NEWS: Spanish Coastal Law changed

The old Spanish Coastal Law was as silly as it was unfair

Thousands and thousands of properties along the Spanish coast line became illegal in 1987 when the Spanish Coastal Law was introduced. Old fishermen villages located less than 100 meters from the coast became illegal. 

Read more: Spanish Coastal Law

The great idea was to avoid new construction of hotel resorts etc. on the beach, but in hind-sight corruption has allowed developers all over Spain to build in protected areas and on the beach, whilst Spaniards and international home owners saw their previously perfectly legal properties all of a sudden was registered as “illegal”.

EU complaints

The EU has urged Spain to clean up their laws regarding land ownership and corruption. Many local officials have been sentenced and put in prison all over Spain for years now, and it is also time to get the laws straight.

Conflict with human rights

The environment has to be protected, but the Spanish way of claiming a 100 years old property illegal with no rights to complaining nor compensation is in conflict with human rights.

The Spanish property market is shifting

BNP Paribas reports from end of 2012: Reduction in availability despite weak demand in Spain”

This stage of the prolonged crisis is now seeing a slower pace of dismissals and company closures. The knock-on effect of this is a reduction in second-hand real estate space released back to market. 

As a result, the space that is being transacted is now directly reducing availability.”

Opportunity

Supply and demand regulates the prices, so this is good news for property owners and and message of opportunity to buyers.

Bank repossession in Spain

Are you in trouble with your mortgage?

Bank repossessions

Many are looking for bank repos in Spain to secure a bargain property for sale by one of the mortgage providers, such as banks who are taking over a property from an owner who have defaulted on the mortgage.

However in many situations, there are real people behind the bad situation. Families loosing their homes.

Voluntary Repossession

But more and more home owners in Spain are looking to make a voluntary repossession, where they ask the bank to take back the property and cancel the mortgage.

• Read more: Voluntary Repossession of Spanish Property

Malaga lawyers demonstrating over court fees

Lawyers demonstrating in Malaga

Complete with placards with slogans such as “No to the charges”, “Justice, a luxury item” and “They’re taxing your justice”, the march wound through the city centre before arriving in the Plaza de la Constitución, surprising a lot of people who were out and about.

1000+ Malaga lawyers

On Wednesday 28th November more than 1000 Malaga lawyers, many in dark robes, marched in protest at the introduction of court fees, demanding that these new charges be withdrawn before they come into effect.

• Source: SUR in English

Life in Nerja – beach in Nerja

Beach in Nerja

Living in Nerja in Spain

Nerja has life all year – not only during the busy summer period

In the town centre you will find many apartments for sale at reasonable prices, but also the surrounding area has lovely areas on the hill side with views over the old town and coast line.

Examples of properties in Nerja for sale with lovely views

Google Street View – Nerja beach

 

 

Save Our Homes Axarquía in talks with Junta de Andalucía

Villa in Axarqia

Save Our Homes Axarquía

Last week’s meeting held between representatives of SOHA (Save Our Homes Axarquía) and the Junta de Andalucía resulted in a step forward for owners of illegal properties in the area.

The association, which is formed by some 400 foreign residents who built homes with municipal planning permission, has reported that the secretary general for Territorial Planning at the regional Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment, Gloria Vega, has agreed to study their proposals.

More info: SUR in English

Marbella life in October

Marbella beach in October

Marbella beach life in October

The weather in Marbella has been lovely this October

Living in Marbella has it’s benefits. The weather being one of the amazing benefits, of course. Living at the Southern edge of Europe (not counting the Canaries) provides for a mild climate all year. The winter is like a normal summer in the north of Europe, and the summers as warm, but not too warm as Marbella is located next to the sea.

Marbella luxury life style

Living in the sun, having a luxury villa and a yacht in the harbour or just take the luxury sports car down to the beach is a life for the selected few. However with the financial crisis, you now have the chance to reach out for that life style. Properties are reduced in price and yachts are sold cheap these days.

• Check out villas for sale in Marbella

The sun comes included for free!

 

Modern style villa in Spain -v- Hollywood

Modern style property in a Hollywood production

Modern style in Spain

Many people think that Spain lacks behind. It is true that the economy in Spain has a hard time, but the Spanish are not behind in other areas

Contemporary style villa

Many villas in exclusive areas are built in contemporary style where you find large windows, flat roofs, simple lines and the most modern interiors.

Example of a contemporary villa in Spain

 

Spain in need of financial aid

Spain’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy

Spain – Mariano Rajoy

The prime minister admitted that Spain was “finding it very difficult to finance itself”.

Mr Rajoy blames the soaring borrowing costs on advancing debt crisis across the eurozone, and tried to dismiss fears that Madrid will be crushed by the debts of its banks.

Read more: The Telegraph

Marbella receives the MS Europa cruise ship

MS Europa in Marbella

Marbella harbour

During the financial and property crisis such a visit is important for the businesses of Marbella

• villa for sale in marbella

MS Europa with 408 mainly German tourists anchored off the town of Marbella. The MS Europa is a luxury cruise ship belonging to the German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd. It is the highest ranked cruise ship in the world, according to the 2012 Berlitz Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships.

The passengers of the ship left the port of Palma de Mallorca and will then travel to Portimao (Portugal), where they will end the cruise.

Also read: Marbella – Video about the new harbour project