There’s more to Alvor than meets the eye – a tasteful blend of traditional fishing village, stunning natural beauty and modern day coastal resort. It’s a great time to invest in Alvor property, so we’ve handpicked a few of the many homes for sale in the area for you to view, from smart budget apartments to impressive multi-million villas.
"Everywhere you turn in Europe, history is waiting to speak to you. The continent just oozes with it."
Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs, of luxury fractional ownership holiday home company Appassionata, lived in the UK and the US before settling down in Italy. She feels passionate about promoting Europe's unique charms.
"It's not just the well-known monuments and famous landmarks," she continues. "You can feel the depth of the ages in everything from tiny rural churches to ancient fortifications."
The main airport which services the Algarve is having an overhaul. The next two years will see an injection of €33 million spent on increasing capacity at Faro Airport.
After the summer rush of 2015 is over work will begin in earnest and the project will increase passenger hourly rates from 2400 to 3000.
Circumstances have combined to make Portugal one of Europe's most tempting property purchase options, a leading estate agency has revealed. Algarve-based boutique agency Ideal Homes Portugal has highlighted the impact that low interest rates and favourable foreign exchange rates have had when it comes to the country's real estate sector. Founding Director Chris White comments,
"We've seen interest rates in Portugal drop from 13.85% in January 2012 to 2.41% in May 2015 and this has led to many mortgage providers slashing their rates. At the same time, the best FX rate for eight years means that UK buyers can now get a lot more property for their pound. It's the ideal combination for those looking to pick up a bargain dream home in the sun."
With the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors suggesting things are looking up for the Algarve property market, with the first reported trend of rising prices since the economic bailout, now should be a fantastic time to be trying to sell your property...but is it?
In the UK there is certainly a lot more interest in owning property abroad but buyers are still a little nervous, reluctant to tie up large amounts of capital in 'riskier' investments overseas with most choosing to grow their UK portfolios.
The hugely successful Overseas Property Show has just announced its 2015 tour dates. With a total of 12 shows planned up and down the nation, this year's tour will be bigger and better than ever.
In 2014, 3000 visitors attended the shows, which showcase properties from the sun-drenched paradises of Portugal, Cyprus, Spain, Italy and Florida. The 2015 events are set to attract way in excess of this number, as Chris White, Founding Director of boutique real estate agency Ideal Homes Portugal, which will be exhibiting at every show, comments,
"Everything about the Overseas Property Show this year is going to be bigger and better than ever before. We've got more tour dates, more properties and more experts on hand to provide advice. We're expecting a huge turnout this year."
Almost all UK workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks' paid holiday per year, though that can include bank holidays. With so little precious time to spare, is it any wonder that the latest survey from Staysure.com has revealed that as a nation we opt for the comfort of a known quantity when it comes to holidaying overseas?
The Staysure research has revealed that 91% of Britons prefer to visit the same holiday destination repeatedly, with one in five returning to the same place within the course of a year.
With circa 22,500 properties currently available for sale in the Algarve (Source: Rightmove Overseas, 30th May 2015) there are a lot of frustrated sellers looking for an alternative solution to the traditional selling process.
Mark Dunsmore, Founder and Managing Director of Goliath Property Solutions, believes his company has come up with the answer - an alternative solution which is fast becoming the method of choice for sellers across Europe who are looking for a solution which generates an excellent monthly income, removes all property related expenditure and secures a sale at the end!
