We have long had a policy that we will not offer properties to our clients unless we have seen them ourselves. As we mentioned in a recent property bulletin, the Spanish property market is showing signs of recovery so Dan Wainwright, our UK director, and myself have just spent a week looking at opportunities in southern Spain. There are certainly some great opportunities for both investors and owner–occupiers (holidays and permanent residents) to buy quality properties at the bottom of the price cycle.
One of the areas we visited was Sotogrande and it really is a great place to live. It is located in the province of Cadiz, where the mountains of Andalusia and the River Guadiaro meet the Mediterranean Sea. It is 30 minutes from Marbella, only 20 minutes from Gibraltar Airport, one hour from the airports of Malaga and Jerez and very close to the cities of Granada, Seville and Jerez. It has been carefully developed into what is now an outstanding resort. Its wide avenues, harbour, two beach clubs, world class hotels, colourful Marina, and every conceivable kind of service:
Banks ; doctors ; lawyers ; shops ; restaurants ; car hire ; tennis and padel tennis courts ; horse riding ; sailing ; art galleries ; craftwork and antique shops ; a colourful street market every Sunday.
The two beach clubs, El Octógono and El Cucurucho are located in unparalleled surroundings and both have direct access to the beach. The clubs offer members and visitors a range of unbeatable services and activities for children and adults. The Sotogrande International School has been an IB World School since January 2000. It offers both a Primary Education Programme and the Diploma Programme. It is a private school, with English as the main language.
It is also a great sporting area with five superb golf courses including Valderrama, the 97′ Ryder Cup venue, the Real Club de Golf and La Reserva de Sotogrande. It also has eleven polo grounds of the highest level. It is home to the first marina ever built in Spain, with 1,400 moorings of between 6 and 15 metres. It is often referred to as Little Venice because of the many canals and special atmosphere and it offers residents the option to have their boat moored right outside their home.
New build two bedrooms in the marina start from 350,000 euros and villas in the area start from around 550,000 euros. There is good rental demand, particularly from people working in Gibraltar, and with the Spanish market set to recover now is the time to buy. If you are looking for a lifestyle home and a sound medium term investment, Sotogrande may be the ideal location.
