NEWS
NEWS ROUND-UP
Everything you need to know about what’s happening in the overseas property market
COSTA BLANCA: TOP OF THE PROPS
Aplaceinthesun.com is growing. Fast. Since the last issue of this magazine, the number of properties for sale listed on our website has tripled, to around 40,000.
There are now properties listed from 150 agents worldwide. It’s no
wonder our traffi c has also grown: we have 150,000 visitors a month. But enough of the boasting, where are you all searching right now? It’s the old favourites for sure: our top fi ve most searched-for locations
are Villamartin (Costa Blanca), the Dordogne, Lagos (western Algarve), Moraira (Costa Blanca) and Poitou-Charentes, south-west France. Want to know what’s the big draw about Villamartin? Go to
aplaceinthesun.com/villamartin And the most surprising entries in our top 20? New York City and the relatively undiscovered Abruzzo region, central Italy.
PROPERTY HUNTERS: WE NEED YOU
Need a little bit of free guidance with your search for an overseas home? If you’ve got an idea of
where you want to buy, and how much you roughly want to spend, we can off er you some help in the form of doing some legwork and providing ideas for you. Email us with your criteria: househunters@ff
tv.co.uk.
ENERGY CERTIFICATES NOW LAW IN SPAIN
On June 1st the EPC (Energy Performance Certifi cate) was introduced into properties in Spain. So if you are looking at buying, renting, or selling a
home there you will need to make sure you know what it is, and that you are meeting the necessary requirements put in place by the Spanish government. Any property advertised for sale or rent via an agent will need this
certifi cate, the cost will be around €300, and if you do not comply with the conditions, the government can fi ne you heavily. If you are in the process of buying that does not come with an EPC, then the contract may become void, and you may have grounds to claim compensation against the owner of the property and the estate agents. Only use your holiday home a few weeks a year? If you use a property
for less than four months a year, you will not need an EPC, however if you live in it permanently you will need to make sure that you get one, especially if you’re planning on selling. Go to
aplaceinthesun.com/epc for our essential guide and FAQs on the Spanish EPC.
aplaceinthesun.com | 9
AMERICAN NEW HOME PRICES REACH RECORD HIGH
Sales of American new homes rose in April to the second
highest level since the summer of 2008 while the median price for a new home hit a record high, further signs that the US market is recovering, reports
usatoday.com. New-home sales rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 454,000 in April, according to the United States Department of Commerce in May. That was up 2.3 per cent from March and just slightly below January’s 458,000. Both January and April had the fastest sales rates since July 2008. The median price of a home sold in April was $271,600, the highest level on government records going back to 1993. Steady job creation and near-record-low
mortgage rates are spurring more Americans to buy homes. With the April increase, sales
are now 29 per cent higher than a year ago - but sales are still below the 700,000 level considered “healthy”. What about resales? Sales of
SEE OUR USA BUYING
GUIDE on page 125
“previously owned homes” rose in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.97 million, the highest level in 3½ years. Greater demand, along with a tight supply of available homes for sale, is also boosting prices in most markets and encouraging more construction. Finally, applications for permits to build homes rose in April to the highest level in nearly fi ve years. What are the
secrets of choosing an estate agent in
Florida? See page 134.
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