The Ultimate Homes Blog

Jardines de Altea Hills When looking for a property in Spain , it is natural to want to see as many properties as possible before making the "right" choice and common sense dictates that a handful of alternatives should be viewed before buying. Our job as professional estate agents is to help buyers make decisions that are genuinely in their best interests, which, without our assistance, they might have had difficulty making. So here are some pointers for those buyers who might be struggling to balance the merits of Casa A with its new kitchen against Casa B, with the better garden. First, there is a place for instinct and sometimes the heart should be allowed to influence, if not rule, the head. This is a home after all and not a stock-market share. Ask yourself the obvious question, "Could we be happy here?" However, sometimes you need your head to agree with your heart. Is your favoured property a significant improvement on where you already l...

Hello again and wow, long time no blog! Six weeks to be precise but then again it has been Summer here in Spain, far too hot for work, I mean blogging. Of course being Summer, Spain does slow down and well, I'm not going to send out a blog every Friday just for the sake of it. So what does September and the rest of the year bring. Well there was a pleasant surprise when the Government woke us all from our 35º Centigrade siesta to inform us that IVA on new-build property completing before the year end would be halved by 50% from 8% to 4% . No doubt a shot in the arm for the construction industry with properties to sell, but it would have been nice if the tax reduction be passed onto private sellers too, but not to be (at the moment anyway). It remains to be seen whether this latest measure really does  help reduce the stock of new homes for sale, as well as giving the construction sector a boost and stimulating employment. As recently as July last year, the Government increase...

We listed this villa a short time ago as we have a close collaboration with this local constructor and now I want to bring it to your attention as the property is finished and ready for a new owner. It is located in the popular residential zone known as San Jaime, very close to shopping facilities offered at the Pepe la Sal supermarket and the many bars and restaurants in the area. The nine hole golf course (Ifach) is very close by too. The villa is finished with high quality materials and offers 3 bed and 2 bathrooms of which 1 en-suite. Nice and tranquil area with some sea views from the 1st floor.Price: 530.000 Euros

I just got back from a long weekend trip to a very warm London and whist attending a garden party (as you do) the subject of Spanish property came up. One or two old family friends commented that it must be tough right now in Spain, but also a wonderful time / opportunity to buy. And it's not only old family friends intending to say what I want to hear! Here is a headline which I’m not going to ignore from the British press in the Daily Express worth shouting about. It is part of a process that’s building and after many years of highly negative press, it seems inescapable to most now, that well, what goes around comes around and our day is perhaps here once more. Along with other articles I’m seeing, it does sometimes pose the question: Is this a good or a bad thing?

  Over the last 7 years we have all witnessed the meteoric rise (and fall some might say) of Polaris World´s Golf Resorts in Murcia. In total, Polaris World have built six resorts, based around 18-hole golf courses plus 2 hotels, a private school, bars, restaurants and of course the small matter of several thousand properties, all built in the relatively undeveloped region of Murcia, Spain. The severity of the world economic crisis has meant that prices have plummeted and many have questioned what the future holds for Polaris.   Here at Ultimate Homes, we have clients with properties on most of the resorts and over the years have watched with interest as the resorts have evolved. We have never, however, actually had first hand experience of staying in one of these resorts. Until now....   One of our clients recently completed the purchase of a property on the Condado De Alhama Golf Resort, the latest and what will be the largest of all the Polaris Resorts. Now th...

Six weeks since my last post, have I really been that busy?? And also so much happening in Spain what with the Spanish Revolution and the municipal and regional elections, which really all have a bearing on the future prospects for the property market. But in short, "yes we have been busy". Several completions and collaborations have meant some good new contacts, especially with solicitors in various areas including ABC Solicitors in Torrevieja, Scan Law in Alfax del Pi (a Scandinavian law firm), and Van Loon Advocaten , also in Alfaz del Pí (and Dutch). Such is the make up of our international clientele, that we are working with lawyers in various languages on a day-to-day basis. I have also had the pleasure to come across Raquel Perez / the Perez Legal Group , and even though they are based some 600 kms away in the Costa del Sol, some fantastic information available on their website, whether it be regarding the purchase of a property or inheritance tax advice. More in...

The masterplan for the Paramount Theme Park to be built in Murcia were announced last Friday. The attraction park will be located just five minutes from the Polaris World "Condado de Alhama" Resort and within easy reach of other Polaris World resorts, including the Mar Menor Golf Resort and La Torre Golf Resort. The theme park will be located in an 158 hectare site on the Mazarron/Alhama de Murcia border, about 15 minutes from the beach and marina resort of Puerto de Mazarron. It will be zoned into different thematic areas inspired by the likes of Star Trek, Titanic and Mission Impossible plus a much larger ‘Lifestyle Centre’ with no less than two five-star hotels, three of four-star status and several more three-star resorts. Also announced were themed shopping malls, restaurants, bars and clubs, a conference centre with the largest meeting room capacity in Murcia – over 3,000 seats – and an open-air auditorium to host 15,000 people. Michael Bartok, the executive ...