preparing for a life abroad - Association of International Property

[ 51 ]
www.aipp.org.uk
PREPARING FOR
A LIFE ABROAD
Thirty thousand Brits will have bought a foreign
property (12,000 of them in Spain) by the end of
2014*, according to the latest Rightmove Overseas
research published in early October.
With more than a third of all people in the UK
buying a foreign property choosing Spain,it is in this
market that AIPP is currently working to build on our
existing links to establish firm territory from which
AIPP, NAEA & ARLA members can trade.
Our series of free introductory market seminars
in both Warwick and London are being very well
received and roll onwards. Do let me know if you
would like to join us at our next one.
With a good portfolio of development stock for UK
agents already established on the Costa Blanca (via
10 AIPP developer members, offering 33 projects), we
have now turned our attention to replicating this on
the Costa del Sol as well as in and around Barcelona.
The Costa del Sol has fewer, smaller and less
well established leisure property developers than
the Costa Blanca. Recently hosted in Malaga at
an Extenda trade event (the Andalusian regional
development authority), I met a wide variety of
companies (17 in all) covering developers, agents
and lawyers, plus bank repossession stock, etc.
Personally familiar with (and even occasionally
resident in) this market since 2001, the AIPP will
shortly bring members a refined selection of product
and relationship opportunities on the Costa Del Sol.
These will include, but not be limited to Malaga,
Marbella, Puerto Banus, Estepona, Nerja, Mijas,
Fuengirola and other popular locations. Property
types available to members will include off-plan,
resales, bank repossessions and refurbished.
Wider market opportunities will be brought to UK
agents as I meet with Spanish Property Developers
Association and Moscow-based agents looking for
UK property.
Other key buyer markets for Brits will also be
opened up for our members in the new year to include
Florida, Portugal, UAE and Turkey, among others.
Agent orientation visits to new locales are
arranged by the developer/partner in the destination
market in conjunction with AIPP.
The trips are usually subsidised and escorted
locally with an agenda to give prospective agents a
flavour for the area and property types for sale.
There is no obligation to later act as a sales agent.
With the so-called Baby Boomer generation now
retiring there are opportunities for UK agents to
handle both a UK down-sizing sale and purchase
as well as the acquisition of a foreign property in
sunnier climes. Three sales, one client.
Please email enquiries@aipp.org.uk for the
latest information.
The AIPP offices are in Warwick and London.
Do feel free to make an appointment to talk or meet
with us to discuss how you could enter the overseas
property market.
You might just find some new ways of putting your
database of existing UK freehold/landlord clients to
work earning you a 5%+ sales commission.
*Data collected
by Rightmove
Overseas from
5,000 plus buyer
intentions and
cross-referenced
with Spanish
Notary offices
confirmed buyer
statistics. 2013
Spanish Notary
figures show
that 8,500 Brits
bought in Spain
last year; 2014
projected: 12,000.
PROPERT Y PROFESSIONAL [ November/December 2014 ]