Things are definitively getting better.

The numbers from the Ministry of Housing on the number of transactions for Marbella and Benahavis confirm the tendency we have been observing recently: things are getting better.

If we look at Benahavis and although the closed transactions for 2013 are slightly lower than the ones closed in 2012 (11% less), a year comparable to the pre-crisis 2006 and 2007 years, it has been a good year only a 18% below the best year in the history of the village, 2006. That situation can be seen on the attached chart.



On the other hand, if we look at the chart showing the information for Marbella, the tendency is more than evident. The levels of the “good” years have not been reached yet but we are on the way. This information matches with the one I published last month on the stock of properties for sale: the stock is going down because the number of transactions is increasing.

The only negative variable are the prices that are still flat with a slight down tendency but if the stock keeps on going down, the prices will start to go up.

In summary, I am quite optimistic for the future and seems that the situation is finally recovering. We do not know yet if that recovery is going to be fast or gradual but it is starting. On the personal side, I have to say that even though 2013 was my best year since I started with RE/MAX, my feeling for the beginning of 2014 is the same I had during 2013: it is still quite complicated to close operations and selling a property requires significant amounts of work. 







Las Jacarandas, La Quinta (Benahavís - Marbella - Costa del Sol)

Spectacular property in Benahavis that combines the pleasures of living on first line golf with the proximity to the sandy beaches, San Pedro de Alcantara and Puerto Banús. It comprises an ample living room with fireplace, kitchen, a spectacular garden on the golf, five beds (the impressive Master enjoys a fireplace and dressing area), four baths, private garage and plenty of storage. The consolidated complex offers not only the combination of golf and Mediterranean living but also a unique blend of peaceful natural surroundings with instant access to everything Marbella and the Costal del Sol has to offer.

Preciosa vivienda unifamiliar que combina el placer de vivir en un entorno espectacular como el Club de Golf de la Quinta con la proximidad a las playas de Marbella, San Pedro de Alcántara y Puerto Banús.  Dispone de un amplio salón con chimenea, cocina, espectacular jardín privado en primera línea de golf, cinco dormitorios (el principal disfruta de chimenea y vestidor), cuatro baños, garaje privado bajo la vivienda y mucho espacio de almacenamiento.  La urbanización está totalmente consolidada y está especialmente diseñada para aquellos que quieran disfrutar de la tranquilidad en una casa con muy buenos tamaños y a escasos minutos de todo lo que la Costa del Sol le puede ofrecer.

Ver folleto / View dossier


















Testimonials

March 7th, 2014


Dear Alfonso,

Thank you for sending me your newsletter by email.  I meant to ask if you could do that and forgot!

It goes without saying that if I hear of anyone wanting to sell I will absolutely refer them to you.  Your approach is the most professional I've ever seen especially when it comes to dealing with real estate. Sadly it's an industry that doesn't seem to have a particularly professional approach no matter where you are in the world.

All very best regards and I may see you in April when I'm back again.

Sincerely,

RK

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 January 27th, 2014


Dear Alfonso,

 Hope that you are well and enjoying the glorious weather in Marbella. Not so great here in the UK.

I have not seen you to have the opportunity to say thank you for all your hard work and dedication in concluding the sale of our house.

Hope you have a successful year of further sales and hope to see you sometime in the future.

Kind regards,

AV

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 October 7th, 2013


Dear Alfonso,

Yes I did and I congratulate!!!

 I couldn't recommend anyone better than you.

 Thanks a lot, it was a pleasure to cooperate.

Kind regards,

LK

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 October 3rd, 2013
Hi Alfonso,

 We have just received your nice hand written note. Thank you.

 We too enjoyed our association with you both at a business and a personal level. You and your staff have been consistently efficient and courteous.

 We wish you and your family all the best of health and happiness, and we wish you every success in your business activities.

 Kind regards,

 JH

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June 14th, 2013
Just wanted to thank you very much for all your continued efforts on our behalf. We really do appreciate it. It is very frustrating for you and us when people say they are going to make an offer then don't, as was the case this week, but nevertheless this certainly is not your fault!

Have a great weekend.

Kind regards

JB

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April 30th, 2013


Me llamo Alfonso de Remax, queria agradecerte a ti que le me mantengas como agente de tu casa.

Alfonso es amigo mio y gran profesional.

Espero que se pueda vender pronto tu casa.

Un fuerte abrazo,
FB

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November 8th, 2012
Once again Alfonso, thank you so much for everything you did to help me with the sale of my property. You were fantastic.

 Very best wishes,

 JB

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March 7th, 2014

Dear Alfonso,

 Thank you for sending me your newsletter by email. I meant to ask if you could do that and forgot!

 It goes without saying that if I hear of anyone wanting to sell I will absolutely refer them to you. Your approach is the most professional I've ever seen especially when it comes to dealing with real estate. Sadly it's an industry that doesn't seem to have a particularly professional approach no matter where you are in the world.

 All very best regards and I may see you in April when I'm back again.

 Sincerely,

 RK

El Stock de viviendas. ¿Cómo está variando?

Cuando se habla de la información del mercado inmobiliario, el dato del número de propiedades en venta siempre se ha ido quedando atrás puesto que no existe una información oficial fiable sobre el stock de viviendas en venta en Marbella y Benahavís. Con el fin de tener una idea de cómo evoluciona dicho inventario y de esa forma ver como puede afectar al mercado inmobiliario, he recopilado información de diferentes páginas web y bases de datos de propiedades que, aunque no me va a permitir saber el número exacto de propiedades en el mercado debido a que no todas las propiedades están contabilizadas y a que hay unidades repetidas, si me va a dar la tendencia y la distribución, que es lo que estoy buscando.

Los gráficos hablan por si solos: el inventario esta más o menos estable con una ligera tendencia a la baja, especialmente en Marbella. Se ve, por tanto, que este índice va en línea con el resto de los indicadores: leves bajadas de precios, leves bajadas en el stock y un aumento en el número de transacciones. En general, se puede intuir que la situación va mejorando pero que todavía queda mucho camino por recorrer. 




Added Value Info

Inventory. How is it changing?

It has always been a missing piece of information as there is not official data on the existing inventory of properties for sale for Marbella & Benahavis. In order to get an idea on what the inventory/stock of “for sale” properties is doing, I have taken information from different web pages and databases of properties. Although that will not tell exactly the number of properties on the market because not all properties are accounted for and there are repeated units on those databases, it will give the tendency and the distribution that is what I am looking for.

The charts are easy to read: the inventory is more or less stable with a slight tendency to a reduction specially in Marbella. Therefore, this index goes in line with the rest of the indicators: slight reduction in prices, slight reductions in inventory a increasing number of transactions. In general, it means a slight better situation but still a way to go.

 


My Properties


Panoramic views, great terrace and ample rooms. Two bedrroms & two baths plus fireplace.

Plot: - m2     Built: 112.96 m2     Terrace: 52.13 m2

 www.colinasdemarbella35.com

Price: 199.000 €


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First line beach complex, great qualities and ample rooms. Three bedrroms & three baths.

Plot: - m2     Built: 380 m2 (including terrace)

 Click here for more info

Price: 500.000 €


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Huge apartment with great panoramic views and plaenty of light. Four bedrroms & three baths plus fireplace.

Plot: - m2     Built: 212.80 m2     Terrace: 36.20 m2

Click here for more info

Price: 350.000 €


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Plot in La Resina (Pto del Almendro) -- Benahavis




Fantastic plots in Puerto del Almendro (Benahavis - Marbella - Costa del Sol) with outstanding views in a gated community.

Plot 1+2+3: 4.521 m2     Built: - m2     Terrace: - m2

Price: 632.000 €
Plot 1: 1.525 m2     Built: - m2     Terrace: - m2

Click here for more info

Price: 199.000 €
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Apartment in Capanes del Golf -- Benahavis



A top class south west-property. Two bedrroms & two baths.


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Apartment in Colinas de Marbella




Panoramic views, great terrace and ample rooms. Two bedrroms & two baths.


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Penthouse in Monte Golf de Los Almendros



 Superb penthouse in Puerto del Almendro (Benahavis - Marbella - Costa del Sol) with great golf & sea views.


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Penthouse in Las Terrazas 



 Superb penthouse in Puerto del Almendro (Benahavis - Marbella - Costa del Sol) with great sea views. Three bedrooms & three bathrooms plus fireplace.


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Duplex apartment in La Pacheca



Rustic duplex apartment in Benahavis with great views to the mountains and Guadalmina River. Two bedrooms & two bathrooms plus fireplace.


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Apartment in Las Terrazas

Great apartment in Puerto del Almendro (Benahavis -- Marbella -- Costa del Sol) with fantasctic views and mature gardens.

Two bedrooms & two baths plus fireplace.

Plot: - m2     Built: 95,40 m2     Terrace: 8,40 m2


Plot in La Resina (Puerto del Almendro)

Fantastic plot in Puerto del Almendro (Benahavis -- Marbella -- Costa del Sol) with outstanding views and planning permission for a two level villa of aproximately 400m2.

Plot: 2.218 m2     Built: - m2     Terrace: - m2





Plot in Puerto del Almendro

Fantastic flat plot in Puerto del Almendro (Benahavis -- Marbella -- Costa del Sol) with outstanding views and the possibility to build up to a 1.000 m2 property.

Plot: 5.185 m2     Built: - m2     Terrace: - m2



Apartment in Los Arqueros -- Los Pinos


Stunning apartment in Los Pinos at Los Arqueros (Benahavis--Marbella--Costa del Sol) with open views.

Two bedrooms & two baths.

Plot: - m2     Built: 97,04 m2     Terrace: 24,17 m2




Second Best Associate Agent of RE/MAX Spain in 2013!

Alfonso Lacruz y Dan Shirqui, los dos mejores Agentes Asociados de RE/MAX España en 2013 (entre 780 Agentes asociados en España), trabajan en la zona de Marbella asociados a la oficina de la Costa del Sol, RE/MAX Eralia.

Tengo que dar las gracias a todo mi equipo por el extraordinario trabajo que desarrollaron durante 2013 para convertirnos en uno de los mejores equipos de RE/MAX España en 2013.


Alfonso Lacruz and Dan Shirqui, the best two Associated Agents of RE/MAX Spain in 2013 (among 780 Spanish Associate Agents), work in the area of Marbella associated to the Costa del Sol office, RE/MAX Eralia.

I have to thank my team for all the hard work that drove us to be one of the top teams of RE/MAX Spain in 2013.






Cumbre de los Almendros (Benahavís - Costa del Sol)

Luxury apartment for sale in Puerto del Almendro, Benahavís. Spacious and luminous is notable for its wonderful finishes in every detail, the modern baths and its fully fitted kitchen with top class appliances. Location is just perfect in a quiet complex at only 5 minutes to San Pedro de Alcantara and 9 to Puerto Banus. A modern living room with a large window that gives access to a generous terrace offering breathtaking views of the Mediterranean sea to enjoy the sun until nightfall. 


Lujoso apartamento en venta en Puerto del Almendro, Benahavís. De estilo contemporáneo, destaca principalmente por sus excelentes acabados, sus impecables cuartos de baño, su cocina de alta gama y su luminosidad. La ubicación es perfecta en una tranquila urbanización consolidada a tan solo 5 minutos de San Pedro de Alcántara y 9 de Puerto Banús. Tiene un amplio y moderno salón con un ventanal que da salida a una gran terraza con increíbles vistas panorámicas al mar Mediterráneo donde disfrutar de maravillosas puestas de sol.


See dossier / Ver folleto

























One of my villas on Idealista.com

Ayer conseguimos que una de mis propiedades apareciera como casa del día en Idealista.com. Ha quedado expuesta a miles de potenciales compradores. Muchas gracias a los que lo habéis hecho posible.

Yesterday, we manage to get one of my villas as property of the day at the real estate web Idelista.com (one of the best in Spain). It has been exposed to thousands of potential buyers. Thanks to all of you that make it possible.

Colinas de Marbella, 22-24 (Benahavís - Costa del Sol)

Wonderful duplex for sale in Benahavís. Presented in an excellent condition, it is notable for the lovely and spacious living room with fireplace, separate dining area, super-efficient kitchen, a full vanity bathroom and a large terrace with stunning views to the Mediterranean Sea. Down stairs there are two king size bedrooms with charming en-suite baths from where to enjoy the best views of the area. A commercial center is just few minutes away with many, bars and restaurants, pharmacy and a bank, most of which are open all year round and just at 10 minutes to Puerto Banús.

Fantástico apartamento en venta en Benahavís. Muy luminoso y espacioso, cuenta en alta con un espacioso y luminoso salón y comedor aparte, cuarto de baño de buenísimas calidades, una cocina impecable y una gran terraza con espectaculares vistas panorámicas al mar. En planta baja tiene dos amplios dormitorios con cuarto de baño en-suite. Está situado a pocos minutos del centro comercial Monte Halcones y a 10 minutos de Puerto Banús.

See dossier / Ver folleto



















What is going on with the prices?

Although I have been writing articles recently about the fact that the prices in Marbella seemed to have reached the bottom, the statistics of the third quarter of 2013 do not show that same tendency. We can see again that the index is going down in Marbella and that is falling even deeply in Estepona. In fact, the price index is the lowest since the start of the crisis at the end of 2007.

I have been thinking on an explanation for that, drops in prices and increases in the number of transactions, and the fact may be more simple than what I considered: prices are going down because sellers are negotiating down to be able to close operations. We will have soon the data from the last quarter of 2013 and we will see how the tendency follows.



Que pasa con los precios en Marbella?

Aunque he escrito algunos artículos recientemente sobre el hecho de que en Marbella los precios parecían estar planos, los datos del tercer trimestre de 2013 no corroboran esa apreciación. Se vuelven a ver caídas en el índice de precios de Marbella y caídas incluso más profundas en el índice de precios de Estepona. De hecho, el índice es el más bajo desde el inicio de la crisis allá por el fin de 2007.

He estado buscando una explicación de la situación, bajadas de precio y aumento de las transacciones, y el hecho puede ser más simple de lo que pienso: se están bajando los precios para poder cerrar operaciones. En breve tendremos los datos del último trimestre de 2013 y veremos si las tendencias se confirman.



The Economist -- Los precios suben en las principales economías salvo en Francia, Italia y España

De acuerdo al índice de precios publicado por The Economist, los precios ya suben en Estados Unidos, Gran Bretaña y nunca han dejado de subir durante esta crisis, ya que sus mercados son más estables, en Suiza y Alemania. Por contra, los precios siguen a la baja en España, Italia y Francia, aunque en menor medida.



Si observamos asimismo los indicadores de precios, los precios respecto a los salarios disponibles están infravalorados en Estados Unidos, Alemania, Irlanda, Japón y Suiza mientras que en España están todavía un 10% por encima. Sin embrago, esta indicador también muestra que esta sobrevaloración es incluso mayor en otros países de Europa como Bélgica, Gran Bretaña, Francia, Holanda Suecia y Austria.


Your new home awaits.