According to mortgage giant Halifax house prices in the UK rose by 1.9% in January.
This news, which took many pundits and indutry comentators by surprise, is pleasant news indeed for the real estate industry and could also be a welcome harbinger of economic recovery.
The average price of a home in the UK is now reported to be 163,966 which represents an increase of more than 4,000 since the end of December.
Good news indeed, even more so given the tendency of the previous months. As we know, at Compass Amazing Resorts, the UK economy is the driver for the overseas property industry.
According to recent statistics, rental of property in Portugal increased significantly in 2009. As a result of this, rental values are increasing and, in some cases, a monthly rent exceeds a typcial monthly mortgage repayment!
This is great news for those of you looking to have your property work for you. A typical one bedroom property to rent in Portugal averages between 400 to 650 euros per month.
As part of the package put together by beleaguered Spanish government, the VAT levels in Spain increase this year.
So why do we mention this in a property Blog? Well firstly because the VAT on restaurant bills goes up by 1%, something that really hurts us at Amazing Resorts, but, more importantly, the VAT on Spanish property, currently at 7%, will increase to 8% on July 1st, 2010.
So if you were wondering if it was worth waiting and waiting for that Spanish bargain, then we would recommend NOT paying that extra 1% to the Spanish tax office.
The Spanish property market has see quite a bit of movement in the last few months and some great great properties have gone for better than great prices.
To help you, browse through our fabulous selection of property on http://www.amazingpropertyinspain.com/ and then fly out and see us. We WILL find what you want and at better prices than anyone else.
It seems that everyone is talking about it. January 2010 in the UK! The worst winter since 1963, or, as some are saying, the worst winter in more than a century! Stocks of grit are running low, supermarket shelves are almost bare and sales of cat litter have been reaching record levels as people use it to try to melt the ice on pathways. Travel is thrown in to total chaos with airports closed, flights cancelled, trains grounded and buses simply skidding! Warnings have been given for people not to travel unless it is absolutely essential and to set out fully prepared and equipped with shovels, sleeping bags and flasks of hot beverages.
Well, here at Amazing Resorts we have a solution for you to beat the Big Freeze! As we shiver in to the New Year, why not make 2010 the year that you make the change and escape the chill! Next winter, instead of being snowed in with the heating pumping away and staring out of the window into bleak greyness; you could be sitting on your terrace, sipping a chilled glass of wine whilst watching the sun set on the horizon.
The bargains are still out there but it’s no use spending hours and hours doing endless searches on the internet and looking at pretty pictures. The best buys have to be seen to be believed so come on, get your skates on and see for yourself why NOW is the time to beat the Big Freeze!
Just a couple of examples of the current bargains........
PORTUGAL, ALGARVE
Priced now at just €159,000, this spacious 2 bedroom townhouse with private garden area is an absolute bargain! Click here for full details.
SPAIN, COSTA DEL SOL
Huge reductions on this fantasic resort in the Costa del Sol, prices now from just €201,250. Click here for full details.
Zara Phillips, daughter of The Princess Royal, Princess Anne has chosen a plot of land and is to have a holiday home built on a Golf Resort and Spa in central western Portugal, around 50km north of Lisbon.
Speaking in a recent interview with the Sunday Times, Zara Phillips said that construction on her first holiday property is due to commence in 2010. The property is based on one of the resort’s original designs, a four bedroom, four bathroom property with around 220sqm of living space, a private pool and a terraced garden.
Explaining her decision to build a property here, Zara Phillips said: “I have been to the Algarve before, and competed the other side of Lisbon, but they just looked after me so well here. People just let you get on with things.”She added: “My villa will be built on the edge of vineyards that have been there for centuries. There are stunning beaches nearby and (partner) Mike [Tindall] and I can improve our handicaps on the golf course. The decision to build my holiday home here was pretty straightforward really.”
The 200-acre inland development, around 20 minutes’ drive north of Lisbon, founded by Eduardo Netto de Almeida, part of a dynasty of Portuguese horsemen, includes a riding school and equestrian centre, with stabling for up to 60 horses, which may be used by Zara Phillips, who is a renowned event rider.Zara Phillips said she is planning to make regular visits to Portugal using the low-cost EasyJet airline service from Bristol to Lisbon until the villa is finished, which is expected to be in the spring of 2011.
For all of those interested in investment and awe inspiring lifestyle property Amazing Resorts has been chosen as a Preferred Agent for the Las Vegas CityCentre project.
Appearing in todays edition of This is London, CityCentre is a project that attempts to move away from the pure gambling image of Vegas.
It will be a generation before the likes of this are seen again; in these turbulent times it is the result of staggering mastery that such a phenomenal project is nearing completion. The intrinsic value in this development is simply staggering; in our opinion this is potentially one of the most undervalued developments available.
"Let me explain" continues Landseer-Brooks. "Ordinarily a development of this stature would have doubled in price from the starting of the build process to delivery. What we’ve seen here is prices reduced by 30% (130% under-valued in the old market) yet all the amenities being delivered to specification."
Tim's belief is that it is an unparalleled project. "It is truly amazing. Most major developments ‘caught in the crunch’ have been either moth-balled or delivered with a fraction of the original amenities plus specifications. City Center has not deviated from the master plan at all; what we have here is a $9 Billion development which was originally made up of $6 Billion with a $3 Billion residential offset. We end up with a mouth watering £9 Billion development with an offset of under $2 Billion - that’s $1Billion off without any upside projections built-in."
With British Airways offering a non-stop daily service to Las Vegas, Amazing Resorts are taking bookings for viewing trips now!
In The Amazing Resorts spirit of supplying key-ready investments in just a few weeks, the world will be introduced to CityCenter. The phenomenal resort destination brought to life by eight world-renowned architects, CityCenter will debut a new era of resort experiences with the ambition to refine and redefine Las Vegas.
"I have never heard anyone come back disappointed from Vegas" finished Tim.
With properties starting from as little as $348,000 and a wide variety of units from studio apartments to condo units to the incredible 5.9 million dollar luxury penthouses with 3 bedrooms and spread across nearly four thousand square feet and open to the glittering city scape of the one and only Las Vegas.
On March 22nd of this year, on this Blog we announced that in our opinion Spain was "The New Spain"!
Now A Place in the Sun have published their Top Ten Destinations for 2010 and guess which country is number 1? Yep, you've got it. Spain.
Remember that A Place in the Sun choose their best destinations based on several criteria, usually based on entry level pricing, potential for capital growth, level of development and quality of product.
So, as we said in March, if you are still undecided as to where to start your property search, you could do a lot worse than Spain!
For those who are interested in the next destinations here is the full list:
1. Spain 2 Florida 3. France 4. Portugal 5. Turkey 6. Italy 7. Cyprus 8. Greece 9 Caribbean 10.Bulgaria
We at Compass Amazing Resorts offer amazing properties in Spain (1), Florida (2), Portugal (4), Turkey (5) and Cyprus (7).
So that's 50% of the list! Not at all bad, I am sure you'll agree.
