Secure the best money deals for your Italy property trip

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Italy property owners could pick up some handy hints from top tips just issued in relation to foreign money transfers.

Homeowners that travel to their Italy property regularly enough to have opened an overseas bank account may find charges vary greatly when it comes to transferring pounds into euros.

They may therefore wish to pay attention to new advice from the Telegraph and shop around for the best foreign money transfer rates.

For amounts of less than £5,000, the newspaper recommends employing an established bank’s transfer system instead of an internet-based service, as such firms are not yet regulated.

It suggests deals from Barclays, Lloyds and HSBC, where clients pay between £10 and £30, plus a commission of approximately two per cent on top of the exchange rate and the receiving bank’s own charge.

However, Italy property owners transferring very small sums of money may want to consider PayPal, which, the newspaper states, charges just 20 pence per transaction, plus 3.9 per cent of the transaction value.

PayPal is currently available in 190 markets and has 75 million active accounts.

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French property still number one for mortgages

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Brits seeking French property may want to check out their chances of securing a mortgage in the country.

Claire Nessling, director of overseas mortgage firm Conti, believes Brits have excellent prospects when it comes to securing a mortgage for French property from within the country, as lending conditions are much less restrictive than in the UK.

She tells the Independent: "Throughout the credit crunch we’ve still been able to get 100 per cent mortgages in France for loans over 250,000 euros (£227,700)."

Her assessment is backed by Stuart Law, chief executive of Assetz, who tells the newspaper: "In the South of France prices have barely wobbled as banks do not think they have substantial risk there."

House prices in France have also remained relatively resilient, compared to UK prices in the past few years, the newspaper states, which may make French property an even more attractive prospect to many Brits.

Increased visitor numbers were reported for the recent French Property Exhibition, held at the London Olympia from 11-13 September.

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Spanish property still popular with Brits

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
The British sun-seeker’s enduring love affair with Spanish property remains alive and well despite the current economic climate, it has been claimed.

Falling prices in areas such as the Costa del Sol are attracting a new wave of holiday home-hunters to the country, many of whom can enjoy bargain prices up to 40 per cent lower than at the property peak of 2006-07, according to the Independent.

Stuart Law, chief executive of international property investment firm Assetz, tells the newspaper: "If someone has set their mind on a holiday home […] then Spain is ideal […] there is massive choice, and also some very good pricing."

Mr Law added that Spanish property also has far more to offer holiday home buyers than many other up-and-coming destinations, particularly Bulgaria.

He said: "Comparing Spain to Bulgaria […] there really isn’t any choice. Spain ticks almost every box and is much closer and easier"

Popular Spanish property region the Costa del Sol is famous for its stunning natural landmarks, which include El Torcal, the Cueva de Nerja and the Desfiladero los Gaitanes.

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Sven favours Portugal property

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
He may have signed on as Notts County’s new Director of Football in July, but Sven Goran Eriksson’s top summer signing may well be his Portugal property.

The Swede’s luxury Portugal property is set on the westernmost point of mainland Europe, the Boca do Inferno, overlooking the serene and peaceful beaches of Guincho, according to the Daily Mail.

Chief football correspondent Martin Samuel states: "The villa is constructed over a number of levels, each landscaped and designed to best capture the view and some stunning sunsets.

"To the north are the hills and the town of Sintra, medieval and mysterious, below, a handful of Portugal’s finest, and most expensive, restaurants."

The area is noted for its windswept waterfront and crashing waves, according to Mr Samuel, which could make it the perfect choice for fans of watersports seeking the perfect Portugal property base - and who knows, maybe Sven himself is a secret silver surfer?

Notts County is not Sven’s first venture into English football, having formerly managed Manchester City as well as the national team.

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Thinking positive about Florida property

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
Things are looking up in the Florida property market, with many positive signs for prospective buyers, it has been claimed.

The Florida Association of Realtors (Far) lists the excellent value for money currently offered by Florida property as one of its chief investment appeals, with price drops of over 20 per cent in the past year making it increasingly attractive, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

The investment outlook for the Florida property market is another good sign, according to Director of Far Dr Wayne Archer, who tells the newspaper it can be likened to "people being on the sidelines with full pads and helmets just waiting to jump back in".

Other elements which are cited as appealing to those considering a Florida property investment, such as a second home or holiday let, include the low mortgage rates available to buyers and the state’s popularity as both a migration and retirement destination.

Far is Florida’s largest trade association, with over 115,000 members state-wide.

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Real Madrid theme park the goal for Spanish property investors

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
Forward thinking Spanish property investors may find they have an opportunity to score with a new theme park based on La Liga football team Real Madrid.

Club president Florentino Perez is reportedly considering a £135 million investment in a Disney-style theme park based on one of the world’s most famous clubs, which could provide an opportunity for people seeking Spanish property to let as holiday accommodation.

Andreas Veilstrup Andersen, executive director at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, commented: "Theme and amusement parks are very strong drivers of tourism - this could also very well be the case with the Real Madrid Park.

"If you include off-site spending like transportation and accommodation et cetera, the total economic impact in Europe is approximately 12 billion euros [£10.9 billion]."

Mr Anderson adds that theme and amusement parks are often considered to be relatively recession-proof, given their enduring family appeal.

If the theme park goes ahead, Spanish property in the region of the football funhouse could prove a comparably safe investment for buyers wary of recent economic conditions.

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Flying high with Spanish property

Monday, September 28th, 2009
Those house-hunting in Barcelona in the coming weeks may find their Spanish property search hitting new heights.

Death-defying stunts and action-packed aerobatic adventure will provide a jaw-dropping backdrop for those undertaking a Spanish property search in the popular city on October 3rd and 4th as the Red Bull Air Race series flies into town.

The event represents the final stage of the stunt-flying competition series and will feature some of the world’s finest pilots racing at speeds which may make Spanish property hunters happy to keep their feet firmly on the ground.

The stuntmen will fly at up to 400 kilometres an hour through specially designed low-level inflatable air gates as part of the race, battling strong air currents, tides and winds to be crowned champion of the event.

Potential Spanish property buyers from the UK may find they have a special interest in the event, as British pilot Paul Bonhomme is currently leading the pack.

He is said to be desperate to secure victory in the competition, having been narrowly beaten into second place in the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

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Italy property may benefit from business travel

Monday, September 28th, 2009
Italy property owners may be interested in recent figures showing the number of staff employed in the business travel industry is on the rise.

A growing number of business travel management companies are recruiting additional temporary staff in order to deal with the travel needs of UK customers, according to Advantage Business Travel Centres.

Norman Gage, director of business travel at Advantage Business Travel Centres, said: "We have two judgements [of business levels]: revenue and tickets issued.

"What we have seen in August, for the first time this year, [is that] the tickets issued in August this year was better than the tickets issued last year."

The increasing number of travel tickets being sold could be of benefit to those with a rental investment in an Italy property, as Mr Gage claims it could indicate that some agents believe a recovery in the business travel market is imminent.

Earlier this month American Express reported that the European hotel industry is picking up, with average daily rates increasing in 24 out of the 49 European cities studied, in what may be another positive sign for Italy property investors.

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French property owners forgetting property

Monday, September 28th, 2009
French property owners may want to keep their possessions in check when travelling by Eurostar, it would seem.

Forgetful passengers, which no doubt include some heading to the country to hunt for French property or keep tabs on their investment, are leaving everything from guide books to underwear on the famous train, it has been claimed.

Lesley Retallack, head of press at Eurostar, said: "We’ve had all sorts of things - false teeth, zimmer frames, crutches; […] people have forgotten their cheeses, their bread, underwear, coats.

"Hats, umbrellas, and books are the other big thing […] sometimes they are guidebooks and maps."

Of course, the information about popular tourist destinations offered by a guidebook could make useful Eurostar reading for the French property seeker looking to rent it out as holiday accommodation.

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Expert says Florida property has universal appeal

Friday, September 25th, 2009
Florida property is proving the perfect second home state for investors of all kinds, it has been claimed.

The relaxing Sunshine State lifestyle and the excellent value for money offered by Florida property in the present economic climate are two reasons that interest in the location is flourishing, according to Nicholas Marr, chief executive officer of Homesgofast.com.

He says: "Florida is unique to other states in that it is attracting lifestyle buyers and investors.

"It’s like winning the jackpot […] [people]can now buy a home that a few years ago was way out of their price range.

He added that the recent resurgence in interest in the Florida property market can also be attributed to savvy investors waiting for the market to bottom out before picking their new pad.

The US Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development reported in August that property sales in the US rose by 9.6 per cent in July 2009, compared to the previous month.

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