subject: Alta Vista, Searching Out The Bargains [print this page] We associate the Costa del Sol with tourism, but for many years the property sector has been as important, if not more so. While there have always been Spanish real estate agents, the role of property finder for foreign buyers has traditionally fallen to Scandinavian, German, Dutch and especially British agents. The main reason for this is that they speak their language, in more ways than one, and when you're buying abroad it helps to have a familiar point of reference.
From a foundling sector in the 1970s it grew into a multi-million pound business, as more and more people discovered the delights of Southern Spain and were in a position to act upon it. During the heady property boom years around 2000 the number of agencies had soared and the largest ones employed upwards of 200 people. Among them were renowned firms from the UK, drawn to what was one of the most dynamic property markets in the world.
A buyer's market Back then it was a seller's market, as property owners and investors alike did very well out of the rise in the value of their properties. Now, after the global bubble sprung a leak and we are slowly edging our way back to recovery it is a buyer's market. For those who did not over-leverage themselves during the years of easy credit, or those who simply have liquid means, this is the ideal time to look into buying real estate once more.
The fact is, you can get a lot more property for your money now, as prices have dropped to their lowest levels in years, falling 25% or more in many cases. In spite of this the visions of easy pickings, auctions and distressed sales where you can snap up properties for a song are simplistic. Yes, there are fantastic bargains out there but no, not every house is on the market for spare change. People's circumstances vary greatly, and where one person is willing to sell at vastly reduced prices another may be happy to wait until prices start becoming buoyant again.
And they will, slowly but surely, which is why the next year or two will provide that unique window of opportunity when prices are at their best before they start rising again. Altavista Property Spain in Marbella is one of a select group of property agents that specialises not in conventional property sales but in the sourcing of bargain properties - using their in-depth knowledge of this market to find their clients not necessarily the cheapest properties, but those that represent the very best value for money available in the greater Marbella area.
For more information please visit: http://www.altavistaspain.com
