duchy estates News

With the UK economy faltering and oil prices nudging the 150$USD a barrel mark (more than double January 2007) long haul travel is quite simply becoming prohibitive for a large sector of British citizens. It’s time to holiday closer to home.

A few stones have been thrown at the condo-hotel industry recently. With Duchy Estates currently promoting Kasamia’s condo-hotel Pueblo Acantilado Suites near Alicante in Spain, it’s an opportune moment to see if these criticisms are justified.

Gibraltar is less than 7km² in area but one of the most affluent communities on the planet. Committed to ‘low tax’ and sometimes ‘no tax’ the Rock has attracted a flow of business particularly in the banking, gaming & insurance industries.

We’re taught that we have to work hard for our money but there always an exception which proves the rule, in this case it’s condo-hotels. A freehold purchase within a suite hotel is one of the easiest but most lucrative investments you can make.

Duchy Estates had an unannounced visit from a Decreto 218/2005 Inspector last month and received a fine of several thousand euros for ‘non-compliance’. You may think us odd for publicising but what hurt our pocket has improved our business.

Professional sportsmen are under no illusion about the fact that their careers are short-lived. Property investment often emerges as a future income generator and several sportsmen have become famed for their property portfolios

Pueblo los Monteros is a multi-faceted resort set in a privileged location overlooking the Spanish hotspot of Marbella. Commanding panoramic views of the Mediterranean and across to Africa, this community is a refuge from the bustle of the coast.

A slowing property market has its winners and its losers. Partners Tracy Stratton-Smith and Richard Choo from Polperro and London respectively are certainly winners having picked up a 4 bed villa nr Marbella for 100,000 euros below asking price.

Thanks to the brand new high speed AVE train connection (Alta Velocidad Española)between Madrid and Málaga, the Madrileños who own a large proportion of the holiday homes on the Costa del Sol will be able to see a lot more of them.

Legally as defined by 1988 Coastal Law the Spanish Government controls a coastal strip of 106m of which none can be dedicated to private housing. Any property built close to the shore after 1988, of which there are many 1000s, could face demolition.

In the 70s golf courses began to appear on the Costa del Sol. Tourists flocked attracted by cheap public golf in year-round sunshine. But soon many courses went private to residents, others put their prices up. The Costa del Sol had got greedy.