and the Murcia region (including the Mar Menor lagoon, the Costa Calida and Murcia city).
If you are put off by commanding prices of expensive Spanish property, there is a mortgage option available too. You can easily approach one of the over two hundred local banks that offer different loan options and available mortgage loans to the tune of 70% of the property value under Spanish laws subject to the fulfilment of certain terms and conditions. Barclays Bank in the UK also offer mortgages for property in Spain - see our mortgage page for further details and free information pack on getting mortgages in Spain.
Don't forget to hire a local solicitor or lawyer or a good real estate agent in Spain order to facilitate the smooth property transfer transaction. Since Spanish is the main language in the country, you may find yourself at a loss trying to decipher the official rigmarole. Therefore, it is always considered vital to hire a local aide in a country where English is a second or third language.
Property Abroad's director Les Calvert writes interesting and useful articles on all subjects dealing with investment property abroad and buying property abroad. Check out their property for sale in Spain as well as their Spanish mortgages and news articles on Spain and Polaris World properties.
Spring in Spain is one of the most awaited seasons in the country. Especially after iron hand rule of a dictator, the country is undergoing an overall renaissance. Though there are still many internal issues facing the current government, Spain has been able to maintain a vibrant cultural and artistic life in the new millennium.
One of the most appealing aspects of a life retiring in Spain are the four seasons the country enjoys. The country is located on the Iberian peninsula, with spring enjoying mild and occasional rain while autumn has mild sunny days. When winter comes along, there are the warm beaches on the Costa del Sol or the mountain ranges for snow based activities for the whole family.
Another aspect of retiring to Spain that should be cause for concern is the tax system in the country. Taxes are based on residency, which is determined when you spend more than 183 days in Spain. Taxes are imposed on income and capital gains and residents are also taxed for inheritance and gift taxes. As an expat, you need to find out if there is an existing double tax treaty between your home country and Spain. This helps in the retention of income and personal wealth of an individual when in Spain. The Expat Forum has detailed the taxes that can be imposed, namely:
* employment income, * all compensation received for personal services, * salaries and wages, * payments for certain business-related expenses, * pensions, * housing allowances, * other allowances paid in cash or in kind.
The public health system in Spain is good but it is best to have health insurance to be able to access the Spanish private health sector. This is because the private sector has better services which include the ability to converse in English. There are also many options available to individuals as to health facilities and the specialist to look after them. The costs differ according to the situation and condition of the individual.
As for property prices in Spain, the market is currently in a state of flux as prices began to fall due to the worldwide credit crisis. This has been assuaged though by a boom in the construction industry and there has been significant growth as a result of strong demand. Aside from this boom, the current government working together with business leaders have undertaken measures to counteract any fears of a market collapse and this has been able to prop up the market despite the current recession.
Finally, the cost of living in the country should also be one aspect of retiring to Spain that needs a second look over. Overall, the country still ranks lower compared to many European Union countries. Do remember that where you situate yourself in the country determines the individual's cost and standard of living. Another secret is finding the best and cheapest places to purchase your needs to be able to stretch your finances. Better yet, first pay a visit to Sunny Spain to fully realize the beauty and splendor of choosing to retire in Spain.
This article has been provided by Jose Marc Castro, the online editor at the Expat Forum.com - the primary online community for expats. The site also provides information and advice on matters such as Retiring to Spain.
According to the published figures of various UK mortgage lenders, the number of products on the market has increased at last, bringing the number of mortgages available in Britain to 2,500 - which hasn't occurred since May 2009. The increase is partly down to the Halifax's decision to offer existing borrowers new rates. This has had a significant effect because the Halifax is one of the largest lenders in the UK.
Nevertheless, the increase does appear to be across the board, taking place over three successive months. It is, of course, great news for anybody looking for a first-time mortgage, although the 2,500 deals on the market still falls far short of the 30,000-plus that could be found in August 2007, before the impact of the credit crunch.
Although first-time borrowers can feel encouraged, the news is not so good for people considering remortgages. Lenders themselves are far more wary of dipping their toes into the remortgages market and it is widely believed that the market will remain limp until well into 2011. Analysts say that this reluctance is down to mortgage-providers' focus on giving loans for the purchase of a first property, due to the Government's insistence on this as a priority and its imposition of targets to be reached for a certain number of new mortgages.
Property owners themselves are also contributing to this phenomenon, as they hedge their bets while awaiting a change in the economy. With interest rates currently low, mortgage-holders are sitting tight and feeling the benefit. If these borrowers are near the end of their mortgage deals, their lenders' reversion rates remain attractive, as they are linked to the base interest rate. If this rate goes up in the near future, only then are they likely to consider remortgages.
This state of affairs has been confirmed by the UK Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), which has said that in January of this year, the number of remortgages that were approved dropped by 6 per cent in comparison with December 2009 - a total year-on-year fall of 39 per cent. The industry body said that the contemporary mortgage market is more akin to that of the early 1990s - also a time of recession - than the strong market at the beginning of this millennium.
Next year, the likelihood is that interest rates will rise and this will act as a spur to remortgages. There could be movement before then though, according to Spanish banking group Santander. The bank said that over 880,000 UK borrowers who are at present on fixed rate or tracker mortgages could be looking to remortgage by the autumn. The bank's research found that they are not likely to want another tracker mortgage however, due to fears of a rise in interest rates.
Kim enjoys writing articles on various financial related topics, including Mortgages and Different kinds of Insurance.
When you're planning a holiday, whether it be in Spain or elsewhere, you need to know that your accommodation will be up to your standards. You need to rent a holiday apartment or villa from a supplier who you can trust. It can be hit and miss but only if you don't do your research.
Choose a good rental accommodation supplier and you will save on money, time and effort. We've all heard of horror stories about poor property but there is no longer any reason to get stung. Asking family and friends for referrals is fine but accommodation can change in quality. What if the apartment or villa is declined in quality since your family or friends stayed there?
What you need to look for is an unchanging (unless it is improving!) level of service and quality so that you can be sure that you will be happy with your stay. That way the vendor will get repeat business because you, the customer, will be happy. Additionally, happy customers tell their friends and family so it is a win, win situation. Everyone benefits from good, consistent service.
What if things go wrong? Sometimes things do go wrong. Good vendors will always make sure that problems are solved. At the end of the day holiday makers have a finite amount of time in which to go on holiday and only a certain budget to spend on their vacation. It is extremely important that renting accommodation in Spain is always a good experience for the customer.
For more information about holiday apartment rentals visit http://www.searchsitges.co.uk
Well as the winter drags on and on here in the UK myself and my wife are really looking forward to taking a short holiday in Spain at the end of March. While we are there we will be looking at property for sale as we intend to move to the Costa Blanca in the near future. This is going to be quite some adventure for us and I look forward to updating this Blog as we progress. We are in the process of searching through all the many Villas that are for sale and making a short list of the ones we would like to look at during our trip, we don't want to overdo the house hunting though as this is also going to be a holiday with some relaxation time. It is clearly a good time to buy property in Spain as the prices are staying low at the moment with many properties reduced. Property prices will surely start to increase in the near future as the economy recovers and more people start looking for holiday homes and permanent homes in the sun. The property searching process is likely to take some time and no doubt we will be making several trips over the coming months. Once we have found the ideal new home for us I will write about the area we intend moving to, plus keep the updates coming on the move itself and all that it entails. It will be interesting to experience first hand how easy or complex! the house buying process is in Spain.
Media reports of holiday home owners in Spain being fined up to EUR30,000 for renting out their homes without a licence has caused controversy and concern. It is not surprising. Mediterranean Spain is abounding with vacationers' second homes, which are often rented out to friends, colleagues, neighbours, and strangers too. Adding to the confusion is the ambiguity of information from the authorities. This is largely due to regulations varying from region to region.
A recent survey by the Spanish property portal Kyero found that 82% of mainly European respondents did not know whether rental licences were required in their province. "Clearly, there is a lack of knowledge and awareness about this particular aspect of Spanish law," says Martin Dell, head of Kyero.
It is not known how many second home owners are dependent upon rental income as this largely unregulated activity falls into the 'informal economy' category. The numbers involved will vary from one province to another, and fluctuate with the economy. There can only be one answer to the question on everyone's lips: If you decide to rent out your holiday home then it is in your interests to know the legal situation wherever your home is situated, Spain or elsewhere.
Always employ a local lawyer (in Spain an abogado) local to where you either have or intend to buy your buy-to-let property. He or she will be best placed to peruse the legislation governing such use. They will identify any clauses or covenants within the property deeds that relate to short term rental activity. i.e. less than three months.
Either your solicitor or you can contact the local authority to see if a 'tourism licence' is required. In most cases your enquiry should be directed to the Town Hall. (Ayuntamiento) If there is such a requirement they will be best able to explain and will likely process the application for you. Inevitably contradictions will exist so again your solicitor is best equipped to ensure the local legality of your intention.
Be aware too of taxation rules which again vary from country to country. You must presume that tax is payable on rental income earned. Try not to be concerned that taxes may be sufficiently burdensome to make renting unprofitable. There are double taxation treaties between most countries.
Your financial advisor is the best person to arrange the paperwork so you pay it just the once. These take into account and offset taxes already paid. In Spain, the gestoria, who is often engaged on your behalf by your lawyer, can guide you in compliance. They know the ropes, have the right contacts, and are said to be worth their weight in gold. Gestoria are unique to Spain where bureaucracy is so endemic that these specialists have come about to navigate their way through what is often a ponderous administrative process.
Why You Should Feel Happy About Living Or Owning a Property on the Costa Del Sol We wanted to buck the trend and lead with some positivity about the Costa del Sol. Here are some great reasons to feel good about living, working or owning a property on the Costa del Sol.
Spain tops the charts of best places to live in Europe
Spain was ranked second out of the 10 European countries for its standard of living by uSwitch.com, with the UK and Ireland officially ranked bottom. Some of the great reasons it highlighted to live in Spain:
1. Spain enjoys the most sunshine in Europe 2. The Spanish can expect to live a year longer than people in the UK 3. Spain enjoys the highest number of holiday days in Europe (41 days a year) 4. Spaniards pay the lowest fuel prices and the lowest prices for alcohol
The sun is still shining and tourists are still spending
Summer 2009 was glorious and the Costa del Sol had the driest and hottest November on records. All this sunny weather kept tourists happy and people sunbathing on the beach well into December.
Despite fears to the contrary the tourists still came in 2009. According to the data of the Association of Hotel Industrialists of the Costa del Sol (AECHOS) the average hotel occupation in July was 69.43%, very similar to the same period in 2008.
Self-catering accommodation was particularly popular, showing that people don't want to sacrifice their holiday abroad, but do want to cut their expenses whilst they are there. HolidayRentalontheWeb.com found that their holiday rental bookings were significantly up over 2008.
There have been a series of successful events on the Costa del Sol this year, bringing in much needed funds and tourists. The Davis Cup Quarter Final in Puerto Banus alone generated 10 million Euros in direct investment into the restaurants, bars, hotels, shops and businesses in the area and there were many other important events such as the first Food & Sun Festival.
New Businesses Open
New shops, bars and restaurants are taking advantage of empty premises and reduced rents and re-opening their doors. The highest profile new arrivals have been Marks & Spencer in Marbella and The Hard Rock Café in Puerto Banus. These new businesses bring more employment, encourage spending and provide positive publicity for the region.
Even the Property Market shows signs of recovery
The property market and the construction industry has taken a huge hit this year and demand for new properties has plummeted. On the other hand however, there are lots of property bargains to be had, and the signs are that investors with ready cash are buying in the downturn to make money when the markets are on the rise again.
As the rest of Europe comes out of recession, demand in Spain will rise again and interest in second homes will increase again. PrimeLocation International, a specialist property website, has seen a steady increase in searches for International properties since June 2009 and a 6% jump in November alone which is a good sign for things to come.
Experts are expressing the belief that things may start to improve sooner than later. Mikel Echavarren, head of Irea, a Spanish real estate consultancy was quoted saying "the recovery is underway". He feels that prices have reached the bottom and he predicts a rise of 10% per year on prices from 2010 onwards. Of course this is only a prediction, but it indicates growing confidence in the market. More confidence means yet more buyers looking to take advantage of the bottom of the property market so it's a positive sign of things to come.
There even seems to be some good news for the developers. The G-14 group of Spain's leading developers have announced that the market for new homes is on the road to a mild recovery. The sector touched bottom in April 2009 and, following huge price reductions, they have been seeing a steady increase in sales from April to date. They predict that sales of newly built homes will continue consolidating in the coming months.
Let's look on the bright side
We're not suggesting that the Costa del Sol is back to the highs of 2007, but things are certainly improving and it still is a wonderful place to live and take a holiday. Potential buyers and holiday makers can take advantage of the drop in prices for properties and holiday rental accommodation and we can all enjoy the great deals in the restaurants, bars and shops.
Marbella Town Hall are planning a new programme of events for 2010 and are launching an online marketing campaign with Marbella residents telling the world why this is a great place to live and work. They are also establishing a Tourism Consortium, working with International Businesses to promote the area and encouraging International Residents to register to bring more funding to the area.
All this must give residents, businesses and property owners hope that 2010 will be a good year for the Costa del Sol and staying positive always helps!
Tony Sidebottom, Managing Director HolidayRentalontheWeb.com HolidayRentalontheWeb.com offers a portfolio of fully-managed Costa del Sol self-catering accommodation, from villas with heated pools, to apartments email info@holidayrentalontheweb.com for more information.
February 2010 could be the turning point for Spanish house prices.
When I last did an article about house prices in Spain I used data from the official Spanish price tracking model, Indice de Mercados Inmobiliarios Espanoles, the IMIE index. This house price tracking system showed that property prices rose from September 2002 by 15-20% per year until September 2006 then started to decline to a lower 5% increase in 2007, then -5% in 2008 then -10% in 2009. On checking this database again by February 2010 the slide to the bottom has now decelerated to -5% year on year decline. This is actually indicating an increase in prices over the last few months.
The Costas are still lagging behind as the property slide decelerates as they have seen a -7% drop year on year to February 2010. The lowest decline has been in the country municipal areas which did not benefit from the property boom, they have slowed to under -3% year on year decline.
Kyero the large property agent has another database of asking prices and their index is showing an average drop of only -1.4% with some modest and some spectacular increases in December 2009 as opposed to September 2009. They report small rises of 2% in Alicante with a large number of areas static or down slightly. However on the up side they report some winners with large rises of 19% in Caceres, 14% in Badajoz albeit from a very low base, 10% in Gran Canaria and 8% in Barcelona. The losers are Cordoba with -3%, Cadiz with -6%, Fuerteventura with a massive -17% but the prize for the biggest drop in only three months is a whooping -23% in Huelva.
It would not surprise many to learn that Spanish banks are hiding their true losses by not declaring properties in negative equity on their balance sheet. In order to off load some of the repossessed homes on their books, Bancaja's has issued a new mortgage deal which requires no interest or capital repayment for three years, has no administration fee and offers a LTV of 90%. However it is only available on homes that belong to Bancaja. The properties are mostly located on the costas if anyone is willing to take the risk.
H. McDubhgaill is the publisher of http://www.OwnerDirectSpain.com - the online resource for buying or exchanging property in Spain from owners direct.
Click the following link to list your Spanish property for a as little as €9.99 http://www.ownerdirectspain.com/page-spain-selling-your-property-direct-19.html
Torrevieja, Spain is a magnificent little village in the Alicante province on the famous Costa Blanca. Costa Blanca is a collection of fantastic beaches located across the Mediterranean Sea. This area was actually a fishing and salt mining village that grew around a old tower, which gives the region its name. Torreviejo's location has always been what made the area so popular, whether in the security, fishing, salt mining or tourism industry. The area's microclimate is created by the surrounding 2 salt lakes and the southern border of the Mediterranean Sea.
Torrevieja is located about 30 kilometers, or a little less than 19 miles, away from the capital city of Alicante, giving it close proximity to the region's busy airport and providing easy access for tourist and sight seers. The weather is amazing all year long, which also lends itself to year round tourism. Summer is the most popular time for most visitors, but the outdoors are very accessible to all who would like to participate in a winter time round of golf or visit the salt baths.
Museums in Torrevieja include the Museum of Sea and Salt, as well as the Holy Week Museum of Tomas Valcarcel. The Museum of Sea and Salt details the areas very successful history of salt mining and fishing. There are also a variety of displays of crafts made from sea salt. There are many photographs and models of the fishing ships as well as a model of a Torrevieja sailing ship on display at this museum to give people a good idea of what the salt mining and fishing industries in Torrevieja have been like throughout the years.
The Holy Week Museum of Tomas Valcarcel made its debut in 1992 and is named for a local artist. The central theme of the Holy Week Museum is the city's tradition of passion processions. There are many statues, sculptures, painting and works of embroidery that are all focused on the very popular current and historical parades that have demonstrated throughout the streets of Torrevieja since its inception.
Torrevieja has a rich cultural heritage with many festivals planned throughout the year to celebrate this. Anytime a tourist comes to Torrevieja, they are likely to encounter a fantastic festival to enjoy.
Winter festivals include the Festival of the Patron Saint and the Christmas Festival in December and The Procession of the Three Kings and New Year's Festivals in January. The spring season brings many Easter festivals and processions and the May Fair is, of course, held in May. This festival is one of the most highly anticipated and heavily attended festivals of the year. Summer is the high season for the tourist trade, with several festivals to attend at this time of year. The San Juan bonfires occurs in June, the Seafarer's Festival and Haberneras Festival is in July. The Habernaeras Festival is a internationally attended and very famous choral festival. September brings the Festival of Vendimia and October is popular with its El Pilar and Halloween festivals, and November sees the festival of All Saints, an especially important holy day in the area.
Ray Walberg's publications can be encountered on different online sites related to what is around Torrevieja and tips on the city of Torrevieja in Spain. Working on his documents like http://www.alicante-spain.com/torrevieja.html, he proofed his knowledge on topics corresponding to map of Torrevieja.
Mojacar is in the south east of the Province of Almeria (Andalucia) in southern Spain, close to Costa Calida.
There are two parts to Mojacar - Mojacar Pueblo (town) and Mojacar Playa (beach), which are about 2 km apart
Mojacar the town is really no more than a village on the side of a mountain, which you need a good pair of shoes for and not be frightened of walking. Parking is free at the bottom of the hill, and your legs do the rest. At every turn you will encounter incredible views. The streets making up Mojacar are narrow, and visitors get the impression this is a part of Spain which hasn`t changed much throughout the centuries, and it retains much of its Moorish past. This is a village made for exploring.
One interesting thing we discovered here was that Walt Disney was reputed to have been born here at the pension El Torreon. Around 1900 it belonged to the local doctor who is supposed to have had an affair with his assistant. He allowed her to stay in one of the rooms until she had the baby, but the scandal was affecting his business and family so he paid for her to emigrate to America with the baby. According to the locals this baby grew up to be the famous movie director by the name of Walt Disney. The five rooms are rented out at a very reasonable price. For approximately 25 euros you get bed and breakfast. We stayed in the room next door to Walt`s room (if the story is to be believed), and although basic it was very clean and tidy.
This is the old Spain, and although coach loads of visitors do come here it is off the normal tourist beaten track. If you stay in Mojacar it is not far from the coast where the more energetic will find sailing, fishing, and other watersports.
Geoff writes more about Spain. He has also written about the wonders of Olive Oil
Check out these videos of property for sale in Spain right now, there are some great bargains to be had still all over Spain - Prices can only start rising again soon as the market recovers and more people start looking for their Spanish dream home. Gordon Bloomfield http://gordonbloomfield.blogspot.com
According to Spain's national institute of Statistics (INE) the collapse in property sales may be coming to an end. Based on the latest figures from July, there were a total of 37,079 property transactions in the month, of which 33,694 were standard sales and 3,345 were social housing (VPO). Looking at non-VPO sales for a moment, that is a decrease of 19.6% year on year. Not necessarily a good figure, but compared to earlier in the year there has been a marked improvement in the level of sales with an increase month on month of 5.8%. Finally a positive bit of news! On another interesting note looking at the figures for Spain, of the total properties sold 18,688 were for newly completed properties and 18,351 were for re-sales. This is the first time in recent years that both of these categories have reached parity. Generally new properties have made up a higher percentage of the total over the last year, due to the off-plan property boom in recent years. But with fewer and fewer off-plan sales from the 'boom' left to go to completion, this figure should continue to decrease and re-sales should once again make up the majority. But this does not mean there will be no more new build sales. There are still many promotions on the market still looking for buyers. So, we can expect the figure to continue to decrease, as the best new build properties will sell first, and the less popular will continue to drop in price until there is demand. Although I could be wrong on this matter and the new build figure might suddenly plunge to next to nothing! Unlikely, but still a possibility. Now for a bit of positive news for us here in Andalucia. Of the total 37,039 properties sold in Spain, 7,898 were in Andalucia. That 21.1% of the total. Or 1 in 5 of all properties sold in Spain! So although the figures are better for July than for June, year on year, they are still down. And of course they are lower than the 2007 peeks. But if this trend continues we might soon see the end of this long dark tunnel Regards Andrew Belles Andrew Belles is a real estate agent with years of experience on the Costa del Sol property market. Costa del Sol property Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Belles 2010
Spain today, is a very different Country from the Spain that many of us lived in, and visited in the last decade. In reality experts foresaw the current collapse of an economy based on unsustainable credit, real estate speculation, and pulled out of Spain before the collapse of 2008. But what is the reality, and future of a once dubbed European Union success story? Spain always had potential, a low population compared to the nations large land mass, and the warmest all year round weather in Europe. This fuelled the massive growth of what once was considered a rural backwater, into a dynamic new economy in the late 1990's. What fuelled this "boom" was real estate speculation, the stability of Spain's economy as it adopted the Euro, and the relative low labor costs of Spanish workers before Central Europe fully joined the European Union. During this property boom, building and home ownership fuelled a never ending development of Spain's famous coastline, creating what many saw as a never ending concrete jungle by the beach. Property prices rocketed, as did the ease of loans, often unsecured, and as risky as the "sub prime" mortgage game in the United States. Few speculators eager to cash in on the profitable business of selling the "Spanish Dream" of a first and second home, noticed that as property prices rose, as the market was in reality flooded with new, empty properties. Banks started to give home loans to anyone with an income, even contemplating "generational property loans." Andalusia was one example. Many local people earned no more than 600 euro a month, in fact the majority of people working in Spain, earned the lowest salaries in former Western Europe. But were encouraged to buy a "home", and a new car,- when they could barely afford to rent a room on their salary. Rising living costs, and low salaries killed the Spanish dream for many expatriates as was the shortage of any available work. Before the current unemployment crisis, young Spaniards demonstrated in Madrid, citing the fact they could not live on 600 euro a month. Expatriates cashing on this boom, sold on often buying properties in Bulgaria and South Africa, Spanish-based real estate agents promoted. Corruption also helped kill the economy. Before the 2008 collapse Spain had the unenviable reputation of having three former Majors in jail at the same time, and the local police chief. All helped create a mini-boom in Marbella, at the expense of "selling" public land to favored speculators, and awarding illegal ownership papers. This corruption killed the faith in Spanish property ownership. After the property boom burst, Spaniards who work earn just enough to pay a monthly rent, or cover the mortgage cost particularly on a sub prime mortgage. Almost 50% of young Spaniards are unemployed, many now dependent on their families for support. Spain gas the highest:official unemployment rate in Europe. Economists knew Spain's development was unsustainable, and ready to burst. Once European union business grants ran out, many small businesses, the mainstay of the Spanish economy closed, leaving Town and City centers full of vacant properties-Adding to Spain's employment woes. Real Estate agents surviving this current crisis still insist, Spain has a future, but a business that depends on commissions, will always need to be positive to sell a product. And that was what really went wrong with Spain. Too many Banks, local governments and businesses were dependent on selling the dream, despite the fact the economic fundamentals were wrong. A credit economy, were 100% mortgages were given to people whose salaries barely covered their basic living costs, is not sustainable. And there are those who still sell the myth of Spain, despite the nations dependence on selling the thousands of empty properties, in a nation facing a population decline with no natural resources and a declining industrial sector. Spains future lays in tourism, but it competes against cheaper destinations like Bulgaria, Thailand and even Turkey. The National Tourist board want to attract Asian tourists, but forget that Asia also has beaches, and most Asians prefer to visit Cities or places like Bali or Phuket- areas Spain cannot compete with. Spain's debt ridden economy was a result of corruption, greedy speculators, developers looking for a quick buck, and consumers that believed in the fallacy. An economy were a waiter earning a minimal wage could own two houses, and a new car, is over. One rosy development in Spain is the nations agricultural sector, which can produce naturally grown citrus fruits, and in colder regions vegetables. But a modern country facing a debt crisis in 2010, faces deflated property prices, and may have to restructure its debts, and re-model its basic economic strategy to survive. Qualify for success through the Asian European University Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Markus_Taylor
