Spain continues is recovery and smashes all records yet again.

May Sees 9-Year High in Spanish Home Sales

The recovery of the Spanish property market has carried over to the summer, as the latest official data from the National Statistics Institute shows home sales reached a nine-year high in the month of May.

It was the summer of 2008 nine years ago; back when people began to notice the signs of an impending financial crisis. Even so, the moods were still high, if a little lower than during the summer of 2007.

Since then however, the property sector has been ravaged by a Spanish double-dip recession, an EU crisis, and a global credit crunch. It took a long time for recovery to begin, with things only looking up in 2013.

Despite the delay, the past 18 months have been very positive overall, and the latest data from the INE is the best seen for some time.

The official figures show that 44,782 homes were registered as sold in May this year; the highest monthly figure seen since back in September 2008, and a whopping increase on May from last year of 22.9%.

This is hardly an isolated incident either. When combined, the first five months saw a total of 191,537 properties change hands in Spain; an 11.8% increase on the first five months of 2016.

To offer a larger view, data from the INE also shows that, for the 12 months leading to the end of May 2017, home sales transactions were around 425,000; an incredibly encouraging 11.9% annual increase.

There are always regional imbalances when it comes to the number of transactions, but the data showed that sales were up in 16 out of 17 of the Spanish autonomous regions over last year. The Balearics and Castille-La Mancha in particular had strong sales; with increases of over 35%.

Other recent data from the INE shows that property pricesincreased by an average of 5.3% nationwide.

Malaga Airport Sees Record-Breaking May

Malaga Airport Sees Record-Breaking May

Malaga airport continues to break all records

confirming the areas popularity

Records were broken at Malaga airport in May 2017, as an unprecedented 1.8 million passengers passed through the doors of the airport; representing an increase 11.2% over May of last year. This is 200,000 more than the number of people passing through the airport in June from last year – which saw 1.6 million passengers – and 100,000 more than from September 2016.

Statistics from the Airports and Air Navigation Authority of Spain (AENA) show that Malaga airport saw the most growth out of any Spanish airport, seeing twice as much growth in May as the terminals in Barcelona and Madrid.

The UK remained top of the league for country of origin of passengers, with some 620,922 British passengers moving through theMalaga-Costa del Sol airport – an increase of 10.2% over the last year. Domestic travellers were second, with German travellers coming in third (168,652) and then the Netherlands (117,971).

The great figures from May bring the country to a total of 6,487,745 passengers moving through Malaga airport across 48,922 flights during the first five months of 2017; equating to a 16% increase in operations and a 15.6% increase in passengers.

The Costa del sol continues to break all records with tourism 

May Data Shows 5.3% Property Price Increase Across Spain

May Data Shows 5.3% Property Price Increase Across Spain

The Spanish property market continues to grow

The latest figures from the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE), published just last week, reveal how average property pricesin Spain during May rose 5.3% higher than during May of 2016.

The increase continues the near-two-year trend that prices have risen year-on-year for over 20-months straight.

The latest INE data shows that price increases are actually accelerating, with the average monthly increases topping between 2.5% and 3%. The reason for the sharp increase is mostly down to the price increases seen in Barcelona and Madrid; where prices have risen 8.8% and 10.6% over last year. The two largest cities of Spain are benefiting brilliantly from the strengthening Spanish economy, bringing in great investment into the privateand commercial real estate sectors.

There is more encouraging news as property prices across the 17 autonomous communities of Spain are all up, even though some of the rises – such as those in Extremadura, Murcia, and Galicia aren’t very big.

First quarter data from before May also shows property prices increased 2.3% over the previous quarter, marking the seventh quarterly increase in a row and showing a sharp rise for the small amount of time it happened in.

Property experts and analysts welcome the increases. Even though Spanish property prices are around 40% lower than the peak of 2008, the sustained increases showcase how the post-boom market has begun to reflect true value, offering the banks, mortgage lenders, and homeowners the peace of mind they need.

Three Reasons to Jet to the Costa Del Sol in June

With the fantastic climate and Mediterranean lifestyle its

no wonder the Costa del sol continues to

break all records 

Three Reasons to Jet to the Costa Del Sol in June

There’s no such thing as a bad time to go to Spain, but – honestly – February and August are the two months that are the table up; albeit for different reasons.

The weather in February is too unpredictable in the Costa del Sol compared to the slightly colder but more stable February, or the drier and warmer March.

August sounds like a great time to visit, as there is plenty of sunshine, but there’s also a lot of heat and far too many people crowding the beaches, bars, and restaurants. The high seasons also brings higher prices for hotels and flights.

The pleasures of Spain should be enjoyed during the “shoulder” months of high season; which is May and October for the Costa del Sol; as June to September is considered to be the high season.

Most people will preach the perks of September, but given that the month comes after the peak of the summer, people who are a little more pessimistic will be drawn to May. The days are starting to get longer and warmer, the amenities are sparser, but there’s still plenty of custom to be found in resorts.

2017 brings with it three distinct reasons to grab your luggage and book the next flight to Malaga airport.

Reason #1; Avoding Election Fever

Whether you’re bored of all the discussion about what Brexit does and doesn’t mean, the upcoming general election, or an Irish person just tired of being so close to the political circus of the UK, a French person tired of all the election talk and what it all means, or a German who’s already sick of hearing about the September election, you’ll enjoy your time in Spain this May.

The country hasn’t been as politically calm or stable as it now in a long time, with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy getting reinstated and sorting out the economy and labour market. There’s no lampposts covered in posters telling you to vote, no endless political debates or other political discussions on TV, and almost no disagreement goes down at the bodega. Spain will spend May basking in serenity and the confidence that the future will be brighter.

Reason #2 To Grab Some Property

Spanish property was the biggest thing there was between 2002 and 2007. The prices were low, the quality was good, and the supply – and the credit to fund it – seemed limitless. These days off of buying a property off plan and flipping it before it had even been built are now long behind us.

The Spanish property of today still has plenty of the things that made it attractive before the boom hit; affordable, good quality properties in some of the most beautiful and accessible regions of the country. This time around though the prices are rising at an incremental pace, mortages are more sensible, and buyers are more mature. It’s the perfect recipe for sustained success.

Reason #3; The Deals

It’s much more expensive to fly to Spain between June and August compared to the rest of the year. The main reason is that these months are when European schoolchildren have their holidays. It leads to inflated costs of hotels, car hire, and other costs. The prices of package holidays tend to be their highest during the summer too.

If you can find the time to do it, then you can save a lot of money by visiting Spain in May. You won’t even ned to sacrifice much; you’ll pick up your tan, swim through the sea, and relax on the beach. You’ll also get all the food, fun, and views that come with the Costa del Sol; at a much lower price than just one month later.

May could very well be the best month to visit the Costa delSol, so enjoy it while you can!

August Traffic in Southern Spain May be Ending But “Operación Retorno” is Just Beginning

August May have Ended But “Operación Retorno” is Just Beginning

At the end of August there is a definite busier flow

of traffic heading North 

With the end of August comes the annual migration of thousands of mammals (people) making their way back to their homes in the north after spending time getting suntanned in the south. Having headed down south to enjoy the sun, sea, and sand they are now headed back north to get back to their regular lives and routines after living it up for a few months. This whole process is commonly referred to as “Operación Retorno” and is when Spaniards from the north make their way back home after spending time living in the southern Spanish sunshine.

What started as a small trickle of traffic on the motorway quickly became a torrent of vehicles of biblical proportions as everyone heads back where north and returns where they came from. August has ended and it’s time for regular life to resume once more. 

August is traditionally the month when many Spaniards take time off to hit the seaside and shake off the city heat to enjoy the more forgiving and beautiful coastal climate. The result is packed beaches, supermarket queues and traffic jams a mile long, and almost no chance of reserving a table in a restaurant. It also means that everything is filled with life and activity, businesses boom, and even the staunchest of southerners can’t help but get lost in the atmosphere of fun. Summer along the Costa del Sol is always fun for everyone who stays there; whether permanently or temporarily. Things really come to a head when Operación Retorno starts up though.

The beaches in Spain are still busy but it’s more pleasant than before. It doesn’t take nearly as long to travel in the car. The weather is still good without being stifling. You have less trouble getting a parking space or a taxi. You might be able to go to a restaurant without booking in advance. The summer feeling is still there but there’s a lot less people. Prices become cheaper and kids go back to school and, overall, there’s just a lot less noise.

If you’re in the know then you know that May, June, September and October are the best times to take a trip to the Costas. With Spain currently seeing record numbers of tourists, even compared to previous records set just last year, it can be a little much to stay around during the summer months. Now though people can look forward to the peace and pleasantry that comes with less people being around.

The Pound May have Slumped A Bit But Spanish Visitor Numbers Still up 15% in July

The Pound May have Slumped a Bit, But Spanish Visitor Numbers Still up 15% in July

The British have always had a reputation of being hardy and not letting anything (or anyone) get between them and their summer holiday.

Spain is having an amazing year and beating previous

records month after month.

Even though the Brexit vote in June brought down the value of the pound for a short while and made it worth about the same as the Euro (some airports in Spain are even exchanging pounds for less than the cost of euros) Brits are still heading to Spain by the bucket load. The latest data from the Office of National Statistics (INE) shows that the number of British visitors to Spain soared by 15% in July.

The INE data shows that just over 27% of all the hotel rooms in Spain were occupied by Brits during July, even though the prices for those rooms have increased by an average of about 6% over last summer. The Spanish summer lure has been bigger than ever this year and the INE are also reporting that Spanish hotels across the country are reporting record occupancy numbers.

The Costal del Sol, which has always been a perennial favourite for the Brits, saw occupancy rates in July reach up to 79%. The Hotel Owner’s Association of the Costa del Sol (AEHCOS) say they believe this number will rise to a peak of 85% in August before falling down to the still-respectable 75% in September.

This summer spike prediction is pretty reasonable given the incredible start Spain got to the year. January and April saw an increase in visitor numbers of 13% compared to the same period of time in 2015 reaching a massive 18.1 million. Spain is definitely on track to break the records set last year and a large chunk of this is thanks to the loyalty of British holidaymakers.

More people from countries outside of the UK are also coming to Spain; there are 4.1% more German visitors, 8.8% more French visitors and 3.8% more Dutch visitors. The strange thing is that Spain has only become more expensive for British visitors but they continue to just keep coming.

After the pound dropped following the Brexit vote many felt that British tourism numbers would be down. Instead they rose at a much faster rate than any other nationality and still spend around the same amount on average while in the country.

British visitors usually have a positive effect on the economy in the area they stay. Brits also make up the largest portion of foreign property owners in Spain. A Market Report on the Costa del Sol from 2015 by real estate consultants Aguirre Newman showed that Brits made up a sizeable chunk of the 75% of foreign nationals purchasing property in and around Marbella.

This report also showed that villas for sale in the Costa del sol stay on the market for only half as long as they did a year ago, which is good news for the real estate industry.

16.5% of Flights to Spain in May Came From The UK

16.5% of Flights to Spain in May Came From The UK

Malaga Airport is living up to its new expansion

with record number of Brits coming to

the Costa del Sol

Even though the summer has just started Spanish airports are already seeing record passenger numbers.

Things may be heating up with the Brexit but no matter what comes from the result it’s clear that Brits just can’t get enough of Spain.

While things are still heating up in the relationship between the EU and the UK, with people throwing around xenophobia and mistrust, the latest data suggests that Spain is still very much beloved by the UK.

The figures in question show that 16.5% of all the passengers arriving at Spanish airports during May were either coming from or going back to airports in the UK, helping lead to the overall rise of 11.3% in overall passengers over the last month. A total of 13.43 million Brits have passed through a Spanish airport during the first five months of 2016.

Spanish airports were just under 12% busier this May than they were in May of last year. So it looks like Spain really could see their old tourism records smashed in 2016.

During the first five months of 2016 all 16 of Spain’s major airports saw a dramatic increase in visitors. El Prat in Barcelona alone saw 16 million passengers during this time; a rise of 13.4% compared to last year.

The Barajas airport in Madrid was just as busy. They saw just over 19 million passengers themselves and Malaga Airport saw an impressive 5.7 million passengers. Overall over 21 million people made their way through Spanish airport terminals in May. That’s one record down already as this number is much higher than the older record set in May of 2008.

The Spanish airport management company Aena said that this rise in popularity is due to the cheaper fuel, leading to a drop in airfares, as well as the relative safety of the country. Spain is now a safer country than other popular tourist destinations Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia.

The drive is almost definitely coming from tourism though as the increase is mostly down to British tourists due to the cost of living being so low, and Spain being so safe and for so many other reasons. Germans came in second with 11.5% of international flights coming from Germany, with Italy and France coming in third and fourth.