All posts tagged spain
Today is Three Kings Day in Spain, a very special day spent celebrating with family, much like Christmas Day is here in the UK.
It is a national holiday celebrated across the country as the Three Kings arrive bearing gifts. The annual parades start at sunset on 5th January all over Spain, with crowds gathering to welcome the kings, and sweets and treats being handed out to children.
Tradition has it that the children then leave out shoes to be filled with gifts from the Three Kings, and today is spent celebrating with family, food and the exchanging of gifts. It is a very special holiday for all in Spain and a great time to visit and observe the festivities.
A very important meal on this day is Breakfast, with the Three Kings Cake taking centre stage. This is a sweet bread covered with dried fruits and sugar. Traditionally bakers will have hidden a small prize wrapped in paper as well as a bean. The one who finds the prize is named King or Queen for the day while the guest who ends up with the unlucky bean has to pay for next years Three Kings Cake – and considering that some of these cakes can be very expensive depending on the treats inside, nobody wants to get the bean! Good Luck!
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Is the rejuvenated Spanish property market about to go in to overdrive? As we enter the last month of 2015, there are plenty of sound bites suggesting that it may just do that.
Demand from British buyers was up by 53% in the 3rd quarter of this year against the first quarter of 2015. As the year has progressed Spanish homes are being snapped by the Brits and guess what… the prices are rising.
The year round Spanish sun & endless beaches attract visitors from all over the world
As Spanish property registrars have documented, property prices have increased overall by around 6.6% since March 2014. Mortgage acceptances have also increased by some 17% against September 2014. Property is in high demand, & it is written that there are currently in excess of a million properties for sale across Spain.
Some pessimists may question the credibility of the data, and some will say so they should. However we can only report about our experience in the locations that we work in here at Your Place in Spain Ltd – The North and South of the Costa Blanca, Murcia & Costa Calida and the Costa Almeria too.
Beautiful property in high demand
In our experience on the ground we have had fantastic levels of interest from the platforms used to show our portfolio of properties. We have had clients queuing for appointments, and even property selling within hours of being put on the market.
We’ve also seen customers place offers for the asking price and be refused as the sellers, quickly realising the high demand of the market, believing that they can achieve more money than first thought! Can we really blame them?
Anyone for Tapas?
As the exchange rate is currently sitting at circa 1.42 euro to the pound, for buyers, it is back to the Boom years of 2002 to 2006 when it comes to purchasing property.
The ‘double whammy’ on offer this time though is that current property prices are anywhere between 25% and 65% lower than they were in those boom years, & this is a major contributor to the buoyancy of the market in the hot spots.
A Mediterranean lifestyle. The Spanish culture, food & drink.
To cap it all, the new developments currently being undertaken across the Costa Blanca (which we understand to be in excess of 50) are being built, and some of to the very highest standards, to help deal with the demand.
So whilst some data will be heavily debated, we perhaps should take on board, and remind ourselves of the reasons for this possible or probable resurgence in the Spanish property market.
Dreaming of owning a property in Spain? Now is a fantastic time to make it a reality…
If you’re thinking about buying property in Spain, now is a fantastic time to take advantage of the exchange rate and low property prices. Don’t hang around or leave it too late.
Take a look at our website here, and see our selection of property. Let us help you, get in touch today here.
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It was Tapas Tuesday yesterday, so we enjoyed some Catalan Tomato Bread with Jamon. Delicious! #tapastuesday #jamon
Did we jinx the weather here in Manchester last Saturday when we posted on social media about how glorious it was to see the sunshine again? Probably! Sorry about that…
But the sun was most definitely shining after a miserable & grey week, so whilst the sky was blue and the weather warm we had to make the most of it.
Last week, one of my very favourite lifestyle bloggers ‘The Londoner’ (Check out her blog and give it a read, it’s fantastic) recently told her readers about her famous White Peach Sangria.
I love Sangria and always make some when I can, but this sounded like a lighter, more refreshing and crisper version of the rich and sweet traditional Spanish Sangria that I usually make.
I couldn’t wait to give it a try & was impressed at how easy it is to make too. All you need is white wine, lemonade, ice and peaches.
Just slice a couple of peaches, pop them into your jug with plenty of ice. Add lemonade and white wine, its completely up to you how much of these you want to add.
As this was still the afternoon I added a little more lemonade than wine, although if I was making this for an evening party I’d definitely add a little more of the wine.
It’s so moreish and very easy to drink. It tastes perfect anyway that you choose to make it really & you can also try this with sparking water if you find the lemonade a little too sweet.
Next time the sun is shining give it a go. I think this would be the perfect summer party drink & would definitely impress your guests too.
Although, here in Manchester I don’t know how long we’ll be waiting for the sun to emerge again…maybe just give it a go and dream of the beaches in Spain then?
Joanne
Check out ‘The Londoner’ here – www.thelondoner.me
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