Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain

Scouring estate agents' windows or websites is all very well... but the insider's way to finding the best property or plot - is to use someone‘on the ground’.

Someone - who is not only in the know about the local property scene - ie, has their finger on the pulse about who’s selling what (often before the properties come onto the market) - where the ‘hot’ locations are for property investments or holiday homes - and, who will assist with every

detail, from finding the most comfortable sofa to the most

space-efficient kitchen.

Property scout Sonia Vargas, of Optima Estate, knows Lanzarote like the back of her hand and has an impressive network of contacts - which means she constantly keeps her ears to the ground about newly available properties and plots.

Sonia lived for many years in London, Sydney and Madrid and is therefore much more in tune with what internationals are looking for than many local or franchise agencies. Fluent in English, Spanish and Italian she will help you navigate the maze of paperwork and her conscientous approach means she will ensure that no detail is overlooked to secure

your future property - in record time. Her tight-knit team of English and Spanish assistants also know where to find the best rental properties and can help you find short or long-term tenants.

An important factor to bear in mind in Lanzarote - is that many locals are wary of estate agents and take objection to paying a sales commission! This explains the hand-painted 'se vende' (for sale) signs on properties all over the island. But who fancies ringing the owner and risking them bumping up the price when they hear your foreign accent?!

In short, Sonia is Lanzarote's property guru. Besides looking at the many varied properties and land plots Optima Estate exclusively represents, Sonia and her team will use their sources to speed up the process of finding what you are looking for. Whatsmore, if you do spot one of those 'se vende' signs, Sonia will act on your behalf to secure the best price.

Isn't it nicer to deal with a local outfit with an international

outlook... One which operates on a more personal basis to find out exactly what you are looking for, rather than simply showering you with inappropriate properties, mindless hype and gobbledegook?

Optima Estate have a chic little office in Playa Blanca - Lanzarote’s newest resort, which is fast becoming the island’s magnet for European royalty and celebrities - plus people looking for homes which offer more space at affordable prices. Playa Blanca is also home to Lanzarote’s smartest five star hotels, with sleek spas attached (which non-guests

can use) and the stylish Marina Rubicon, which is lined with

international boutiques and restaurants.

So, why not call Sonia at Optima Estate for an exploratory chat? What have you got to lose? Probably your dream property.