Spain’s popularity with British expats is legendary.

Since the record highs of 2006, the number of Brits emigrating each year from the UK has fallen, however, when Brits do move abroad, Spain remains the most popular destination in Europe.

In 2006 the net emigration from the UK reached 124,000. That year was famously buoyant on many fronts, including the economies of much of Europe.  The property markets of Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus and Dubai, and the positive outlook of many British and Irish people hoping to move to sunnier climates to enjoy a more relaxed way of life.

At the start of the economic crisis in 2008 this mass emigration of Brits drastically declined, with just 44,000 officially emigrating in 2009 and only 43,000 making the move in 2010.

This data was recorded recently in a House of Commons Library report which used the Eurostat and Office for National Statistics data. It revealed that emigration numbers began to rise in 2012, when 63,000 Brits made the move, and data for 2013 and 2014 – not yet verified – is likely to record a continuation of that trend.

In total, more than five million British people are now living abroad, with data from UN International Trends showing that in Europe, Spain remains to be the most popular destination for Brits, with 381,025 expats officially registered there.

However, these official figures are conservatively estimated and rely on data from Spanish town halls, which means that this figure represents only the British people who have registered as residents. The true figure is likely to be at least double that, with some studies having suggested that there may well be around one million Brits residing for all or part of the year in Spain.

It’s a fact that, Spain’s popularity with British expats is legendary, so these statistics are not too surprising. Elsewhere in Europe, 253,605 live in Ireland and 172,806 live in France, while Germany is home to 96,938 Brits .

Luckily, Spain offers the best of both worlds. The Costa Blanca, Costa Calida areas are a haven for expats because it provides a well established network of English-speaking attractions, amenities and services, but also delivers superb weather, beautiful scenery, rich history, wonderful Spanish customs and traditions and – last but not least – some of thebest, most affordable property available anywhere in the world.

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source: http://www.spnews.es/news/2015/06/08/brits-are-returning-spain

Top time to buy Spanish property, as pound strengthens versus euro

Top time to buy Spanish property, as pound strengthens versus euro

27.05.2015

Are you a Brit thinking of buying a beautiful property in Spain? If so, you’ll be pleased to learn that it’s now far more affordable to do so, because the pound to euro exchange rate has hit a 7-year high. To be specific, sterling recently touched 1.4256 against Europe’s common currency, its strongest since November 7th 2007.

What this means for you is that, when you transfer money to your Spanish bank account, you’ll get far more euros than in the recent past. For example, if you exchange £250,000 to buy a Spanish property, you’ll now get +€56,000 more than if you’d done so back at the start of 2014, when the pound was far weaker.

In other words, that’s +€56,000 extra sitting in your Spanish bank account, at no additional cost to you, just because the exchange rate has risen! With that sort of money, you could buy a more luxurious property in Spain, decorate the place as you like, in brief really get the most out of Spain's property market!

Moreover, it could soon become even better value to buy a Spanish property, if sterling climbs higher versus the euro. The pound could exceed this 7-year high, first, if Greece exits the Eurozone, as looks entirely possible. Second, the pound may also continue to climb, because the UK economy is easily outpacing the Eurozone’s. 

With this in mind, make the most of this advantageous exchange rate, and buy your property in Spain today!

By Peter Lavelle

How Banco Popular is helping international investors?

Banco Popular is preparing to sell €451 million euros of real estate assets in Spain as international investors return to the country’s property market.

The bank’s portfolio includes 1,753 homes in Madrid, Barcelona, Toledo and the Costa del Sol valued at $300 million , zoned land in 10 regions across Spain valued at €103.4 million and 13 hotels valued at €47.2 million, according to a document sent to investors by N+1, the Madrid-based investment bank advising the seller.

Investment in Spanish property jumped to €17.8 billion last year from €4.9 billion euros in 2013, according to data compiled by Irea.

Home prices in the country last year posted their first annual increase since 2007 as the property market recovers from the worst recession in the country’s democratic history.

Banco Popular intends to sell the portfolio, known as “Project Elcano” in the first half and the sellers may provide financing to the potential buyer, according to the document.

Representatives of Banco Popular, Spain’s sixth-largest bank, and N+1, declined to comment.

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/business/financial-services/banco-popular-to-sell-451-million-worth-of-spanish-property-1.2225424

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How much The national government will spend for Andalucia region? Is it more than before?

ANDALUCIA’S roads, airports and housing is set for a billion-euro makeover.

The national government has set aside a massive €1.6 billion for Andalucia’s infrastructure this year.

Up 23% on the previous year’s investment, Minister for infrastructure, transport and housing, Julio Gomez-Pomar, has identified Andalucia as an integral cog in the country’s economic recovery.

“Andalucian construction companies are to stay tuned,” he said. “They must contribute to economic growth in Spain, it is integral to the nationwide recovery.

“Andalucia is one of the places where most investment has been undertaken in quantitative terms and in relative terms of growth, we have made a strong investment.”

A total of €456 million will be used for road works, €730 million on rail and €239 million on airports.

Meanwhile €111 million will be allocated to housing in the region.

Source: http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2015/05/20/andalucia-to-receive-e1-6-billion-to-develop-infrastructure/

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Who and why?

Spain has always been one of the most popular holiday destinations for many foreigners, particularly those from other parts of Europe. A great number of them have also invested in property here at one time or another.

Many felt the pull of the fantastic quality of life, the weather, the beaches, the food and, not to mention, the excellent transport links between this country and their own country of origin, all of which were determining factors when it came down to deciding to buy their own home here.

Property purchases increased by 21.6% in 2014. According to the Department of Public Works, a total of 365,594 transactions took place last year, and part of the reason that the Spanish real-estate sector has initiated its recovery is due to the continued interest of foreign buyers.

During the last couple of months, the number of property purchases carried out by foreign residents who already live in Spain has continued to grow.

They are still predominantly swayed by the economical prices of some of the properties on the market.

Out of the total of 365,594 transactions, more than 72,000 involved foreign residents. The average cost of each purchase was around 152,000 euro.

But who are these foreign buyers? According to a report from TM Grupo Inmobilario, many of them are foreigners that have frequently visited Spain on holiday and, who after getting to know the country, or an area, have decided to buy a holiday home in their favourite location.

The report describes the typical foreign investor as a 53-year-old man with children. On average, this family has an annual income of around 66,000 euro.

Additionally, a large percentage of these buyers eventually end up settling down here permanently, or at least semi-permanently.

The Brits are still the nationality that purchases the most property in this country. They took part in 18.62% of all transactions made by foreigners.

They are followed by the French (9.39%), Germans (7.25%), Belgians (6.90%), Italians (6.13%), Russians (5.83%), Swedes (5.83%), Chinese (4.14%) and the Norwegians (3.74%).

A few years ago, the Russians were snapping up property in Spain faster than you can imagine, but since the devaluation of the rouble and the fall in petrol prices, their interest in Spanish property has lessened.

It must also be noted that Mexicans and Columbians are buying more property here than before, although not in the same amounts as the top nationalities at the moment.

The majority of buyers have a high purchasing power, money saved up, and invest in a second home rather than a main residence.

Although property prices have not been reduced at the same rate across the country, the foreign buyers are mainly interested in three areas: the Mediterranean coast (Barcelona, Alicante, Girona and Malaga), the Islands (especially Mallorca, Ibiza and Tenerife) and Madrid.

Source: www.expansion.com

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Good time to buy home in sunny spain!

Thinking of buying a home in the sun? Look to Spain for bargain properties as housing crisis comes to an end, say experts.

• Prices of homes on the Mediterranean coast rose 0.2 per cent in March
• First increase since January 2008 - since when average values across that region have fallen by 48%
• Bargains galore: Zoopla advertising four-bedroom townhouse in Almeria for £19k

After what seems an eternity, it’s over. No, I’m not referring to the General Election, but the long-running Spanish housing crash.‘After seven years of consecutive declines we’re starting to see signs that Spanish house prices have bottomed out, and even started to rise in some segments,’ says Mark Stucklin, the Barcelona-based British editor of Spanish Property Insight, a website for buyers.Tinsa, a Spanish valuation service, says prices of homes on the Mediterranean coast rose 0.2 per cent in March - the first increase since January 2008, since when average values across that region have fallen by an extraordinary 48 per cent.

That’s not all. Spanish house building is finally under control, with planning applications for new homes just 4 per cent of the level in the boom days of 2006.Spanish banks, which once had a million repossessed homes, now have a reasonable 120,000. All that is translating into buyers returning to find a dream home in the sun.

There are bargains galore. Zoopla is advertising a four-bedroom townhouse in Almeria for £19,200. A two-bedroom apartment in an Alicante city block, complete with communal rooftop pool, can be yours for £25,100.Even the high-end estate agents such as Savills and Chestertons are now selling new flats on the Costa Blanca for well under £120,000 each.Agents say most British buyers are particularly attracted to the Costa del Sol thanks to 20 flights daily from the UK to Malaga.

Coastal properties in established resorts and developments are selling for just £40,000, while high-end purchasers look at the cities - especially Valencia and Barcelona - and favourites like Mallorca and Menorca.And experts are confident this upturn will last, with some buyers making commitments not just for get-rich-quick new-build schemes, but serious restoration work.‘In prime areas, we see a substantial increase in older homes bought for refurbishment or total renovation,’ says Michael Corry-Reid of Aylesford International, an agency with offices in Spain.But be careful if you need a loan to buy your villa, flat or finca. The Spanish mortgage system is stricter than the UK’s and particularly hard on self-employed borrowers.

‘An option may be to extend the mortgage against your UK property and use the money to buy in Spain,’ says Miranda John, international manager at broker SPF Private Clients.As always in Spain, care must be taken over tax and legal issues. Agents advise buyers to use only experienced lawyers and not to sign documents in a language they do not understand. Allow 10 per cent of the purchase cost for property tax, notary and land registry bills and the cost of switching on utilities. On new-build homes, you may have to pay VAT, too.But the holiday home dream could be back.

Follow by http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mortgageshome/article-3073631/Thinking-buying-home-sun-Look-Spain-bargain-properties-housing-crisis-comes-end-say-experts.html

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End of stagnation, the property market in Spain is experiencing an uptick in sales and prices have reached bottom !

After seven years of stagnation the property market in Spain is experiencing an uptick in sales and prices have reached bottom, according to a new analysis report.

With the Spanish economy improving, unemployment falling, tax revenue growing and a more stable banking system, lending figures are on the rise, says the analysis from Diana Morales Properties, an associate of international real estate firm Knight Frank.

It points out that the typical mortgage lending rate dropped from 4.21% to 3.29% over the course of 2014 and this has fed through to buyer confidence. Andalucía and the Canary Islands have seen some of the strongest surges in mortgage lending, up 25% and 26% respectively month on month, compared to the national average of 14.2%.

This renewed confidence and interest in Spanish real estate is most evident in Madrid and Barcelona where capital flows into both cities’ commercial markets topped €2.7 billion in 2014, the analysis says.

It also points out that the return of large US investment funds has been notable but not just in Spain’s main cities. ‘The acquisition of Sotogrande by US based Cerberus and developments to the east and west of Marbella by other US funds, as well as the purchase of Monte Mayor golf club by Russian investors hint at the extent to which the recovery is gaining traction,’ it says.

Marbella, a popular area with overseas buyers is building on a property market recovery that began in 2013 despite Spanish buyers failing to return in any significant number in 2014 and the Ukraine crisis impacting on the number of Russian buyers.

There was strong demand from an increasingly diversified client base of Scandinavian, Benelux, French, Arabian and Moroccan buyers which added to the record tourist numbers lending a certain buoyancy to the local economy.

Marbella and its surrounding municipalities of Estepona and Benahavis together recorded a 27.7% increase in property sales in 2014 compared with a year earlier.

Marbella, however, outperformed its neighbours, by experiencing an 89% jump in property sales between 2008 and 2014 according to Spain’s Ministry of Public Works. Benahavis and Estepona, by comparison, recorded rises of 62.3% and 22.8% respectively over the same period.

It also reveals that the amount of time properties spend on the market is dropping if realistically priced, while in some prime beachfront locations there is even a shortage of available homes, complete with waiting lists for specific property types.

The analysis says that new bank repossessions remain and this has prompted the return of new construction that remains for the moment primarily focused on individual villas and small to medium sized developments of apartments and villa communities.

Article following by http://www.propertywire.com/news/europe/spain-marbell-real-estate-2015050810487.html

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