Welcome to Property Update No. 20 ............ and a new look Newsletter for 2009!

I hope you are all managing to keep your New Year Resolutions?.....and I hope one of them is to find your ideal retreat in Spain away from all the bad news and heavy grey skies that seem endemic in the UK.

I must admit to seeing a glimmer of hope on the horizon as enquiries have certainly increased since the New Year but there still seems to be that nagging issue of trying to sell your houses back here in Blighty.  For those who have managed to find a buyer (and there are a few) the market is very rosy in Spain with some real bargains around at the moment and a very wide choice of properties.  Those clients I have spoken with who are still trying to sell however confirm their frustration at seeing all the price reductions on our website which they feel they can do nothing about.   Because of this we have applied a bit of lateral thinking to see how best we can help those having trouble selling and get them out to Spain as quickly as possible.   See later in this newsletter for more details of our Rent-to-Buy option.

Also note that the last week has seen a dramatic improvement in the Euro exchange rate - today its sat at 1.12 euros/pound - so things are definitely looking up!

.....but first.......Bargains........Bargains........Bargains!!!!

That's what everyone is talking about at present - but where exactly are they?
Well to help you out here are a few of those recently added to our website with prices up to 30% off

Ref: R01443 - Overa - 85.000€
New on the market and priced to sell!
This reformed Cortijo has 3 bedrooms and 1000 m2 of Urban land so is ripe for further development if required.  It has a particularly well appointed kitchen and the bathroom features a corner Jacuzzi bath.  It is in a terrace of other houses hence the very affordable price.  Well worth a viewing if you need a reasonable amount of space on a limited budget.  Very handy for the motorway down to the coast (20 mins) and benefits from some great views.

Villa Mimosa - Urcal - 115.000€
Recently completed this semi-detached 2 bed villa comes complete with its own pool, an enclosed terrace plus fully fitted kitchen, airconditioning and most of the furnishings.  In all, the original purchase price was in excess of 150.000€ so this is a real bargain.  Once again its priced to sell as the owners now have a villa on the coast.

Cañada Herrero - La Alfoquia - 135.000€
These are completed new build 3 bed semi and detached villas with fully enclosed gardens.  Originally priced up to 188.500€ the builder now urgently needs to sell the remaining houses so is willing to let the next 2 go at this amazingly low price.  The houses are complete except for kitchen units and white goods but we have a local kitchen supplier who can offer a wide choices of designs to finish it off and meet every budget.
The houses benefit from views over open countryside yet are walking distance into the local town for all amenities.

Huerto del Castillo - Huercal Overa - 145.000€
Ref: R01441
Just look at that view!
This is a new Apartment block on the edge of town which comes complete with a communal Gym and Jacuzzi in the basement.  This 2 bedroom apartment comes fully furnished and also has a separate storage room and underground parking.  It is priced well below the current list price for a quick sale.  This is an ideal buy if looking for a convenient yet upmarket location.

Ref: R01424 - El Saltador - £165,000
A 4 bedroom reformed cortijo with large barbecue terrace and own pool.  This property is actually on 3000m2+ of Urban land so can be further extended or even have a 2nd house or apartments built alongside.
Located on sloping land overlooking the rambla ensures privacy yet is just a 5 minute drive into the centre of Huercal Overa.  Owner willing to negotiate in sterling - current equivalent price is 185.000€ (1.12€/£)
Orginally priced at 230.000 euros

Ref: R01238 - Urcal - 199.000€
Detached 3 bedroom reformed Cortijo with 2 separate one bedroom apartments across the courtyard all located on 10,000m2 of land near Urcal.
This would be ideal if looking to generate a small income in Spain or if you are always having guests visiting!  Although there is currently no pool the central courtyard would be an ideal location being sheltered and private.  This property was originally on sale at 299.950€

Villa Tahulla - Zurgena - from 265.000€
Built around 4 years ago with nicely maturing gardens we have two of these villas currently available - a 3 bed and a 4 bed version.
The 4 bed comes with a large freeform pool whereas the other comes with a large enclosed spa bath and gym.  Both have heating and airconditioning plus automatic irrigation for the garden.
4 bed was 345.000€ now 265.000€
3 bed was 321.000€ now 275.000€

How about initially renting the house in Spain you want to buy whilst trying to sell your home in the UK?  A percentage of the rental payments then go towards the purchase cost of your Spanish house so you are not wasting money by purely renting.  This will allow you to make the move over to Spain as soon as possible whilst your estate agent in the UK gets on with selling it.

Obviously we cannot confirm that the seller of every property on our website would be interested in this approach but we have contacted a few owners and builders and the response has been very encouraging.   Builders especially are keen to move their completed houses as many are suffering cash flow problems - if they cannot make an immediate sale then at least the monthly rental/purchase payments will keep their bank managers happy!

The actual arrangement of deposits, monthly payments and completion timescales can be negotiated to best meet both the seller's and buyer's requirements.  One builder has already offered an option which entails a fairly hefty deposit but the timescale is fairly open ended - ideal if you really want to stick out for the best price on your UK house.  Another option is for a much smaller deposit but with a committed timescale such as 2 or 3 years - which hopefully should be more than adequate to get your house sold.  During the term your monthly payments go towards paying for the house as well as a partial 'rental' fee.

For those of you who just can't wait to get out to Spain then this might be be just the right solution for you!

For more details just give Peter a call in the UK Office on 01367 240013

Many thanks for your continued interest in our company and if there is a particular area, type of property or topic you would like to see featured in a future 'Property Update' then please just let me know.
Please also let me know your thoughts on the new style newsletter - have you received it OK with all the photos?  Are you having any problems viewing it?   If you are having a problem please let me know as otherwise I cannot correct it for you.

Many thanks,
Peter

Casas Almeria Gestion S.L.L.,  Urb. Costa Fleming  118 bajo,  04600 Huércal Overa,   (Almeria),  Spain