Property Point Marbella - High quality 3 bedroom apartment in Benahavis

Bedrooms: 3
Bathroom: 2
Year Built: 2009

Town: Benahavis and Atalaya
This south facing property built in 2009 with a contemporary style has been finished to a very high standard and includes marble flooring throughout, air conditioning with heating, Satellite TV connections and alarm system.
From the terraces you have spectacular golf and sea views overlooking the beautifully kept landscaped gardens and swimming pools.There is also an indoor pool with gymnasium, sauna and a steam room.Gated community with 24hrs security and concierge service.
For more information go to www.propertypointmarbella.com

Home Features Air Conditioning Alarm Dishwasher Fully Fitted kitchen Garage Microwave Satellite TV Terrace Washer/Dryer

Community Features Clubhouse Entry Phone System Garage Gym Indoor Heated Pool Lovely Gardens Mountain Views Pool Sea Views Security Spa/Jacuzzi

Property Point Marbella - 2/3 Bedroom Apartments in Golf Valley, Benahavis

Bedrooms: 2-3 Bathroom: 2

Area: Nueva Andalucia

Town: Nueva Andalucia This fantastic complex has two swimming pools in different levels, extensive areas to sunbathe, gardens designed by a landscape architect as well as fountains, ponds and waterfalls, The apartments have been designed to enjoy the privileged views over the golf valley and sea. All of them have extensive covered terraces and open patios and wide large windows as well that allow maximizing the sun light from the Mediterranean. For more information go to www.propertypointmarbella.com Home Features Air Conditioning Fully Fitted kitchen Patio Terrace Under floor Heating Community Features Garage Golf Course Golf Views Lovely Gardens Pool Sea Views Spa/Jacuzzi

Property Point Marbella - Spain's new Penal Code

The new Spanish Penal Code, which introduces new crimes and increased penalties for serious offences such as paedophilia, terrorism and corruption, came into effect last week with the primary aim of being more proportional and consistent, according to Minister of Justice, Francisco Caamaño.

“Its spirit, if we had to condense it into one word, would be proportionality. This is a code that is harder on those crimes that Spanish society believes should be punished,” he said.

The new Penal Code, which was approved in June and comes into force six months after being published in the legislative Official State Bulletin, for the first time regulates corporate criminal liability. Now companies will be fined or dissolved if they commit crimes or tolerate criminal conduct.

It also clamps down on investment scams where documents are falsified to obtain credit, loans, information or resources. Similarly, it punishes the leaking of news or rumours to either alter or maintain the market price of stocks and shares.

In addition, the new code increases the penalties for town planning crimes, public finance fraud, match fixing, bribery, and influence peddling. Furthermore those charged with deleting, damaging or removing computer data or programs in an unauthorised way from private or public firms will also face tougher sentences under the new system.

Motorists

From now on, your car could be impounded on a permanent basis if you are caught on a motorway speeding over 200 kilometres an hour and if caught driving at more than 120 kilometres an hour in an urban area. Your vehicle will also be taken away forever should you be found with more than 1.2 grams of alcohol per litre of blood, or if you refuse to participate in alcohol or drug tests.

The new legislation states that breaking the town centre speed limit of 60 kilometres an hour, or the out of town limit of 80 kilometres an hour, could mean a prison sentence.

“I think anything which deters people from drink driving and speeding must be a step in the right direction,” says Torremolinos resident, Christiaan Pieterson, whose niece’s car was hit in Los Álamos by a speeding driver who was later found to be over the limit. “It was miraculous she was OK! It’s absolutely correct that those who are drunk behind the wheel have their car taken away, as they could be taking someone’s life away as a result of their irresponsible actions.”

Read the whole article on the Sur in English Website 

For the best properties on the Costa del Sol go to www.propertypointmarbella.com

Property Point Marbella - Spain Sees Progress on Deficit and Unemployment

Spain’s jobless numbers fell for the first time in five months in December, data showed Tuesday, and the prime minister said the government beat its target for reducing its public sector deficit last year as it fights to fend off a debt crisis.

Weighed down by massive unemployment and shrinking tax revenue, Spain has seen premiums demanded by investors to hold its debt soar in the last six months on concerns its control over public finances was slipping.

In a radio interview, Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero said the country would beat last year’s target, which was to reduce the broad public sector deficit, including regional administrations and state agencies, to 9.3 percent of gross domestic product, from from 11.2 percent of G.D.P. in 2009.

Mr. Zapatero added that high unemployment continued to be a main concern for the government.

“In 2011, growth will consolidate and we will create net jobs over the year, but we're a long way from seeing the employment growth that we'd like to see,” Mr. Zapatero said.

Jobless numbers dropped by 0.25 percent in December from a month earlier to 4.1 million, the Labor Ministry said on Tuesday.

To read the whole article go to The New York Times website 

For the best properties to rent or buy go to www.propertypointmarbella.com

Property Point Marbella - Luxury Apartments in Benahavis

Bedrooms: 2/3/4 Bathroom: 2/3

Area: Benahavis

Town: Benahavis and Atalaya Full Description: This brand new development is located in the new golf valley of Benahavis in breathtaking surroundings and is only 10 km from Puerto Banus. The development sits on an elevated plot with unobstructed 180 degree views of the golf course and out across the Mediterranean to Gibraltar, and from the other side to Marbella and beyond to the mountain La Concha. The development is only 10 minutes to the beach as well as to the typical Andalucian village of Benahavis and is surrounded by three golf courses. There are a further ten golf courses within 10 minutes drive, including the prestigious Marbella courses of El Paraiso, La Alqueria and Atalaya. The location of the construction means that the buildings do not obstruct each other’s views, enjoying the benefits of a tranquil front line golf location, yet close to the beach and numerous other leisure and commercial centres. Built to the highest standards which includes spa facilities, a heated in-door pool, gym, Jacuzzi and sauna. Panoramic golf views, fitted kitchen, marble floors, air conditioning, central heating, double glazing and underground parking.

Home Features Air Conditioning Fully Fitted kitchen Garage Microwave Patio Satellite TV Storage Area Terrace Under floor Heating Washer/Dryer

Community Features Controlled Access Entry Phone System Fitness Center Garage Gated Community Golf Course Golf Views Gym Indoor Heated Pool Lovely Gardens Mountain Views Pool Security Spa/Jacuzzi

Property Point Marbella - Gorgeous villa in Nueva Andalucia

Bedrooms: 4 Bathroom: 2,5 Year Built: 1985

Area: Nueva Andalucia Built size: 190m2

Town: Nueva Andalucia Full Description: A real deal villa in Nueva Andalucia at a very interesting price. An amazing villa very tastefully furnished and decorated. This centrally located villa right next to several golf courses, has an inviting turquoise colored pool with its own wooden bridge. The inside has been done in a timeless style that suits almost everybodys likings.

Home Features Air Conditioning Alarm Dishwasher Fireplace Fully Fitted kitchen Garden Infinity Pool Patio Satellite TV Terrace Washer/Dryer

Community Features Mountain Views Public Transportation

Property Point Marbella - Large 2 bed property beside Puerto Banus

Bedrooms:  Bathroom: 2

Area: Nueva Andalucia Built size: 115

Town: Nueva Andalucia Full Description: This large 2 bedroom apartment has recently become available and offers a wonderful opportunity to purchase within only a few minutes walk to the famous Puerto Banus. Set amidst mature gardens and swimming pools along with on-site paddel tennis courts the development has 24 hour gated security and offers luxury at an affordable price. For more information on this property and many more go to www.propertypointmarbella.com

Property Point Marbella – Is 2011 the year to buy property?

With the property market still weak and house prices expected to fall further in 2011, many commentators are claiming this could be the year to bag a property bargain.

New research from the Building Societies Association (BSA) shows that public opinion about buying property in 2011 is positive. According to the findings, nearly two-thirds of us would buy immediately or within the next year, given sufficient money.

But while low interest rates and competitive property prices may be tempting you to dip a toe back into the market, is this really the right time to buy? 

Should you cash in on current property prices?
Well, a lot depends on your reasons for buying. If you plan to purchase during the next 12 months, you could find yourself buying in a falling market. That said, few property experts are predicting prices will fall sharply.
Nationwide’s chief economist Martin Gahbauer said there was little evidence to suggest house price declines will accelerate in the months ahead and Martin Ellis, Halifax’s housing economist, expects house prices to remain “broadly stable” during 2011.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) also says prices are likely to continue to slip over the coming months but that the lack of supply in the market is likely to prevent significant price declines.

With this outlook for 2011, it may well make sense for those looking to take the first step to buy in the next 12 months to take advantage of lower house prices.

The same applies to those looking to upsize. Even though you will get less for the home you are selling, you will make savings on the property you are buying and this is likely to be the bigger sum.

To read the whole article go to money.uk.msn.com

For the best properties to rent or buy along the Costa del Sol go to www.propertypointmarbella.com

Property Point Marbella - Spanish tourist arrivals post seventh monthly increase in November

     The number of foreign visitors to Spain rose in November for the seventh straight month despite a drop in tourists from its main market Britain, government data shows.

   The country welcomed 2.9 million foreign tourists last month, a 2.7 percent increase over the same time last year, bringing total arrivals in the first 11 months of 2010 to 50.1 million, up 1.3 percent, the tourism ministry said.

"All the main source markets of tourists to Spain posted rises in the number of tourists, with the exception of Britain," it said in a statement.

The number of arrivals from Britain fell 6.1 percent in November over the same month last year to 590,192.

But this was offset by a slight rise in arrivals from Germany, the second most important source of tourists to Spain, and sharp rises in arrivals from France, Italy and Scandinavian countries.

Tourist arrivals from Germany were up 0.1 percent to 445,905 while arrivals from France soared 10.3 percent to 429,794 and arrivals from Italy jumped 30.9 percent to 240,941.

Arrivals from Scandinavia soared 15.1 percent in November to 312,814.

Tourism, which accounts for around 10 percent of Spain's economy, has taken a battering due to the emergence of cheaper sunshine destinations in the eastern Mediterranean such as Turkey and Egypt and the drop in the value of the British pound.

The country got 52.5 million visitors in 2009, down 8.7 percent from 2008 when Spain lost its ranking as the world's second most visited country to the United States.

Earlier this month the UN World Tourism Organisation said China may overcome Spain as the world's third most visited country this year after France and the United States.

In 2008, the number of visitors to Spain fell 2.3 percent, the first reversal in tourist arrivals in more than a decade.

Read the whole article on the Independent website

For the best properties to rent and buy go to the Property Point Marbella website

Property Point Marbella - El Gordo Christmas Lottery

The Spanish Christmas lottery, El Gordo or 'The Fat One', is the biggest lottery in the world and  one of the oldest, having started in 1812. While the first prize in 2005 was 'only' 3€ million, El Gordo has the biggest prize pool of any lottery in the world, last year totaling over two billion euros!
 
How the El Gordo Spanish Christmas Lottery Works
The Spanish Christmas Lottery works differently to most lotteries in the world. A whole ticket billete is very expensive, costing 200€ in 2005. However, these tickets are split up into ten decimos (tenths) costing 20€ each. When buying your tickets you have the choice of buying a single decimo, a whole ticket, or a fraction of your choice. If you don't buy the whole ticket, someone else will buy the rest of your ticket.

The Draw
El Gordo is drawn every December 22. The process is very long,taking more than three hours, so you will likely see people sat by their radios for much of the day, waiting for the results.
As the wealth is often spread out among a group of people rather than a single person, a win in a small community can have a profound effect on the local economy

So invest in a ticket and you could be having a very merry Christmas!

For information on properties to rent or buy go to www.propertypointmarbella.com

Property Point Marbella – Part of the second by-pass due to open by end of year

The first few kilometres of the second Malaga bypass will be opened at the end of this month, six months later than originally expected. The partial opening of the new by-pass means that people from the Puerto de la Torre district and from the centre and eastern parts of the city will be able to use it for better access to the Valle de Guadalhorce and to the Parque Tecnológico de Andalucía. It will also ease congestion at the campus of the university at Teatinos, the Ciudad de la Justicia, the Hospital Clínico and the industrial estates, especially at rush hour. The other two sections from the Centro de Transporte de Mercancías to Torremolinos will be completed in 2011

 Article courtesy of Sur in English

For information on the best properties to rent and buy go to www.propertypointmarbella.com

Property Point Marbella - Andalucia is region with the most property sales

ANDALUCIA, was the Spanish region where the highest number of houses were sold in October, with 5,214, according to the National Statistics Institute. Of these, 3,896 were new properties. The lowest number of sales in Spain were seen in Mellila and Ceuta with 36 and 42 respectively.

With 1,205, Malaga Province had the highest number of properties sold in the region of Andalucia ahead of Sevilla’s 888 and Almeria’s 763. Sales in Andalucia in October dropped by 18.2 per cent against the previous month.

Andalucia was fifth in a national ranking, with 80 house sales per 100,000 inhabitants; well above the national average of 72. Top spots were shared by the Valencia and La Rioja regions with 93.

To read the whole article go to the Euro Weekly News website

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Property Point Marbella – Rural Spanish Properties Gaining in Popularity

House hunters are shunning Provence and Tuscany in favour of the more affordable Spanish countryside.
The British are such romantics when it comes to second homes. Given the choice between a lock-up-and-leave apartment on the coast and a ruined farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, we’ll take the farmhouse every time. This is according to research carried out by Savills, which shows the demand for overseas restoration projects has risen by 15 per cent since last year.
Traditionally, France and Italy have been the sought-after destinations for renovations, but according to Charles Weston Baker, head of Savills’s international department, the focus is turning to rural Spain, where farmhouses (caseríos, cortijos, masias or fincas) can cost three times less than the equivalent in Provence or Tuscany.
Prices start at under £100,000 for a three-bedroom farmhouse in Spain, so it’s easy to see why the market is proving so attractive to British investors.
A decade ago Chris Stewart, the co-founder of Genesis, bought an abandoned farm in the Alpujarras, south of Granada, with blossoming almond trees and ancient olives.
His book Driving Over Lemons bears similarities to A Year in Provence, Peter Mayle’s account of moving to Provence, but the rural Spain he portrays is more rugged. His farmhouse had no access road, electricity or running water and the locals were peasant farmers and shepherds. This might sound bleak, but as southern France and Italy become increasingly “discovered”, Spain’s lost wilderness is appealing to more adventurous buyers.
Inland Andalusia is an obvious choice for British buyers due to its affordable prices, proximity to the coast and several airports (Alicante, Granada, Malaga).
In the most popular areas, particularly the vicinity of Ronda, ruined fincas sell for as much as £500,000, but in more remote parts you can pay less than £80,000.

To read the full article go to http://news.kyero.com/

For More information on both rural and coastal properties go to www.propertypointmarbella.com

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Property Point Marbella – Detached Villa in Nagueles

Bed: 7
Bath: 5
Area: 380 m2

This fantastic villa in Nagueles has 7 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms on a 2000m2 plot. It was recently renovated and everything is brand new. The exterior of the home boasts a private pool, bungalow, barbecue area and 2 car garage. The lawn is in immaculate condition. The interior of the property has marble and wood flooring throughout, air conditioning & central heating, a modern kitchen, alarm system and high quality furniture and appliances.

For more information go to www.propertypointmarbella.com

Property Point Marbella- High quality 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment

Bed: 2
Bath: 2
Built: 138 m2

This is a very high-quality 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment with one of the most prestigious addresses on the Costa del Sol. It was designed with Andalucian architecture in mind and was built to receive as much natural sun light as possible. The urbanization is a gated community with beautifully manicured gardens and a swimming pool. It has panoramic views overlooking the Mediterranean, La Concha and the well maintained communal areas of the urbanization.

For more information go to www.propertypointmarbella.com
 

Property Point Marbella - Andalucia for Christmas

Andalucía, the best gift for Christmas” is the slogan that from this week the junta will be using to promote the region as the perfect winter holiday destination. The campaign will stretch to the U.K, Germany, France; Portugal and Italy as well as other regions of Spain and has a budget of 1.1 million Euros.


The reassurance from the air traffic controllers and the government that there will be no disruptions over the Christmas holidays has come just in time for this campaign aimed at attracting tourists from countries and regions that have excellent air, rail or road connections with Andalucía.

The idea is to turn Christmas into a tourism product so that booking a trip to Andalucía will have the same attraction at this time of year as it does in the spring or summer.
While the ambassador admitted the project was ambitious he stressed the diversity of the region at this time of year. Skiing in the Sierra Nevada, visiting national parks and other areas of natural beauty, cultural breaks in the cities or trips with an emphasis on gastronomy, shopping or leisure are among the proposals the Junta will be making to tempt visitors.
From now until January 5^th new Andalucía Christmas advertisements will be seen on television and radio, in cinemas, newspapers and on the internet, as well as on billboards and in shopping centers and football grounds.

To read the full article go to the Sur in English website.

For information on the best properties available go to www.propertypointmarbella.com

Property Point Marbella - Malaga

Malaga is the capital city of the Costa del Sol which is situated on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The city is a port in Andalucía, Southern Spain and it is known as a major holiday resort.

The city is engulfed by the Mountains situated in the Southern base of the Axarquia hills and the two rivers, the Guadalhorce and the Guadalmedina  flow near to Malaga.
An estimated 6 million tourists flock each year to this wonderful sunny cosmopolitan city to explore the beautiful landscapes, remarkable architecture, great nightlife and fantastic seafood restaurants.
The city is not only well known for its sandy beaches but also for its rich history, additionally being the birthplace of the famous painter Pablo Picasso. The Picasso Museum opened in 2003 and has been highly praised by those who appreciate exceptional culture.
The city of Malaga comprises of three main tourist areas – Marques de Larios, Plaza de la Constitution and Calle de Granada which are well known for shopping, nightlife and cultural entertainment.

Malaga’s Attractions
The main attractions of Malaga include the Alcazaba and the Castillo de Gibralfaro, featuring a fantastic view of the town and bay. The city presents a handful of excellent museums ranging from historic to modern arts that prove to be very popular. The cathedral and the churches, located in the centre of the city also attract many visitors.

Wind-surfing, Para-sailing and riding on Jet skis are the most enjoyable water sports which can be found at almost all of the marinas along the coast. Malaga’s climate also permits hiking, bike riding and tennis activities throughout the year. Furthermore, Malaga is known for its fantastic golf courses, its popular spectator sports and its beautiful park landscapes which are perfect for relaxing afternoons
This modern city merges well with its historical background catering for all types of visitors, for those that wish to appreciate the past and those that want to discover the future.
For more information on Malaga go to www.malaga.com

For Information on the best properties to rent and buy along the Costa del Sol go to www.propertypoinmarbella.com

Property Point Marbella – Shock Economy Measures in a bid to calm markets

Spain's Prime Minister Zapatero announced a series of surprise measures on Wednesday including tax cuts for small and medium sized businesses and the abolition of the obligatory fees they had been paying to the chambers of commerce. Obstacles for setting up new companies will be removed along with some of the costs with the aim of being able to set up a firm in 24 hours. 

The Government will also abolish the monthly subsidy of 426 Euros, which is paid to unemployed people who are not receiving any other benefits. This measure will take effect in February next year. This subsidy, introduced in August 2009 to help those whose entitlement to unemployment benefits has run out, has cost 1.392.8 million euros.

 To help people back into work, the employment agency will take on an extra 1,500 job advisors and rules permitting private agencies will be relaxed.

To read the whole article go to the Sur in English website. 


For information on the best properties to rent or buy along the Costa del Sol go to www.propertypointmarbella.com