Renting in Spain then don't get it wrong - Follow our advice guide

Find an apartment to rent in Sotogrande Spain

Advice for Long term rental apartments Sotogrande Spain.

Rental apartments are readily available and the standards vary. Price is not always a mark of quality as there are many owners who may have not been here for a number of years and are not aware of price fluctuations in rental values. A very nice basic 2 bedroom waterfront apartment can be rented for an average of 850.00 euros per month and whilst some may have rented for lower its usually a case of very fortunate timing and who you know. If your looking to pay 500.00 to 600.00 euros a month then you will probably need to search for an apartment in one of the surrounding villages close to Sotogrande such as Torreguadiaro, Pueblo Nuevo or San Martin. For around 900.00 to 1000.00 euros a month you will find yourself a very nice 3 bedroom waterfront apartment and these depending on apartment specifications can be up-to 1500.00 euros per month for say a 145m2 on the Sotogrande marina. We are currently offering a very special 2 bedroom apartment which has its own gated garden and swimming Pool, in the marina Sotogrande but fronts the Port. Here is the link to find out more about this property Port Marina apartment to rent

If its high specification luxury apartments you are seeking then the most popular choices are the Valgrande gated community, the Polo Gardens development or the Ribera del Rio apartments. These tend to have higher specifications than most developments in the area and are little more spacious. In the last year we have rented several 3 bedroom 3 bathroom Valgrande flat in the region of 1800.00 euros per month. Because its near to Christmas and market is quiet we currently have a 3 bed flat listing in Valgrande at 1400.00 euros per month click on this link Valgrande for more info. The Valgrande development enjoys 3 outdoor swimming pools, 1 indoor heated Pool, a Spa area as well as Gymnasium, steam room & sauna and my blog link describes the community facilities in more detail. For those who enjoy the Polo then Polo Gardens apartments have good specifications and there are some very beautifully presented apartments in the development with good views of the Santa Maria Polo pitch this picture shows the location

. The flats are also very central and not far from the Port and beach. The rents for the large luxury apartments range from 1600 for a 3 bedroom to 2500.00 euros per month for a 4 bedroom 4 bathroom with own plunge pool. Following round the marina towards the Octogano tennis club Ribera del Rio fronts the River. Of the two blocks the one with South aspects has the larger higher specification apartments from 3 bedroom ground floors with plunge Pools and 3 bedroom triplex penthouses with magnificent partly covered balconies. In Ribera del Rio rents for the luxury end of the development can be around 1800 per month for a 3 bedroom ground floor or over 2500.oo per month for a triplex penthouse.

Maybe you have children who will attend the Sotogrande International School and would like to live in a spacious flat near the school. There are not many as Sotogrande Alto is mainly Villas with some town houses. Literally on level walk to the school you will find Los Gazules a gated development with a community swimming pools overlooking Almenara golf and Almenara lake. In Los Gazules a 2 bedroom can rent from 800 per month, 3 bedrooms 950 per month and 4 bedroom duplex penthouse about 1500 per month. To see a penthouse currently on the market click on this link Penthouse apartment to rent Los Gazules Sotogrande

If you live in Gibraltar and would like find more spacious accommodation, save some money and enjoy the resort lifestyle Spain has to offer then Tailor Made estate agents has a choice of apartments within 20 minute drive of the border at Alcaidesa and San Roque. A very spacious 3 bedroom modern duplex apartment on San Roque golf 5 minutes from Sotogrande will set you back around 1000.00 euros a month.Compare that to your rental property in Gibraltar.

Article by Francis Payne of Tailor Made estate agents

office in Sotogrande Port tel. 0034 956 790 320

www.tailormadesotogrande.com

In Sotogrande Spain Tailor Made estate agents have more UK interest for Spanish luxury homes market

A upturn in the Spanish luxury homes property market and a strengthening of the Pound results in more Brits arriving and bargains being snapped up in Sotogrande Spain Signs of improvement in the UK property market and stronger Pound is having a knock on effect here in Sotogrande Spain. Am pleased to say the phones are ringing again as people revisit the prospect of buying a home in Spain.Having said that the hardest hurdle to bridge is the price difference between what owners will sell for and what buyers are willing to pay and with low interest rates continuing many owners in prime locations are holding their prices. Sales that have been happening have in the main been for bargain property. The press would have us believe that in Spain the market is littered with give away bargains and yes there are plenty of cheap homes around most areas. Having said that the press often fail to mention that a lot of these vacant properties in Spain were not desirable in the good times let alone a recession. Too many greedy developers over building and reducing building specifications creating concrete jungles many of which are half built or remain unsold. Here in Sotogrande much of the property that was for sale has been removed from the market because owners have rented them long term or simply decided to wait It seems to me that people are now street wise about buying in Spain and these days are asking all the right questions. As a country the South of Spain has tackled the huge corruption issues and many a developer, Lawyer, Planning officers and town Mayors languish in Spanish Jails guilty as charged.

The risk factor in the property market is not what it was and slowly but surely progress is being made. I feel people recognize the improvements and whilst many changes to the law are long winded, bureaucratic and frustrating the end result will be to stamp out many of the risks and issues Spain's property market.

As an agency selling property in Sotogrande Spain, the risk is further minimized simply because this area one of Europe's largest upmarket private residential estates is well established. The development was originally set out in the 1960s and has grown to become one of the main holiday home locations for many wealthy Spanish.

So there is no surprise that this estate with so much natural beauty and sporting facilities has attracted many city lawyers, top sports people and Spanish Government ministers to choose Sotogrande for their second homes.

My gut feeling is that Spain is about 18 to 24 months behind the UK market and for property in wealth locations particularly in respect of upmarket prime location homes.

Sotogrande does have its share of bargains although no where near the levels the generalizing press would have you believe. In the last 12 months property has been selling for me it is a reflection of some owners wanting to offload after reaching an impatience threshold.

On our books a 5 bedroom villa in Sotogrande that would once have been on the market for in excess of 1 million euros yet recently these owner have conceded to re-market the property inviting offers on 595,000.00 euros. In any given month you can find 1 or 2 such bargains but the truth is that with low interest rates many owners in wealth locations prefer to be patient. Trouble is that for some unknown reason Agents are still valuing property far too high and when presenting their values throwing in the old agency gem "We will put it on the market at price X but people will make low offers anyway so no point reducing" For me this is an outdated approach to agency, and any sales person worth their salt will know that if you establish a value close to your selling level then you are more likely to be looked at by a lot more prospective customers than you would with an extortionate unachievable price. This 3 bedroom waterside apartment once 760.000,00 euros has just exchanged contracts for 310.000,00 euros a real steel for a property on the waters edge and 100 meters from the beach.

Its not uncommon for a property in Sotogrande to go on the market at 1.5 million the owner knowing the reality that its not worth more than 900,000.00. Real buyers know their budget and may NOT look at property 100,000.00 over their budget so the closer a property is priced to the sellers bottom line the more chance there is of selling.

It is very frustrating for me as an agent when giving a true selling value that's a much lower valuation than provided by my competitors and then 2 years down the Road the property sells very close to my original indication.

Francis Payne Tailor Made estate agents Sotogrande tel.0034 956790320

Offices in Sotogrande Port

Hotel Sotogrande or maybe there is a better option

Hotel Sotogrande or maybe there is a better option ?

A growing number of people seem to be renting apartments and villas on long term contracts simply to visit Sotogrande for holidays. A trend is materialising where two families share a rental property for 12 months visiting in half terms, end of terms, easter, summer and christmas.

Last year friends of mine from Poole Dorset visited Sotogrande for a total of 42 days and for the family of 5 they calculated a hotel cost of 18.000,00 euros. The same family this year have rented a 4 bedroom penthouse apartment for 1650 per month and intend to share the vacation home with another family they know well resulting in a rent to pay of 9.900,00 euros per family for the year. The families will not visit together and will divide the years holidays up in advance. The additional costs are the electricity water internet and sky tv again all bills split between them become pretty insignificant. The apartment they rented is modern beautifully furnished and has great golf views close to the golf academy and driving range. Photo Los Gazules gated community by Almenara golf.

There has since then been several more rentals on similar basis which includes Villas and Town Houses. Interestingly most have been to families mad on golfer or sailing. Here is a link to a Los Gazules penthouse currently on the market this one is a 2 bedroom but we also listing a duplex 4 bedroom Link Gazules

Francis Payne www.tailormadesotogrande.com

A lifestyle location abroad where you are more than catered for

About Valgrande

A beautifully set out development, a gated community within a gated estate offering the best in lifestyle,homes and security. This development comprises of a series of apartment blocks set in beautiful landscaped grounds amidst lawns rockeries park-land and water features. Once inside the manned security gate drive directly to your apartment block and straight into the basement garage. Penthouse apartments have a lift key that takes you straight into the apartment.

Valgrande comprises of 2,3 & 4 bedroom apartments beautifully tiled throughout with underfloor water heated central heating systems as well hot cold airconditioning. For those wanting something very special we have available an apartment where One owner bought 2 of the 3 bedroom apartments off plan and incorporated both to create a very unique 6 bedroom home. The best feature for me of this development is the alfresco aspect with large terrace balconies and undercover areas where owners create stunning outdoor lounge and dining space.

Apartments have a variety of outlooks depending where you are within the developments. Families often go for properties overlooking the beautiful free-form outdoor pool's, golfers may like the views towards San Roque golf resort. In phase one of the complex many have tranquil parkland views.

The development has some wonderful facilities including the indoor heated swimming pool and spa, a gymnasium, steam room, sauna,a padel tennis court and a golf putting area. For those not so keen to get fit you can stroll around the complex, follow the stream through the gardens to the natural pond area or take the external trail and take a leisurely stroll around the entire development.

This next picture shows a parkland view from a phase 1 apartment Tailor Made estate agents have on the market to rent. Within the same block they also have a 3 bedroom first floor for sale.

Valgrande is located in Sotogrande Alto with its entrance directly opposite the Valderrama golf club home of the Ryder Cup 1997. The Sotogrande international school is 5 minutes drive and there are 7 golf clubs locallly all within 10 minutes drive. Sotogrande port and the beach approximately 4kms away. The developer has no apartments in Valgrande to sell. The development is well established with a good community a mixture of expats and Spanish some living here permanently others who spend time between their home country and Spain. For me Valgrande is the upmarket development of Sotogrande and offers far more facilities. Contact Tailor Made estate agency for more details 0034 956790320 or web page Tailor Made Estates Here is a link to a 3 bedroom apartment on sale at present in phase 1 with lovely parkland views VIEW LINK

If you would like to visit the Tailor Made estates real estate office find us here on GOOGLE MAPS in Sotogrande Port

as at the date of writing this Valgrande apartment is available to rent Map & contact infor for Tailor Made estate agency Sotogrande

Apartment to rent in Alcaidesa wonderful ocean views

Rental apartment in Alcaidesa Southern Spain Alcaidesa is popular with those who work in Gibraltar and enjoy living in Spain. The resort has many miles of unspoilt beach bordered by beautiful Andalusian countryside and forest.

This apartment is available to rent and Tailor Made Letting Agents of Sotogrande have a choice of 2 properties to rent in the development.

This development is majority occupied and the community maintain the grounds and communal areas to a high standard

The apartment has 3 double bedrooms 2 bathrooms large kitchen and a lounge diner. The large terrace overlooks the lawned grounds and swimming pool and of course the magnificent sea view. More details see website link WEBSITE

Alcaidesa is less than 10 minutes to the Sotogrande shops and port. Approx 25 minutes drive to Gibraltar and just over an hour from Malaga

The grounds are secure and there is basement parking. Contact Tailor Made estate agents 0034 956790320 Offices in Sotogrande Port and in Poole Dorset

Casas de Lujo en venta Sotogrande Espana Inmobiliaria Tailor Made

Casas de Lujo en venta Sotogrande Espana Inmobiliaria Tailor Made

si usted está buscando una casa o piso en esta hermosa ubicación por favor mirar en nuestra página web www.tailormadesotogrande.com

Si usted está vendiendo su casa o apartamento en Sotogrande, Alcaidesa, San Roque golf nuestra agencia inmobiliaria tiene oficinas en Inglaterra y estamos vendiendo a los clientes inglés . El mercado de venta está mejorando en 2014

Tailor Made agentes inmobiliarios tienen una selección de viviendas en venta y alquiler en Sotogrande

Es un buen momento para comprar una casa o apartamento porque los precios siguen siendo bajos . su tiempo para comprar antes de que los precios suben

Inmobiliaria Tailor Made Sotogrande

Puerto Sotogrande, Bloque E

Portal 3, apt. 113

Telefono. 0034 956 790 320

The Millionaire streets of Southern Spain and NO its not Marbella

Properties for sale Sotogrande Buy this Luxury high end villa

Tailor Made estate agents have been instructed to sell this wonderful modern Villa on the Sotogrande Real golf course. This beautiful family home enjoys superb views across the immaculate fairways and the two beautiful lakes.

The villa has 8 bedrooms which includes the handy granny annexe Property is a detached villa elevated enough to provide the house terrace and swimming pool area with privacy from the passing golfers

House 752m2 on plot of 3609m2

Sotogrande resort is a wonderful long established estate and possibly the largest high end gated community in Europe, great for tennis equestrian pursuits,sailing fishing and a mecca for golf and polo. This really is a wonderful place to bring up your children. Leave the congestion and bad weather behind and come and find out about living in this wonderful location

To view this property contact Selling Agents Tailor Made Estates 0034 956790320 click on link to email

Map find Tailor Made estate agency offices Puerto Sotogrande

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A lifestyle move to a special place and a Villa in Millionaires row fronting golf course and views of Mediterranean

Millionaires row high on the hill overlooking Sotogrande, Spain for an idyllic family lifestyle

The ultimate location with a view in Sotogrande Spain. Sotogrande is a millionaires enclave and one of Europes largest private residential gated communities where well heeled Spaniards and European expats enjoy life in the sun with all the sporting pursuits one would expect couple with some stunning real estate.

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The stunning home pictured enjoys a wonderful elevated position with views directly over Almenara golf and the famous San Roque golf resort and beyond to the meditteranean sea with beach a 10 minutes drive away. Houses in this street start at 8000 sq ft and there are several built at 15000 sq ft and another currently under construction indicated at 20,000 sq ft

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The beautiful villa featured was completed within the last 5 years to a very high specification and incorporates the best of modern finishes.This Sotogrande property is a grand design set inside beautifully landscaped grounds enjoying southerly views fronting a beautiful golf course.

to find out more about this stunning home click on the link Villa Sotogrande.

Sotogrande resort unlike Marbella has been carefully planned offering low rise developments and luxury homes on landscaped grounds along palm tree lined avenues where you are never far from nature yet safe within a security patrolled gated community

Calle Granada is the premier street of Sotogrande Alto and this part of Sotogrande attracts people who love to wake up to the best of views so this street its panoramic.

So what does it mean to bring your family to Sotogrande. Well Sotogrande will provide your children with a lifestyle like no other.The Sotogrande International school is warm friendly and welcoming and kids soon integrate and in no time at all will be looking to pursue similar interests as their friends in this very safe environment. From my own experience my children have enjoyed golf, tennis, horse riding, sailing and particularly dance.As one off activities in summer or winter camps within the estate they have tried children's polo fun, kayaking on the river, padel boarding at the beach and many kids surf. As parents in Sotogrande its good to know that wherever the kids go they are never far from recognizing people they know and so often in my daily travels people stop me to say they spotted my daughter on the beach at the port and this in itself has given us a lot of reassurance. Sotogrande is a community and parents will soon find themselves adapting and attending fitness classes, gymnasiums, tennis clubs, golf clubs, book clubs, cycling groups at all levels. Back in UK my wife was not a sports person and despite being here 7 years still isn't but does attend sport on a social basis as well as joining the odd gymn class and playing padel tennis once a week for fun and making new friends as new people arrive in the area and join in the fun.I myself love the sports here and am a member at the San Roque golf club I also love playing padel tennis and normally aim to play in the open mixings 3 nights a week. I occasionally try the odd cycling trip through beautiful Andalusian country and forests that surround Sotogrande. Fishing is another favorite hobby and I have even caught several good sized Tuna over the years its fun to be out on the water particularly when the dolphins are about. Our teenager is of course a worry aren't they all but at the end of the day this place is reasonably safe and kids love hanging out at the late night beach bar or in the local village out door disco. At least you know there are lots of friends around at all times. Occasionally they worry us more with the odd trip to Marbella but its 45 minutes drive and these night out are not frequent.Our lives here have changed from the UK where the day ended at 7pm wife watching TV kids home and bed by 9.30. Socially I would go for a curry with mates on a Thursday night, maybe out with wife Saturday and a Sunday roast with friends after Sunday morning golf. Now a typical work day for me in the summer means the Sotogrande Port at 9am coffee with friends {and theres always a few there} until Tailor Made estate agents office opens at 10am I will work until 2pm take 30 minutes for tapas and a drink then if I have no viewings i head home 4pm to enjoy pool fun with my youngest. My youngest depending how she feels may come with me to padel tennis at 6pm where she meets other kids and I get strenuos excercise until 8pm promptly followed by a cold beer.

Once home I may fire up the BBQ and sit out on the terrace chatting with the wife for an hour. Alternatively during the week if not busy I often get to play twilight golf and there are 6 courses within 5 minutes drive. On a weekend I aim for a golf game in the weekend competition. On Sunday mornings there is open play padel tennis and normally the day continues with lunch at the beach or up in the mountains. What about the wife I hear you say, well the wife here in Spain is a lot more chilled these days it comes with the more relaxed lifestyle. For my wife she keeps herself entertained coffees,lunch, beach club, shopping in Marbella some social sport and getting involved as a helper in the numerous community social charity events. Living here you also get a lot of invites for dinners BBQs and family day sporting events.For instance for us there are various family fun days at the Octogano tennis club. I know from being here 7 years that there are wives who have never been sporty and are now total fitness fanatics with Piloxing Yoga Pilates Zumba running club and a lot into equestrian pursuits. Of course it wouldn't be Sotogrande without a few family trips to the Polo and the Santa Maria Polo club is an excellent centre to pass a few hours sipping Pimms shopping in the various stalls and sitting out in the sun watching skilled horsemen thundering past. For our family we have a wonderful social life with a large circle of friends and sometimes we feel there is simply too much going on week to week. Of course if you are not into a lot of activity it is the best place to grab a book and lay be the Pool or chill at at one of the several beach chiringitos or the luxury beach clubs. Marbella wasnt for us it was simply too built up and the roads were chaotic not to mention the seedy side of Banus too close for comfort when bringing up teenagers. In Sotogrande we are away from the madding crowd but with the added benefit if we need a small piece of England Gibraltar is 25 minutes away. My parents live in Northern Spain and regularly visit us. When they arrive one of my dads first trips is to Gibraltar and Morrisons he wants his Branston Pickle, Birds Custard and a Christmas pudding.

We believe that Sotogrande is a family and community lifestyle like no other place in Spain. Moving abroad is about integrating and improving your life and I believe Sotogrande offers all the options towards such a goal

. Driving through the estate several times may give you the impression that its a little sleepy. You will not get to know Sotogrande by a drive through there are places that you will not find there are restaurants in stunning locations you will not see unless you know a local who can show you. The main thing is that you Visit us and get expert advice

As you can see I am very enthusiastic about Sotogrande Spain even after 7 years I still wake up for work feeling like I am on Holiday. I am happy to share my experiences as a family man moving to Spain and settling. I always thought it may have been my wife who would not settle but she loves it here and we call it home. Its important before buying or renting a home and moving over that you establish what this community has to offer and how it may benefit your own life and I am happy to meet for a coffee and chat before even discussing property in Sotogrande.

Francis Payne. Tailor Made estate Agents Puerto Sotogrande Spain

tel. 0034 956790320

Tailor Made estate agents also have offices on the Sandbanks Penisula Dorset UK & Poole town centre rental agency Dorset

Property for sale in Sotogrande Bargain villa for sale Spain

Property in Sotogrande For Sale Villa for sale in Sotogrande Spain reduced to sell. You can buy this detached 5 bedroom Villa in Soto Alto located close to the Sotogrande international school. The house has 5 bedrooms and 3 reception rooms. The large basement area at ground level could be converted from a large family room to additional bedrooms. The property is on the market for sale at 640.000,00 euros

The owner is keen to sell and offers are invited

Contact Tailor Made estate agents Puerto Sotogrande for more information 0034 956790320 or email sales@tailormadesotogrande.com

Inmobiliaria de Inglaterra - oficina en Puerto de Sotogrande

Inmobiliaria Tailor Made estates SL Sotogrande Espana

Agencia inmobiliaria de Sotogrande España. Tailor Made Estates SL Encontras nuestra oficina en el puerto de Sotogrande desde donde la empresa vende y alquila casas y apartamentos. Francis Payne el director de la empresa también tiene oficinas en Reino Unido y promueve la zona de Sotogrande, aquí en España como en Inglaterra. Si usted tiene un apartamento de casa o terreno en venta en o cerca de Sotogrande, por favor póngase en contacto con Francis Payne. Oficina en el Puerto teléfono 0034 956790320 o móvil 0034 687569427.

También puede ver la propiedad que actualmente estamos promoviendo en Sotogrande en nuestra página web www.tailormadesotogrande.com

Ofininas en Inglaterra Sandbanks Dorset www.tmea.biz y Poole Dorset www.tailormadelettings.co.uk

Spanish beach resort homes Away from madding crowds

Alcaidesa beach resort Southern Spain Tailor Made estate agents of Sotogrande have on the market an end of terrace town house with good ocean views in sight of the rock of Gibraltar. The development "Los Cotos de Alcaidesa" is found on the more established West side of Alcaidesa much of which was sold pre 2007. Los Cotos de Alcaidesa were virtually all sold off plan from 2004 and this established gated urbanization is looked after well maintained.

Living in Alcaidesa is all about the beach

and it boasts a large beach stretching for many miles and backing onto the Guadalquiton cork forest. The last remaining beachfront Cork forest in Spain. The beach is wide and sandy and access is within a few minutes walk of the property.

Along by the beach you will find the village plaza a few shops bars restaurant in a circular courtyard. Down by the beach are a restaurant and 2 chiringitos [beach bar restaurants]. For those that enjoy golf the Alcaidesa golf club has 36 holes and the older course is well established and runs along the beach cliff top. For supermarkets and bars restaurants Sotogrande is a few minutes drive.As well as a holiday home location the resort is popular for many working in Gibraltar but preferring to live in Spain.

The House on the market for sale at 275.000,00 euros is 3 bedrooms 2 bathrooms with a Lounge Diner opening upto an elevated terrace balcony

.There are wonderful views from this balcony that also looks onto the gardens and the freeform community swimming Pool. The upstairs bedroom balcony really does open up the panoramic vista and to wake up living with this view must be wonderful. Nearest town Sotogrande nearest city La Linea & Algeciras. Airport Gibraltar 25 minutes, Airport Malaga just over an hour

For more details contact Tailor Made estate agency Sotogrande Spain sales@tailormadesotogrande.com or tel. 0034 956790320 Tailor Made estate agents also have offices in Poole town centre Dorset and Sandbanks Poole.

Property buying Spain Agents desperate to sell

Estate Agents in Spain desperate to sell Are you looking to buy a property in Spain then lets start with assessing the agent you will be using. The best way to check out and qualify an agent is to search on a property portal as opposed to an agent direct website. So lets say you Search for a villa in Sotogrande up to 1 million euros in zoopla overseas the same property may come up with several agents in the area. So now choose a property that interests you and then ask the same questions to each of the agents listed. Make sure they are questions that will lead the agent to qualify the property being offered.

1. I like this property is the value realistic

2. What is your opinion on the location

3. Can you comment on the finish and quality of construction

4. How long has it been on the market

5. You seem to have 10 times more property than anyone else are they all on the market

So now you are looking for well constructed sensible replies that an experienced agent will respond or pursue on your behalf. You maybe surprised at some of the variety of responses to the same questions and will be able to work out which agents are the blaggers and which offer a proper honest service. Why not ask the agent questions outside the property field. For a family you may ask if they have children at the school or maybe you are keen to get involved in sport so ask whether they are keen golfers. An agent that knows more about the interests you are pursuing could be useful toward guiding you toward your own goals for living in the area. Also be warned there are a number of local agents in Sotogrande that simply leave every property they have ever listed on their website. It makes them look bigger than they are. We had one client recently that asked to see 12 properties with a local agent all listed on the website of those 12 the client only managed to see two and both of those were out of date on prices. Another owner had sold a villa 7 years ago and spotted it still for sale

So often when people arrive in Spain they end up going home confused. The typical scenario is that prospective buyer arrange to meet several agents all desperate to make a sale all keen to take up as much of your time as possible. The normal trick for the first agent {call him/her agent A} is to keep you occupied for as long as possible to the point that you are fed up with looking at property beyond the many they have shown you, the same agent will do their best to find out what other property you have agreed to look at with other agents on the grounds that they are your best friend in Spain and will give you good honest advice as others are not to be trusted.

Often prospective buyers will have print outs of property from all the agents they have communicated with prior to flying out to Spain. Agent A will have a keen eye to see what others you are looking at. So do not be surprised that towards the end of the day agent "A" suddenly announces there are several others that you must see before ending the day and that those others just happen to be amongst the sheef of papers you have been shuffling round on your lap through out the day. What a coincidence

So by the end of the day you are exhausted after been shown only a couple of the properties you initially were interested in and loads that were never of interest in the first place. Of course you are told that showing a wider variety is all part of Agent "A" assessing your needs. The next day you meet up with the second agent only to find you are arriving at property you have already been shown. What a waste of every ones time.

My suggestion is that if you take the time to qualify the agent and build up a raport prior to flying out to Spain then ask that agent to become your finding agent .

In effect you have found an agent you like and checked out the property on the books and if those are not suitable the same agent can take you to see other property on offer with other agents. A good agent will have good links with reputable other local agents and know which are the unscrupulous agents to be avoided at all costs. Sotogrande has a good few estate agents to choose from and I am aware of a number of out and out blaggers, a few fruit cakes and some very good straight forward agencies.

Find luxury villas & lifestyle in upmarket Sotogrande Spain. Property Spain

Villa for sale in Sotogrande Spain

This upmarket Villa is simply a beautiful home. Very Andalusian in style and finish it has been beautifully improved and maintained by the Spanish owners. This luxury home is on the market for sale at just over 2.4 million euros a large reduction on its 2007 value. The house is a couple of minutes walk of the Sotogrande International school in a quiet residential street.

The property is available for viewings and is shown in show home condition If you are thinking of buying a home in Spain then make sure you visit Sotogrande. The estate is one of Europes largest upmarket private resorts a location where well heeled Spanish live and mix with wealthy expats from all over Europe and the rest of the world.

Why do they come here The area unlike Marbella has not been the subject of mass development. This resort was set out for developing in the early 1960s and this is reflected in the palm tree lined avenues where beautiful homes sit in perfectly manicured landscaped gardens. The estate is surrounded by forest mountain and sea and bisected by the Guardiaro River. Its the same old adage follow the money and you will not go wrong. I enjoy living here because there is a good community and whilst for the out of season holiday maker it can seem very quiet, it is one of those places that you need a local friend guide or good estate agent to establish what goes on here and believe me we have fun with more friends thatn wee can cope with. It can also be a healthier lifestyle for those who live here or enjoy part time second home as the sun is convivial to being outside and for sports and recreational activities. For our family the social life and sporting life is wonderful and the fact that our children live in a very safe friendly environment is a massive plus side. Sotogrande international school

Sotogrande a special location in Spain

Find a property in Southern Spain & what to look for in a community

Choose wisely and be happy - Property in Spain So its your turn to find the perfect place for a home abroad. Spain is the most popular for Brits because of its proximity and the choice of flights. However for those thinking about a home in the sun, Southern Spain offers a variety of scenes and landscapes. A barren desert land is much cheaper than green pastures or naturally forested locations. At the end of the day the rule of thumb means that living in the more attractive locations will always cost more but usually fare better in a rising market. So be very aware of the surrounding areas and how developers are able to promote and sell property where terrain is not very appealing. Architects developers and builders,take a parcel of desert land and create an oasis a holiday paradise in the sun. These lovely developments of villas and apartments surrounded by lawns pathways flowers and trees shielded from the harsh external terrain by walls and are great for holidays. However whilst a swimming pool, a community square with a fountain couple of shops and a bar are great for the odd holiday, ask yourself about living there full time. Some of these holiday paradises are simply not practical for full time living specially if the majority of people using them are holiday makers.

So maybe if your looking around Spain and your an expat who would like a social life with similar minded people consider looking for a community with a good International School. The fact there is a school in the area means that there is a community that live there.{insert picture Sotogrande School} Sporting facilities are another great draw for living in Spain Tennis Golf Horse riding and as such a community with good facilities will always be more attractive for those wanting to settle and provide a good base for meeting and socializing.

I have met many people in Spain who have had several enjoyable holidays and blindly bought a very nice home in the same area where they had a great relaxed vacation only to realise within 6 months that in winter months the area is virtually unpopulated. As an agent living and selling homes in Sotogrande I describe this area as a real community here you will find expats making a full time life for themselves and within the community a real diversity of groups and clubs. Sotogrande people organising Bridge clubs,Dining clubs, golf societies, coffee groups,Sunday morning social tennis,running clubs, social cycling groups and many other social activities. For those reading this article I am using Sotogrande as an example and indeed it may be a place outside your budget. However this article is simply saying choose a place where you want to live and scrutinise it very carefully before deciding to buy. After all why buy in a place where nothing much is going on, tranquility can become very boring. For most of us who have lived in Southern Spain for a long time part of the enjoyment is the friendliness of the community and the choice of interests around you. Even if you are looking to spend 6 months in Spain it makes sense to buy where you can integrate with the full time inhabitants of the area. Just from my own experience I look forward to holiday time when friends come here for the entire summer. These friends equally love catching up year after year. Its not only the children who need to be entertained when moving to sunny Spain.

Gibraltar workers look again at renting in Spain as rents soar to unaffordable levels

Sky High residential rents in Gibraltar and people revisit Spain Seems that rents in Gibraltar are simply getting so high that people are re-looking in Spain and working in Gibraltar. The well publicized border problems resulted in many banking and gaming workers moving back into Gibraltar to live and as a result rental values increased dramatically in the last 18 months. A friend of mine bough an apartment in Gibraltar was receiving 1000GBP per month for a modern small 2 bedroom on the runway and on recently changing tenant saw an increase to 1500.00GBP per month.

Within the last 3 months there has been a significant increase in inquiries from people working in Gibraltar looking to lower their overheads and increase there living space. The result for Tailor Made estate Agents in Spain has been a good run on people renting in Alcaidesa beach resort and San Roque golf Country club. Three bedroom 2 bathroom Apartments, overlooking the golf course at San Roque club have recently been renting for around 1000 euros per month. I asked the most recent renters to move to San Roque golf, a Dutch couple in the gaming industry who moved in in June what prompted the move. They informed me the apartment a 3 bedroom in Gibraltar was simply too expensive at 1650 GBP pm a move to Spain saw an immediate saving and the apartment they moved into was much larger and only 1100 euros per month. He also told me that for that amount of saving he was happy to walk across the border which reduced the chance of delays. Here is a good example of a San Roque apartment on the market at present in Terraces San Roque golf San Roque Apartment Link

Two other couples recently moved because they wanted a more recreational feel for young children and with a community swimming pool , kids golf academy, horse riding stables and a nursery school on site at San Roque seemed a good choice. see aerial view of San Roque golf resort Southern Spain

Sotogrande Spain Millionaire location Villa on Sotogrande Real Golf course 7 million euros

Villa For sale on the very exclusive Sotogrande Real Golf course Just look what 7 million euros will buy in Sotogrande. The Villa owner from Madrid once refused an offer of 9.7 million to sell. This property is a stunning home set in beautiful grounds and most importantly very well maintained.

This Home very close to the beach, river,yacht club, two tennis clubs and sits on the 18th Hole of Sotogrande Golf club View more details on the Tailor Made Estate Agents Sotogrande web page A truly luxurious house on Spains South Coast. Sotogrande is one of Europes largest private residential resorts. An exclusive Millionaires enclave first established in 1962 and popular with both Spanish & expat rich and famous. This resort was designed and marketed to offer the natural beauty of the Andalusian countryside and the estate is surrounded by mountains, beaches cork forests, river & lakes. The interior of this house is classically finished. A luxury home in Spains most upmarket location. To view this property please contact Francis Payne of Tailor Made estates Sotogrande 0034 956790320 or find our office in Puerto Sotogrande click on this MAP link .

.Nearest Airports Gibraltar 25 minutes, Malaga just over 1 hour or Jerez 1 hour

Sotogrande Real Golf course