One-2-Property Spain

While Marbella is seen by many as Europe’s get-away spot for the rich and famous, Puerto Banus is just as desirable a destination - not just for the famous but also for holidaymakers ranging from high-flying business men and women to families just looking for a relaxing time away, with plenty of sunshine.

Puerto Banus is a relatively recent travel destination however, as it has only opened it’s doors to the general holidaymaker in the last 10 years or so; previous to that it was a very exclusive spot, known only to the locals and filmstars!

Puerto Banus is only a few kilometres west of Marbella, and being under the Municipality of Marbella shares many characteristics of the Costa del Sol’s most well known resort. Famous for it’s picturesque marina filled with multi-million dollar yachts, Puerto Banus also boasts a beach that stretches for one kilometre - the golden sands are a major attraction to this town that was once a traditional Spanish fishing village decades ago.

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As with any resort associated with the rich and famous, Puerto Banus has more than it’s fair share of pubs, clubs, restaurants, world-class shopping and casino facilities. Designer names can be found on all the main streets, but if you prefer to browse smaller, more traditional Spanish shops and boutiques then there are plenty of these too.  Notably the premier Spanish department store El Corte Ingles with it’s five stories, and the Marina Banus Shopping Centre are two of the most popular locations that shoppers head for.  Alternatively, a visit to the weekly market held in the bullring each Saturday morning is a great way to buy both local products and holiday souvenirs!

Puerto Banus nightlife is as good as it gets and holds a world-class reputation. It can carry on until dawn if you want it to, or if you prefer something a bit more sedate then you can settle for a quiet drink and tapa in any one of the countless local bars spread throughout the town. If you do get the urge to have a taste of Tinsel Town, there are numerous cocktail and wine bars spread around the Marina and seafront areas, known as the Muelle Rivera - incidentally these are great areas for doing a bit of ’star spotting’!

The surrounding areas of Puerto Banus are also to be explored and enjoyed. The Sierra Bermeja Mountains rise up to the north of the town, and numerous golf courses are scattered within a 10 kilometre radius of Puerto Banus. Needless to say, the golf courses are some of the best in Europe and go towards making Puerto Banus one of the world’s top golfing holiday destinations.

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As with Marbella, Puerto Banus enjoys it’s own micro-climate and boasts over 300 days of sunshine each year, with a year round average temperature of 19 degrees. While the summer months may get a little hectic, May and September are probably two of the best months to visit this resort.

You can find a selection of highly recommended hotels at discount rates on our Marbella Hotels page.  Alternatively take a look at our Puerto Banus Villas page and our Puerto Banus Apartments page.

One-2-Property Spain

Charming country style villa with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, situated in the exceptional urbanisation “El Madroñal” in a tranquil surrounding of nature on a plot of 1.200 m2 with 192,77 m2 of construction, orientated to the south with breathtaking, panoramic views to the Mediterranean and the mountains, “La Concha”, Gibraltar and Africa, and only some minutes away from the little village San Pedro, municipality of Marbella.

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After a little hall entering to the “L” shaped cosy decorated salon with dining there is direct access to the terraces BBQ, and outside covered dining, closed to the fully equipped kitchen. The house has been recently refurbished with modern fittings in new bathrooms and showers with marble floors and walls. Under floor central heating all over, double glassed windows, double garage, carport, swimmingpool and cellar makes this villa a perfect home not only for holiday makers but also for permanent residents. Good investment to let!

The very name evokes images of romantic days under the sun and the sea, set against the spectacular backdrop of the Sierra Blanca Mountains. Marbella sits 25 miles southwest of Malaga, right at the heart of the Costa del Sol, which is renowned for being one of Spain’s major tourism areas. Marbella is among the most important destinations on the Costa del Sol.

Marbella’s coastline stretches for miles upon miles – sandy beaches and coves beckon you to have a good time in their warm embrace.

At Marbella, old meets new, traditions blend harmoniously with modern culture and comforts. Prepare to be dazzled by ritzy houses, huge yachts parked in swanky marinas, brand name stores, stylish restaurants and bars. But even with all the amenities and facilities customarily found in a top-rate resort, Marbella has maintained its old town ambience. It has, by some measure, escaped the ungainly effects of concrete development that is suffered by some of its neighbors.

It is a dazzling, cosmopolitan jewel of the Costa del Sol. It can certainly give the famed Monte Carlo a run for its money! Indeed, this is where the crème de la crème have the time of their lives.

Are you thinking, then, that Marbella may be too rich for your blood? That it may be too chi-chi for your taste? We hope not! Marbella is rich - rich in history, adventure and relaxation.

In Marbella, there is something for everybody. There is so much to do and see that you will not have time to get bored.

Historical Marbella

Visit traditional Marbella at the Old Quarter district. Here, around the Plaza de los Naranjos, you can see quite a number of imposing structures and buildings. In this part of town, you get a distinct feel of how Marbella lived in the past centuries.

When visiting Marbella, be sure to see the Plaza de Toros (Marbella’s site for the not so politically correct sport of bullfighting). Then, there is the Basilica Vega del Mar, which is the site of many archaeological excavations. In fact, this Basilica is made up of a 4th century church’s ancient ruins. Marbella has a lot of archeological gems. Aside from the Basilica Vega del Mar, there are quite a number of historic remains and ruins, such as the Marbella vaults and the Villa Romana de Rio Verde.

Relaxing Marbella

Marbella is paradise! With its 16 miles of coastline and near-perfect weather, who would not want to go to the beach and soak up the sun? Then there is the “Golden Mile”, which is the playground of the rich and the famous. Take a walk along the Paseo Maritimo – the renowned Marbella boardwalk that spans the Marbella beachfront and provides you with exceptional views of the coast. And, mmmmm, take a bite of the sumptuous and delectable food offerings. Your stomach will truly be one “happy place”.

Marbella also has a long list of parks, gardens and leisure areas. These delightfully mix beauty with leisure. Each place has a unique contribution to make.

Adventurous Marbella

As if these weren’t enough, Marbella also offers something for the adventurous spirit. It is paradise for sports lovers and those who want to learn more about their sport. Marbella has a lot of sports clubs that will teach you a wide variety of sports – lawn tennis, horseback riding and other equestrian sports, wind surfing, sailing an a whole lot more. Marbella’s surrounding areas also lends itself to mountain climbing, hiking, and biking activities.

Ah… Marbella! Prepare to be enchanted. After your stay, you will surely agree with the name Marbella – Beautiful Sea, Beautiful Place!

Marbella Villa

Country style villa perched on the quiet hillsides boasting uninterrupted panoramic view to the sea. Gibraltar and African coastline, yet enjoying good road connections and very close to Marbella centre and traditional village of Ojén. Nestling in the dramatic country side of Marbella.

This charming 4-level home is enhanced by numerous terraces and picture windows to take advantage of the coastal view from this elevated position. The inviting entrance hall equipped with guest toilet, welcomes guests into this lovely home.

 The ample drawing room has a fireplace and large windows capturing the property’s privileged views. The eat-in kitchen with beamed ceiling is superbly designed with white cabinetry, granite counters and Smeg appliances. The master bedroom with fireplace, wood beamed vaulted ceiling, open terrace and small balcony occupies the entire upper level. It also feature a bathroom en-suite with Jacuzzi and huge shower, marble walls, there are six further guest bedrooms and two additional sitting rooms, kitchen, laundry, guest W.C., Finnish sauna, wine cellar, and storeroom.

The property is gated and offers total privacy, pool with preinstallation heating, terracotta flooring, aged marble, antique doors, alarm system, oil fiered central heating, water tank, two S.T. double glazed windows with mosquito nets, 2-car garage and driveway.

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One-2-Property Spain

Luxury Apartment in the famous Puerto Banus, South Facing, Mediterranean Views,Totally refurbished inclusive modern open plan kitchen, possibility of garage, Built 98 m², 2 Beds, 2 Baths, 1 Guest Toilet. Under E400 000. email sales@12property.com for more information.

Puerto Banus is situated between Marbella and San Pedro  and is home to some of the most impressive yachts in the world. There is a wide array of bars, restaurants and designer shops along the water-front at Muelle Rivera. As far as restaurants in Puerto Banus are concerned, you will find that dinner in Puerto Banus, though expensive, becomes a pleasure for the senses, as you will find the best restaurants and the finest kitchen here.

Puerto Banus nightlife is well known among celebrities, and there are countless clubs and pubs. In the summer months, the whole place rocks ’till daybreak’ but expect to pay for it. There are hotels in Puerto Banus of all grades are plentiful but it will be cheaper for you to stay outside Puerto Banus. If you like discotheques and ending up dancing until high hours of the dawn we suggest the well-known discos La Notte, Olivia Valere, and Oh! Marbella, but if you prefer a more youthful atmosphere try Dreamer’s.

Puerto Jose Banus was inaugurated in May of 1970. It has a capacity for 915 docking posts for berths ranging from 8 to 50m, and two beaches on either side over 150m long. Puerto Banus in Marbella is one of the meeting points where there is a pleasant level of life. The port has a fuel reserve open 24 hours a day, every day, with direct supply to large yachts on the main pier. There is 24 hour surveillance with centralized alarm for boats (optional) and closed circuit TV. Average daily yacht occupancy of the port is 760-800.

Many illustrious visitors have passed through it, including the King and Queen of Spain and Belgium, General Franco, Nobel Prize winner Camilo Jose Cela, and Antonio Banderas among others. Puerto Banus’ yearly visitors are estimated at over 4,400,000. There are nine 18-hole golf courses and one 9-hole golf course within a 10km radius with lighting facilities for playing at night. Some of these are considered to be the best in Europe. There is a street market every Saturday morning by the bullring.

One-2-Property Spain

The Spanish property market reached a peak in pricing terms exactly a year ago, according to Spanish Property Insight, and since then it has seen a radical shift in its fortunes.  The property bubble has burst, fraudulent activity has been identified, builders have gone bankrupt and prices have crashed.

The changes in the market have been so dramatic in just twelve months that we have decided the time is right for a Spanish property market update now in December 2008.  In this article we will therefore look back at the previous year, comment on the state of the market currently, and give you the expert market opinions for 2009.

If you own property in Spain or have long dreamed of either investing in a house in Spain or perhaps moving to live, work or retire to Spain, then this information will be important for you.

According to Spanish Property Insight, property prices in much of Spain reached their dizzying and loftiest heights last December.  This was already in defiance of growing sentiment relating to an over supply of real estate, particularly in coastal areas, however prices were kept healthy until this point by on going demand for city and town based property.  And then the mood in Spain changed.

There were many contributory factors to the decline of the Spanish property market’s fortunes.  A strong euro against a weak pound frightened some British buyers away, as concerns then grew in Great Britain about the health of the UK economy and housing market this stopped greater numbers of people even thinking about buying a home abroad, let alone committing to a house purchase in Spain.  The Spanish economy faltered, and then to undermine everything even further, word broke about potential Spanish land fraud and builders facing bankruptcy.  It suddenly seemed that the intensive period of construction in Spain had produced a massive oversupply and glut of homes that no one now wanted or was able to purchase.

Almost overnight the Spanish property market’s fortunes changed.  Today we find the market having returned to the median prices of May/June 2006 and falling, with average prices on the coast more savagely hit falling up to 12.8% in just 11 months.  Meanwhile between 600,000 and 1 million new homes sit empty and unsold and property transactions in Spain are down by 70%.  Spanish property investment company Fortuna Estates is being investigated for land fraud with arrests already having been made, and the likes of Compañía Inmobiliaria Masdevallia and Martinsa Fadesa are in administration as they cannot afford to carry on building.  This has left thousands of investors and home buyers from the likes of the UK and Ireland out of pocket and facing law suits and legal battles to either get their hands on the houses they have bought, or get their money back.

Naturally all of this has almost entirely soured the appeal of Spanish property, and nowadays even leading property consultants are advising that Spanish property prices need to fall by up to a further 23% to bring any affordability and interest back to the market.  Fortunately construction rates have fallen in Spain which will ease the backlog of homes to be sold, but this has a knock on effect with the chairman of the Promoters Association of Madrid predicting that up to 900,000 Spanish workers related to the property industry will lose their jobs as a result of the downturn in 2009.

So, 2009 is highly likely to be as bleak as 2008 as more companies go to the wall, staff lose their jobs and buyers remain conspicuous by their absence.  This will likely force values down as anyone seeking a buyer will have to fight very hard to get their attention.  This means that if you’re attempting to sell a property in Spain you will potentially be very hard hit.  However, if you own property in Spain and do not need or want to sell it, you needn’t overly concern yourself as long as you can afford to sit on your asset and wait out this negative period until the market returns to health in the medium term.  Additionally, if you’re looking to buy property in Spain or you want to move to live, work or retire to Spain you could find that in 2009 your position improves considerably.  As prices fall and buyers and developers become more desperate, so you will be able to secure a property bargain.  Plus, if you’re in no hurry to purchase you could always rent in Spain while you watch the market and feel for the bottom of this terrible pricing trough!

You see, there are winners and losers in a situation like this.  The losing side is obvious, but we should not overlook those who will be able to use this downturn to their best advantage and afford to buy a home in Spain that they may otherwise not have been able to buy if prices had continued spiralling upwards!

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Sales@12property.com