Amanda Shiel takes a look at some of the finest properties available around the Med

Marrakech, Morocco
Lac Lalla Takerkoust, located in the green foothills of the Atlas Mountains and just a short drive away from hotspot Marrakech, is the site of La Perla International Living’s latest development.
Situated on the banks of Lac Lalla Takerkoust, the site encompasses in excess of eight hectares (approximately 20-acres) on the banks of this large, freshwater reservoir, fed by the pure water from the Atlas Mountains. Here, La Perla is creating a trendy lakeside beach club and exclusive living community.
The renowned Spanish architect Cesar de Leyva is creating the design details of this innovative project in close partnership with his Moroccan counterpart in Marrakech, architect Errachid Ben Driouich. The architecture and finishings will combine exotic, Arabian styling and contemporary western luxury, creating picturesque courtyards, fountains, terraces and pergolas. Living opportunities will include numerous spacious villas, some with fantastic views from the hill crest – each with a private, infinity-edge plunge pool.
Facilities will include a restaurant and bar, a beach club that will be open to the public with an outdoor pool and a swim-up bar, a boutique, and a spa and gym area.
For more information contact La Perla International Living on +3 (0)20 589 40 70 or visit laperlainternationalliving.com.

Algarve, Portugal
Overseas Investments UK Ltd has recently announced the launch of its exclusive new beachfront development in the Algarve.
Rocha Beach Residence will be located in the district of Portimao, just 50 metres from one of Europe’s finest beaches in the resort of Praia da Rocha.
Portimao is a region set to enjoy substantial investment in infrastructure with future projects including Portugal’s new Formula 1 circuit, an international airport, a new cruise ship port and a proposed 500-hectare theme park all within a 20 minute drive of the hotel. Overseas Investments are focusing on marketing to the UK investor and overseas property buyer to sell all 158 of the luxury apartments in the new Aparthotel development.
With completion due towards the end of 2009, Overseas Investments are also offering excellent financing facilities with minimal cash outlay during the construction period and a plan for buyers to mortgage 100 per cent of the contract price (subject to conditions and status).
All owners are given up to six weeks personal use each year of their property at no cost and a guaranteed annual rental income for 10 years.
All of the contemporary one-bedroom studio apartments will have private balconies, with over 50 per cent offering direct views of the beach. They will all be fully furnished to a very high standard including air conditioning and 2 flat-screen TVs. The 158-unit fully managed Apart-hotel will also feature an indoor pool, gym and spa.
Contact Overseas Investments UK on 0845 602 4375 or visit rochabeachresidence.com.

Liguria, Italy
The Portofino Estate in Liguria offers superb vantage points from its Mount Portofino location. Located 640 ft above sea level this enchanting property overlooks the traditional sea village of Portofino and the small bay of Paraggi on the Eastern Coast of Liguria just 18 miles from Genoa, the regional city.
Boasting several buildings in land totalling over six acres (additional 1.23 acres available) it offers 10 bedrooms, six bathrooms and large reception rooms. The main villa provides over 3,700sqft with a feature panoramic terrace and wooden pergola being the main focal point in a picture postcard setting. In addition, there is a separate guesthouse offering 1,184sqft on two levels and two log cabins and storage facilities adding a further 1,000sqft. The private garden is home to an abundance of vegetation along with a wood fired oven and seating area.
The remainder of the land is cultivated and offers an array of olive groves, palms, banana trees, magnolias, mimosa trees and a whole host of other fruit bearing trees. Perhaps its biggest feature is a private path which totals some 600 steps and leads to a secluded cove set within the Portofino natural park.
Priced at £5.85 million. Call Precious Villas on 0870 899 8023 or visit preciousvillas.com.

Sardinia, Italy
This recently constructed complex is located in the Golfo Aranci region on the North Eastern coast of Sardinia. The properties are superbly located close to Porto Rotondo, one of the most famous areas on the Costa Smeralda. The homes are also just ten minutes from the airport at Olbia, 50 metres from the sea and 200 metres from Marina at Golfo Aranci.
Prices from €207,000 - €320.000 (£142,000 - £220,000).
Contact Casa Travella on 01322 660988 or visit casatravella.com.

Western Liguria, Italy
Casa Travella is currently marketing a lovely apartment located in the beautiful mediaeval town of Pogg. Located three kilometres from the beach, it offers magnificent views over both the sea mountains.
The property has recently been renovated and comprises a large living room with fully fitted corner kitchen, two-bedrooms, bathroom; utility and cloakroom. The well maintained property also boasts a lovely loggia leading from the living room with magnificent sea.
Priced at €280,000 (£215,000).
Contact Casa Travella on 01322 660988 or visit casatravella.com.

Makriyialos, Crete
Properties at Bay View are currently available off plan.
The development is located just two minutes walk from the beach and two minutes drive from Makriyialos which boasts an array ofshops, cafes, bars and restaurants. Bay View offers easy access to the scheduled new airport at Sitia.
Prices range from £71,121 (€98,000) to £82,615 (€114,000) fro a two-bedroom apartment. Bungalows are also available for £172,415 (€240,000).
70 per cent off-plan mortgages available.
Call Olive Tree International Property Ltd on 0845 2570227. Alternatively, visit olivetreeworld.com.

Kalkan, Turkey
London-based property company Bridgehouse International recently launched a wide range of property types from one-bedroom apartments to five-bedroom premier villas at LaVanta.
This exclusive development consists of 158 apartments and villas and provides a holiday opportunity for discerning second-home owners and a tempting proposition for the shrewd investor.
Kalkan is situated around a natural harbour at the foot of the Taurus Mountain. Views from the development offer clear azure seas and a picturesque scattering of boats, as well as a jumble of age-old whitewashed villas that line the narrow streets down to the harbour, a reminder of Kalkan’s Ottoman heritage.
Homes are traditionally designed and constructed, offering excellent family accommodation set among large, beautifully planted gardens. The villas also overlook their own private pools and enjoy a high degree of privacy.
All residents have on-site amenities on their doorsteps such as the exclusive spa, sporting facilities, restaurants, shops and a boutique hotel.
These top-of-the-range properties are skilfully arranged to provide spacious living and sleeping areas, with accommodation spread over two or three storeys and some villas even incorporating separate guest or staff quarters.                        
Individual specifications vary but all homes feature large open plan interiors with at least one master en-suite, family bathroom, balconies and covered terraces.
Only a few properties now remain available on Phase 1. Prices start from £69,000. Prices for Phase 2 start at £79,000 for a one-bedroom apartment and £469,000 for a five-bedroom premier villa.
Contact Bridgehouse International on 020 7478 9253 or visit bridgehouseinternational.com.
Menton, France
Menton is the warmest and most Italian-influenced of the Côte d'Azur resorts. This high-class development is ringed by mountains and maintains a wonderful climate which suits its simple, quiet mood.
Accommodation at Hanmbury Place ranges from functional one-bedroom apartments to three-bedroom apartments ideal for families. Apartments overlook the sea, the beautiful landscaped gardens, or both.
Prices start from £190,000 for a 28.1 sq m studio apartment and range to £1,152,000 for a 98.2 sq m three-bedroom apartment.
Contact Chesterton International on 020 7201 2070 or visit chesterton.co.uk.

Martellago (near Venice), Italy  
Le Residenze del Golf is located in Martellago, 10 kilometres north-west of Venice. The development consists of two blocks of studio, one- and two- bedroom apartments and overlooks the Ca’ della Nave golf course. All apartments feature central heating, air conditioning and a parking space.
An optional six per cent rental guarantee scheme is available for a minimum of four years. Prices start at €148,000 (approximately £113,950) for a studio apartment.
Contact Overseas Homesearch on 0800 6520 769 or visit overseashomesearch.co.uk.

Menorca, Spain
On this much-loved island, Jackson-Stops and Staff International offers a rare secluded villa only minutes from San Luis and the beaches of the South Coast. This modern and spacious country house of 450 square metres is set in large private landscaped gardens of 22,000 square metres,
The house has large and bright rooms, four bedrooms with en suites and ample living and dining areas finished with first-class fixtures and fittings.
The landscaped gardens include a pool, pond, terracing and barbecue. The house will be sold with many extras and is ideal for a lavish holiday home and year-round living.
Priced at €1.5 and on sale through Jackson-Stops and Staff International. Call 020 7828 7387 or visit jackston-stops.com.

Amanda Shiel takes a look at what’s available near excellent courses

Alentejo, Central Portugal
The Tróia Peninsula, known for superb golf and water sports, is the setting for the 440-hectare Troiaresort, a new development on this northern tip of the Alentejo region of Portugal, just 30 minutes south of Lisbon.   
A range of apartments, townhouses and villas is currently under construction at the resort, which will offer a wealth of facilities and amenities in a picturesque setting. All properties will have a sea view.
The first phase, which will comprise three hotels, a marina, casino, conference centre, commercial facilities, restructuring of golf course and delivery of Marina and Beach apartments, will be completed by September 2008.
The Troia Golf Championship Course was designed by renowned golf architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. and is considered to be one of Portugal's most beautiful courses, with its unique location between the sea, the Sado Estuary and the Serra da Arrábida.
Prices range from €290,400 for a one-bedroom marina apartment to €1.3 million for a six-bedroom villa. All apartments and townhouses come fully furnished.
For further information visit troiaresort.net or call +351 214 643 322.

Western Algarve, Portugal
Parque da Floresta Golf & Leisure resort is an all-round destination situated near Lagos in the Western Algarve, Portugal. Luxury properties surround its championship 18-hole, par 71 golf course.
The large range of amenities includes a golf academy, restaurants and bars, a bowling green, floodlight tennis courts, outdoor and indoor heated swimming pools, children's pool, kid’s clubs, and a health and beauty spa (more info below).
Properties at the latest phases of Parque da Floresta are currently for sale through outright and fractional freehold ownership. Built in the style of a new golf village and named Quinta da Encosta Velha, there is a broad range of properties available.
Buyers can select one of the unique Golf Village Houses with communal heated pools and gardens or an independent Golf Villa with private pool and small gardens. There are also linked villas with private heated plunge pools, gardens and barbeques. Within Quinta da Encosta Velha is a business and conference centre, reception area, and A Taberna Restaurant.
Parque da Floresta resort is less than one hours’ drive from Faro airport, providing flights to a large number of UK and Irish airports.
A two-bedroom Golf Village house with communal gardens and heated swimming pools is available for €397,500.
Contact Vigia Property Sales UK on 01223 316820 or visit parquedafloresta.com.

Costa del Sol, Spain
La Heredia will be comprised of 135 two-, three- and four-bedroom luxury townhouses. Each has a unique design and includes fireplace, double glazing, under floor heating throughout with individual climate control in each room, garage space and a storage unit. Purchasers will have the secluded, rural refuge of their dreams, yet remain within minutes of the bustle and excitement of the coast.
The golf course is the centrepiece of the Monte Mayor estate, situated between the villages of Benahavís and Cancelada.    
Townhouses start at €695,000 (two-bed/two bath) and range to €995,000 (four-bed/four bath). Villas start at €930,000 (four-bed/four bath) and range to €1,050,000 (four-bed/four bath).
Contact La Perla International Living on 00 31 20 589 40 70 or visit laperlainternationalliving.com.

Los Arqueros, near Marbella
Close to Marbella, Residential Los Eucaliptos is at the award winning Los Arqueros Golf & Country Club and consists of 15 buildings with six apartments in each.
Los Eucaliptos is being developed by Taylor Woodrow to a very high standard. The development is made up of two- and three-bedroom apartments with an allocated parking space for every apartment and a communal swimming pool with landscaped gardens.
From: £170,000 for a two-bedroom apartment
For more details call Chesterton International Ltd on 020 7201 2070 or visit chesterton-international.com.

Pezula, South Africa
Located on the eastern head of Knysna, on South Africa's famous Garden Route, Pezula is surrounded by rugged cliffs, ancient forests and sheltered beaches, with sweeping views of the Pezula Championship Golf Course, the Indian Ocean and the Knysna Lagoon.
The Country Estate at Pezula has just been launched and consists of just 28 exclusive north-facing plots priced from R1.26 million (approx. UK£ 93,181), it represents country and nature living at their best and the last opportunity to own a piece of Pezula.
Pezula is also selling its fourth phase consisting of 34 plots ranging in size between 2,500m² and 10,000m². In contrast to earlier releases these are ‘plot and plan’ sites. Each is sold with a complete set of approved architect designed plans which effectively streamlines the process of building at Pezula for overseas buyers. Starting at ZAR 2.2 million (approx UK£160,426), all properties have magnificent views of the Knysna Lagoon and the Outeniqua Mountains.
Contact the Pezula Group on  +27 44 302 5332 or visit pezula.com.

Abruzzo, Italy
San Donato is located 850 metres above sea level and is surrounded by a residential village just 10 minutes from the historic city of l’Aquila in Italy.
Residences comprise 100 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Facilities include a swimming pool, a fitness centre, restaurants, bars, a golf pro-shop and clubhouse. Owners are offered a discounted fee for golf course membership and green fees. Owners also have access to all on-site facilities. Completion is expected in March 2009.
Abrruzzo is one of the most thinly populated and unspoilt regions of the Italian peninsula. Skiing is provided in the winter at nearby Campo Felice – a 20 minute drive from the development – and for summer fun blue flag beaches are 45 minutes away. Situated in the heart of Italy, Pescara is 60 minutes from Son Donato and Rome is a 75 minute drive.
Easy access is provided from the UK via a huge range of regular and budget airlines into both Rome and Pescara.
Prices at San Donato Golf start at €109,143 (approx. £76,000).
Call Overseas Homesearch +44 (0) 800 652 0769 or visit overseashomesearch.co.uk.

NonSuch Bay, Antigua
NonSuch Bay, a 16-hectare (almost 40-acre) development, provides a wide choice of accommodation, from luxurious waterfront townhouses with private plunge pools and moorings to well-situated apartments of different sizes set flanking the beach or on the hillside.
On-site amenities include a restaurant, a private dock and moorings, shops, tennis courts and at least one communal swimming pool. Only 20 minutes from English Harbour and 25 minutes from the capital city, St. John’s, and the island’s V.C. Bird International airport, which offers direct flights to and from London in just eight hours, NonSuch Bay is a convenient and attractively priced Caribbean haven.
All three of Antigua’s golf courses are open for public play.
Two-bedroom apartments cost from US$475,000.
Contact Robson Barnes 01483 242 49 or visit robsonbarnes.com.

St Lucia, Caribbean
Raffles St Lucia comprises a 200-room Raffles Resort, around 250 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and 72 villa plots.
Further features include the Raffles Amrita spa, five swimming pools, a choice of restaurants and a Jack Nicklaus Golf Club (JNGC).
Thirty-five special Founders packages are available until the end of 2007, which include in the purchase price: a one- or two-bedroom apartment, plot of land (includes building permit for construction of a villa), two Jack Nicklaus Golf Club St Lucia memberships (Founder and Golf) and an associate membership to the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club worldwide reciprocity programme.
Prices from are from US $1,100,000 for a package with a one-bedroom apartment and US $1,600,000 for a package with a two-bedroom apartment. Reservation for the Founder’s Package requires a US $5,000 refundable deposit
Call Chesterton International on 0207 201 2070 or visit chesterton.co.uk.

Belek, Turkey
Augustus Country Club offers exceptional facilities including two tennis courts, golf, putting greens, café/sports bar, shops, restaurants and a superb spa and indoor pool.
Prices start from £107,000/€160,000 for detached villas built in local stone. There is a choice of two-, three- or four-bedrooms with en suite facilities.
Luxury detached four-bedroom, three bathroom detached villas start from around £175,000.
At the top end of the market there is Villa Caesar in Augustus Village near Antalya for £795,000. This truly remarkable bespoke villa offers the very finest lifestyle and has been conceived as zero carbon rated.
For more details contact Nirvana International on 0118 965 4072 or visit www.nirvanainternation.com.

The long sandy beaches, quaint towns, stunning scenery and fine food have ensured that Spain has remained a popular choice. Amanda Shiel takes a look at what’s available

The Balearic Islands, an autonomous division of Spain, are one of the most popular destinations in the Europe and it is this popularity that has sent property prices in this area soaring by a staggering 15.26 per cent in the last 12 months. Demand for properties on Mallorca in particular has resulted in a limit to the new land available, pushing prices up.
For those keen to purchase a home on the stunning island before prices rise further, Taylor Woodrow de España has a selection of fantastic developments to suit a range of budgets and lifestyles.
For sun worshippers, the east coast of Mallorca is famous for its beaches and offers more than fifty secluded coves of enormous beauty. Cala Millor is an ideal base from which to discover this region. Just 3km from the resort is Port Verd, a collection of 33 spacious two- and three-bedroom apartments, priced from €239,000. This stunning development is just 200 metres from the beach and also benefits from a swimming pool, making it the ideal place to relax and soak up the Spanish sun.
Another development on the east coast is El Puerto II at Cala D’or, a stunning collection of just 31 two-bedroom apartments, priced from €238,000. Many apartments have views over the marina and the development is surrounded by generous gardens and three communal swimming pools. The Vall D’or golf course is just ten minutes away for those wishing to perfect their game in a beautiful climate.
Cala Magrana 2 at Porto Cristo is a more established development where Taylor Woodrow de España has a selection of two-bedroom apartments, priced from € 250,000 and three-bedroom townhouses priced from €285,000. The development is just two minutes away from the sea and very close to golf courses, as well as the marina of Porto Cristo.
Situated adjacent to the popular and well-established Cala Magrana 1 development, properties here benefit from communal gardens and swimming pool, and would be ideal for families or those looking to relocate to Mallorca.
For further information telephone the sales office on 08000 121020 or visit taylorwoodrow.es.
Malibu, at Puerto Banus on the Costa del Sol, is a tranquil retreat from the glitz and glamour that epitomises the exciting Mediterranean coastline of five star hotels, gourmet restaurants, exciting bars and the famous marina that draws some of the finest privately owned craft, in the world. Home of the stars, Puerto Banus oozes sophisticated charm and a certain cutting edge chic.
The four-bedroom ground floor apartment is located in one of the most luxurious front line beach complexes along this golden mile of coastline and is within walking distance of the Andalusian style marina and exclusive resort that is Puerto Banus.
Owners will benefit from 24 hour security, access to the beach, two sweeping free form communal swimming pools and private and spacious terrace.
Puerto Banus is within a short drive of Marbella and there is easy access from Malaga International Airport via the new motorway.
For more details contact Unique Living on 0845 430 0185 or visit uniqueliving.com.
Spain has long been a prime destination for those seeking to combine great weather and beautiful surroundings with their love of golf. For investors, buy-to-let golf properties tend to result in more rental weeks annually, and those who purchase near major golf courses can expect good occupancy rates throughout the year.
Taylor Woodrow de España’s Las Encinas de los Arqueros development on the beautiful Costa del Sol is a collection of just 30 two- and three-bedroom apartments that have been traditionally designed in the style of a Mediterranean village and built to only three storeys high.
The apartments, which are priced from €240,000, feature private gardens or balconies with stunning views overlooking the golf course and sea, a communal swimming pool, landscaped gardens and allocated parking.
Situated only a short distance by car from Marbella and Puerto Banus, Las Encinas de los Arqueros is ideally located and just under an hour away from Malaga airport.
For more information on this development contact the sales office on 08000 12 10 20 or go to    taylorwoodrow.es.
Residents of the luxurious apartment development Los Cortijos in Mijas will gain a bird’s eye view of Marina Mijas. With an initial investment of 50 million euros, Marina Mijas will comprise 800-1,000 berths of all sizes up to 100 metres (328 ft) as well as two docks designed to accommodate transatlantic cruisers. In addition there will be two hotels, a commercial area with shops, restaurants, cafés, leisure zones, a congress centre, yacht club and full service dry dock. The new facility will comfortably create up to 1,000 new jobs and the avant-garde design will ensure that it becomes a worldwide reference point.
Los Cortijos will comprise one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments are set within the Costa del Sol’s true ‘golf valley’ with 12 courses within literally minutes of the resort. The properties themselves all boast golf, sea and mountain views with no sub-standard views on offer and are superbly equipped with first class laminate wooden flooring in living rooms and bedrooms, heating and comfort cooling, fully fitted kitchens, disabled-adapted lift access to just two apartments per floor, allocated parking and storage. On-site facilities include a gymnasium, spa, sauna, three swimming pools and manicured gardens whilst the Calanova Golf Clubhouse is within comfortable walking distance.
Prices start from just €195,000 euros for a one bedroom apartment with 25m² of terracing rising to €440,000 euros for a three-bedroom three bathroom duplex penthouse with a mammoth 40m² of terracing.
For further information on Los Cortijos contact Duchy Estates on UK freephone 0800 849 8089 or call the Spanish office on 00 34 952 906 944. Alternatively, visit duchyestates.co.uk.
Spread over two valleys in the foothills of the Sierra Bermeja on the cosmopolitan Costa del Sol is the 900 acre paradise of Monte Mayor Golf & Country Club, La Perla International Living’s flagship resort development in Spain. Here, residents enjoy not only the best weather in Europe, but also the unspoilt beauty of the Andalusian countryside.
Purchasers will have the secluded, rural refuge of their dreams, yet remain within minutes of the bustle and excitement of the coast. Whether buyers prefer the natural beauty of the golf course designed by Jose Gancedo, the rugged hills or shimmering water panorama stretching all the way to Africa, the views at Monte Mayor are incomparable.
Buyers have the option of superb plots, which are carefully situated throughout the landscape of Monte Mayor, or for those who prefer living in a more intimate, interconnected community, luxury townhouses are also available in the private mountainside village of La Heredia de Monte Mayor. Homes here offer wonderful views sweeping out over the Mediterranean to the African coast.
La Heredia will be comprised of 135 two-, three- and four-bedroom luxury townhouses. Each has a unique design and includes fireplace, double glazing, under floor heating throughout with individual climate control in each room, garage space and a storage unit.
Townhouses start at €695,000 (two-bed/two bath) and range to €995,000 (four-bed/four bath). Villas start at €930,000 (four-bed/four bath) and range to €1,050,000 (four-bed/four bath).
For more information contact La Perla International Living on 0031 205894070 or visit laperlainternationalliving.com.

Family snap up a bargain
Tracy and Richard have lived on the Costa del Sol for five years but always in rented accommodation. With demanding jobs they never had the time or the inclination to house-hunt but as the market cooled towards the end of 2007 and daughter Lylla settled into school, Tracy and Richard decided that they’d take the plunge and go bargain-hunting.
Tracy says, ‘Our criteria started off rather vague, a townhouse or a villa maybe with a budget of €500,000 to €700,000. The only definites were that we needed a big garden, so apartments were out, and wanted to stay to the west of Marbella close to Lylla’s school. We made an online enquiry with Duchy Estates and were emailed a selection of properties, many of which were exclusive to the agent rather than pulled off a multiple listing system. And as they understood what we were after we agreed to conduct some viewings.’
The couple had a stroke of good luck when a property that had originally been out of reach suddenly became an option after the vendor dropped the price from €890,000 to €790,000 euros. The four-bedroom villa in Cancelada was on a 940m² plot, had an immaculately maintained garden with swimming pool and partial sea views.
Tracy says, ‘Richard was immediately impressed with how well the property was built. The French architect had opted for 600mm thick walls and at nine-years-old the property had had plenty of time to settle so anything structural that was going to fail would have already done so. The current owners had lovingly looked after the villa and no major works on the kitchen or bathrooms was needed. In short we loved it, but not for €790,000, which was too much. After some negotiations our initial offer of €660,000 was nudged a little higher to €690,000, but for that we also got most of the furniture and cupboards full of bed linen and crockery.’
Tracy, Richard and daughter Lylla cannot envisage moving from their villa for many years to come and with all that space they might even extend the family!
Contact Duchy Estates on UK freephone 0800 849 8089, the Spanish office on 00 34 952 906 944 or visit  duchyestates.co.uk.

Amanda Shiel takes at look at some of the finest ski resorts in France

Residence Le Martell de Janville, Mont Blanc
The residential property is seven floors high and comprises 150 apartments ranging from the studio to the T5 with terraces, views of Mont Blanc and private parking. Residence Le Martell de Janville is located in the Mont Blanc area on the Plateau d’Assy, 20 km from Chamonix and Megève.
Prices: from €61,500 (about £43,865) to €206,000 (about £146,930)
Contact Overseas Homesearch on 0800 6520 769 or visit overseashomesearch.co.uk

Les Chalets de l’Adret, Les Deux Alpes
The Chalets de l'Adret are located at the centre of the Deux Alpes resort, by the foot of the ski lifts.
The development consists of two chalet blocks and features a total of 30 apartments, ranging from studios to three-bedroom units. Each apartment has a terrace or balcony and ski equipment storage, while parking spaces are available for an additional fee.
Prices: from €95,500 (approx. £68,115) to €453,000 (about £323,104)
Contact Overseas Homesearch on 0800 6520 769 or visit overseashomesearch.co.uk for more details.

Les Terrasses d’Eos, Flaine Montsoleil
Les Terrasses d’Eros in the Flaine Montsoleil resort is located in the Haute-Savoie Region of the French Alps at the foot of Mont Blanc, a region renowned for its snowfall and snow quality. The new development of Les Terrasses d’Eos offers ski in, ski out access to the largest and most diverse ski area in the French Alps, ‘Le Gran Massif’. The resort is a car-free, fully pedestrian centre, with a variety of shops, restaurants, bars, and recreational areas, including landscaped gardens and a fitness centre.
Les Terrasses d’Eos is located to the east of the village and comprises of 500 units offering a choice of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. Each apartment is fully furnished to 4-star specifications with contemporary designs and large bay windows which open onto a balcony with alpine views. To create a feeling of warmth for these mountain apartments the walls are decorated with cream and ochre as well as having under floor heating. One parking slot will be available to each apartment. Prices start at €200,000 (approx. £135, 894) for a one-bedroom apartment.
Prices start at €200,000 (approx. £135, 894) for a one-bedroom apartment.
Visit overseashomesearch.co.uk or call 0800 6520 769 for more details.

EdenArc 1800, Les Arcs
EdenArc 1800 consists of 330 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Each apartment is fully furnished to 4-star specifications with contemporary designs and large bay windows which open onto a balcony with alpine views.
The furniture in the living rooms includes a sofa bed, armchair, coffee table plus two further tables. Underground parking is available at no extra cost. Located at the foot of the slopes, further features of the apartments include an aqua relaxation centre with an outdoor heated swimming pool, a children’s swimming pool, hot tubs, sauna and hammam. A fitness centre and conference rooms are also on site.
The abundance of wide open spaces makes the slopes at Les Arcs excellent for beginners while expert skiers can enjoy themselves off-piste. Other winter activities available include ice climbing, ice skating, show shoeing and winter walking. Being an all-season getaway, there are plenty of activities on offer for the summer – golf, horse riding, paragliding, hiking and mountain biking are a few examples. The resort caters for children with a wide range of activities such as trampolining, bouncy castles, ski kindergarten and kid’s club to choose from. Les Arcs also has restaurants, nightclubs, bars, a bowling alley and a few cinemas.  
Prices start at €245,000 (approx.UK £171,018) for a one-bedroom apartment and completion is expected at the end of 2008.
Call 0800 6520 769 or visit overseashomesearch.co.uk.

Residence Le Janremon, Les Deux Alpes, Isere, France
This development is located in the village of Les Deux Alpes in the Massif des Ecins region of the French Alps. The hotel conversion will consist of 44 studio, one-, two- and four-bedroom apartments. Features include a balcony/terrace with dramatic views of the mountains from most apartments. Each apartment comes with a ski locker and personal water/electricity metre.
Due to the high slopes, reliable snow fall and close proximity to the nearest cable car (150m walking distance), the resort is popular among skiers and snowboarders alike. The varied mountain terrain means that the resort suits all levels of skier from the beginner to the advanced. There is a snow park in the village and night skiing is offered three times a week. There are 25km of cross country trails. Being an all-season getaway, there are plenty of activities on offer for the summer too – golf (les Deux Alpes Golf Course), horse riding, paragliding, hiking and mountain biking are a few suggestions.
Prices start at €75,000 (approx. UK £52,357).
For more information call 0800 6520 769. Alternatively visit overseashomesearch.co.uk. 

Les Chalets de la Tannerie, Chamonix, French Alps
Positioned at the heart of the French Alps, Chamonix has been a favoured Alpine destination for decades. Chamonix has excellent skiing, some of the best walking and cycling routes and a range of restaurants and bars for any après-ski requirement.
The development comprises a chalet of three apartments, a chalet of two apartments and a bespoke, stand-alone chalet. Each apartment of two-, three- or four-bedrooms has its own terrace and spectacular views towards Mont Blanc and the Aiguille du Midi.
The development is designed and constructed by one of the regions most respected developers. The Grosset Janin brothers have been creating dream alpine homes for three generations – Les Chalets de la Tannerie maintains this tradition.
Three apartments are currently available: a three--bed for €1,049,000 (£704,026), four-bed €1,415,000 (£956,081) and four-bed for €1,459,000 (£985,810).
Contact Chesterton International on 0207 201 2070 or visit chesterton.co.uk.

The Far East is booming in terms of both business and property investment. Johnny Turner sees what the property market has to offer

With the China having arrived as the world’s new economic powerhouse, an unprecedented amount of building and buying is going on in the Far East as a whole. Besides China, such destinations as Malaysia and Thailand are the recipients of a new wave of investor interest. Western buyers are now getting in on the act, putting their money into investment properties throughout Asia.

Vietnam is another such location – indeed, its popularity has forced some cooling measures. Fifty per cent property price increases since the beginning of 2007 have prompted a preliminary draft of new laws to curb bulk buying and create a sustainable market for property in Vietnam.

Property agents remarked that the government plan allowing both Vietnamese living overseas and foreign investors to own freehold property has accelerated the rush to purchase real estate for future resale and thus affected prices. Vietnam’s property prices have risen exponentially since the beginning of 2007, as more investors have shunned the stock markets in favour of the more gainful property investment market. Policymakers and economists are now pushing for the new legislation in a bid to avoid a bubble and sustain the country’s high growth rates for many years to come.

The draft proposal details measures to impose an annual tax on owners who have acquired more than one property – however, the law would not come into effect until 2010. At present only transfer taxes are payable on the sale of a property, but most sales are paid in cash making it difficult for the government to gage volumes and collect on capital gains tax.

And that means now is the time to catch the multiple-buying window in Vietnam.

Currently, scores of investors are queuing overnight to join the immense competition for off-plan property apartments, and property news has shown hundreds of buyers camping outside Singapore’s CapitaLand to pay deposits for a newly released project.
Nguyen Xuan Dao, chief executive of property developer Vietnam Property Inc, said, ‘In some areas in Hanoi and Ho Chi Min City (HCMC), especially in the luxury condominium sector, prices have tripled in the past year alone.’

Dao said local real estate companies reported projects in Hanoi and HCMC had sold out prior to completion, with developer PT Ciputra Development Tbk now selling apartments for $240,000 – up from $80,000 in the previous year.

For more information on overseas property investment, and to find out about Obelisk’s latest projects, contact Obelisk free on 0808 160 0670 or visit obeliskinternational.com.

In Malaysia, the regulation pendulum is swinging the other way. The UK market is now driving The Malaysia Ministry of Tourism’s new ‘Malaysia My Second Home’ (MM2H) programme, according to new figures.

Malaysia My Second Home is an initiative designed to encourage buyers from around the world to purchase second and third home properties in Malaysia. The UK ranked first in terms of number of participants approved on the programme in 2007 (January to August) up two rungs from its third place ranking over the past four years. There are currently 1,215 British participants on the programme, out of a total of 10,308 participants.

Positive measures taken by the Malaysian government to relax regulations imposed on the property sector have also kindled further interest in the (MM2H) programme. These include allowing foreigners to purchase any number of residential property priced above £43,265 without restriction, and an exemption from Real Property Gains Tax on profits made from the sale of residential property. Real estate prices in Malaysia are viewed as competitive and below those in other Asian countries, with prime location rates in the capital Kuala Lumpur still below £290 per square foot.

David and Barbara Miller from Scotland are thrilled with a £45,000 half-acre house they acquired near Ipoh, north of Kuala Lumpur. ‘We would never have been able to afford such a place in the Scotland, let alone handle the renovations to our fancy, and we achieved everything at a fraction of what it would have cost us back home,’ they said.

The UK is Malaysia’s best long-haul tourist-generating market, supplying 252,035 tourists in 2006. 136,429 British tourists were recorded from January to June 2007, an increase of 4.7  per cent over the same period last year. Total tourist arrivals to Malaysia from January to June 2007 numbered 10,690,426 – an increase of 24.8 per cent over the corresponding period in 2006.

According to the Ministry’s Secretary-General, Dato’ Dr Victor Wee, ‘The UK has been a traditional tourism source for us and it is thus natural that we are appealing to the baby boomer generation to consider Malaysia My Second Home programme for their retirement. Furthermore, with property prices in the UK rising to extraordinary levels, many buyers are now looking abroad to invest wisely.’

Brits are finding Malaysia more and more appealing as a long-stay destination, citing the warm tropical weather, good quality of life, low cost of living, modern infrastructure, excellent healthcare facilities, political stability, widely-spoken English, recreational facilities, multicultural population and food variety as decisive factors in their choice of Malaysia as a preferred retirement and long-stay destination.

Malaysia ranked seventh as a retirement haven in the recently-announced results of the fifth annual Global Retirement Index compiled by International Living magazine’s website, in a survey of 29 countries.
One of the incentives under the current programme is the provision of a multiple-entry, renewable social visit pass valid for ten years. For more information visit mm2h.gov.my.

China’s growth has to a large extent defined the world economy in the past decade or so, and this dominance shows no sign of abating. The once fiercely anti-market country, this mega-economy is now a huge creditor nation and the subject of massive investment. And within this fascinating country, Shanghai is growing exponentially, a powerhouse within a powerhouse. With a building programme of a scale that defies belief, little wonder that the property market in Shanghai is booming. Many have identified Shanghai as offering excellent long-term prospects and have invested there with great success.

Its economic power makes it an investment destination for several reasons: City players have been keen to invest in the Chinese currency, which has been called undervalued. Indeed, the Chinese currency is expected to grow by ten per cent in the next year, and growth of between 20 per cent and 40 per cent is forecast as China moves from the world’s fourth-largest economy to largest.

Its new World Financial Centre is another symbol of dominance, and the money flows towards these symbols. Therefore, the Pudong area, home to the World Financial Centre, has been attracting unheard-of rates of investment. Those who want even the vaguest ideas of what Shanghai will be can think of Canary Wharf and then imagine even more exponential growth.

Shanghai Vision, the leading Shanghai-based specialist in the market, points to the huge growth that has been seen already and is convinced that there is much more to come. In Shanghai, low prices are a key to excellent growth, and investors in Summit Residence have achieved 29 per cent capital growth in just one year. And with rental demand far outstripping supply, the continued need for property to rent is assured.

‘Demand is certainly strong. Apartment sales doubled in March compared with February. Enormous, growing foreign investment is bringing a massive influx of Chinese and overseas workers into the city, creating a thriving property rental market. Value growth of the property is strong at between ten and 15 per cent.

‘In addition, many City of London investors have bought for the opportunity to invest in the Chinese currency, which is seriously undervalued and providing exciting returns. The opening of Shanghai’s World Financial Centre this year - twice the size of Canary Wharf - is generating massive interest in apartments in the Pudong area.’ City of London investors see what’s happening in Shanghai as similar to the rapid growth in Wapping and Docklands properties, says Keogh.

It is not just a handful of adventurous investors. Shanghai Vision has helped 350 UK- and Ireland-based private investors buy over $100 million worth of properties in this city in the last four years. It is a growing trend. Shanghai Vision (London) property sales in Shanghai tripled in 2005, more than half of these being bought by investors who already own property there.

For the latest deals in Shanghai real estate call +353 01 637 3995 or visit shanghaivision.ie.
Thailand is known as a tropical paradise, and this reputation for luxury and natural beauty drives the dynamic of property investment in the country.

In Koh Samui, Cinnabar is a small collection of only 48 high-spec two-bedroom apartments (including 12 penthouses) being created within the exclusive Angthong Hills, which is situated above the village of Bang Po to the north-west of the Island. The land at Bang Po is zoned for residential use only and has demanded a higher than average price level on the island which has ensured that developments in this area are higher-end and more exclusive. A large percentage of the land in Bang Po is green zone and as such will not be subject to any further development.

Koh Samui itself is an idyllic holiday island in the Gulf of Thailand. It is known for its amazing beaches and wealth of activities, such as exploring exotic Buddhist temples such as the famed golden Big Buddha, elephant trekking, wonderful local markets, water sports, waterfalls. Recent additions include a shopping centre containing a superstore, shops, restaurants and cinema.

The island is easily accessible via direct flights from Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Hong Kong; further routes are planned for Taipei and Shanghai.

For further exploration, the islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Tao are only a short boat ride away. Koh Phangan is famous for its monthly full moon parties, which draw revellers from around the world, while Koh Tao boasts some of the world’s most fabulous diving sites.

Investors will be impressed by the island's 48-week holiday season, its average year-round room occupancy of 74 per cent, the full management programme and the high average room rates; the fact that the area has a strong secondary market within Asia provides a clear exit strategy.

Prices range from £95,000 to £110,000 including off-plan discounts; prices are expected to rise by 15 per cent this year. Construction began last year and the full infrastructure is now in place.
For more information contact 0800 977 4517 or visit fareps.co.uk.

Spain is eternally popular for a hundred reasons. Foremost is its accessibility from the UK: with a flight of just two hours or so you can be in another world. Also, there is the ability to be in an environment that is the opposite of dear old Blighty: sun, beautiful light, a relaxed pace of life. Add in the culture, the food – everything about Spain says, slow down, don’t worry, have fun.

And what’s good for the tourist is good for the investor. Those in the market for the perfect overseas buy-to-let will find plenty to love in España. In the development of Arana de Mijas (see also The family that golfs together, right) is a superb development of apartments that offers all purchasers a guaranteed rental of five per cent per annum for two years from completion.

With its contemporary architectural style, homes at Arana de Mijas are spacious, equipped with the latest mod cons and green features. Modern construction techniques ensure energy efficiency, salt water systems are used in the communal swimming pools, the attractive landscaped gardens are lovingly planted with native species and a centralized solar energy system is expected to cut individual consumption costs to less than half the usual rate.

Cerrado del Aguila is located at the heart of Mijas’ ‘golf valley’, and there are an additional six golf courses within five minutes of the resort. The famous Hipodromo Costa del Sol racecourse, fun-packed AquaPark, sweeping sandy beaches and tasty seafood restaurants of Mijas are also within easy reach. Málaga International Airport served by both no-frills and no-corners-cut airlines can be accessed by motorway in 15 minutes and the new high speed AVE connects Madrid to Málaga in a rapid two and a half hours.

Prices start at €285,000 for a two bedroom apartment. Contact Duchy Estates on UK freephone 0800 849 8089 or see duchyestates.co.uk.

 

 

 

The overseas market has grown dramatically, with new destinations catching on all the time. Amanda Shiel checks out some locations that are just starting to get the attention they deserve

Hungary
The new green-belt community of Városrét  is the single largest housing community in Hungary. A town in its own right, Városrét will also have a kindergarten, school, medical and sporting, plus shops, cafés, restaurants, underground parking and parks.
Amaryllis Garden is arranged in a L-shape to lock in attractive grounds and comprises 81 studio and one-bedroom apartments. Prices start from £37,400.
Dahlia Palace is set right on the banks of the Danube affording peaceful river views and offers 206 units ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments. Prices start from £31,000.
Homes at both developments boast laminate flooring in the living areas, pre-installed alarm systems, central heating with individual thermostats and private terraces or balconies.
Residents will be entitled to a Városrét discount card offering five to ten per cent reductions on goods ranging from wine to white goods and furniture to Ford motorcars.  
Flights from London to Budapest (Air Berlin, EasyJet, RyanAir, WizzAir), Bratislava (RyanAir, SkyEurope) or Vienna (Air Berlin, BMI, EasyJet) take less than two and a half hours.
Contact Dream Homes Worldwide on UK freephone 08000 193 847, Irish freephone 1800 805 006 or in Spain telephone 00 34 952 908 or visit dreamhomesww.com.

India
Avatar International has just launched Collage Windsor Apartments in Amritsar, Punjab. Launched off-plan, the exclusive self-contained gated township community is fully managed and is the first development of its kind and standard in Amritsar.
The development comprises 236 modern, high specification two- and three-bedroom apartments, duplexes, penthouses and condominiums.

All apartments have contemporary, light-filled, open plan interiors and balconies. Some have roof terraces. The apartments are located within landscaped grounds with an on site wellness centre, the Windsor Club, which includes a swimming pool, tennis courts, a spa and Jacuzzis. There is also a medical centre, a school, a crèche and a children’s play area. An 800,000 sq ft shopping mall adjoins the complex.
Direct flights to London from Raja Sansi take approximately 8.5 hours.
The development is due for completion in 2009. Current prices range from £39,800 for a two-bedroom apartment to £48,450 for a three-bedroom apartment. Contact Avatar International on 0800 035 3537 or visit avatar-investments.co.uk.

Turks & Caicos Islands
Wymara is situated on a three and a half acre site on the western side of Grace Bay Beach on the island of Providenciales and offers 52 luxury condominium apartments.
Designed to a high specification, residents will be able to enjoy the infinity pool and indoor/outdoor spas. The development is located central to shopping district and Turtle Cove Marina and only minutes away from one of the most challenging golf courses in the Caribbean.
Purchasers have the choice to enjoy the property themselves and when not in use offer it for rent as part of the resort facility. Each bedroom can be ‘locked out’ and rented separately maximising income potential for owners.
The Wymara resort will be managed by Prism hotels and marketing will be by the Preferred Hotel Group
Prices range from $429,000 to $2,995,000 (freehold). For more information on the development contact Prestigious Properties on 020 8812 4734 or visit prestigious-properties.co.uk.

Cambodia
The French Colonial apartments in the French Riverside Quarter of Pnomh Penh have been beautifully refurbished in a modernist style.
The homes are purchased on a 99 year leasehold and cost from £29,151 for a one-bedroom and from £48,100 for a two-bedroom. Properties come with a ten per cent guaranteed rental yield for the first two years. Cambodia's rental laws are pro-landlord, and there is no income tax on rental income, other than a withholding tax. £1,000 is required to reserve. For more information on Cambodian investment property visit: davidstanleyredfern.com/investment-property/cambodia/

Malaysia
The Legend International Water Homes in Port Dickson comprises of 166 sea front water homes and 44 garden chalets. Each property will be elegantly furnished with granite, tumble stone, Parlimanan stone, hardwood timbers and teakwood furniture and decorated with Balinese stone carvings and pottery. The impeccable design, superb finishes and exquisite fittings combine to create a style and standard of living which is hard to beat.
The water chalets and villas in this spectacular development are designed to optimise pleasure and relaxation and represent the ultimate in luxury beach-front living. This collection of designer built residences is linked together by spacious boardwalks and each water chalet comes with its own private pool and open air shower. There will also be clubhouse facilities and extensive onsite services.
Residents will enjoy gentle, uninterrupted sea breezes, watching the sun set on the horizon and the pleasures of looking down into the sea through the transparent glass panels in the floor. The resort is also easily accessible being just 25 minutes from Kuala Lumpur International airport and one hour from the capital city, Kuala Lumpur.
The resort will be managed by The Legend Group of Hotels and Resorts. Prices start from £81,715.
For further contact Emerging Real Estate on 0845 601 7293 or visit emergingrealestate.com.

A Middle Eastern jewel comes into its own

Bahrain is a sun-splashed, tax-free island kingdom that is well known with the international smart set. Until now it has not been one of the more well known foreign property hotspots for British buyers, and other Middle Eastern locations such as Dubai shout louder. However, Bahrain is definitely worth a look if you’re in the market for an excellent return on your investment.

Also, it hasn’t had the same history in ownership terms that many of its neighbours have – after all, expatriates have only been allowed to buy in the kingdom for three years. These days, more of us are now catching on. Prices are rising rapidly and Bahrain now ranks with other more established overseas locations as a great place in which to invest in property.

The company Property In Bahrain has currently got a number of excellent investments. The Lofts looks set to follow the same route as Orchid 1 did its our allocation sold out. Such was the rate of increase in value that investors who took advantage of pre-release prices in Orchid 1 built up a profit of up to £29,000 in a matter of weeks. With every upward motion, however, comes urgency: those who want to see returns in this league are advised to act now.

Bahrain has more room for expansion than Dubai, and is a market that is equally popular with expatriates. It is also marked by some particularly impressive property.

Property in Bahrain has secured a number of one- and two-bedroom freehold apartments in Juffair, Manama at a discounted rate exclusively for our clients. These apartments are at pre-release prices starting from £74,000 they are due for imminent release to the public, when they will be priced starting from £80,000.

The two-year construction time will allow for considerable capital growth, with finished comparable properties in the area selling today for £95,000. With predicted capital appreciation of around 25 per cent per annum the returns are fantastic.

Demand far outstrips supply in Bahrain. At present, accommodation can be sold and let faster than it can be built; as a result, property in certain locations increased in value by more than 30 per cent last year.

The design of The Lofts is unique for Bahrain, being of an American loft style; the finish and specification are superb. These are sure to be very sought- after and, with their superb design and location, will command a premium rental.
Mortgage finance is available up to 85 per cent loan-to-value, subject to status.

Riffa Views is a development that offers a variety of property investment opportunities with golf or water views. It consists of generously proportioned villas set amidst beautiful scenery and is home to Bahrain's first international 18-hole championship golf course which will feature this year as part of the PGA world tour; natrually, rental values will be at a premium for the duration.
In Juffair, the result of a massive land reclamation project that has extended Bahrain’s coastline by 2km, The Terraces is a 24-storey luxury apartment block with an elegant lobby, a large private courtyard every two floors, a games room, gymnasium, steam room and sauna and rooftop swimming pool, all for the exclusive use of residents. The accomodation comprises a range of one- and two-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom duplexes – an excellent investment opportunity.
Prices for one-bedroom properties start at 44,000 Bahraini dinar (BHD), while two-bedroom start at 65,000 BHD and duplexes are priced from 85,000BHD.
Juffair is mainly populated by established foreigners and upwardly mobile young Bahrainis. It is the site of Bahrain's largest mosque, the huge domed Al Fateh Mosque, and also houses the recently completed national library. Juffair's close proximity to the Diplomatic Area, Muharraq and Adliya make it popular with those living and working in Bahrain.
For further information on any of these properties call 0845 0175 182 or visit propertyinbahrain.com

Spain is ever-popular, and it is easy to see why. Johnny Turner takes a look at the properties – and the current property issues – that buyers will find when exploring this holiday and investment favourite

Spain is eternally popular for a hundred reasons. Foremost is its each accessibility from the UK: with a flight of just two hours or so you can be in another world. Also, there is the ability to be in an environment that is the opposite of dear old Blighty: sun, beautiful light, a relaxed pace of life. Add in the culture, the food – everything about Spain says, slow down, don’t worry, have fun.
And what’s good for the tourist is good for the investor. Those in the market for the perfect overseas buy-to-let will find plenty to love in España. In the development of Arana de Mijas (see also The family that golfs together, right) is a superb development of apartments that offers all purchasers a guaranteed rental of five per cent per annum for two years from completion.
With its contemporary architectural style, homes at Arana de Mijas are spacious, equipped with the latest mod cons and green features. Modern construction techniques ensure energy efficiency, salt water systems are used in the communal swimming pools, the attractive landscaped gardens are lovingly planted with native species and a centralized solar energy system is expected to cut individual consumption costs to less than half the usual rate.
Cerrado del Aguila is located at the heart of Mijas’ ‘golf valley’, and there are an additional six golf courses within five minutes of the resort. The famous Hipodromo Costa del Sol racecourse, fun-packed AquaPark, sweeping sandy beaches and tasty seafood restaurants of Mijas are also within easy reach. Málaga International Airport served by both no-frills and no-corners-cut airlines can be accessed by motorway in 15 minutes and the new high speed AVE connects Madrid to Málaga in a rapid two and a half hours.
Prices start at €285,000 for a two bedroom apartment. Contact Duchy Estates on UK freephone 0800 849 8089 or see duchyestates.co.uk.
The Canary Islands is a firm favourite with British holidaymakers, but little has been heard about purchasing property.
This month’s Kyero.com Spanish House Price Index shows that Lanzarote, the fourth largest island, remains the most expensive, with prices averaging €312,000 – 27 per cent above the national average of €245,000.
Fuerteventura, the second largest island, recorded an average price drop of 9.2 per cent in 2007 from €247,500 to €226,750 however prices appear to have picked up with an average price of €250,000, two per cent above the national average.
For bargain hunters, Tenerife, the largest island and home to the co-capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife, has always offered property well below the national average. Last year saw a marked price increase; however, property still remains affordable averaging at €208,000 – that’s 15 per cent below the national average.
Meanwhile, back on the cosmopolitan Costa del Sol, in the foothills of the Sierra Bermeja, is the 900 acre Monte Mayor Golf & Country Club. Spread over two valleys, La Perla International Living’s flagship resort development will feature 135 two-, three- and four-bedroom luxury town houses. Each has a unique design and includes fireplace, double glazing, under-floor heating throughout with individual climate control in each room, garage space and a storage unit.
Town houses start at €695,000 for a two-bed, two-bath property. Villas start at €930,000 for a four-bed, four-bath house. The location is very convenient, with Malaga only a 45-minute drive. Call 00 31 20 589 40 70 or visit laperlainternationalliving.com.
The Huelva area, on the western Costa de la Luz, is not only beautiful and sunny but also much more affordable than many other locations in southern Spain. At Jardines del Guzman you can buy a property for less than €55,000.
Set in the charming white village of Puebla de Guzman, Jardines del Guzman is a boutique development of just 40 apartments and town houses arranged around a typical Andalusian-style plaza. Here you’ll find both rural lifestyle and great access to airports, motorways and beaches.
Jardines del Guzman comprises one- and two-bedroom apartments as well as three-bedroom town houses. All properties have underground parking and storage, while the town houses have suntrap roof terraces. Rustic stoneware covers the floors excepting kitchens and bathrooms which have premium quality tiling. Telephone lines, television and solar energy are all pre-installed for convenience.
Prices start at €54,505 for a one-bedroom apartment, €81,370 for a two bedroom apartment and €131,718 for a three-bedroom town house. Completion is scheduled for November 2009. Non-resident mortgages of up to 80 per cent are available in Spain, subject to status. Contact Titan Properties on 00 34 959 399 982 or visit titan-properties.com.
For those on the other end of the price scale, Unique Living offers a real jewel near Puerto Banús in the Costa del Sol – ideal for those for whom money is no object. This magnificent front-line beach villa with manicured lawns and pool adjacent to the Mediterranean has five bedrooms and six bathrooms, as well as parking for up to eight cars and a double garage.
There are wonderful touches like a double marble staircase, Library and industrial-sized kitchen. The location is close to the golf course and two minutes from San Pedro.
Priced at  £4.69 million (€7,000,000). Contact Unique Living on 0845 430 0185 or visit uniqueliving.com.
In Cogollos, Costa Tropical, Eden Villas offers two-bedroom, two-bathroom luxury apartments at Altos de Agua. This is a wonderful place to get away from it all, with a hillside setting offering stunning views over olive groves. There is a pool, as well as fireplaces, large terraces, private gardens, marble floors, air conditioning and central heating and underground parking.
The location is fabulous, well situated for a range of activities. It’s only 30 minutes to world-class skiing in Sierra Nevada, 15 minutes to beautiful Granada, 25 minutes to the airport and 50 minutes to lovely beaches.
Prices start at €177,000 (approximately £123,122). Visit edenvillas.co.uk for more information.
Also available through Eden Villas are studio apartments at Residencial La Guapa, at Castillo de Banos. Just 1km from the beach and 10km from excellent golfing facilities, this location offers easy access to roads and motorway. Well priced yet offering fabulous views, a swimming pool and gardens, these properties are great for investing in this unspoilt area which is benefiting from carefully planned expansion.
Prices start at just €£56,275 (approximately £80,914). Visit the website as above.
In the beautiful Costa Blanca, Taylor Woodrow de España is offering to pay your mortgage for a year – ideal for this cash-strapped time of year.
The house builder has teamed up with Banco Halifax Hispania to help prospective buyers get over the January blahs. Benefits of the mortgage package, exclusive to Taylor Woodrow de España’s clients, include a reduced arrangement fee of 0.25 per cent (normally one per cent), up to 40 years to repay (subject to age) with interest-only repayments for the first 15 years.
Taylor Woodrow de España has just released a selection of fantastic properties at Lagunas del Sol in Rojales, a charming village which lies at the heart of the Vega Baja region of Alicante.
Offering a collection of 54 two- and three-bedroom terraced town houses, priced from €210,000, Lagunas del Sol is perfect for those looking for a comfortable home in a beautiful setting. As an added incentive, Taylor Woodrow de España will pay purchaser's mortgages for 12 months, interest-only.
Call 0800 012 1020 or go to taylorwoodrow.es.
Golf is king in Spain, of course, and for many buyers a high-quality course is a must. At La Quinta Golf, you will find south-facing two-bedroom, two-bathroom garden apartments within one of the most sought-after residential communities on the Costa del Sol, La Quinta Golf. The property is finished to a superior standard with cream marble floors, a fully fitted kitchen with Bosch appliances and hot and cold air-conditioning. The bright terrace and private garden enjoy plenty of sunshine while the communal pool nestled into landscaped gardens is set against an incredible mountain backdrop. Priced from €360,000. Call UK freephone 0800 849 8089 or see duchyestates.co.uk.

Required reading
Buy in Spain – and stay sane
Anywhere you are thinking of buying, it is crucial to get acquainted with the particular rules and rhythms of that particular market. For prospective investors in Spanish property, recent revelations of overbuilding in certain areas and other potential problems should make you more determined to get all the facts before making such a commitment.
In their new book Buying a House in Spain, property experts Stewart Anderson and Leonne Hall set out to bring the most relevant, up-to-date information to investors. After all, they say, ‘Most risk lies in ignorance.’ Avoiding the snakes and mistakes is the name of the game.
One of a set of new guides, which also include books on France and Italy, this is an indispensable source of information, whether you’re buying a holiday home, planning your retirement or simply making a fresh start in sunnier climes.
The book contains everything you need to find the right property, avoid the pitfalls and save time and money. Avoiding paying too much tax, building your own property, finding the right mortgage and letting your property out – all these are covered.
Buying a House in Spain is published by Crimson and available at £12.99 at crimsonpublishing.co.uk and at good bookshops and online retailers.

On shaky ground?
Following recent developments from the Spanish government involving action being taken to demolish illegally built properties along the Spanish coastline, present-day owners and would-be investors alike are wondering what the future holds for the Costas.
Lino Brydges, head of overseas mortgages at NatWest International Personal Banking, says this action ‘has obviously caused quite a lot of concern for people who own property in Spain’. However, he says, home owners should not panic.
‘Those who are worried should speak to their professional and legal advisers and make sure that all relevant checks were followed when their property was built or purchased to ensure all processes when obtaining their property were legal and carried out correctly.’
Technically any property built close to the shore after 1988, of which there are many thousands, could be earmarked for demolition. While this rule is intended to protect the coastline, which according to Spain’s environment ministry is set to shrink by 15 metres by 2050, Adam Gale, managing director of Costa del Sol estate agent Duchy Estates, is not sure there will be widespread demolition when all is said and done.
‘Whilst I applaud the environmental sentiment and feel that in certain isolated cases the bulldozers should be brought in, I cannot see this widespread demolition taking place for a number of reasons,’ says Gale. ‘For starters, a budget of £5 billion to clear the illegalities of 776 kilometres of coastline is totally unworkable; that figure wouldn’t even touch the sides. For we’re not just talking the cost of the bulldozer here, but also the phenomenal legal bill that would hit the Spanish government.
‘Coastal property owners will not see their life-savings or permanent place of residence razed to the ground without a fight.’ Also, he says, many owners of coastal property will be able to prove they bought in compliance with the law and thus will be in line for compensation – and a lot of it. He cites Alcazaba Beach as an example: ‘At an average market value of 700,000 euros per property that’s a potential €210 million-worth of compensation before the government’s even paid the bulldozer.’

The family that golfs together
Golf fanatics the Harrocks family found just the right environment – and just the right high-quality golfing – they were looking for in the Costa del Sol.
The combination of sea, sun and wonderful golf amenities meant that James and Victoria Harrock – and their two sons under the age of ten – had just the right balance of fun for a young family and the comfortable pursuit of par or under.
The family, from Formby in the North West of England, have just bought a three-bedroom penthouse apartment at Los Cortijos in Mijas.
Mrs Harrocks says, ‘My husband has been a member of the local golf club since the tender age of ten and regularly puts in an appearance to work on his handicap and one by one we’ve all mirrored his interest. I take lessons when I get the chance, although I’m not going to divulge my pitiful handicap, and our boys age nine and five are also very handy with a golf club.
Initially we thought about buying a ski chalet for a second home, as we are also fond of skiing, but we soon realized that year-round sunshine topped our wish list and of course that meant year-round golf.’
Los Cortijos, a residential development of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in Mijas, certainly had accessibility on its side. With Liverpool John Lennon Airport on the Harrocks’ doorstep, there is a quick and affordable link via both EasyJet and RyanAir.
Variety is also very important, she explains. ‘Of course our life does not revolve around golf so we need plenty of extra-curricular activities to keep ourselves and the boys interested. Mijas is ideally located for sandy beaches, bars, restaurants and the town even has its own Aquapark, Racecourse and modern shopping centre. Puerto Banús with its swanky yachts and designer boutiques is 15 minutes’ drive to the west and if we don’t fancy leaving the resort we’ve got heated swimming pools, a gymnasium and spa on the doorstep.’
The fact that she has family in Madrid was also a big factor. All in all, the Harrocks family found the perfect location.
Prices start from just €195,000 for a one-bedroom apartment with 25 square metres of terracing, rising to €440,000 for a three bedroom, three bathroom duplex penthouse with a mammoth 40 square metres of terracing.
For further information please contact Lautier on 00 34 916 502 802 or lautier.com.

As the Bill's PC Will Fletcher, he fights crime in Sun Hill. But Gary Lucy's other role is running an international estate agency. Johnny Turner meets up with the actor/businessman

Gary Lucy has learnt a trick that most in the world of entertainment never master: he has retained his normal-ness yet is thoroughly engaging, even charismatic. On a chilly pre-Christmas night at a West End restaurant (not the Ivy) he exhibits no sign of star airs, listens as well as talks and shrugs at showbiz gossip, preferring to talk about more ‘real’ things. He has just finished a 12-hour filming day but is animated and interested as we talk about everything from favourite episodes of Friends to his young family, acting and property.
One thing occupying him is the condition I call School Catchment Area Relocation Yearning (SCARY). With their daughter India Jasmine now two-and-a-half, Gary and his partner Natasha have begun to think about primaries. In his area, he says, the difference between a good school and a less good school is ‘a matter of a few streets.’ This led them to consider a previously owned property that needed a lot of work but they didn’t go through with it in the end. ‘After going through the figures, the margins were too small – no room for error.’ He and Natasha are ‘still looking’, he says. ‘Maybe a little further into the country …’
He is no stranger to the buy-to-let business, having built up a portfolio of new build properties in Greater London: he owns property in Chigwell (his home), Islington, Camden and Wanstead – and has now bought abroad, which proved to be the start of a whole new journey.
His purchase of a property in Santa Ponca, Mallorca not only took him international in terms of ownership – it also led him to set up his own business, Gary Lucy Real Estate. If the old Victor Kiam model of entrepreneurial inspiration has the person liking a product so much he buys the company, there is a parallel voyage of discovery, which was Gary’s experience with his Mallorcan purchase: he hated the product so much he started his own business.
‘My friend and I each bought a place there and we had such bad service.’ He sketches out a scenario of some very un-businesslike practices, in which the buyer is bamboozled and a strange, labyrinthine system of kickbacks and favours operates. The buyer was ill-served by this way of working, and with a glimpse of this Gary had an idea: ‘We thought, why don’t we do it. I’ll put my name to it. The majority of the properties are with one agent. We took on a Mallorca-based agent owned by Mallorcans and said, “You’ve got a pool of properties. We’ll get the English market in and we can work on a commission split.”’
The website now features properties in Europe’s ‘big four’ and is set to expand further. The original focus was on Mallorca, and the site’s success in that market led to an expansion into mainland Spain, as well as Portugal, France and Italy. ‘We wanted to get it working with Mallorca – and it worked very quickly. We’ve got it all set up.’
The Spanish market has hit some bumps in the past year. Has he seen evidence of this? ‘When speaking with agents over there I get the impression there is a slight saturation of re-sale properties in southern Spain – Marbella etc. In my opinion, if you are looking for a property to rent out or spin on to make a quick buck, this may not be the place to invest. If, however, you are looking for a holiday home, now could be a good time to pick up a great deal.’
Property is practically an obsession of his, an offshoot of his love of travel. Italy is a current interest – ‘I’ve seen Venice and Verona’ – and he would like to go there again soon; Australia is another destination he wants to make time to experience. But it is difficult to see how he how he will get there soon, with his packed shooting schedule and his time-consuming work with his pro