Glamour Magazine Spanish Edition

Marbella Marbella and the housing market

What exactly is the "magic" that keeps Marbella? Why do people Marbella Select to live or spend their holidays?

decide for the people who live here, Marbella Magic is for many reasons:

· Quality people in a quality environment: Marbella has always been out, as the "Jewel in the Crown" in terms of quality, started with their jet-set image in the 1960s, and it has successfully completed the jet-set definition expanded over time. It is low-rise, residential area in spite of certain very limited areas of the community and provides extensive green areas, now competent local governance and more respect for the environment than any other city on the coast.

• A 12-month season: Marbella is full of life and activity in the "low season" winter months. For this reason, it is of no other Seaside resort in Spain or elsewhere in Europe to none. With a core "off season" population of more than 250,000 people, it is capable of a variety of offers public and private events and parties, concerts, nightlife, Glamour, excitement, good restaurants and trendy bars, all year round. To many, choose a quieter life, nature and peace (and incredible quality of light for artists) in this part of Spain is unique.

· Geography and weather, therefore: as the southernmost point of Europe, he enjoys the best winter weather anywhere in Europe. The mountain behind Marbella gives us a sense that micro-climate warmer in winter and cooler in summer. The distance from the Strait of Gibraltar and the Atlantic added to the mountains beyond, spreading also to protect from the winds Marbella in Western Spain and Portugal, and this balm Mediterranean climate is undoubtedly one of the many reasons for the "Magic" from this region.

· Geography also means proximity to the car to remove the white Andalusian villages and Seville and Granada, two hours, Tangier and the rest of Morocco, which is an amazing Country, just a hop across the Straits of Gibraltar, Portugal and Madrid, less than five hours about the same.

• International Residents: Marbella is very cosmopolitan in nature, with people from at least 45 different countries and all religions live here in peace and harmony. This is probably the most important Property in Marbella for me. I have made great and interesting friends from all over the world, thanks to Marbella and my profession.

· Infrastructure: Direct flights, sometimes several times a day, provides the major Western European airports Malaga at a two fifty-eight flight hours away, a large road network Marbella places a little more than half an hour from Malaga airport, the express train to Málaga is only 2 ½ hours from Madrid and a modern Coastal train, whose first phase has been approved for the construction easier, is easier access to Marbella, good water supply in comparison to most other areas of the coast and Spain, a central sewage system, and substantially improve municipal services and communications, under our new Mayoress Ángeles Muñoz.

· Sports of all kinds, not least those of the 35 golf courses within a half hour drive from the city of.

· And compared with non-European resort destinations, Marbella offers the security of the European Union, an excellent medical and educational facilities, access to facilitate and, as mentioned, generally a very high quality of life.  

What special qualities has the property market in Marbella have?

Marbella offers features for every taste and most budgets. The minimum "quality" Price starts at about € 250,000 for one or two bedroom flat, and the most exclusive houses go up to well over 10,000,000 € in price, with the largest Holder of property availability between € 400,000 and € 1,000,000 fixed.

During that recession period, is like the Marbella property market should keep? There are to have good bargains?

After a fall and winter, very low sales volume, as potential buyers waiting to fall in prices (although still very close to the market) the market suddenly came to life again in April and good activity was spread right through the month June.

The market is dominated by bargain-seekers, which has now entered the market with some force, and sellers that their prices have fallen, in General at least 15% and up to about 30% (sometimes more) from the market peak two years ago. Homes are currently for sale in the area of prices 2002-2004 reached.

The speculator has disappeared from the market, which is a good sign. People buy homes here are mainly for themselves and their own quality of life.

The best features is, in the consolidated areas, you get the best prices and sell faster.

What would you most his best advice, a potential buyer?

It seems certain that the market in Marbella (this is probably not the case for Spain in general), has touched the ground, but it will be several years before a full recovery can take place. Since there is now a reasonable volume of sales, missing in the months before, was it's safe to say that it has a beginning, since a long road to recovery, and an excellent time to purchase property here.

However, there is not a large number of quality properties in the best areas offered for sale in the first instance. The real bargains are now rising fast started and do not always replaced.

And negotiating the purchase of a property today is not easy. Buyers need good knowledge of the market of comparable sales which had an good agent will share with them. And should a buyer choose an experienced agent that all his papers in order with respect to the property and who has good negotiating skills. Panorama was that more than any other agent to do in Marbella – since 1970 – as my father and my grandfather started in front of me, with my grandfather first real estate agency in Chicago in 1904.

And what is the best advice that you want to give customers a seller?

A seller must now very realistic, and look for an agent to help him determine, is the right "asking price", based on market comparables, that offer a good agent and that he may also upon his own research. The prices are not only in Marbella but fell all over the world in the quality sector.

A seller on us the price he is not paid for a property in 2006-2007 probably his goal recover to reach. If he looks for an agent, "he says what he wants to hear", instead of him realistic market entry, it is a disappointment as properties sell for no more than their comparative market value on the free market to do everywhere.

How do you see the property market in Marbella in the next few years?

The fact that the property market in Marbella has already started its long road to recovery before the national Market speaks for itself. Marbella is perhaps the most important seaside resort in Europe and attracts the kind of buyers for a quality environment and quality of a lifestyle, and now, properties priced at a level not imagined just a year ago. It is not a place for everyone, and there are many who want to discover new countries and Holiday Homes is at different places as it should be.

The prices achieved in 2006 and 2007 were the result of a superheated market, and no doubt speculative nature. There will be some years, before prices recover to the level, although they will rise gradually in line with the classical laws of supply and demand.

With the increasing competence of the municipal government, the good local infrastructure and services, and the utmost attention to environmental issues in comparison with the past given, I am confident that Marbella has a great future ahead.

Note: Text courtesy of Marbella Copa Davis 2009 magazine only issue.

Christopher Clover can be contacted by e-mail or on Panorama's main sales office next to the reception of Hotel Puente Romano, Telephone +34 952 86 37 50 clover@panorama.es His website is www.panorama.es .

About the Author

Christopher Clover is graduate cum laude in Economics of the University of Virginia (1969); a permanent resident of Marbella since 1973; and the founder, owner and Managing Director of Marbella’s longest established Real Estate Agency, PANORAMA, with offices opposite the HOTEL MARBELLA CLUB and in the HOTEL PUENTE ROMANO

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