Real Estate and Rentals - Golf Courses - Beaches - Costa Blanca

Summer 2006

With the arrival of hot summer days and long warm evenings , as you relax in a confortable lounger with a long cool drink thoughts start to stray to your property and investments. So in this summer edition we attempt to explain some of the issues.

While your property benefits from equity growth over the years , you may also want to enjoy some rentail income.

Location

This is definitely the most important factor when considering a property for investment. To have the best rental potential the property must have easy access to the beach, golf courses. shops, and nigthlife. An international airport should also be close at hand with regular flights to and from the rest of Europe. A pool with the rental property is essential for letting to be successful a private pool with a villa and a communal pool in the case of an apartment

Little Extras

It pays to spend a little more on furnishings, equipment and those little finishing touches. Quality and comfort goes a long way and will be appreciated by your guests. A welcome pack including useful local information, a batlle of wine in the fridge some tea and coffee in the cupboard make great impressions. Satisfied guests may come bock again and again and tell their friends about your lovely house they con stay in when they go to Spain....word of mouth is the best advertising you con get, and its free!!

Lengthen your Rental Season

High season fends to be the months of July and august. However, Golfing areas fend to have a longer rental season and golfers come to play from October to April. Having a property close to a golf course will there- fore bring in more renal income than a property in a beach resort. Central heating and thick rugs (a fireplace if possible) will boost the rental opportunities in the winter months around Christmas and New year

Website

Advertise your property on as many Webstes as possible. Dozens of websites will advertise your properly for free or for a small charge. examples include online versions of newspaper classifieds overseas vacation renal websites, information (e.g. Ex-pat) websites about Spain, etc. Create your own website with lots of enticing pictures of the house surrounding areas, beaches, golf courses and include area information ,maps etc.

Personal Contacts
Word of mouth is one of the most effective channels of marketing. In issue one we menlioned if a tenants stay leaves them feeling satisfied comfortable and relaxed they will tell their friends and family about it Tell everyone that you have a property in Spain and if they ever need a holiday rentail they can contact you. Many people will know potential tenants. Stick up a flyer on the notice board at work, it could benefit you immensely.

Signs
Be sure to hang "FOR RENT" ("SE AQUILA") signs outside your property for passing people to see.

Paid Adverts
lf you have a budged for it, you can take out advertisements ln the local and regional newspapers. This can be pretty inexpensive to do and prices depend on whether you have a box ad or just column text. Also check out church newsletters and ex-pat publications.