Costa del Crime

or Press Hype?

Last Saturday we were shocked by the news of a shoot-out just behind the glitzy marina of Puerto Banús. The Sunday Times reported on 5 December that three people died, one of them sadly being a seven year old child on holiday from Seville. The motives are not known, at least not to me, although it is understood that the ‘wanted’ man, a Frenchman of Algerian origin, fled the scene and was not amongst the dead and the killings were of innocent bystanders.
This news affects a community like the Costa del Sol quite deeply. We are not surrounded, like in the UK, by news of burglaries, car crime, mugging, rape and so on, so the emotion runs quite high. Also, everyone tends to know or know of everyone down here and the Italian hairdresser that lost his life was a bit of a local character as well as the husband of a woman expecting their second baby. Not to mention the fact that wherever you are, crime on your ‘doorstep’ isn’t something to shrug off and dismiss.
Of course the Costa del Sol does have a certain amount of colourful criminal history attached to it. In the late 1970s we were really living in a Gangsters’ Paradise when the MDs of British crime such as Freddie Foreman, Ronnie Knight and Howard Marks sought anonymity and refuge in the sun. But these Gangsters were here for the gin and tonic and the sunshine, not to engage in criminal activity.
Nowadays you see more bling bling than bang bang and southern Spain is no longer considered a safe haven for criminals. Changes in extradition laws and much closer working relations between Spanish police and foreign police have sent out a clear message to criminals that if they know you’re here, you will get caught.
Statistically, according to United Nations figures, there were 850 murders in the UK in 2000, 494 in Spain and an incredible 12.658 in the USA. Broken down per capita, Spain is the safest of all with less than 0.01 murders per 1.000 compared with 0.04 per 1.000 in the USA.
Lastly people, including myself, feel safer in Spain than they did back in the UK. Statistically it is safer, but you also have to add the fact that the Spanish do not wallow in fear news. Spanish television and printed media do not bombard you day in day out with news of crime and despair.
Unfortunately, this is the real world, there are criminals everywhere but you don’t have to mingle with them in Spain any more than you would in your own crime-riddled country.

Andalucia

You'll be Back

You’ve spent your annual holiday sat sipping sangria on one of the glorious beaches of the Costa del Sol, dancing the night away in the hotel disco and traipsing round one of the many colourful markets, just like millions of other holiday makers each year. The fact is though, a large percentage of you will be back; not for another holiday but to make the Costa del Sol your home.
Each year hundreds of thousands of foreigners arrive on the southern coast of Spain to purchase a home and many stay for years if not forever and there’s little wonder why. There are few regions in Spain that offer so much to the foreigner such as an excellent infrastructure of international schools, business opportunities and close-knit communities of established foreigners and all this under an endless sunshine.
Travel links with the rest of Europe are constantly becoming easier with more and more flights to provincial airports being launched each year. Flight time is just around two hours, less time than a train journey from Newcastle to London and in most cases, cheaper. Malaga airport is adapting to cope with the increased demand for arrivals with the imminent addition of an extra terminal and runways, the toll roads are expanding, beaches are being improved and whole town centres are undergoing transformations.
For those who fear the learning of a second language, although it’s a nice bonus, there are enough foreigners and Spanish nationals speaking English now that language is no longer a problem and the Spanish welcome foreigners with open arms.
How many times have you spent a holiday in Spain and found yourself saying ‘I could live here’ ? Well, the answer is simple; Have a go. However, don’t expect it to be an extended holiday. Living in Spain is so very much different to a holiday and you will have a multitude of changes in lifestyle to contend with.
The sun that was once your best friend will soon become your worst enemy. Life can be tough at times and you will probably struggle to find time or the inclination to lay in the sun. You will be likely to have a business or a job to manage and it’s no fun working in the heat whilst those on holiday relax around you. Your social life will be consumed by your working hours and you will need to be prepared for unexpected expenses. Bills in Spain have an uncanny habit of creeping up on you. The letterbox doesn’t rattle like it did in England though. Luxuries in Spain are cheap and free time can be enjoyed with little money. The employment and business regime is stricter in Spain and much more difficult to contend with however, the employment of a good gestor will be a must.
Buying a property in Spain is now an easy step for a foreigner and there is a multitude of professional agents who will assist you all the way. There are millions of properties to choose from, from simple apartments overlooking the sea to large, imposing villas and new developments springing up at an amazing rate.
So, as you board your return flight and head back to your 9 to 5, consider if you could just be another one of those ‘I’ll be backs'?

Costa Culture

Not everyone who comes to the Costa del Sol is content with just sitting in the sun, contentedly musing how lovely it is to be drinking a cool beer or a glass of wine for half the price of their home country!
No, many people seek something a little more mind stretching, or wish to explore new avenues of interest and learning.
To my great surprise, I have found that many people are unaware of the wealth of cultural and educational opportunities there are here, and so this month I am going to describe two of them, in order to wet your appetite.
Firstly, there is NADFAS (National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts). Don’t be put off by the title! It was founded in 1988 on the Costa del Sol to further the enjoyment, knowledge and awareness of the Arts internationally, and to stimulate interest in the preservation of the local heritage in Spain. The Association is a Member Society of NADFAS in the UK, where there are over 300 societies, as well as 9 societies within mainland Europe and 21 in Australia. They represent a worldwide membership of nearly 100,000.
Here NADFAS is a thriving society with over 300 members representing nineteen different nationalities. A lecture with excellent slides is held every second Monday in the month from October to May at the Salon Varieties in Fuengirola, covering a wide and varied range of artistic, historic and cultural interests. The lectures are all given by experts from the UK,and are in English. The lectures are also offered in Nerja at the Centro Cultural. Some of the titles this season have been, “Siena: Heart of Tuscay”, “Toulouse Lautrec”. “The Magic of Castile”, and still to come are “Art Nouveau” on 8th April, and “Suleiman The Magnificent And Ottoman Art” on 13th May. Other years, for example, they have covered silver, Velasquez, and the Aztecs.
Study groups are held usually the same week as the lecture. This season they have covered the art of Spain’s religions, and coach trips have been arranged to Malaga cathedral, two synagogues in Gibraltar, and the mosque in Marbella, covering Christianity, Judaism, and Islam respectively, preceded by a talk and followed on each occasion by lunch. There was a waiting list for all three!
But there is some fun too! Because the lecture is held at the theatre, most people arrive a little early to meet up with friends in the bar area, and afterwards stay on in the bar to continue the social side of life! The Association also arranges outings to various parts of Spain, and many a friendship has started as a result. Finally, there is a members’ Christmas Lunch, and a summer End of Season Dinner (this year at the popular Valparaiso restaurant on 15th May), where non-members are free to join in the evening’s festivities.
For further information contact Programme Secretary Helen O’Leary 952 88 46 35 or Secretary Shirley Basham 658 17 21 21.
And then there is U3A (University of the Third Age). Again, please don’t be put off by the title. You don’t have to be university graduate material nor do you have to be “third age”, although obviously it is an organisation for people with spare time, which indicates a more mature age group.
This is a worldwide organisation to encourage people to engage in educational and cultural activities. All administrative and study group activities are carried out on a completely voluntary and unpaid basis, and this enables the annual fee to be a very modest 18 euros. For this, one can attend a lecture every day if one wishes. No qualifications are required for membership and none are given. Informal study groups are led by members who have volunteered to share their particular expertise with other members. Study sessions are held from mid-October to June in three separate blocks, allowing for ‘holiday’ periods
U3A began in October 1997 in Marbella and now has more than 300 members on the Costa del Sol, and is growing fast. The President informed me that she knows of at least two people who decided to buy their homes in the Fuengirola area in order to take advantage of U3A!
There are now almost 400 local U3As throughout the UK, with a growing membership currently numbering 90,000, and Costa del Sol members receive a copy of the UK magazine.
Examples of some of the study groups to date are: “History of Art”, “Bridge For Beginners”, “Bird Watching”, “Painting”, “Line Dancing”, “Russian Literature”, “Italian Cooking”, “Creative Writing”, and “Saving Of Life”.
For further details contact Secretary Sandra Francis - email: sandelmar@ctv.es, President/Fuengirola - Carmella Dight 952 59 60 70, or Marbella Contact - Olive Neilson 952 11 36 98.
I can personally vouch for both these organisations being both informative and fun. So, don’t be shy - joining either of them could be just the kickstart your life needs at the moment!

Summer Time

... and the Kids are bored!

So how do you revert to the words of the song and make the living easy? Spend lots of money and drag them round to all the local attractions – Sea World at Benalmadena, Selwo near Estepona, Water Parks at Fuengirola and Torremolinos? ....Possible.......but, if you live in the Marbella area you could hand them over to the professionals. This will ensure that you enjoy a relaxing holiday and that your children are making new friends and enjoying stimulating activities.
At Manolo Santana’s Raquets Club from 10 until 2 you can leave the 5 – 11 year olds with Emma and her team at Kids’ Club, where they will be closely supervised and entertained with games – on the lawns, in the clubhouse, or in the pool, art activities, and so on. Phone her on 952827603 or the club 952778580 for further details – numbers are strictly limited for safety reasons and to ensure the individual care that typifies this summer activity. Kids’ Club is available every Tuesday to Saturday during both July and August.
Just around the corner at Aloha College is a full summer school programme for 3 year olds upwards. Teachers from the college run courses in languages, science activities, mathematics, sports etc. making full use of all the excellent facilities such as the full size astro-turf pitch, computer suites, theatre, trampolines, science laboratories and so on. Under the expert guidance of Iain Lochhead this comprehensive programme is only available in July and details can be obtained from 952814133, or a brochure with application form is available from reception at the school.
Other local schools, such as The English International College (952831058), organize similar summer holiday anti-boredom escapes and you should contact them directly for information…….and get back to watching fish jumping and measuring the height of the cotton! Happy holidays.

The report commissioned by Spanish property developer Lar Sol, shows that Britons find the process of purchasing of a house on the Costas ’much easier’ than in UK, particularly for investors. It also finds over 50 per cent of people who had invested in property in Spain would reinvest their profit in Spain.

Katy Katani, international sales coordinator for Lar Sol explains, “Spain’s economy is booming, growing at twice the rate of its European neighbours. This surge has been fuelled by low interest rates and an unprecedented demand for property. The government is taking several steps to ensure this continues, by introducing cuts in income tax and corporate tax, by planning to reduce the number of tax bands on Spanish property and to eradicate income taxes on mortgages. When you consider these new measures alongside the obvious lifestyle reasons for moving to Spain. Its climate, lower of cost of living, better quality of life, it is not surprising that so many people are choosing to leave the UK to live and work in Spain.”

Britain is in danger of losing its best entrepreneurs to Spain, the report claims. Increasing numbers of UK citizens are actively emigrating to Spain to set up their own businesses or to find work. Last year, 30,346 British citizens signed working contracts in Spain and the country remains the most popular place for Britons to move to. Research shows that Spain is the first option for one in three Britons planning to buy or move abroad this year. A large proportion of these people are expected to set up successful businesses in Spain, fuelling further growth in the economy.

Katy continues, “British people like to buy from British people and as more and more Britons move to Spain, they are creating a sustainable network of potential clients for British businesspeople. The problem from a UK point of view is that while so many Britons are enjoying huge success in Spain, the UK is at risk of losing some of its best entrepreneurs as they seek a more satisfying life in the sun.”

Lar Sol´s report was conducted by Hamilton Research among 394 Britons already owning or considering buying property on the Costa del Sol.

What is Reiki?

These days more and more people are turning to alternative medical treatments, often in tandem with orthodox medical care. An increasingly popular treatment is a treatment called Reiki. It is not a substitute for conventional medical or psychological treatment, but it can enhance their effects and can decrease the side effects of drugs.
Reiki means Universal Energy. It is a natural method of healing and acts at different levels – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. It helps to decrease stress levels and calms the mind as well as the body. One can feel very relaxed after a session, or alternatively very energised.
Reiki can help the body’s own ability to heal itself, and can enhance its natural detoxification and cleansing abilities. It can provide pain relief and boost the immune system. It has also been employed as an aid in major illnesses like heart disease and cancer, as well as minor problems like headaches, colds, etc. A full Reiki session will involve all the energy centres of the body, the chakras, the acupuncture meridians, and the hormonal system.
At a Reiki session, one sits or lies down, fully clothed and comfortable. The Reiki practitioner moves around the person being treated, placing his hands on a fixed set of positions on the body, or sometimes a few centimetres above the body if the person prefers, although the energy is felt more if there is direct contact.
Dr. Mikao Usui, Buddhist monk and scholar, discovered Reiki in 1922. During a twenty-one day fast and meditation on the sacred Mount Kurama in Japan, the symbols of a method of healing that we know now as Reiki were revealed to him. Following this, he opened a clinic in Tokyo and began giving Reiki treatments and teaching Reiki.
Today there are thousands of Reiki Masters world-wide who are capable of channelling healing energy and initiating students in the method of Reiki. There are three degrees of Reiki, and each degree is usually taught in a weekend course.
In Reiki 1, you receive an attunement in which the Reiki Master opens your energy channel so that you can channel Universal Energy at the physical level. You learn the body positions for treatments for yourself and others. Following the attunement, there is a three-week cleansing process as the Reiki acts on the energy systems of the body. In Reiki 2, you receive symbols which act on the emotional and mental levels and which enable you to send healing at a distance. In Reiki 3 you receive further symbols which increase your capacity to channel the energy. In Master level Reiki, you learn how to perform the attunements that allow you to become a Reiki teacher.

Spain’s popularity fuelled by
cheap Euro mortgages and cheaper flights

Banco Halifax Hispania claims that Spain’s continued popularity has been fuelled by the demand for low rate Euro mortgages and the boom in low-cost flights.
The Spanish arm of Halifax (the UK’s largest lender) quotes figures from the recent Official Social Trends Report that Spain accounts for 27% of all second homes overseas owned by Brits and also highlights recent research from YouGov which found that 50% of 18 to 29 year olds plan to buy property aboard.

“With the low cost of mortgages, many people have now realised that owning property in Spain is a real possibility and Banco Halifax Hispania has continued to see an increase in the number of UK residents wanting to buy property abroad,” said Ian Smith, head of European operations at Halifax. Apart from being able to provide mortgage products specifically designed for UK buyers, the bank is able to call upon an approved panel of qualified solicitors and surveyors in the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca regions which have local knowledge and experience of acting for British customers.

Banco Halifax Hispania offers variable and fixed rate mortgages in Euros, secured on the Spanish property - with loans available up to a maximum of 70% of the property’s value (to find out more, visit www.halifax.es).

An increase in new routes from budget airlines has helped the Spanish market to take off, with research from OAG showing that the number of low-cost flights to and from Spain is up 25% on last year (and low-cost operators within Spain have increased by 160%). This, in turn, has driven the development of new regional airports.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) recently reported that passenger numbers from UK airports increased to 217m in 2004 - an 8% increase on 2003’s figures. Regional airports have also seen passenger figures triple from 1987 to 2005 and saw 9% growth in 2004 alone (increasing to 88 million passengers).

Looking at the survey data in more detail (as an indicator to local UK agents who might be able to identify local clients interested in overseas property), the highest growth in regional airports has been in Newcastle, which saw a 21% increase (0.8 million passengers), followed by Bristol at 19% (0.7 million) and Leeds Bradford airport at 17% (0.4 million).

Flights to Spain from the UK rose by 4% (1.2 million) in 2004, compared to 2003. Research from Euromonitor’s ‘Travel and Tourism in Spain’ report also found that one to three day breaks are the fastest growing type of holiday in Spain - accounting for 37% of all trips in 2004.

Alanda Homes

Win Award for Best Spanish Apartment

London’s legendary Dorchester Hotel was the chosen venue of the annual Homes Overseas magazine Awards 2006. Gathering together some 400 top professionals from the global property sector. Considered an industry benchmark, the Awards, now in their third year, have become synonymous with quality and excellence. Sponsored by The Daily Telegraph, one of Britain’s best-selling broadsheets, the awards attracted entries from outstanding real estate agencies and developers the world over.

Among the deserving winners of the accolades on offer was one of the Costa del Sol’s most respected developers, Alanda Homes. Walking away with the award for Best Spanish Apartment, their highly desirable front-line golf development, Tee 5 impressed the exacting panel of judges for its outstanding contemporary architecture. “The clean white lines and inclined roofs of Tee 5 look stunning,” they agreed, while also extolling the virtues of the infinity pool and gardens.

Located atop the popular fairways of the Los Flamingos Golf Course, Alanda Tee 5 is designed to inspire quality living on the Costa del Sol. The incomparable setting of the world-class golf course ensures that the 54 front-line Tee 5 apartments enjoy picture-perfect panoramic views extending from the glistening Mediterranean Sea to the sprawling Andalucian mountains. Neighbouring five-star hotel and spa, Villa Padierna offers luxury services and activities that make life at Los Flamingos Golf a delight for the senses.

Quality indication
For Kandy Paterson, Sales & Marketing Director of Alanda Homes, and the Alanda Homes team this award is a clear indication that quality and attention to detail are the keys to success in a competitive market. Since it’s launch on the Costa del Sol 20 years ago, Alanda Homes has taken pride in providing consistently excellent customer service and attention to detail, highlighted by its praised ‘snagging team’. Charged with the job of identifying and rectifying any defects or problems in a new property before the owner takes possession, the snagging team philosophy sets Alanda Homes apart from other developers.

Backed by the best
As part of Ireland’s largest house builder, McInerney Holdings plc, Alanda Homes boasts a successful track record that includes the holiday resort Alanda Club Marbella in Elviria, Four Seasons Flamingos, Alanda Tee 5 and Alanda Flamingos, all in the Los Flamingos Golf Resort. A new boutique project, Finca el Cortesin, will be launched in October 2006

Marbella

King of Bling

Whenever I tell people that I live in Marbella, I always get a comment something along the lines of, “oooh, Marbella, very swish” in return.
I daren’t tell them that I work 24/7, rarely have time to go to the beach, don’t spend the siestas drinking sherry and eating tapas and drive a slightly beaten-up Renault Clio. In fact my life is more graft than glamour… until last weekend that is.
The word ‘bling’, now accepted into the Oxford English Dictionary, is the most fitting to describe my three days. Two of my clients, Revo250 (a private members club offering the latest supercars, yachts and fancy events) and Marbella Residences (a professional real estate agency established in 1988), joined forces to entertain a Sunday Times journalist in the interest of formulating a good piece in the Home section. The aim was to give him a real ‘Marbella Experience’ and poor ole me, the orchestrator of this press trip, had to tag along.
On Friday we had lunch at the hideously posh Marbella Club Hotel Beach Restaurant eating fresh lobster and drinking rosé, then we showed Mr Journalist a selection of three million euro plus properties, transported between each in no less than a sunflower yellow Lamborghini Gallardo. I was in the passenger seat, Mr Journo in the driver’s seat and oh my gosh did it feel outrageously bling. Even when idling the car sounded like a caged beast and on the motorway I swear my face was contorted from the g-forces of going 0-160km/h in half a second (or something like that). We and ‘our’ car are captured on at least half a dozen camera mobile phones in southern Spain. The properties were pretty swank too; one five-bedroom beauty for 3.6 million euros had no less than four dishwashers and a vast walk-in fridge. Talk about OTT.
Sunday was the pièce de resistance. Arrival at 58ft shiny white Fairline Squadron yacht (complete with Jet Ski and crew) in equally shiny Aston Martin DB9 and set sail for supremely trendy Nikki Beach. Drink champagne on board, call tender to collect us from aforementioned 58ft yacht and drop us on shore. Dine on mussels and paella, return on board Fairline, pull into Puerto Banús marina and round off experience with more champagne.
I felt like royalty, the weekend seemed perfect, until the guests left and I was hurled straight back down from cloud nine to planet earth when the skipper handed me the hose and instructed me to clean the sea spray off the yacht, a task that takes a good half hour on a boat that size. From princess to hostess in 20 seconds. Reality bites .

Spanish Bedrock

Something you buy because you fall in love with it not because it is highly practical and functional. ‘Un capricho’ is certainly a perfect description of a home that is without doubt the most fantastical on the whole of the Costa del Sol.
It looks like a property commissioned by Fred Flintstone on behalf of the Teletubbies using the services of a stoned architect, but by golly does it work. Split into two, the main home with three bedrooms and a separate guest home with two bedrooms with the pool nestled in between; this curvy, childlike palace would be great for two families to purchase and share. Resting on a hilltop just outside the real-Spain village of Monda, just 25 minutes from Marbella, this crazy creation is surrounded by the most peaceful and stunning countryside. Gnarled trees laden with tasty olives, orchards of bright oranges set against a majestic mountain backdrop. Andalucian ‘campo’ at its best.
Aside from its head-turning good looks, the home also boasts the fact that it is absolutely not ready to move into. The builder has kindly left matters of taste up to the eventual occupant. Kitchens, bathrooms, tiling, flooring, even the exterior paintwork can all be chosen so, when finished, the home will fit like a glove. Add an estimated 100.000 euros to the asking price of 582.000 euros for these works, including landscaping, and you’ll have your own tailor-made frivolous folly. And with over 13.000m² of land, there’s plenty of room for pool parties, barbecues, lazing in hammocks and of course Fred, Wilma, Pebbles, Tinky Winky, Dipsy, La La and Po.
In total there are five bedrooms and three baths. The plot size is 13,160 m² and the built size is 295m²

Finding the Dream!

A Moving Experience

Over the past few years Sarah Drane has heard a wide variety of stories of how people have ended up making a permanent life for themselves on the Costa del Sol.
“I came for two weeks on holiday and never went back,” or “I bought an Audi TT with my severance pay and drove until I found somewhere I liked,” and so on. Mine was a relatively boring. “I was fed up with life in London, applied for some jobs in Spain, got one and moved over.” However, the story I heard last week from Darran, the Director of T5 Estates, (one of my clients), was riveting enough to be made into a movie. At times the story sounded so incredulous that I made him swear on various things precious to him that it was true, and indeed it is.
Darran, now 37 years old, hails from Swanley in Kent and was European sales and marketing manager for a large communications company in London earning many, many shiny pennies and then suddenly it all went wrong. He was unexpectedly made redundant from his seemingly safe job, then equally unexpectedly dumped by his girlfriend and before he had a chance to pick himself up, his house was burgled bare, leaving literally only a mattress. His life went from riches to ruin virtually overnight and Darran understandably felt distraught.
One particularly lonely night he jumped in his car and just drove. On autopilot he took a ferry from Kent to France, passed through a snowy Paris by the morning, reached the Pyrenees by the afternoon and ended up in Málaga early the following morning. Recognising the road signs of Mijas, Elviria, Marbella and Puerto Banús, he recalled that he had a pal who owned a bar in Estepona just a few kilometres further south, so he headed there.
Feeling a little apprehensive with just a few notes in his back pocket and the clothes that he was stood up in (he never packed when he left the UK as he didn’t actually know he was travelling somewhere!), Darran predicted a difficult time ahead but decided that everything happened for a reason and he should make a go of it. For his first few months on the Costa del Sol, Darran did any job that he could get his hands on. He even got up at the crack of dawn to wash down golf buggies at Estepona Golf Club, although he couldn’t face the embarrassment of telling anyone, not quite the dream career move for a 30-year old PGA Golf Professional.
However, luck was obviously on his side and he was offered the more salubrious job of teaching professional at Estepona Golf Club. Then, along came real estate as it does for so many expats on the Costa del Sol, firstly as sales manager for a large Costa del Sol real estate agency and now as director of his own company, T5 Estates, specialising in golf-related properties. Eight years later, Darran now claims to be the happiest man in the world, with his own company, a beautiful wife (who is, incidentally, the girlfriend that dumped him eight years before!) and a beautiful daughter.
This is most definitely the best ’how I ended up living in Spain’ story I’ve heard so far. Let’s see if anyone can beat it...