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Climate Change
With UK house prices on the turn, perhaps it’s time to cash out and look to greener pastures. If you’ve spent nights sweetly dreaming of trading in your raincoat for a sarong we’ve found four hot properties which might tempt you to take the plunge…
TEXT GRAHAMNOR WOODCOSTA DEL SOL | MALAGA, SPAIN
FROM £244,000
One of the hottest new property schemes is called Kempinski Residences at Monte Mayor, located 25 minutes from Malaga airport and 15 minutes from the all-important beach. Townhouses of different sizes are on offer, along with vast two-acre plots for ambitious self-builders who want to create their own unique grand design.
The market’s been sticky of late but almost all of the new schemes on sale this summer are priced slightly lower than they would have been last year. The properties are on a 1,000-acre resort that includes its own golf course – and if you get bored of that one, there are seven others within a 20 minute radius!
From Pure International
020 3031 2860 | PUREINTL.COM
NICE | FRANCE
£247,000
Anyone who’s been to Nice recently will know it’s a city with a promising future to match its glorious past. It’s also a great base for exploring the rest of the Côte d’Azur – you can be in Villefranche or Monte Carlo within 30 minutes by car or bus.
There are plenty of chic pads available and they’re not as expensive as you might think. This two-bedroom, fourth-floor flat was fully renovated two years ago but still retains its historical character and has stunning views across the old town. The living room has exposed iron beams, giving the space a modern loft feel, and there are new hardwood floors and air-conditioning throughout.
From Med In Heaven
0800 883 0589 | MEDINHEAVEN.CO.UK
JEWEL IN THE CROWN | VILAMOURA, PORTUGAL
£287,000
Located on the Algarve, just 15 miles from Faro airport, Vilamoura must have a strong claim to the title of the perfect place for a short-haul holiday home. The surrounding region is a real haven, featuring rugged coastline, golden beaches, quiet ports and, of course, world-class resorts.
Vilamoura was the brainchild of a wealthy Lisbon banker back in 1974 and it’s still expanding. At its heart is one of the biggest marinas in Europe with berths for over 1,000 vessels. On dry land you can try golf (there are five courses close by), go-karting or shooting. Or you could just kick back with a beer and decide which of the 20 night clubs you should hit that evening.
L’Orangerie is the newest Vilamoura scheme, located five minutes from the beach and consisting of 93 villas and apartments with private and communal pools. Right next door are the Victoria and Millennium golf courses.
From Sadlers
00351 282 789 336 | SADLERSPROPERTY.COM.
PALMA | MALLORCA
£267,500
With well under 400,000 residents, Palma de Mallorca isn’t big by city standards. But the population rises by 100,000 in the summer and there are up to two million visitors a year. Even so there’s a quaint, village feel to the older part of Palma, particularly in the cobbled streets around the cathedral and the quiet pedestrian areas.
New roads and an improved railway network across the rest of Mallorca mean a pad in Palma combines the best of both worlds: chic city living and an easy journey to beaches, mountains and more remote parts in the north of the island. And you can get to and from Palma airport in just a few minutes.
This refurbished house in Palma’s historic old town comes packed with period features. It’s been converted into three apartments and there’s strong rental potential if you want to earn an income as well as use it yourself. A two-bedroom apartment costs £267,500.
From Engel & Volkers
0034 97121 4241 | MALLORCA.ENGELVOELKERS.COM
HOW TO BUY IN PORTUGAL
FORGET EVERYTHING you’ve ever learned about buying a property in the UK – the rules in Portugal are completely different.
PROPERTIES are listed by floor size. Some include outdoor patios and hard-standing and some do not, so check to ensure you’re comparing like with like.
RESTRICTIONS on new homes in coastal areas mean that some locations are seeing above-average price rises as demand exceeds supply.
ON MAKING an offer on a property, a buyer signs a Contrato Promessa de Compra e Venda and puts down a 10% deposit – this stops gazumping and if the seller changes his mind, he must pay the buyer back double the deposit.
A NOTARY (a type of lawyer) has to be hired by the buyer to check the papers, handle the searches and verify the contracts. Make sure the notary speaks both Portuguese and English and is truly independent.
MORTGAGE debts and local taxes are property-specific, so you must ensure the previous owner clears them before you buy; otherwise you stand to inherit them.
ON THE DAY you move in you must pay the remaining 90% of the cost.
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