Author Archives: Louise Hazleden

How to spend rainy days on the Costa del Sol

The saying goes the rain in Spain stays mainly on the plane. On the Costa del Sol it´s not far from the truth, we have on average only 44 rainy days in a year. So the question is if you are on the Costa del Sol and the heavens open, how best to spend your time. Here are a few ideas to keep you and the family entertained.

Visit a Museum

Málaga center has a good selection of art museums. Visit Museo Casa Natal Picasso, the house in which Pablo Picasso was born, here you can browse through memorabilia, works and photographs and trace Picasso’s early years. https://museocasanatalpicasso.malaga.eu/ Following from there you can see more than 200 works of art by Picasso at the Museo Picasso Málaga located in Palacio de Buenavista. On the lower floor you can explore Phoenician, Roman and Arabic archaeological ruins. https://www.museopicassomalaga.org/

If this wets your taste buds to know more about Spanish art Museo Carmen Thyssen has a trove of 285 incredible Spanish paintings on display from the 19th and 20th centuries. A private collection plus the temporary exhibition. https://www.carmenthyssenmalaga.org/

Pompidou Center

A modern exhibition space hosting temporary exhibitions of contemporary artwork and interactive installations. In its semi-permanent collection there are art pieces from Frida Kahlo, Joan Miro and Pablo Picasso.

Butterfly Park

A visit to Mariposario de Benalmádena is a delightful way to spend family time. Walk among 1,500 spices of exotic butterflies from around the world. The butterflies are flying freely in a paradise of tropical gardens with waterfalls and flowers. You will be able to observe how the butterflies are born, how they reproduce and enjoy learning many things about these wonderful insects. https://www.mariposariodebenalmadena.com/

Los Arqueros Bowling

A fun way to spend time is at Los Arqueros Bowling and Sports Bar in Benahavis. A trendy venue with 6 bowling lanes. A sports bar and restaurant onsite serves delicious food and drinks. Los Arqueros Golf, Ronda Road A-397, Km. 44,5, Benahavis. https://losarquerosbowling.com/

Retail Therapy

Retail therapy is a good option for rainy days on the Costa del Sol. There are several Shopping Malls here on the coast offering an abundant array of retail stores all under one roof. You will find all the popular high street brands as well home furnishing, toys, cosmetics, supermarkets and technology stores such as Apple and FNAC. The shopping centers offer eating establishments to satisfy all tastes and for movie lovers each Shopping Mall has it´s own several screen cinema. Check for screening in Original Version.

Parque Comercial La Cañada, Carretera de Ojén s/n, 29600 Marbella Miramar Centro Comercial, Avda. de la Encarnación, s/n, 29640 Fuengirola Plaza Major Malaga Calle Alfonso Ponce de León, 3-2, 29004 Málaga

Go to the Movies

Another option for those rainy days is to catch up on the latest cinema releases. There are numerous cinemas on the coast plus as mentioned most of the Shopping Malls have a cinema. Be sure to check for movies shown in VO: version original. Red Dog Cinema in Puerto Banus frequently has movies shown in English. https://reddogcinemas.com/es/inicio/

The Orchiderium, Estepona

The Orchiderium, located in the center of Estepona, is botanical garden dedicated to orchids. A space of 1000 m2 divided into 3 levels, thus creating separate micro- climates and allowing for a wide variety of species. The Orchiderium boasts a botanical collection of over 3000 plants including 1500 different orchid species, ranging in size and scale and one equally as beautiful as the next. A visit here on a rainy day will certainly lift the spirits. Admission is 3€ per adult and 1€ per child. Opening times are Tuesday to Saturday: from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sundays: from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. https://orchidariumestepona.com/elorquidario/

Coffee Time with Mercedes Lopez Charro

In this blog series we will be introducing you to real people of Marbella, sharing their passions, talents and insights.

Mercedes Lopez Charro is a super talented, Spanish freelance illustrator based in Marbella. Mercedes spent her childhood in London and moved back to Spain with her family when she was 15. Mercedes draws a wide range of lifestyle, fashion and food illustrations, using traditional techniques such as watercolor and ink and then edits them digitally. Passionate about her work and a self-proclaimed heARTist. You´re going to love discovering her!!

What inspired you to become an artist?

I have always been creative, so it was always on the cards one way or another.

What is your favourite drawing or painting in your portfolio?

This is a difficult question to answer as I have too many favourites to choose from, but I love all the monochrome ones and the fashion pop art pieces.

What do you do to overcome a creative block?

To be honest this does not happen to me often, but when I get tired or burnt out I take a few days off to relax and do other things and I come back recharged.

When you are not working how do you like to enjoy your time?

Hanging out with my family, working in my garden, going on bike rides and anything to do with the beach.

Which area of Marbella do you live and can you tell us what is special about that area to you?

I live in Linda Vista Playa, it’s one of the original urbanization´s in San Pedro de Alcántara, very quiet and close to the beach and the best part, its walking distance to town.

How would you describe Marbella to an outsider?

A beautiful slice of paradise we are so lucky to live here.

How can people reach you and discover more about your work?

You can find me on https://mercedeslopezcharro.com/ & https://www.instagram.com/mercedeslopezcharro/ or at the beach 😉

If you also want to live the Marbella lifestyle by the beach check out our selection of Marbella Beach Properties.

Property purchase costs – transfer tax reduction

When considering to purchase a property in Spain, it is important to account not only for the purchase price of your dream home also the associated acquisition costs. When buying an existing property (not a new build), the largest cost is the Property Transfer Tax. Since April 2021 (Decree-Law 7/2021) the Andalucian government reduced this tax to a fixed rate of 7%, (previously this Tax ranged from 8% to 10% depending on the property purchase cost). This new fixed rate incentive was due to end 2021.

The good news is that that towards the government declared that this reduced rate would remain in place for the future. Therefore a flat rate of 7% is fixed and applies on second hand housing transactions. Additional to this the government reduced the Stamp Duty from 1.5% to 1.2% on newly build property purchases.

Other costs to keep in mind when buying a home in Southern Spain include legal fees, usually 1% of the property purchase cost, Notary Fees and Land Registry fees. In total budget approximately 10% acquisition costs and then you will not be left caught out when a dream house is in your reach.

Caminito del Rey

El Caminito del Rey is located in the Desfiladero de Los Gaitanes Natural Park, crossing the municipalities of Álora, Ardales and Antequera. Once regarded as a highly dangerous walkway, it is now one of Spain´s most popular tourist attractions. An Ariel trail 3 km in width and approximately 1 metre wide. One of the most photographed and nerve wracking parts of the trail being the hanging walkway which suspends 100 metres above the river.

The original structure dates back to 1901. Built for the workers on the hydroelectric power plants at Chorro Falls and Gaitanejo Falls, to pass materials to and fro. In 1921 King Alfonso XIII traveled to the sight and walked a small bridge for the inauguration of the Conde del Guadalhorce dam. Since this historic day the path was named Caminito del Rey, The King´s Little Path. Over the years the path deteriorated and eventually closed as deemed unsafe. The site continued to be used by ambitious rock climbers. at their own peril.

Hanging walkway above the Guadalhorce river

With the agreement on shared funding by the regional government of Andalusia and the local government of Málaga, Camino del Rey was completely renovated and reopened in 2015. Today it offers visitors a delightful walk with breathtaking views, tracing the Falls along the river Guadalhorce. Surrounded by the natural beauty of Sierra de Ronda and Antequera, the spectacular 7.7 km linear nature walk takes approximately 2.5 hours, with areas to stop and take in the scenes.

We highly recommend this activity to discover the beauty of Andalucia. Tickets are on sale on the Caminito Del Rey´s official website: https://www.caminitodelrey.info/en. Entrance fees start at 10€. The activity is not suitable for children under 8 years of age. The new tourist centre is to open imminently which will offer parking, bus transfers and restaurant facilities.

7 Top tips for selling your property on the Costa del Sol

The Real Estate market is a competitive business. If you have a property to sell you need to stand out from the crowd. First impressions count, and creating a wow factor in those early moments is paramount. Whether your buyer is pulling up by the front gate, entering through a front garden or drive way, or walking directly through the front door, those early moments need to spark joy. Buyers get a feeling as soon as they enter a property, you need your property to omit the good vibe feelings. Here we discuss 7 proven steps to help you achieve it.

Declutter

One of the first visual impacts will be the brightness and the space available. By removing unnecessary pieces of furniture and small decoration you maximize the potential of these aspects: light and space. Minimalism is popular in interior design and this style can go a long way, it will help your potential buyer envisage living in the property. Cluttered shelves and busy walls can detract the buyers from appreciating the size of the rooms and views. Give each room a clear purpose, if there is a room where you tend to store everything turn it into an office or study.

Decorating & Fix Up

Walls that are marked and wobbly door handles, leaking taps or dripping toilets. We can get complacent with small imperfections. Those little jobs that you may have been putting off need to get fixed. A fresh lick of paint can help brighten up a room. Make sure all the lights are working – replace light bulbs where necessary. All these details avoids that your buyer is counting what needs to be done around the property. If you have a terrace: keep on top of the weeding. If your property has a garden: be sure that it too is neat and tidy. Fixing small DIY problems can avoid that the buyers conclude that it is a tired or an old property. A property needing too much work can put buyers off.

Home Staging

Want a show home effect; well this is what you can achieve with some professional home staging. Whether it is moving around existing furniture and changing small details to give the property a fresher look. Or setting a workable budget and purchasing furniture and decoration to update the properties overall feel . A home stager will guide you on up to date trends attractive to buyers.

Spick and Span

When a prospective buyer walks into your property you want to be sure that there is a freshness in the air, that makes them want to stay. Have regular deep cleans and ventilate the property as best as possible, especially during the winter months. Marble floors can look tried and dull, turn them around with professionally floor polish company that can bring back the shine. Think about having the upholstery cleaned to give it a new lease of life.

Professional Realtor

Entrusting a professional Real Estate agent is paramount to the success of selling your home. With their knowledge and experience of the local property market your Real Estate agent can guide you on the correct price to market your property. Real estate agents can provide professional photography and strategically market your property to a local and international market. Furthermore when your Real Estate agent has a viewing at your property they will arrive in advance, open up the property, ensure the best presentation, be informative and ready to answer any questions.

Electrical Appliances

If the boiler is not working well or the electricity trips when you overload the system, it is worth having these issues resolved. These costs might add up, if you can demonstrate to the buyer you just invested in a new appliance it can only add value in the mind of the buyer. You don’t want to sell something that is broken in parts. Having a property that is fully functioning is as important as how the property looks. Don’t hide any flaws. When you have an interested buyer they would likely come back, or ask their agent, to revise that everything is in good working order.

Get the Price Right

If your property is priced too high with comparable properties, you will miss out on property viewings. Property buyers are well researched on the market having access to hundreds of pages of property listings on the web. The price factor can make or break your selling opportunity especially in a seasonal market where buyers are not consistent. Your experienced Property Consultant can guide you best on the current real estate market.

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