La Costa del Sol quiere limpiar su imagen

Un grupo de agentes inmobiliarios se propone mejorar la reputación de la zona. Pretende crear un comité de vigilancia para contrarrestar la mala prensa en el extranjero.

Si una mala reputación empaña con facilidad una carrera profesional espléndida, en el mercado inmobiliario proyectar una imagen negativa puede hacer verdaderos estragos. De ahí que recuperar la reputación perdida, especialmente de cara al comprador foráneo se haya convertido en un objetivo esencial de los intermediarios que operan en la Costa del Sol malagueñas.

Una vez pasado el primer fragor de la operación Malaya y sus consecuencias, el litoral malagueño intenta remontar la crisis luchando por varios frentes. Además de probar nuevas estrategias de márketing y de una depuración en las filas de agentes inmobiliarios, ahora llega el turno de buscar un buen lavado de cara.

La Leading Property Agents (LPA) of Spain, una asociación que engloba a varias grandes agencias que operan en Andalucía, ha puesto en marcha un proyecto para crear una comisión que vigile, estudie y responda a las informaciones negativas que aparezcan en los medios de comunicación sobre la Costa del Sol.

El proyecto pretende crear una comisión que vigile, estudie y responda a las informaciones negativas que aparezcan en los medios de comunicación sobre la Costa del Sol

“El objetivo es crear un organismo compuesto por personas independientes que investigarán el contenido de aquellos artículos perjudiciales a fin de averiguar los hechos reales y, a continuación, proporcionarán una respuesta”, señaló el presidente de la LPA, Ian Bateman.

En los últimos años, noticias acerca de posibles demoliciones de viviendas ilegales, estafas y demás fenómenos relacionados con la corrupción urbanística han saltado a los medios extranjeros. Esto ha creado una alarma, en muchos casos poco fundamentada, entre el mayor mercado de la Costa del Sol.

“Es de vital importancia que los inversores a nivel mundial sepan que España es segura, tiene calidad profesional y es un lugar regulado y seguro para invertir dinero. Sólo con este tipo de acción positiva podrá mejorar la mala fama que hemos adquirido”, señaló Bateman, quien se mostró también a favor de que exista un certificado nacional que garantice la calidad de los agentes inmobiliarios.

En caso de que salga a la luz alguna información “con nefasta repercusión sobre la reputación de las industrias turísticas” y que contenga datos verdaderos, esta comisión se encargaría de poner en marcha medidas para corregir ese problema o de pedir que aquellos que tengan competencias sobre el asunto las ejecuten.

No obstante, se trata de una idea que está dando ahora sus primeros pasos y en la que participarán representantes de LPA, Asociación de Empresarios de Gestión Inmobiliaria de Andalucía y Promotur.

Las visitas a las agencias inmobiliarias más han crecido por parte de extranjeros son las relacionadas con la búsqueda de viviendas en alquiler para largas temporadas

Competir con los mercados emergentes

Todos estos colectivos ya han percibido que, aunque la Costa del Sol sigue siendo un destino predilecto en medio mundo, se encuentra en un momento difícil. Además de la mala imagen, también está la amenaza de los mercados emergentes y, por supuesto, la crisis económica. Todo esto hace que últimamente hayan proliferado los carteles de ‘For sale’.

“Desde principios de este año se nota un incremento de personas de todas las nacionalidades que vienen para poner en venta sus pisos, algo completamente atípico, porque suelen acudir a inmobiliarias de su país y ahora vienen también a las españolas”, comentó Ricardo Solanas, el director de Sawsana Inmobiliaria, empresa con sede en Marbella.

Según relató, “la situación económica de estas personas es la misma que la que se vive aquí, porque el mercado está cayendo en todos lados”. Los ciudadanos ingleses, colectivo extranjero mayoritario en la Costa del Sol, son los que más están poniendo a la venta viviendas que suelen rondar los 250.000 euros.

Miguel Tobar, socio de la LPA y responsable de la agencia Villa Marketing, puntualizó que no se trata de un fenómeno alarmante porque el aumento también se debe a que “hay más oferta que demanda”, dado que el ritmo de ventas es menor. También influye la fortaleza de la libra sobre el euro, que favorece a los propietarios, que ahora pueden sacar más beneficio y se plantean más fácilmente bajar los precios.

Cambio de tendencia

Y mientras crecen las casas en venta, proliferan los turistas en busca de viviendas en alquiler para el verano. “Es lo que más conviene a la gente que sólo viene a pasar el verano y que no quiere arriesgarse a comprar una vivienda que luego a lo mejor no puede pagar”, destacó el responsable de Sawsana.

Eso sí, las visitas a las agencias inmobiliarias por parte de extranjeros que más han crecido últimamente son las relacionadas con la búsqueda de viviendas en alquiler para largas temporadas y para un perfil de solicitante muy distinto al típico turista. “Ahora vienen sobre todo ciudadanos de Europa del Este y extranjeros no comunitarios, del norte de África fundamentalmente, que buscan casa porque están trabajando aquí”, comentaron desde la Inmobiliaria Sur de Torremolinos.

Una de las leyes económicas más antiguas y conocidas es la ley de la oferta y la demanda: la oferta y la demanda buscan constantemente el equilibrio; pero cuando la demanda supera a la oferta, los precios suben, y cuando la oferta es mayor que la demanda, los precios caen.

Evidentemente, esta ley también se aplica al sector de la inmobiliaria y explica en parte la naturaleza cíclica de nuestra industria. Sin embargo, a medio plazo, la balanza casi siempre está a favor de los compradores con criterio inteligente, que saben que la ubicación de una propiedad es un factor fundamental: el terreno urbano suele ser un bien limitado, sobre todo en las “mejores zonas” dentro de los lindes municipales. Las ciudades crecen, y aquellas ciudades preferidas por compradores de alto nivel adquisitivo que se identifican con un nivel de calidad como el ofrecido por Marbella, crecen aún más rápido.

Es precisamente por este motivo que una inversión inmobiliaria realizada cuidadosamente con arreglo a la ubicación, precio, calidad y momento de compra, es y seguirá siendo una de las fuentes más fiables y consistentes de creación de riqueza. Al mismo tiempo, en lo que se refiere a las propiedades residenciales, una inversión de este tipo puede ofrecer un estilo de vida muy atractivo para el comprador, con lo cual se obtiene lo mejor de los dos mundos.

No obstante, los compradores siempre deberían proceder con cautela. Los artículos de prensa pueden conducir a error, y por supuesto no deberían formar la única base para tomar decisiones acerca de este tipo de inversiones.

Por poner un ejemplo, aquellas personas que redactan artículos con “información de mercado” equiparando lo que está ocurriendo en el mercado inmobiliario a escala nacional con el mercado de turismo residencial en las costas españolas (especialmente la Costa del Sol y Marbella), han ignorado un hecho crítico y fundamental: que lo que es claramente una burbuja y un exceso de construcción en el ámbito nacional (el diario El Mundo aseguró el año pasado que hasta un 60% de las viviendas construidas a escala nacional se vendieron a especuladores) no es del todo representativo del mercado en las costas, que sigue criterios y tiene fuentes de demanda significativamente diferentes.

Fuentes variadas de demanda

El factor crítico que diferencia el mercado de la zona de Marbella del mercado nacional es que el primero se compone no sólo de compradores nacionales, sino muy especialmente de compradores internacionales. Se trata de un mercado de fuentes múltiples que se nutre de todos los países europeos e incluso de otros países más lejanos. Así pues, cuando la demanda de propiedades en el extranjero decae en un país (lo cual podría suceder dentro de poco tiempo con el mercado británico), ésta es reemplazada por otra fuente de demanda (que actualmente son los países de Europa del Este y, posiblemente, Alemania, que por fin está emprendiendo lo que se ha dado en llamar su segundo milagro económico tras años de problemas financieros).

Semejante demanda con fuentes múltiples crea una estabilidad de mercado más profunda y duradera que la que hallaríamos en cualquier mercado de fuente única en cualquier lugar del mundo.

Especuladores inmobiliarios

Al contrario que los especuladores inmobiliarios a escala nacional, la mayoría de especuladores españoles y extranjeros en busca de inversiones en la costa ya dejaron de invertir a efectos prácticos cuando las compras sobre plano, inevitable y previsiblemente, se frenaron en seco en el año 2004, cuando los precios del terreno y de la construcción alcanzaron niveles inaceptables que impedían a los compradores vender sus inversiones especulativas a compradores finales o a otros especuladores.

El consiguiente exceso de oferta en la costa de pisos y chalés turísticos de dos y tres dormitorios, por menos de un precio entre €600,000 y €700,000, sobre todo en zonas que no está consolidadas o plenamente desarrolladas, ha traído consigo una caída de precios en términos reales al orden de 20% a 30% para este tipo de propiedades en los últimos tres o cuatro años. Los precios para este mismo tipo de propiedad, en zonas más consolidadas, han caído menos, al orden de 15% a 20%. Realmente estamos ante un mercado para compradores en esta categoría de viviendas en algunas zonas de Marbella y sus alrededores. Habría que tomar buena nota de que están surgiendo verdaderas gangas a precios que podrían no volver a repetirse en los años venideros.

Debido al enfriamiento de estas inversiones sobre plano en el 2004, muchos de los especuladores originales han trasladado sus inversiones a otros países como Bulgaria, Croacia, Marruecos, Egipto, Brasil, Cabo Verde, México, República Dominicana y otros sitios que comienzan a convertirse en destinos para segundas viviendas. Estos especuladores podrían encontrarse con la desagradable sorpresa de que, en muchos casos, el ritmo de construcción será mucho más rápido que el desarrollo de la infraestructura y los servicios necesarios, y que los precios podrían ser a menudo inflados por agentes poco escrupulosos ansiosos por hacerse ricos cuanto antes. Quienes elijan este tipo de inversión deberían tener cuidado y escoger agentes conocidos por su integridad y larga experiencia de mercado.

Consolidación del mercado

¿Qué significa todo lo anterior? Significa que el comprador final es el agente dominante en el mercado hoy en día. El especulador puro que buscaba viviendas sobre plano a bajo coste prácticamente ha desaparecido, dando paso a un mercado que en términos generales se está consolidando y madurando.

El especulador de actuación rápida distorsiona en gran medida cualquier mercado inmobiliario, y el hecho de que el comprador sobre plano tenga mucha menos influencia hoy en día que en el pasado es un indicador muy saludable de un regreso a condiciones más normales que las conocidas entre 1996 y 2004.

Sin embargo, el especulador no ha desaparecido del todo. Lo que ocurre es que ahora es más cuidadoso y más exigente. El producto que busca tiene que cumplir con ciertos criterios clave, como pueden ser una urbanización bien situada, buenas instalaciones y buen nivel de seguridad, cercanía a servicios, calidad de diseño, etc. El momento también es importante: el especulador quiere invertir al principio de la construcción, cuando puede obtener la mejor elección de viviendas al mejor precio, aunque hoy en día puede que tenga las miras puestas al medio plazo en lugar de al corto plazo como ocurría anteriormente.

Asimismo, en los últimos tres o cuatro años se ha producido una nivelación general de los precios, lo cual forma parte integral del proceso de consolidación, y hay un menor volumen de ventas que en años pasados. Gran parte de este menor volumen es resultado de una menor especulación, como indicábamos anteriormente. Otro motivo, especialmente en Marbella, es que ahora hay mucho menos terreno edificable para nueva construcción debido a una demora en la aprobación del nuevo Plan General de Ordenación Urbana (PGOU), que ha ofrecido un fuerte apoyo al mercado de reventa. Mientras el mercado vuelve a la normalidad tras los años del “boom,” las viviendas tardan más en venderse que hace dos o tres años.

Las agencias inmobiliarias que ganaron fortunas en el pasado con ferias en el extranjero y “vuelos de inspección” dedicados a vender viviendas sobre plano, sobre todo en franjas de precio más bajas, hoy día lo tienen mucho más difícil, y algunas de las agencias más pequeñas (e incluso algunas más grandes) han cerrado sus puertas, sobre todo aquellas sin gran experiencia en el sector de reventa. Esto es un aspecto perfectamente normal de un ajuste de mercado que se ha producido muchas veces a lo largo de los últimos cuarenta años.

Las propiedades más caras siguen en gran demanda

Merece la pena destacar que las propiedades en la franja de €800.000-€1.000.000 y hasta varios millones, situadas en las zonas más consolidadas y más cercanas a los servicios, etc. han mantenido su valor excepcionalmente bien. Este tipo de propiedad sigue en demanda por el clásico cliente final, y sus precios siguen aumentando, aunque sea a niveles normales, si bien a veces se alcanzan precios récord.

El motivo de esta demanda continuada de propiedades de precio elevado es que hay compradores muy ricos que buscan viviendas de calidad en zonas de calidad. Según el informe 2007 Merrill Lynch-Capgemini World Wealth Report, existen 9,5 millones de personas muy acaudaladas en el mundo, comparado con 7,2 millones a principios del 2003, y muchas de ellas están sólo a un corto vuelo de distancia de la Costa del Sol, donde algunos ya poseen o buscan segundas y hasta terceras viviendas. No sólo hay más ricos en el mundo, sino que las grandes fortunas son cada vez mayores, mientras que sólo hay un número limitado de propiedades inmejorables y a buen precio en las mejores zonas.

Para estos clientes, así como para las decenas de miles de personas sin problemas económicos pero que tampoco se consideran parte de la jet-set, (y la mayoría tampoco quiere serlo), Marbella es un destino preferente, con vuelos directos y sencillos desde la mayoría de ciudades europeas, una infraestructura muy mejorada en comparación con épocas pasadas y que supera con diferencia la de zonas turísticas más nuevas en otras partes del mundo, una estación que dura 12 meses e incluye actividades de todo tipo en invierno, y el mejor clima de Europa, aunque ya no sea una ciudad tan barata como en otros tiempos.

Además, todos los días se venden propiedades por valor de entre €2.000.000 y €5.000.000 o más, lo cual representa un mercado que prácticamente no existía antes de 1996, fecha a partir de la cual se han construido la mayoría de estas viviendas de lujo. Las propiedades que dan a la playa en la Milla de Oro y en las zonas mejores y más consolidadas son difíciles de encontrar, y cuando salen al mercado a precios inteligentes, se venden muy rápido. De nuevo, todo esto no hace sino demostrar que sigue vigente la vieja regla de que “ubicación, ubicación, ubicación” son las tres palabras más importantes a la hora de comprar una vivienda.

La mala prensa reciente, un hecho del pasado

Durante los últimos tres años y hasta mediados del 2007, la prensa nacional e internacional ha participado en una orgía de exageraciones y vaticinios catastrofistas ridiculizando Marbella, sus alrededores y sus gentes debido a los desafortunados acontecimientos y desórdenes del pasado reciente, causados por cuestiones de urbanismo y corrupción. La corrupción que ha salido a la luz en Marbella con la “Operación Malaya” es única por su magnitud, y es el resultado directo de la enorme demanda de propiedades en esta zona tan especial de España y el consiguiente volumen de nuevas construcciones del que surgió y se nutrió dicha corrupción.

La corrupción ligada a la política y al desarrollo urbanístico no es un fenómeno único en Marbella, sino que está muy extendido por muchos ayuntamientos de toda España, como indican un sinfín de artículos en la prensa nacional. En Valencia, por ejemplo, el 31,3% de los ciudadanos estimaban recientemente que la corrupción es su problema más grave. Parte del problema radica en el sistema de financiación de los ayuntamientos, que obtienen entre el 40 y el 60% de sus ingresos de diversas actividades de desarrollo urbanístico, un sistema que por supuesto fue creado por los propios partidos políticos y que se debe modificar a escala nacional como paso esencial para reducir y eliminar la corrupción en este país.

Por desgracia, la corrupción no ha sido el único asunto que ha afectado a la imagen de Marbella. En 1997, el entonces alcalde Jesús Gil tomó una decisión increíblemente desacertada al incrementar sus ambiciones políticas del nivel municipal al nivel regional. El resultado inmediato fue una decisión adoptada por todos los partidos políticos y todos sus medios afines de destruirle a él y a su partido, con lo que Marbella en sí fue la víctima de esta política. Aunque Gil y la comunidad autónoma ya habían llegado a un concenso respecto al Plan General de Ordenación Urbana de 1998, antes de la expansión política de Gil, uno de los primeros grandes pasos que dio la Junta de Andalucía como parte de su estrategia anti-Gil fue rechazar este plan. De no haber sucedido esto, el plan de 1998 ya estaría en vigor hoy en día, y la mayoría de los problemas de urbanismo de los últimos años ya estarían resueltos.

Así pues, uno de los principales factores que han afectado negativamente a la ciudad en la última década es esta discriminación altamente injusta contra Marbella, propiciada por intereses políticos y secundada por los medios de comunicación. Muchos propietarios residentes y no residentes en la ciudad no se han percatado del verdadero alcance de este fenómeno. Afortunadamente, todo apunta a que esta actitud ha cambiado con la elección de Ángeles Muñoz como nueva alcaldesa de Marbella. Un nuevo espíritu de colaboración ha comenzado entre el Ayuntamiento y la Junta.

Sólo 752 viviendas no se pueden regularizar de acuerdo al PGOU propuesto para Marbella

Gran parte de la prensa claramente ha disfrutado publicando artículos asegurando que hay más de 30.000 viviendas construidas de manera ilegal en Marbella, y que muchas de ellas seguramente serían derribadas, lo cual creó una alarma pública totalmente innecesaria. El número real es alrededor de 19.000. Casi todos los propietarios de estas viviendas las compraron con una licencia válida de obra emitida por la máxima autoridad, el consistorio municipal, casi todas están inscritas en el Registro de la Propiedad, que tiene la última palabra sobre estos temas, y muchas también tienen licencias válidas de primera ocupación.

Los medios ignoraron oportunamente que los usuarios finales que compraron propiedades de este tipo de buena fe siempre se verán protegidos por la ley española, salvo en los casos más extremos donde no se pueda hallar una solución para legalizar la propiedad.

No fue ninguna sorpresa para aquellos que comprenden los procedimientos urbanísticos y las mal concebidas políticas de creación de alarma e inseguridad, que al poco se anunciara (El País, 15/07/07) que el nuevo PGOU de Marbella aprobado inicialmente sólo prevé que 752 viviendas no podrán ser legalizadas. Y de estas, podemos estar tranquilos sabiendo que en el caso de las que ya han sido ocupadas por sus usuarios finales (377 en total) no cabe duda de que se alcanzará una solución justa para proteger a los compradores de buena fe, como anunció recientemente la nueva alcaldesa.

¿Qué pasó con las 30.000 viviendas irregulares que iban a ser derribadas? Pues que se han buscado soluciones para legalizar su situación en el contexto del nuevo plan municipal, tan urgentemente necesitado por Marbella, como todos los que están al corriente de estos temas ya habían anticipado.

Un nuevo liderazgo político que posibilita el “renacimiento de Marbella”

La nueva alcaldesa ha llevado a cabo una enérgica campaña durante muchos años para sacar a Marbella de su reciente estancamiento político y financiero y conducirla a una nueva era. Se ha reunido con prácticamente todo el mundo en la ciudad. Se ha preparado a sí misma y a su equipo de gobierno con un cuidado y meticulosidad nunca vistos en otros candidatos anteriores a ella. Muñoz se ha rodeado de los mejores miembros del partido y consejeros en el ayuntamiento. Ella misma ha demostrado estar cualificada para la labor que va a llevar a cabo, y pudo convencer fácilmente a los ciudadanos, que le otorgaron 16 de los 27 escaños en el consistorio en una gran victoria tras las elecciones municipales de mayo de este año.

Muñoz se ha comprometido a llevar a cabo una política totalmente transparente y a establecer relaciones cordiales con sus rivales políticos, algo que de momento ha producido reacciones muy favorables por parte de todos los partidos y una vuelta a la normalidad política. La alcaldesa ya ha empezado a limpiar la ciudad y reorganizar la situación financiera con la que se ha encontrado. Hará esfuerzos transparentes para salvaguardar nuestro patrimonio municipal y para recuperar lo que se nos quitó de manera ilegal. La alcaldesa está dando numerosos pasos para contrarrestar la mala prensa que ha recibido Marbella en los últimos años. Asimismo está escuchando las opiniones de tanto residentes como no residentes con el propósito de que le ayuden a mejorar su labor, y está creando los organismos necesarios para que esto se lleve a cabo, con el nombramiento de uno de los fundadores originales de Marbella, el Conde Rudi von Schönburg, como jefe del Consorcio Turístico de.

Marbella está regresando rápidamente a la normalidad, gracias a un liderazgo excepcionalmente cualificado y transparente que era el requisito imprescindible para dicha normalización. ¿Qué podemos predecir para el futuro cercano?

1. El nuevo PGOU, que encabeza la lista de prioridades, debería aprobarse definitivamente a finales del 2008 o a principios del 2009. Este plan protegerá a Marbella de excesos de construcción futuros, y creará nuevas zonas verdes y áreas de servicios. Tan solo la mera anticipación de la entrada en vigor del nuevo plan ya está normalizando la situación, lo que propicia un suspiro de alivio por parte de todos al ver que ya estamos en camino de resolver la inseguridad urbanística de los últimos años.
2. Ya existen nuevas leyes de protección del medio ambiente con el POT (Plan de Ordenación Territorial) que coordina los servicios y el crecimiento en toda la costa entre Mijas y Manilva, además de las medidas del nuevo PGOU.
3. El orden y la disciplina financieros, que ya están siendo estrictamente impuestos por la nueva alcaldesa, estarán a la orden del día, y mucho antes de que se termine su mandato de cuatro años, nuestra querida ciudad tendrá de nuevo unas bases sólidas asentadas en una buena salud financiera. Se recobrará una parte de los bienes municipales que se vendieron en el pasado para enriquecer a unos cuantos en contra del interés general de la comunidad. Veremos una ciudad más limpia y cuidada, y unos servicios y una infraestructura mejorados como nunca.
4. La nueva terminal del aeropuerto y pista de aterrizaje, que ya están en fase avanzada de construcción, prácticamente doblarán la capacidad del aeropuerto hasta alcanzar 20 millones de pasajeros al año.
5. En pocos años, el nuevo tren de la costa entre Nerja, al este de Málaga, y Estepona en el oeste, con un presupuesto estimado de 3.000 millones de euros, ya será una realidad.
6. La finalización de las obras de soterramiento (que por fin han comenzado) de la travesía de San Pedro, aliviará los atascos en la carretera de la costa al oeste de Puerto Banús.
7. El nuevo AVE entre Madrid y Málaga reducirá la duración del viaje entre ambas ciudades a dos horas y media, abriendo una vía muy cómoda de acceso a la provincia.
8. La sobreoferta de apartamentos de bajo coste en Marbella y alrededores será absorbida poco a poco entre el año 2008 y mediados del 2009, y mientras tanto habrá importantes oportunidades en esta franja de precios.
9. Las propiedades más caras, de €800.000, €1.000.000 y en adelante en las zonas más consolidadas, seguirán teniendo una demanda por parte de aquellos compradores que buscan las “mejores zonas” y ofrecerán oportunidades para los vendedores que pongan precios realistas a sus propiedades.
10. La calidad será la palabra clave para los promotores del futuro en esta zona: calidad de la ubicación, del concepto, de la obra y de los materiales, de la arquitectura y de los elementos especiales, con un valor añadido para las urbanizaciones de baja densidad, con buena seguridad, y con viviendas de alta tecnología. El “promotor cuidadoso” que ponga su experiencia y buena voluntad al servicio de su proyecto será el ganador. El modelo de promotor del pasado, cuyo lema era “construye rápido y barato, vende y pasa rápidamente al siguiente proyecto” está muerto y enterrado.

Por supuesto, existen destinos alternativos de turismo residencial en el mundo, y algunos de ellos ya han sido mencionados al principio de este artículo. Sin embargo, las preguntas importantes que cualquiera debería hacerse antes de comprar una propiedad, sobre todo si la piensa utilizar a tiempo parcial o completo, son las siguientes:

• ¿Hay una estación de 12 meses con un clima estupendo tanto en verano como en invierno, con actividades deportivas y culturales de todo tipo, vida nocturna y restaurantes maravillosos? ¿O se trata del típico destino altamente estacional que “recoge las aceras” entre octubre y mayo?
• ¿Existen servicios públicos y privados de calidad?
• ¿Y qué hay de las infraestructuras: carreteras, aeropuertos, alcantarillado, recogida de basura, suministro de agua, etc.?
• ¿Cómo es el sistema educativo? Hay colegios ingleses, franceses y alemanes cerca? ¿Existen universidades de prestigio en el país?
• ¿Existen hospitales y servicios de salud si usted se pone enfermo?
• ¿Cómo está el tema de la limpieza?
• ¿Está rodeado de pobreza?
• ¿Y la seguridad física? ¿Se puede caminar de día y de noche y sentirse seguro?
• ¿Se trata de un “estado policial” donde a veces los agentes de policía van buscando “propinas” o de lo contrario le crearán problemas? ¿O por el contrario, la policía se rige por normas de gobierno civil que protegen al ciudadano y al turista por igual?
• ¿Existe seguridad jurídica, o los “derechos” se otorgan hoy y se retiran mañana por el nuevo gobierno de turno?
• ¿Hay respeto por los derechos humanos y civiles? ¿Existe discriminación de las mujeres, niños y trabajadores?
• ¿Es fácil y seguro conducir a destinos cercanos como ocurre aquí con Gibraltar, Sevilla, Puerto de Santa María, Ronda, Granada, Córdoba y los pueblos blancos de Andalucía?
• ¿Cuántos vuelos directos hay entre las capitales y otras grandes ciudades europeas, y cuánto se tarda en llegar?
• ¿Hay vida social, eventos públicos y privados, conciertos, fiestas, glamour y emoción si es que los desea?
• ¿Hay más de 30 campos de golf con fácil acceso en la zona?
• ¿Ofrece la protección de la Unión Europea?

Piénselo. Marbella ofrece todas las respuestas correctas a estas preguntas, y mucho más. ¡Piense en el estilo de vida tan especial y tan relajado que tenemos aquí! ¿Cuántos lugares del mundo pueden competir con la Marbella de hoy en día si nos referimos a los anteriores criterios?

Con el cierre de la era Gil y la llegada de Ángeles Muñoz, estamos siendo testigos del “Renacimiento de Marbella”, y se avecinan tiempos emocionantes para la ciudad y su gente. Está en marcha una mejora fuerte y clara de su imagen, sus finanzas, su infraestructura y sus servicios públicos. Marbella está esforzándose por alcanzar su verdadero potencial y consolidar su puesto como destino turístico de gran calidad del siglo XXI.

Por Christopher Clover
Copyright © 2007 Panorama Properties S.L.
Todos los derechos reservados.

Christopher Clover está diplomado Cum Laude en Ciencias Económicas por la Universidad de Virginia (1969), reside en Marbella desde hace más de 30 años y es el fundador, propietario y Director Gerente de la Inmobiliaria más antigua de Marbella: PANORAMA, con oficinas en EDIFICIO CENTRO EXPO, frente al Hotel Marbella Club, y en el HOTEL PUENTE ROMANO
e-mail: info@panorama.es - www.panorama.es

One of the oldest and best-known rules of economics is the law of supply and demand: that supply and demand are constantly seeking equilibrium, but when demand exceeds supply, prices rise and when supply outstrips demand, prices fall.

This law also applies, of course, to real estate and partly explains the cyclical nature of our industry. However, in the medium-term, the scales are almost always in favour of purchasers who buy with intelligent criteria, location being one of the key factors: urban land is usually in limited supply and even more so in the “best areas” within municipal boundaries. Cities grow, and those that are popular with higher income purchasers, who identify with a level of quality such as that offered by Marbella, grow even faster.

This is precisely why real estate investment, carefully made with respect to location, price, quality and timing, is and will continue to be among the most reliable and consistent sources of wealth creation. And at the same time, with respect to residential property, such investment can offer a life style that is highly attractive to the purchaser, thereby combining the best of two worlds.

Buyers, nevertheless, should always exercise caution. Newspaper articles may be misleading and should of course not constitute the sole basis for investment decisions.

For example, those who write “market information” articles equating what is happening in the real estate market on a national scale in Spain with that of residential tourism on the Spanish coasts, (particularly the Costa del Sol and Marbella), have ignored one critical, fundamental fact: that what is clearly a bubble and excess in construction nationally (the Spanish national newspaper El Mundo stated last year that up to 60% of the homes built nationally were sold to speculators) is not fully representative of the market on the coasts, which adheres to substantially different market criteria and sources of demand.

Multi-source demand

The critical factor differentiating the Marbella area market from the national market is that the former is comprised not only of national buyers but also, and especially, of international buyers. It is a multi-source market, fed from all European countries and from others even further afield. Thus, when one country’s demand for foreign property starts to drop (which might soon be the case for the British market), it will be replaced by another source of demand (which currently is represented by Eastern European countries and possibly Germany, which is finally beginning what has already been called its “second economic miracle”, after years of economic problems).

Such multi-source demand creates deeper and longer-lasting market stability than would be found in any single-source market, anywhere.

Property speculators

Unlike property speculators on a national basis, most foreign as well as Spanish speculators for coastal investments stopped investing for all practical purposes when the off-plan purchases, inevitably and predictably, ground to a halt in the year 2004, when prices of land and construction reached unacceptable levels, preventing buyers from selling on their speculative purchases to an end-user or another speculator.

The consequent oversupply on the coast of new two and three-bedroom tourist apartments and townhouses under the €600.000 to €700.000 price range, especially in areas which are not consolidated or fully developed, has resulted in a price drop in real terms of maybe 20% to 30% for these types of property in the last three to four years. The same types of property in consolidated areas have seen a smaller drop in price, approximately between 15% and 20%. It is indeed a buyers’ market for this category of property in some parts of Marbella and surrounding areas and, one should note carefully, there are some real bargains now appearing at price levels that may not repeat themselves in future years.

As a result of those off-plan investments cooling down in 2004, many of the original speculators have consequently moved their investments to other countries such as Bulgaria, Croatia, Morocco, Egypt, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and others that are starting out as second-home destinations. They may well, however, be in for an unpleasant surprise when they find that the construction, in many cases, will far outstrip the supporting infrastructure and necessary services around it, and prices may often be inflated by unscrupulous “get-rich-quick” agents. Those who choose this type of investment should be careful to use agents known for their integrity and long market experience.

Market consolidation

So, what does all the above mean? It means that the end-user is the dominant player in the market today. The pure speculator for lower-priced, off-plan properties has all but disappeared, leading to a market which is presently, in general terms, consolidating and maturing.

The “in-and-out” speculator buyer to a great extent distorts any property market, and the fact that the off-plan purchaser is influencing the market to a far lesser extent today than in the past is a very healthy indicator of a return to more normal conditions than those experienced from 1996 to 2004.

The speculator, however, hasn’t totally left the scene. Instead, he is more cautious and more demanding. The product he seeks has to fulfill key criteria which include: a well located development, good facilities and security, closeness to amenities, quality in design and specifications, etc. And the timing is important: he seeks to invest right at the start of construction, when he can get the best choice at the best price and, today, he might take a more medium-term view of the market rather than a short-term one.

In addition, the last three to four years have seen a general leveling of prices, an integral part of the consolidation process, and there is less volume of sales than in years past. A great part of this lesser volume is a result of less speculation, as indicated above. Another reason, particularly in Marbella, is that there is now much less zoned building land available for new construction due to the delay in the approval of the new General Plan, which has provided a strong cushion of support for the resale market. And, as the market returns to normal after the “boom” years, properties are taking a longer time to sell today than two or three years ago.

The real estate agencies that have made fortunes in years gone by through exhibitions abroad and “inspection flights”, selling new or off-plan properties especially in the lower price ranges, are having a much tougher time today, and some of the smaller and even larger agencies have closed, especially those without great experience in the resale sector of the market. This is a perfectly normal part of a market adjustment witnessed many times over the past four decades.

Higher priced properties still very much in demand

It is worth noting that properties between the €800,000/€1,000,000 to the multiple million range, which are located in the more consolidated areas closer to services, etc. have been maintaining their value extremely well. They are still in good demand by the classic, end-user client and continue increasing, albeit at normal levels, but sometimes even reaching record prices.

The reason for the continued strength in the higher priced properties is that there are very wealthy buyers out there looking for quality homes in quality areas. According to the 2007 Merrill Lynch and Capgemini World Wealth Report, there are 9.5 million high net-worth individuals in the world, up from 7.2 million in early 2003, many of whom are only a short direct flight away from the Costa del Sol and who either already own or wish to acquire a second or third home here. Not only are the wealthy becoming more numerous, but the already-wealthy are also becoming increasingly more so, and there are only a limited number of outstanding, appropriately priced properties in the best areas.

With these clients, as well as the tens of thousands of others who are free of economic worries but do not consider themselves jet-set material (nor do many of them want to), Marbella is very much the place to be, with direct and easy flights from most major cities in Europe, a vastly improved infrastructure compared with years past which far surpasses that of other newer resort areas in the world, a 12-month season with activity of all types in the winter months, and the best climate in Europe, even though it is not as cheap as it was in times gone by.

Moreover, there are sales every single day of properties priced between €2,000,000 and €5,000,000 or more, a market which was virtually non-existent before 1996, as most of these luxurious properties have been built since then. Properties on the beach side of the Golden Mile and in the most consolidated and best areas are very difficult to find, and when they come on the market, at intelligent asking prices, they sell very quickly. Once again, all this goes to show that the age-old rule of “Location, Location, Location” being the three most important words when purchasing property, still holds true.
Recent bad press, already a factor of the past

During the past three years, up until mid 2007, the national and international press have had an orgy of exaggeration and prediction of doom and gloom, deriding Marbella, its surrounding areas and its people due to the unfortunate events and disorder of the recent past, caused by urban planning issues and corruption. The corruption which has been brought to light in Marbella, thanks to “Operación Malaya”, is unique in its magnitude, stemming directly from the enormous demand for properties in this very special part of Spain and the consequent amount of new property development from which this corruption was born and fed.

Corruption linked with politics and city development is not unique to Marbella, but rampant in many Town Halls throughout Spain, as observed in countless articles in the national press: in Valencia province, for example, 31.3% of citizens recently ranked corruption as their most serious problem. Part of this problem is the system for financing Town Halls, which derive between 40 and 60% of their income from different levels of urban development activities, a system devised by the political parties themselves, of course, and a system which must be modified on a national level as an essential first step to reducing and eliminating corruption throughout the country.

Unfortunately, corruption has not been the only issue affecting the image of Marbella. In 1997, then Mayor Jesús Gil made an incredibly unwise decision in raising his political aspirations from a municipal to a regional level. The immediate result was a decision by all of the political parties and their accompanying press of all categories, to destroy him and his party, and Marbella itself fell victim to these politics. Although consensus had already been reached in principle between Gil and the Regional Government with respect to the General Plan of 1998 before Gil’s political expansion, one of the first main steps taken by the Regional Government as part of its anti-Gil strategy was to reject this plan. Had this not happened, the 1998 plan would be in effect today, and most of the building permit problems of the last few years, would have already been resolved.

Very unjust, politically motivated discrimination and maneuvering against Marbella, with the collaboration of the media, has therefore been one of the principle factors negatively affecting the city in the past decade, a fact which many of the resident and non-resident owners have not yet fully perceived in its real light. Fortunately, there is every indication that this attitude has changed with the election of Ángeles Muñoz as new Mayoress of the City, and a new spirit of collaboration has commenced between the City Hall and the Regional Government.

Only 752 units cannot be legalized in accordance with the proposed General Plan for Marbella

Much of the press has clearly enjoyed publishing articles stating that there were over 30,000 illegal homes constructed in Marbella and that many of these would probably be demolished, spawning totally unnecessary public fear and insecurity. The real number is around 19,000. Almost all of the owners of these living units bought their properties with a valid building license issued by the maximum authority, the City Council, almost all are inscribed in the land registry which is the last word with respect to ownership, and many also have valid first occupancy permits.

The press conveniently ignored that third-party end-users who bought properties such as these in good faith, would always be protected by Spanish law, except in the most extreme cases where a solution could not be reached to legalize the property.

Coming as no surprise for many who understand the planning procedures, and the amazingly ill conceived politics promoting public fear and insecurity, it was announced (El Pais, 15/07/07) that the initially approved New General Plan for Marbella, only anticipates that 752 living units will not have the potential of becoming legalized. And of these, one can rest assured that for those which have already been occupied by end-users (377 in all) there is very little question that there will be some fair solution reached protecting those who have purchased in good faith, as already announced recently by our new Mayoress.

What happened to the 30,000 living units which were going to be bulldozed into oblivion? Well, solutions have been found to accommodate them and legalize their situation within the context of the New Municipal General Plan, so urgently required by Marbella, as everyone in the know had anticipated.

New political leadership resulting in the “Rebirth of Marbella”

The new Mayoress has campaigned with great energy for many years to lead Marbella out of its recent political and financial quagmire into a new era. She has met with virtually everyone in the city. She has carefully and meticulously organized and prepared herself and her team, as no other candidate ever before her. She has surrounded herself by top-notch Town Council members of her party and advisors. She has proven herself to be qualified to do the job and easily convinced the people, resulting in sweeping the elections in May 2007, winning 16 of the 27 seats on the City Council.

Muñoz has pledged a policy of total transparency and of cordial relations with her political opponents, which for the moment has produced a very favourable reaction from all parties, and a return to a normal political situation. She has already started cleaning up the city and re-organizing the financial situation she inherited. She will make transparent efforts to safeguard our municipal patrimony and to recover that which was illegally taken away. She is taking many steps to counter-measure the negative public press Marbella has received in recent years. She has welcomed the opinions of both residents and non-residents alike, to help her to do a better and more effective job, and created the organisms to do so with the appointing of one of Marbella’s original founders, Count Rudi von Schönburg as the head of the Tourist Consortium of Marbella.

Marbella is quickly returning to normal, with exceptionally qualified and transparent leadership, which was the necessary prerequisite to do so. What can we predict for the near future?

1. The new General Plan, at the top of the priority list, should be definitively approved by the end of 2008 or the beginning of 2009. This Plan will protect Marbella from future overbuilding, provide new green zones and service zones, and even the mere anticipation of the new Plan is already bringing the situation back to normal, with a sigh of relief from everyone that we are well on the way to resolving the urbanistic insecurity of the past few years.
2. There are already new protection laws for our environment, with the POT (Plan de Ordenación Territorial) which coordinates the services and growth along the whole stretch of coast between Mijas and Manilva, in addition to those measures taken in the proposed new General Plan.
3. Financial order and discipline, already strictly imposed by our new Mayoress, will be the order of the day and, well before the end of her four-year term, solid foundations of financial good health will return to our beloved city. A part of the municipal assets sold in the past in a manner to enrich a few, against the interests of the local community, will be recovered. We will see the city cleaned up, services and infrastructure improved and our city cared for like never before.
4. The new airport terminal and runway, well under construction, will almost double the airport’s capacity to 20,000,000 passengers a year.
5. In a few short years, the new planned coastal railroad, with an estimated budget of three billion euros, linking Nerja, to the east of Málaga, and Estepona in the west, will become a reality.
6. The completion of the tunnel (finally now begun) under the bottleneck of San Pedro, will ease the congestion on the Coastal Road west of Puerto Banús.
7. The new AVE fast train from Madrid to Málaga will reduce travel time between the two cities to only 2 hours 30 minutes, opening a very viable and very comfortable alternative route of travel to the province.
8. The oversupply of lower budget apartments in Marbella and the Greater Marbella area will be absorbed little by little between 2008 and mid-2009, and in the meantime, important opportunities will exist in this price range.
9. The more expensive properties €800,000, €1,000,000 and substantially more in the most consolidated residential areas, will continue to be in demand by those buyers wanting “the best” areas, and for those sellers who price their properties realistically.
10. Quality will be the key word for the developers of the future of real estate in this area: quality in location, concept, construction and finishing materials, architecture, and special features, with added value given to low-density developments, security, and high-tech living units. The “caring developer” who puts his experience and heart into his project will be the winner. The model of the developer of the past, whose creed was “build them quickly, cheaply, sell them and move swiftly on to the next project” is dead and buried.

There are of course alternative residential resort locations in the world, some of them mentioned at the beginning of this article. However, the important questions one should reflect upon before purchasing property, especially to use part or full time, are as follows:

• Is there a 12-month season with a great winter and summer climate, with sporting and cultural activities of all types, nightlife, superb restaurants, or is it a resort, as most, which is highly seasonal in nature and “rolls up the side walks” from October to May?
• Do quality public and private services exist?
• How about the infrastructure – roads, airports, sewage, rubbish collection, water supply, etc?
• And how about the educational system? Are there international English, German and French schools close by? And are there prestigious universities in the country?
• Are there quality hospitals and health care services available?
• What about cleanliness?
• Are you surrounded by poverty?
• How about one’s physical security? Can one walk around during the day and at night feeling safe?
• Is there a “police state” where sometimes policemen are looking for “tips” or might make problems for you, or do the police respond to civil government norms which protect citizens and tourists alike?
• Is there legal security, or can “rights” given today be taken away tomorrow by the next government in office?
• Is there respect for human and civil rights? Is there discrimination against women, children and workers?
• Is it easy and safe to drive to different destinations nearby as it is here with Gib, Sevilla, Puerto de Santa María, Ronda, Granada, Cordoba and the Andalusian white villages?
• How many direct flights are there from the capitals and other major cities of Europe, and how long does it take to get there?
• Is there any social life, public and private events, concerts, parties, glamour and excitement available, if you want it?
• Are there over 30 easily accessed golf courses in the area?
• Does it offer the protection of the European Union?

Think about it. Marbella offers all the correct answers to the above questions, and much more. Think about the special and relaxed life style here! How many places in the world can match the Marbella of today with respect to the above criteria?

With the closing of the Gil era, and the arrival of Ángeles Muñoz, we are in the process of witnessing the “Rebirth of Marbella”, and exciting times lie ahead for the city and its people. A sharp and clear improvement of its image, finances, infrastructure and public services is well underway. Marbella is now reaching out to realize its true potential, and to consolidate its place as the world class, quality resort destination of the 21st century.

By Christopher Clover
Copyright © 2007 Panorama Properties S.L.
All rights reserved.

Christopher Clover is graduate cum laude in Economics of the University of Virginia (1969); a permanent resident of Marbella since 1973; and the founder, owner and Managing Director of Marbella’s longest established Real Estate Agency, PANORAMA, with offices opposite the HOTEL MARBELLA CLUB and in the HOTEL PUENTE ROMANO
e-mail: info@panorama.es - www.panorama.es

The Mayor of Marbella, Angeles Muñoz, opened the conference in front of a packed function room at the Don Carlos Hotel in Marbella filled with numerous television, print and radio media, local residents and property professionals.

Muñoz acknowledged the problems plaguing the region in the past from corruption at government level through to oversupply and the ill conceived planning of certain developments, however she said that her administration would work to correct these problems by taking a more consultative approach with residents and industry in the future.

“I am very optimistic about the economic future of the Costa del Sol, it is just a question of getting our assets in order,” she told the audience. “We will be providing support and welcoming with open arms the suggestions that the industry have for the region. A lot of people are concerned with the public services and we want to ensure that future developments are fluid with the transport infrastructure and that every new project improves the day to day life on the Costa del Sol.

“A lot of work needs to be done for this to happen and we need to be untied on this front. Marbella is a magnificent city that, despite everything, has maintained its brand. The city needs consolidation and I would like to ask you to defend Marbella as the town council works to improve the region. I am convinced that we have been through this difficult period and will recover.”

Felipe Martinez de Marmol, from solicitors Martinez-Echevarria Perez & Ferrero Abogados, explained in further detail the regulations surrounding Decree 218, passed in 2005, which requires all agencies selling property on the Costa del Sol to have a Documento Informativo Abreviado (DIA) and a Ficha Informativa (FI) - similar to the UK’s Home Information Packs (HIPS). De Marmol believes the need to be compliant with the Decree is becoming increasingly important as officials from local government have been conducting snap inspections of offices on the Costa del Sol recently. He added that buyers needed to be taught to ask for these documents, as well as agents providing them.

Javier Ledesma, President of AEGI, the Spanish estate agents association, who spoke about the future of the area’s property market leading up to 2020, acknowledged the concerns shared by several members of the audience surrounding Decree 218, however said it was a case of recognising it was there to stay and making sure individual firms were compliant.

“After two years we still haven’t taken Decree 218 seriously. While we might not agree with certain aspects of it, we must follow it. It is the law. Some 67% of real estate offices still don’t provide the mandatory information required by the executive order published in 2005 and we are in April 2008. People didn’t believe it before and thought it was a gimmick but it is not and we are in a delicate situation.”

Other speakers examined issues surrounding the Costa del Sol’s property market, such as concerns over its environmental sustainability, the best way to promote residential tourism and more detail about the Marbella PGOU plan.

The LPA has another conference that will examine these and other issues, in more detail, later this year.

If a conference could be described as a restaurant menu, then this was to be a ten course à la carte feast, full of flavour, spicy dishes and perhaps at times unpalatable morsels. And like all food, ultimately essential. Well, that was the idea of an ambitious forum on the future of the Costa del Sol.

And just like a busy lunchtime eaterie, there was a genuine buzz of anticipation around the conference rooms of southern Spain’s famous Don Carlos Hotel in Elviria, as delegates waited for the stars of the show. Coffee cups clinked on saucers and business cards were being exchanged, as the movers and shakers of the Costa del Sol business community chatted, smiled, networked, and discussed…well…their own futures.

They had turned out in greater numbers than expected (more than 250 delegates and guests) in a nod perhaps to the importance and seriousness of what was to be discussed. After all, the Costa del Sol is now at a crossroads; years of economic boom fuelled by a runaway property market, now giving way to a slump, which has had an adverse effect on all aspects of life in southern Spain.

For the assembled crowd, there was no getting away from the fact that it was time to pull together , to debate, to plan, to act. And here was the perfect forum, under the umbrella of the Leading Property Agents of Spain organisation (LPA), set up to promote good practice and mutual respect among only the most reputable affiliated property agents on the coast.

Hence the conference, designed to bring about a change of attitude, direction, and perhaps even perception of what their roles now were, and could be, by the year 2020. So while the guests mingled, I caught up with the LPA’s operations manager Stuart Brown-Giraldi, who explained that the day of speeches and debate was to be about a lot more than just real estate:

“It’s for anyone who resides here, or anyone who wants to reside here. We want to bring together those with the questions and those with the answers for the positive future of the Costa del Sol, which we hope will be around the corner. We want people to get up and start taking action, rather than just complaining about over-development, lack of infrastructure, or the political situation. We want to influence the people that matter, the people who have the power, so when they leave here they will continue the talk about it. We want this to be a catalyst…”

And he was ready to start that debate with an extremely candid view about why the Costa del Sol had suffered such a dramatic downturn in fortunes: “Lack of action and lack of planning. It seems to be looking at short-term gain without looking at the long-term consequences and I don’t want to see my adoptive home ruined in the future.”

Speaking of which, the future was about to take shape within a huge conference hall just behind us, and as the guests filed in and took their seats in front of a huge projection screen, Stuart made his way through the crowd to take his place as one of the overseers of the event.

A gaggle of press photographers weaved in and out of the aisles, snapping the great and the good for posterity, as TV camera technicians busily wired up their microphones in readiness for the first platform guests. The media was poised for action. But so too was the LPA, as it revealed its first trump card in the form of the powerful Mayor of Marbella, who was ushered into the conference hall on a wave of aides and well-wishers.

Angeles Muñoz (from the right wing Partido Popular party) had been widely credited as being the muscle behind the ‘cleaning up’ of Marbella’s image, since revelations of town hall corruption first began to surface long before her tenure, and her presence at the LPA conference was certainly a coup. So putting aside any political affiliations, I asked her why she thought Marbella, and the Costa del Sol in general, had got itself into such a mess:

“Unfortunately we had a political situation that polluted the rest of the city, and had a very negative effect on the life of the city. That’s past and that’s over, and now we have to look at the future in a very positive way because Marbella is back to normality.”

So why had she taken time out of her busy schedule to attend (at least for a short time) the LPA’s long-awaited event: “I am here because business activities in Marbella are one of the most important factors of the growth of the city, so private initiatives and public administration must go together, in order to create prosperity and employment.”

For her, it’s a personal challenge and being associated (for a short time anyway) with a forum like the LPA, is all part of the strategy:

“I was born in Cordoba, and when I finished University, I decided that the best place to live and work was Marbella, and here I started working as a doctor before I got into politics. And I keep saying that the best place to live and to work is Marbella and the Costa del Sol.”

Her presence though was much more than a political stunt. It was an affirmation that the future of the coast is not just the concern of British, or other northern European foreign residents, as the wider media would have you believe. It is of course, very much a Spanish concern, and indeed the majority of invited speakers were there to represent Spanish organisations.

The conference kicked off with the emphasis firmly on the problems of the real estate industry. This was perhaps to be expected, given the coast’s economic reliance on this sector for so many years. Law expert Felipe Martinez de Mármol discussed what could be done to protect the property buyer, while Ignacio Pérez de Vargas from the law firm of the same name, talked about building permits and issues regarding planning permission. The subject of planning was also discussed by Enrique Vega from CIEDES, a foundation for social and economic development in Malaga.

Next up was Javier Martín Ledesma, the President of the AEGI, essentially the Spanish equivalent of the LPA. A forceful character who at times, didn’t mince his words: “If we ask our children today what they want to be when they grow up, they will never say ‘real estate agent’, will they?”

This brought a painful laugh from the audience, who recognised the truth of his words. He then stunned the audience by using the ‘c’ word: “We are in a financial crisis, recession, slow-down, whatever you want to call it. Sales have decreased by more than thirty per cent.”

But his view was that it was not just a localised problem, and that the Costa del Sol cannot be seen as an isolated case: “More than one third of real estate agents at national level have had to close, with the subsequent destruction of jobs. There has been excessive supply (of properties) and compressed demand, but prices are still high… and the problems in the US sub-prime market does affect us too.”

However, the real estate-focused panel didn’t have it all their own way. One guest from the floor, a local estate agent, raised the thorny issue of clients going behind agents’ backs and cutting private deals with vendors, despite being introduced to the vendor by the agent. He was advised by the panel to “take them to court”. When he pointed out that this process could take up to two years, there was a collective shrug of the shoulders.

But there was far more controversy to come, as a real firebrand of a speaker, from the University of Málaga, launched into a thinly veiled attack on the record of the real estate industry and town planners in general. Professor Luisa Gomez Moreno held the view that environmental damage was the main issue that needed to be addressed and that there was a growing gap between the economic and social views of people living in the city of Málaga and the rest of the coast:

“People who live in Málaga are of the view that we should be protecting the environment, even if it means lower growth, because we depend on the environment for tourism. In Málaga, there is an active integration of all groups, whether locals, foreigners, or tourists.”

It was certainly an interesting point. Is Málaga, especially with its bid to become European City of Culture 2016, putting the rest of the coast in the shade? Will it in fact end up saving the rest of the coast, as a knock-on effect of its continued expansion?

Professor Gomez then expounded some very firm ideas over what should be done over infrastructure. “We need rail shuttle services between areas, and we need renewable energy. For example, in Portugal, all lamp posts have solar panels, why haven’t we got that in Spain!?”

And on the environmental front, it was clear that speaker after speaker were overwhelming concerned with one issue: water. Or lack of it.

Still in the grip of a severe drought (and if global warming is to be believed, is not likely to get much better in the near future) water provision in Andalusia is likely to be a major concern in the coming years.

One speaker, Ramón Dávila, President of PROMOTUR (a group set up to promote tourism and sports in Andalusia) was extraordinarily forceful on this matter: “We need to have proper water supply and treatment. Some people may not agree, but for me this is much more important than the rail corridor. The Costa del Sol could collapse because of water scarcity. We don’t have the right capacity to store water when it rains hard. We are always in crisis.”

He was still keen to present the positive factors about the coast, but also presented the assembled audience with a stark warning: “The Costa del Sol is still a highly sought-after destination, though the future also depends on whether the new infrastructures are rolled out fast and well. We are in a globalised world, and 15 years ago there were four or five markets competing with us, now there are 30.”

Indeed, strong competition from other parts of the world like Turkey, Morocco, Cyprus, Dubai, and indeed the coast’s immediate neighbour, Portugal, was the subject of a guest speaker from the Overseas Property Professional Magazine, a UK publication dealing in world markets. It was refreshing, and perhaps necessary, for the guests to hear the views of an ‘outsider’ – someone who could bring a fresh perspective with a different pair of eyes, and Ben Dahlstrom provided this, with a fast (sometimes too fast for the hard-working Spanish interpreter!) and efficient speech. As well as facts and figures regarding the ferocious competition that has arisen, he also raised the subject of negative media coverage and what should be done about it:

“There is a serious character assassination of the Costa del Sol underway in the British mainstream media. While correct, many of the stories have been blown out of all proportion. Many buyers wrongly believe that if they buy here, a bulldozer will knock it down next week.”

He went on to say that this barrage of negativity needed to be combated by a serious marketing initiative, which astonishingly did not exist at present:

“The overwhelming number of agents and developers that we have spoken to expressed the need for a single organised body, made up of property professionals and public relations agents, with funding from regional government. This is a multi-billion euro industry, yet property is being sold to international buyers without any organisation or coordination. It is amazing that nothing has been done before.”

His was the last speech, and as the day ended with a short question-and-answer session, it could be argued that perhaps there had been too much from the stage and not enough from the floor. But like all conferences, speakers rarely stick to their allocated time, and perhaps in a wider sense, this was just to be the start of the debate and certainly not the last word. As Ian Bateman, President of the LPA, stated:

“We needed to bring awareness to the public in general that we do care about how the coast is going to develop in the future. Let’s start discussing it by getting all the different professionals from the environmental side to the planning side, to everything, talking together. Hopefully this will be a positive catalyst.”

And he was thoughtful about the future, by referring to the past, and praising Spain’s achievements: “It’s amazing how far Spain has come in 30 years, from Franco’s era to now. It really is quite remarkable.”

So, what had been achieved by the forum? Well, even getting the different bodies, agencies, and business leaders to come together in the same room, was in itself a success, and a measure of how seriously they had all decided to take the situation.

Everything had been discussed – planning difficulties, water supply, real estate, the environment, competition, the economy, media coverage and lack of marketing. So, which of these factors had been the main problem over the last few years and which needed to be addressed for the future? The answer is probably a combination of all of the above.

And although the day may have been inconclusive, it had been well organised and thoughtful. As the introductory speaker Javier Martín Ledesma put it: “This is like an aperitif…”
Hopefully then, there’ll be several more tasty courses to come.

The guests gradually headed for the exits to the sound of a well-known British 70s pop song by a group called “KC & the Sunshine Band”, which was being piped through the surrounding speakers. The poignant lyrics were: “Please don’t go, don’t go, don’t go away…”

El propósito de esta jornada de conferencias es involucrar a empresarios varios y diferentes comunidades de residentes de la Costa del Sol con el fin de encontrar caminos para mejorar el futuro de la zona. Las conferencias examinarán lo que se ha hecho correcta e incorrectamente en los últimos años, ver como podemos aprender del pasado con el fin de tener un mejor futuro. El LPA cree que esta jornada de conferencias puede unir a las personas y crear un plan de acción que pueda marcar la diferencia para el futuro.

Programa de la Conferencia:

• 9.30-10.00 Control de inscripciones
• 10.00-10.05 Bienvenida e Introducción por Javier Martín Ledesma, Presidente de AEGI (Asociación Empresarial de Gestión Inmobiliaria)
• 10.05-10.20 Apertura de Conferencia por Dona Angeles Muñoz, Alcadesa del Excmo. Ayuntamiento de Marbella
• 10.20-10.50 Ponencia 1 - Ignacio Pérez de Vargas, Abogados Pérez de Vargas
  Ignacio Pérez de Vargas hablará sobre las licencias para construir edificios y sobre el plan general de urbanismo, comparando los realizados por los municipios con el de la Junta de Andalucía y como esto afecta al futuro de la zona.
• 10.50-11.20 Ponencia 2 - Felipe Martínez de Marmol, Martínez-Echevarria Pérez & Ferrero Abogados
  Felipe Martínez de Mármol hablará sobre el Decreto 218/05 Información al Consumidor en la Compra Venta de Bienes Inmuebles.
• 11.20-11.50 Presentation 3 - Javier Martín Ledesma, President AEGI
  Javier Martín Ledesma hablará sobre la demanda del mercado para adquirir propiedades y promociones en la Costa del Sol en el 2020 y dará sus predicciones sobre el mercado inmobiliario en representación del AEGI .
• 11.50-12.20 Descanso para tomar café
• 12.20-12.50 Presentation 4 - Ramón Dávila, Presidente de PROMOTUR (Asociación de Empresas de Turismo Residencial, Deportivo y de Salud)
  Ramón Dávila tratará el tema del plan urbanístico y el problema sobre el reparto de terrenos para la construcción de promociones.
• 12.50-13.20 Presentation 5 - Enrique Vega, CIDES (Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico)
  Enrique Vega hablará sobre el impacto sobre el Plan Estratégico en el futuro de la Costa del Sol y sugerirá modos de mejorar la situación para el 2020 .
• 13.20-15.00 Almuerzo
• 15.00-16.00 Ponencia 6 - Xavier Niell, Profesora Luisa Gomez Moreno y Dr Rafael Mata, Universidad de Malaga
  Estos ponentes debatirán sobre los problemas claves que afectan al medio ambiente de la región, hablarán sobre el futuro y cómo podemos minimizar el impacto ambiental para mejorar el futuro.
• 16.00-16.30 Ponencia 7 - Jose Manuel Viera, Grupo GDT
  José Manuel Viera planteará la importancia del problema del reciclado del agua, como funciona, como puede ayudar a la costa y como puede afectar al futuro de la misma.
• 16.30-17.00 Ponencia 8 - Ben Dahlstrom, Overseas Property Professional Magazine (OPP) Revista para profesionales sobre propiedades en el extranjero ( fuera de UK)
  Ben Dahlstrom, de la publicación inglesa Overseas Property Professional comparará la Costa del Sol con otros destinos turísticos y sugerirá modos para atraer un mayor número de touristas y inversores en propiedades, así como él ve la costa para el 2020.
• 17.00-17.30 - – Ruego y Preguntas - Participe y exponga sus ideas
• 17.30-17.45 - Conclusión

Registrese ahora mismo!

At this free conference at the Hotel Don Carlos, Marbella we will discuss the key issues affecting the coast such as urban planning, the environment and how to compete with other tourist destinations. There will be question and answer sessions, so you can have your say, and great networking opportunities.

The aim of this conference is to find practical ways to improve the future for the Costa del Sol and we hope you will get involved in the debate. It is free to attend, but you need to register, so if you want to help improve the future for residents and businesses on the coast, please register today.

Conference Programme:

• 9.30-10.00 Registration
• 10.00-10.05 Welcome and Introduction by Javier Martín Ledesma, President AEGI (Asociación Empresarial de Gestión Inmobiliaria)
• 10.05-10.20 Opening by Angeles Muñoz, the Mayor of Marbella
• 10.20-10.50 Presentation 1 - Ignacio Pérez de Vargas, Abogados Pérez de Vargas
  Ignacio Pérez de Vargas will be talking about building licenses and planning permission, comparing local Municipalities with the Junta de Andalucia and how this will affect the future of the area
• 10.50-11.20 Presentation 2 - Felipe Martínez de Marmol, Martínez-Echevarria Pérez & Ferrero Abogados
  Felipe Martínez de Marmol will talk about the law 218/05 to protect the property buyer and what impact this will have on the Costa del Sol in 2020.
• 11.20-11.50 Presentation 3 - Javier Martín Ledesma, President AEGI
  Javier Martín Ledesma will be speaking on the demand for housing and developments on the Costa del Sol in 2020 and giving predictions on the property market on behalf of AEGI
• 11.50-12.20 Coffee Break
  
• 12.20-12.50 Presentation 4 - Ramón Dávila, President PROMOTUR (The Promoters Association of Residential Tourism and Sports in Andalusia)
  Ramón Dávila will be speaking on the subject of urban planning and the key issue of the way land is being allocated for development
• 12.50-13.20 Presentation 5 - Enrique Vega, CIDES (Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratígico)
  Enrique Vega will be assessing the impact of Strategic Planning on the future of the Costa del Sol and suggesting ways to improve the situation for 2020
• 13.20-15.00 Lunch
  
• 15.00-16.00 Presentation 6 - Xavier Niell, Professora Luisa Gomez Moreno and Dr Rafael Mata, University of Malaga
  These speakers will be discussing the key issues affecting the environment of the region, predictions for the future and how we can minimize our environmental impact for a better future
• 16.00-16.30 Presentation 7 - Jose Manuel Viera, Grupo GDT
  Jose Manuel Viera will be addressing the important issue of water recycling, how it works, how it can help the area and how it could affect our future
• 16.30-17.00 Presentation 8 - Ben Dahlstrom, Overseas Property Professional Magazine (OPP)
  Ben Dahlstrom, from the UK publication Overseas Property Professional will be comparing the Costa del Sol to other popular destinations and suggesting ways to attract more holiday makers and property buyers and how he sees the area performing against the newer destinations in 2020
• 17.00-17.30 - Panel Discussion – Have your say
• 17.30-17.45 - Conclusion

Register today!

Sobre brayproperties.com ….

“BRAY PROPERTIES es una agencia inmobiliaria “familiar” cuyas raices en el mercado inmobiliario en Gibraltar se remotan a los años 80. Inicialmente especializada únicamente en la gestión de propiedades en venta en Gibraltar y la Costa del sol, sin embargo, y debido a la fuerte demanda de sus clientas, la empresa pronto expandió sus actividades tambien en la gestión de propiedades en alquiler y mantenimiento tanto de propiedades residenciales como comerciales en Gibraltar y a lo largo de la Costa del Sol.”

From brayproperties.com ….

“BRAY PROPERTIES is a family owned estate agency whose roots in the property market in Gibraltar can be traced back to the 1980’s. Initially we specialised solely in handling the sales of properties in Gibraltar and the Costa del Sol, however, strong demand from our clients soon led to our branching in to lettings and the management of residential and commercial premises both locally and along the Costa.”

Sure that you have noticed but … we have totally new website! We think it will allow us to update our visitors about our association activities, our members advice and to showcase the tremendous potential of our common database of properties for sale on the Costa del Sol.

Apart from the new look, lpaspain.com is now blog powered so our management staff will be able to publish news, real estate market articles, events, etc … as soon as they are available. The property section is now easier to use and property information is clearer.

Also, our members extranet has been totally restructured focused on improving the communication between members and easy property selection for their customers. The property database is updated daily from our members Costa del Sol property portfolios.

Our IT staff has also changed, now everything technical is managed by Inmoba Networks

We hope to see a huge improve in our online presence due to this changes. Of course, we also hope that you like them!