Mallorca – the Global Ocean Race and the property race

by Georgina Spain

 

Already renowned as a luxury location favoured by the yachting and sailing communities with classy restaurants, gorgeous properties and of course the magical Mediterranean Sea, Mallorca has just been announced as the start and finish of the Global Ocean Race 2011-12. With over twenty entries from at least eleven nations it puts the Island on a new international stage. Although many boating enthusiasts are attracted by the facilities, many more stay for the beautiful climate, excellent food and luxury premium property close to the marinas.
 
Now, the Great Race announcement looks set to start another race in property as rental prospects surrounding the Race begin to climb and Mallorca is firmly put back in holiday home purchaser’s sights. Visitors will be clamouring to stay close to the Spanish Island’s shoreline in desirable locations including Puerto Portals. Even the bars and restaurants here ooze wealth and pleasure such as Wellies, Bistro Key West and Tristans which boasts two Michelin stars.
 
Mallorca is particularly proud of it coastline and puts a great deal of effort into maintaining and improving its beaches and marinas. This year eighteen marinas have been awarded a Blue Flag, one more than last year. Spain as a whole has been given more awards than any other nation with a total of 605 and according to the Association for Environmental Education the Balearic Islands have secured the largest increase this year across the whole country with eighty-five in total.
 
The combination of glamour and the outdoor lifestyle in Mallorca is highly appealing and has not escaped the attention of the A List celebrities. Many celebrity homes are dotted around the area and TV stars and famous personalities can be spotted in bars and restaurants in the Port.  One or two even own boats here including Steve McFadden (Phil Mitchell in EastEnders), former Blue Peter presenter Anthea Turner and her husband Grant Bovey, and nightclub owner Peter Stringfellow.
 
Dining and drinking aside there are also many popular leisure activities on offer in the area of Puerto Portals such as scuba diving, water-skiing and of course sailing, all of which are year round hobbies in Mallorca with mild winter climes. For those who prefer to keep their feet on terra firma there are also activities such as beach volleyball and cycling. In addition, festivals and exhibitions showcasing sports cars, flowers, books and comics provide a continuous stream of activities throughout the year with family groups and children specifically catered for. The traditional Spanish celebrations throughout the year are events not to be missed, the locals and visitors alike all come together on prominent religious dates in Mallorca and across Spain.
 
Unsurprisingly, the increasing desirability of all that Mallorca has to offer has pushed up visitor numbers markedly throughout the years. In 1960, Majorca received half a million visitors but by 1997 this had increased to 6.7 million. Today, around 23 million passengers pass through Palma de Mallorca Airport with an additional one and a half arriving by sea. With such a demand on the island, more than half of the population works in the tourist sector, accounting for approximately eighty per cent of the Mallorca’s GDP.
 
Like with any international event, the tourism sector will put huge efforts into the opening and closing ceremonies and it will be no different for the Great Ocean Race in Mallorca. With support from Government bodies and corporate partners, the build-up to the start and finish of the race will be spectacular. The Island is highly regarded in the world of water sports and already hosts premium yacht racing events such as the Copa del Rey, the Palma Velas as well as the Superyacht Cup. It has high-quality marine services, fantastic sailing conditions, stunning scenery, a rich maritime history and a vibrant onshore scene.
 
Taylor Wimpey, who has over fifty years of property development experience in Mallorca, has just completed a new residential complex close to the marina in Puerto Portals. Victor Sague, their Sales & Marketing Director says,
 
“The local area is already noted for being fashionable, desirable and fantastic for boat owners and beach lovers alike. News of the Great Ocean Race will only increase demand for this attractive location. With one year to go until the race begins, savvy buyers have the opportunity to purchase their holiday home today and with only a few units remaining buyers need to act quickly.
 
“Mallorca’s property market has not been affected by the recession like some regions in mainland Spain mainly due to the lack of stock available compared to the demand for homes on the Island. Spain as a whole is a very fragmented market and good locations and quality property will always sell well whatever the market conditions. International events just add to their appeal. We’ll certainly by reserving our front row seats for the Race next year!
 
 
Portals, Puerto Portals, Mallorca
This new residential complex consists of 7 luxurious and spacious 3 bedrooms properties of approximately 143 m2 with 34 m2 terraces. The complex has private underground parking spaces, lush communal gardens and a communal swimming pool. The ground floor properties have a private patio area and the rest have magnificent terraces. The properties provide fully equipped and furnished kitchens, with top quality finishes. The Royal Bendinat Golf, whose president is King Juan Carlos I of Spain is close by.
 
Taylor Wimpey de España’s luxury apartment complex is very well connected by road to Palma de Mallorca by the Ma-1 motorway and only 15 minutes drive away. It is also well connected to the Son Sant Joan international airport, with excellent connections to UK and most European cities.
 
These properties are available now from €600,000. Contact Taylor Wimpey España today on 08000 121 020 or visit www.taylorwimpeyspain.com for more information.

The attraction of Marbella welcomes the attraction of Obama

by Georgina Spain

 

Marbella, in the heart of the Costa del Sol, is one of the most popular, best known and most glamorous locations in Spain. Its reputation for attractions, weather and celebration tempts people from across the world, including celebrities such as Antonio Banderas, Melanie Griffith, Joan Collins and Sean Connery. This year however the glamour has inched up a notch with a presidential seal of approval.
 
Michelle Obama has arrived in Marbella for what the White House has described as a four-day "private, mother-daughter trip with long time family friends". That’s no surprise to the increasing number of Britons who are choosing to holiday or live in this attractive and sunny part of the world. Indeed, recent figures released from Málaga Airport show it has experienced a 2.2% increase in passenger numbers between June 2009 and June 2010. In addition, figures from primelocation.com reveal that internet searches by Britons for Spanish property have increased over the same period by a whopping 151%. In fact, Spain accounts for a third of all searches.
 
Why is it then that interest for this small corner of Spain never wanes? Cities like Marbella have numerous attractions enticing all nationalities; this stretch of coast boasts several Blue Flag beaches, there are beautiful parks and designated national parks for the great outdoors experience along with plenty of bars, restaurants, theatres, cinemas and clubs for evenings out.
 
The thriving nightlife in the city attracts many thousands of visitors every year. Marbella town is a fantastic place to experience traditional Spanish festivities especially important religious celebrations such as Easter, Christmas and New Year. Plus there are many events and festivals throughout the year celebrating food, music, film, fishing and more, including summer bull fights and horse and carriage rides. Whether Michelle Obama and her daughter decide to experience this lively side to Marbella is yet to be seen but what certainly remains true is that Michelle Obama vacationing here adds even more chic and glamour to the fashionable resort.
 
The impact of the economic problems of 2008 affected Spain nationwide; however, with the nature of Marbella’s high profile, this region’s economic climate has been documented more than most with particular attention to the property market. Agents and developers have suffered in the down turn with some devastating effects. However, for some developers there has been a resurgence in demand for second homes over the last twelve months which they have attributed to the more realistic pricing developers have adopted to maintain property interest. One of these developers, Taylor Wimpey de España, is seeing huge sales success having sold a quarter of the homes in its La Floresta de la Mairena residential complex in the last four months.
 
As a result of the increased buoyancy of the market they have decided to invest in a new development in Marbella (Benahavis) close to Puerto Banus. Taylor Wimpey de España has launched Los Robles II, which is just two kilometres from the luxury hotel where Michelle Obama is currently staying. This new real estate project at the Los Arqueros Golf Resort & Country Club will begin construction this summer.
 
Since 1997 the company has sold more than 1,200 homes in the area and currently has reserves of land for 650 new homes. Despite the more than fifty years of experience in Spain, the global economic circumstances presented a new challenge to the business, explains Victor Sagué, Sales and Marketing Director of Taylor Wimpey de España,
 
“Times were difficult but the sales results we saw with La Floresta was a pleasant surprise. We discovered that the secret is actually just about decent, sensible pricing which reflects the circumstances and realities people are facing.”
 
The business has fared well despite the economic downturn, with over 95% of its stock of buildings in the Costa del Sol sold.
 
“When there is a major crisis of confidence among buyers as has been the case recently, the strength of the brand plays in increasingly key role. The more uncertain the times, the more security people want and that is particularly true when it comes to such a significant purchase of a property,” says Sagué.
 
Los Robles de Los Arqueros II, Benhavis, Costa del Sol
 
Los Robles de los Arqueros (Phase 2) is a new Taylor Wimpey development situated in one of the best areas of Marbella, the prestigious Los Arqueros golf course. The residential complex has stunning sea and golf views, wide streets, beautiful gardens and the look of a Mediterranean village. It consists of only eight apartment blocks, all just three storeys high and crowned with spectacular penthouses that have a magnificent terrace and pergola.
 
Apartments come with 2 or 3 large bedrooms with 2 bathrooms and luxury finishes. The complex features a lift, swimming pool for children and adults, community gardens,
underground parking, storage and 24 hour security.It is surrounded by a prestigious golf course with 18 +9 holes. The homes have large terraces with spectacular views over the golf course and sea. Completion of the project is scheduled for the 1st quarter of 2012.
 
Los Robles de los Arqueros is located in a prestigious area of the Costa del Sol, close to Marbella, the famous port of Puerto Banús, San Pedro de Alcántara and the beautiful landscape of the Ronda hills.
 

These properties are available now from €232,000, Contact Taylor Wimpey España today on 08000 121 020 or visit www.taylorwimpeyspain.com for more information.

AB Property Marketing wins Taylor Wimpey de España Public Relations Account

by Charlotte Ashton Spain ,

 

Specialist property public relations agency, AB Property Marketing, has won the prestigious Taylor Wimpey de España account adding to their overseas property client portfolio.
Taylor Wimpey de España, part of Taylor Wimpey plc, is the only major UK house developer in Spain and currently they are one of the only developers to be building and launching new property developments in the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and Mallorca.
Víctor Sague, Sales & Marketing Director of Taylor Wimpey de España comments,
“2010 benchmarks over 50 years that Taylor Wimpey have been building in Spain. Since the company’s establishment in Mallorca the company has developed to fulfil client demands, expanding into the costas on the mainland and also broadening the product offering. One thing the company has never lost sight of is its ingrained ethos of ‘peace of mind’. The exceptional customer service and the delivery of quality properties have meant that more recently we have emerged from the recession, a slightly trimmer version of what we were 5 or 10 years ago but as strong and reliable as ever.
Moving forward we are making key partnerships to assist us in maintaining and developing the brand and driving sales leads. We know from client feedback that the desire to buy abroad is still there and that our customers are happy with Taylor Wimpey de España, 98% surveyed said they would buy with us again. So we are looking to reach out to new customers, nurture our owner relationships and increase our visibility in the market as it stands today. One of the ways we intend to do this is through promoting the company through the UK and Irish media and from AB Property Marketing’s proven track record of delivering PR results we are confident working with them will help us achieve this.”
Amanda Sharples, Director or AB Property Marketing continues,
“On behalf of the ABPM team, we are looking forward to working with such an established and reputable developer, they are certainly a prestigious brand and have proven themselves a reliable developer in Spain. We have identified several areas in which to aim for increased media reach and publicity on and offline for Taylor Wimpey de España in order to further enhance the brand and to generate sales leads. Above all it is always a pleasure to work with such positive and professional people in the industry.
For further information about Taylor Wimpey de Espana, services and properties or alternatively to enquire about public relations services contact AB Property Marketing on 01737 222334 or visit www.abpropertymarketing.co.uk.
Agents please contact Taylor Wimpey de España on 08000 121 020 or contact the UK Agent Manager directly on marc.pritchard@es.taylorwimpey.com . Visit www.taylorwimpeyspain.com.