1. It is important to have independent advice at all stages
of finding and purchasing a dream property. Estate Agents are effectively
employed by a home owner to sell their property. A Property Finder doesn't work
for the seller but works to find you, (the buyer), the best possible options for
your preferences and budget.
Monday, 13 January 2014
Sunday, 12 January 2014
10 good reasons for using a property finder
All 10 reasons summarised: People are looking
for a trustworthy professional who can find what they need, while saving time
and money. We can also avoid the problems caused by the influx of new 'estate
agents' that are trying to cash-in on the property crisis
recovery.
Thursday, 2 January 2014
Buying a property with rental potential: Part 2
The cost of renting out your property in Spain
First we need to mention that as each region is autonomous
there are different rules in some regions.
For instance, currently the Canaries, Balearics and Catalonia
The first, and perhaps most obvious cost, is that of
advertising. In this day and age the
vast majority of bookings will come from having and on-line presence. You don’t need to spend hundreds of pounds on
a fancy web site and then hundreds more on SEO work. Use a couple of the big companies advertising
holiday homes on line. Decide which ones
to use by making your own searches under ‘Spanish holiday lettings’ or ‘villas
to rent in Spain
Setting your rental rates is always tricky. Be realistic about the rates you charge. The best guide is to take the average rates of properties very similar in size, style and location to your own by checking out several web sites. Ideally the amount of the twelve high season weeks’ rentals will need to total the same as your annual mortgage payments, but this is not always possible if you have a large mortgage or use the property yourself during the high season weeks. The rest of the rentals should then cover the bills. It is unlikely that your rentals will also cover your tax costs if you have a large mortgage.
Setting your rental rates is always tricky. Be realistic about the rates you charge. The best guide is to take the average rates of properties very similar in size, style and location to your own by checking out several web sites. Ideally the amount of the twelve high season weeks’ rentals will need to total the same as your annual mortgage payments, but this is not always possible if you have a large mortgage or use the property yourself during the high season weeks. The rest of the rentals should then cover the bills. It is unlikely that your rentals will also cover your tax costs if you have a large mortgage.
Insurance is another important area often overlooked. Take out a specialist insurance policy with a
When you receive an enquiry via one of the websites, contact the people as soon as you can, preferably that day. Remember you do not have to let your property to anyone you don’t like! You may decide to refuse groups of people under 25 years old, or students, and we would recommend you do not accept parties where they are all under 18 years old.
Once you are happy with your prospective client send a booking form. On this set out the basics for your contract – the name and address of the booking client, names and addresses of all party members, the ages of those under 18, the arrival and departure dates and provisional times, the rental, the deposit, the date when the rental is due, any compulsory extras, (such as cleaning fee), and optional extras, (such as airport transfers). You also need to have a cancellation policy. Generally there is a deposit payable on booking to secure the dates, the balance of the rental plus the key deposit should be paid 8 weeks before the holiday. The key deposit is returned to the guest within 14 days of the end of their stay, but this can be subject to damage deductions, which must be justifiable if made and with proof. Regarding the contract itself, there are some good pro-former ones available from some of the larger advertising web sites that can be adapted for your own use. A contract is essential, not optional.
If you have bought your holiday home for personal use rather
than pure investment potential, then the most important factor is to enjoy your
holiday home!
www.house-by-the-pool.com
www.spanishdreamproperty.com
www.house-by-the-pool.com
www.spanishdreamproperty.com
Sunday, 29 December 2013
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
Tuesday, 3 December 2013
Property of the week
| Ref: HEO8042 Type: Semi Detached Area: Costa Blanca South / Alicante Town: Playa Flamenca | Beds: 3 Baths: 2 Pool: Yes Price: €129,995 |
| Description: This spacious 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom semi-detached house is located in Playa Flamenca and is within easy walking distance to all the local amenities and the nearby beaches are just a few minutes drive away. Situated on a gated complex with communal swimming pool, this property comprises of a front and side terrace, glazed entrance porch, lounge/diner, independent kitchen and a double bedroom on the first level. Upstairs there is a family bathroom and two double bedrooms, one with a balcony and a solarium with sea views. This property also benefits from and under build with garage. www.spanishdreamproperty.com Direct link to this property http://www.spanishdreamproperty.com/index.php?action=listingview&listingID=55680 |
Thursday, 17 October 2013
Buying a property with rental potential:
Buying a property with rental potential: www.house-by-the-pool.com
If you are looking for your own holiday home and would like to rent it out to help pay the costs then there are a few considerations to take into account. If you want to maximise your rentals then it may be necessary to compromise on some of the requirements you would put first as those factors may not be the criteria renters seek.
You need to consider your target market. If you are looking to rent to families then several factors will be important. For instance they will be looking for secure outside space, the pool within sight of (or very close to) the house/apartment, two bathrooms, at least three bedrooms, walking distance to shops, child-friendly restaurants doing early evening meals, and probably walking distance to the beach. Properties closer to the beach tend to be more costly than those further back, but often families prefer not to have to use a car every time they go out. Two bedroom properties have the benefit of an extended season as they can attract ‘snow birds’, so are more likely to have winter lets but there is more competition for renters, and bearing in mind the costs of heating and lower rental rates, there is a lot less profit in winter lets.
Another consideration on location is proximity to the airport. Within an hour of at least one major airport is best, if you can offer a choice of airports even better.
Keyholders/cleaners area major part of your set-up. You need to build a good relationship with them, be able to trust them and know they will clean and care for your property properly. There area number of small businesses doing this all along the coast. We would suggest that after buying your property you ‘interview’ two or three local ones. Also put together a check-list of what you will want included in the fee. Generally the renters pay the cleaning fee direct to the keyholder. Keyholders often provide airport transfers at an additional cost for those not hiring a car.
We will cover advertising, rental rates, tax and bookings in another blog. We’ll also cover our Top Tips for making yours a successful rental property based on our personal experiences of many years of successful renting.
Check also before you pay a deposit on the property that there are no restrictions in the community rules on letting out the property.
The property will need to have everything a holiday maker needs. They will arrive with just clothes and personal items, often trying to limit what they bring to just hand luggage these days to keep down the costs. You will need to provide everything: bedding, bath and hand towels, a FULLY equipped kitchen, a safe, washing machine, iron and board, hairdryer, all possible cutlery and crockery, pots and pans, satellite TV, wifi, music and music centre, DVD player and DVD’s, games consol and games, traditional board games, and good quality furnishings inside and out plus the mandatory barbecue. Air conditioning is now considered essential by most renters.
A lot of Spanish properties come furnished and equipped, but you will need to factor in the costs of replacement furniture items, new quality bedding and towels and even tea towels. However, not everything needed is always included in a purchase; it may not include cutlery, crockery, iron or other sundry but necessary items (such as kettle and toaster). Remember you need two complete sets of all bedding for every bed plus and two sets of one bath and one hand towel for every guest, plus a few spares. Your keyholder cannot be expected to clean the house and lauder, dry, iron and air the bedding and towels all in one day, so second sets are essential for back-to-back bookings.
You will also need lockable separate storage for your own personal items and clothes that you keep there.
Renting out your holiday home is good way to make it more affordable, but you need to allow for expenses involved in equipping the property properly when setting your budget. Renters don’t expect to ‘make do and mend’!
Sunday, 8 September 2013
Property of the week
| Ref: VRE 2270 Type: Country Property Area: Costa Blanca South / Alicante Town: Crevillente | Beds: 4 Baths: 4 Pool: Yes Price: €229,995 |
| Description: This South Facing, Four Bedroom Detached Villa in Crevillente offers real character and is located in the outstanding Spanish country side, situated within less than a 10 minute drive from the town centre, where you can find all amenities, including bars, restaurants, shops and more. This property has the main house and an outer building included on the plot, the main house comprises of an open plan fully fitted kitchen; lounge/dining room with feature high ceilings, and access out to the covered terrace, which overlooks the beautiful pool and gardens; two double bedrooms, the master with an en suite bath room; a cloakroom/toilet; a family shower room; and stairs that lead to the spacious attic area. The outer building comprises of a living space with dining table and chairs; two double bedrooms; and bathroom. Outside is an enormous garden with various plants, trees, shrubs, a private swimming pool, an outside kitchen and BBQ area, plenty of off road parking leading up to the garage, wooden shed and much more!
www.spanishdreamproperty.com
|
Spanish house prices rise for first time in 41 months
The average price of resale property rose 0.7% in July compared to a month
earlier, the first rise in 41 months. The majority regions saw and increase with
Galicia, Asturias and Extremadura the only regions where prices fell (by 0.1%,
0.2% and 1.2% respectively). In Andalucia prices remained stable.
Although it’s far too early to jump to conclusions based on a month’s data,
there are other indications the market might be about to turn. A report by the
Ministry of Public Works shows the Spanish housing glut is now shrinking due to
big discounts and a total collapse in building activity.
The Spanish “bad bank” has also this week sold the first phase of its
property portfolio to institutional investors HIG Capital.
According to OECD figures Spanish house prices are now at 2000 levels
(around 30% down) before accounting for inflation. After inflation prices have
more than halved.It’s a fool who predicts the bottom of a property cycle but what is certain is that from an agents’ perspective the international Spanish property market is looking healthier than many other European markets. Prices have dropped further an almost any other European country. International buyers are a small but buoyant proportion of the market and I'd be willing to bet on the domestic market turning the corner by 2015.
Source: Global
edge
spanishdreamproperty.com
Sunday, 11 August 2013
Memories of Spain in the
1960's
Memories of Spain in the 1960's
As a
child I spent many happy times in Spain. I remember being fascinated by the way
of life and culture which seemed so strange to the English back in those days.
My favouri...te memories are seeing all the donkeys in the straw hats
or sombreros hard at work. Donkey carts were as common a sight on the road as a
car, but you saw them often working in the fields pulling ploughs, cart loads of
veg or oranges, in fact anything that needed to be moved. Tractors were all old
fashioned, many pre WW2, and blelched black fumes as they trundled down
pot-holed roads and tracks. It never went without comment when we returned to
the UK how smooth the roads were!
www.spanishdreamproperty.com
www.house-by-the-pool.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Spanish-Dream-Property/204019259614697?ref=hl
www.spanishdreamproperty.com
www.house-by-the-pool.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Spanish-Dream-Property/204019259614697?ref=hl
Sunday, 14 July 2013
Cranes of Hope
We’ve all heard of the Costa Del Sol ,
The Costa Blanca and the Costa Verde but how many have heard of the Orihuela
Costa? Well it’s not a Costa in the way
we Brits picture them, it’s just 16km of coast in the very south of the Costa
Blanca, Alicante Orihuela Europe it has diverse
population.
City of Orihuela
An all year round destination for holiday makers, thanks to
the milder winters, blue flag beaches and the famous golf courses of
Villamartin, Campoamor, Las Ramblas and the newest addition, Las Colinas. A lack of hotels means most holiday makers
rent private apartments and villas, maybe one of the reasons A Place in the Sun
magazine named it in their recent Top Ten of places to buy a holiday rental
property, although even they mistakenly stated places such as La Zenia and Cabo
Roig as being part of Torrevieja!
And now Orihuela Costa boasts the largest shopping mall on
the Costas! Opening last October with
150 shops and bars, sporting some of the best known names on the high streets
of Europe, plus a bowling alley, casino, ‘town square’ complete with dancing
fountains, free parking and sea views, La Zenia Boulevard is a shopper’s
paradise. And it’s always busy. Spain
Forever reading in the British press about the unsold new
properties littering the coastal resorts and how nothing is being built, this
area is genuinely ‘bucking the trend’.
At any one time there are half a dozen cranes to be seen on the skyline
building new low-rise apartments and houses, which are selling. There is
nowhere near the flurry of activity that could be seen a decade ago, but there
is building work, a rare sight in Spain
www.spanishdreamproperty.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spanish-Dream-Property/204019259614697?ref=tn_tnmn
www.twitter.com/spanishdp
Saturday, 6 July 2013
Property of the week
Property of the week
Description: This South Facing Three Bedroom Detached Villa in Benimar is located in a peaceful urbanisation, between to Rojales & Benijofar. Within walking distance to many amenities such as bars, restaurants, shops, supermarkets, banks and more, with the beaches of Guardamar just a ten minute drive away. This well maintained property comprises across one floor, an open plan fully fitted kitchen with breakfast bar, adjoining utility room with back door to the garden; lounge/dining room with access out to the front covered terrace with sun all day; three double bedrooms; a shower room; and a family bathroom. External stairs leads to the spacious roof top solarium with great views of the area. Outside is a beautiful kept garden with fruit trees, off road parking space, storeroom and wooden shed!
Beds: 3
Baths: 2
Pool: Yes
Price: €139,850
Baths: 2
Pool: Yes
Price: €139,850
Saturday, 8 June 2013
Murcia Airport
The 'Will it or won't it open?' question still remains unanswered. I am referring to the new airport at Corvera, Murcia. It is built, the new roads are finished, the runway lighting is in place, even the signposts are up, approach flight paths decided and, we are told, the necessary licences have been granted. The only things missing are passengers and planes.
The latest twist, according to Murcia Today reports, is that Ramon Luis Valcarcel, the President of the regional government, has rescinded the contract to run the airport with the concessionary who built it. The airport was built using private money but with a 200 million euro guarantee on the loan by the regional Murcia government. The concessionary has no money left to fund the running of the airport. Talks with Aena, who manage the state run airport system, have resulted in a tentative agreement that Aena are prepared to run Corvera, but unsurprisingly, there are complications.
When the military airport at San Javier opened to the public to cash-in on tourism and the property boom, both of which had up until then predominantly by-passed Murcia, Aena invested heavily in facilities, constructing the terminal building, the control tower and a second runway, investment totalling 70 million euros. The plan back then was to keep these facilities in use when Corvera opened, but provision was made that should the military want the airport back for exclusive use then they would 'buy' the facilities built by Aena. The plan to run two airports just 20 minutes drive apart in a region with limited demand for international travel, and still only an hour from one of Spain's busiest international and tourist destination airports, Alicante, was flawed from the outset, with wildly optimist predictions on passenger numbers.
Now Aena are saying, if reports are to be believed, that they will run Corvera instead of San Javier, it raises two major questions. Who is going to compensate the concessionary for the loss of ability to see a return for their investment in Corvera? And who will compensate Aena for their investment in San Javier? The regional government of Murcia does not have 200 million euros to repay the loan it guaranteed. The military are not interested in buying the facilities for 70 million euros at San Javier. It seems that once again, despite all the meetings and debate, the stalemate remains. If there is anything we can be sure about it is surely that Corvera Airport is not, as widely publicised, opening in 2013.
The latest twist, according to Murcia Today reports, is that Ramon Luis Valcarcel, the President of the regional government, has rescinded the contract to run the airport with the concessionary who built it. The airport was built using private money but with a 200 million euro guarantee on the loan by the regional Murcia government. The concessionary has no money left to fund the running of the airport. Talks with Aena, who manage the state run airport system, have resulted in a tentative agreement that Aena are prepared to run Corvera, but unsurprisingly, there are complications.
When the military airport at San Javier opened to the public to cash-in on tourism and the property boom, both of which had up until then predominantly by-passed Murcia, Aena invested heavily in facilities, constructing the terminal building, the control tower and a second runway, investment totalling 70 million euros. The plan back then was to keep these facilities in use when Corvera opened, but provision was made that should the military want the airport back for exclusive use then they would 'buy' the facilities built by Aena. The plan to run two airports just 20 minutes drive apart in a region with limited demand for international travel, and still only an hour from one of Spain's busiest international and tourist destination airports, Alicante, was flawed from the outset, with wildly optimist predictions on passenger numbers.
Now Aena are saying, if reports are to be believed, that they will run Corvera instead of San Javier, it raises two major questions. Who is going to compensate the concessionary for the loss of ability to see a return for their investment in Corvera? And who will compensate Aena for their investment in San Javier? The regional government of Murcia does not have 200 million euros to repay the loan it guaranteed. The military are not interested in buying the facilities for 70 million euros at San Javier. It seems that once again, despite all the meetings and debate, the stalemate remains. If there is anything we can be sure about it is surely that Corvera Airport is not, as widely publicised, opening in 2013.
Tuesday, 21 May 2013
3 Bed 2 Bath
|
| Ref: SDP949 Type: Townhouse Area: Costa Blanca South / Alicante Town: Villamartin | Beds: 3 Baths: 2 Pool: Yes Price: €104,950 |
Description: SPACIOUS 3 BEDROOM 2 BATHROOM TOWNHOUSE
VIEWING ESSENTIAL - GREAT PRICE
A very well presented 3 bedroom townhouse just a few minutes drive to the Villamartin golfcourse and approx 10 min drive to the beach.
• Communal swimming pool
• Private roof solarium
• Off road parking/patio area
• Balcony from master bedroom
• Close to amenities |
Tuesday, 14 May 2013
Due to a cancellation
Book your holiday now! Due to a cancellation time now available between June 20th and July 14th. www.house-by-the-pool.com
www.spanishdreamproperty.com
Monday, 6 May 2013
REDUCED FROM 239,950 EUROS to €187,500
4 Bed 2 Bath
|
| Ref: SDP1535 Type: Country Property Area: Costa Blanca South / Alicante Town: Orihuela | Beds: 4 Baths: 2 Pool: Yes Price: €187,500 |
| Description: LOVINGLY RESTORED 4 BED FINCA REDUCED FROM 239,950 EUROS - VIEWING HIGHLY RECOMMENDED A lovely country finca with stunning mountain views and open countryside on a good size plot. The property consists of the main finca with 2 bedrooms 1 bathroom plus guest accommodation in a separate annex with 2 bedrooms 1 bathroom. • Private swimming pool • Pretty secluded garden and patio areas with covered BBQ • Carport and workshop • Ceilings with a wealth of exposed beams • An assortment of fruit trees |
Sunday, 5 May 2013
Association of International Property Professionals
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