THE ALGARVE

Selling a house has become increasingly difficult and the recent property market conditions are presenting some tough challenges for homeowners who are looking to sell their property quickly. It is taking much longer for a homeowner to get a house sale compared to a couple of years ago. The confidence in the property markets around the world has been dented and buyers are holding back on buying property until market conditions improve.

So what does a homeowner do if he/ she needs to get sell house fast? How do they deal with the stress of having their house on the market for long periods of time, not knowing when the next buyer will come along (if a buyer ever will). Well if the seller is looking to sell home fast using an estate agent then there is a good chance that they will not know when the house will be sold and it could be very likely that it will stay on the market for a while.

If the seller really needs a guaranteed, quick sale then there is another option; they can exercise the option of selling their house to a company that will directly purchase property from sellers. These companies work directly with the seller who says I want to sell my house fastand look to complete the direct purchase of a house within weeks. There are no estate agents or third parties to worry about and the sale process is normally smooth.

Selling in this way allows a seller to relax, knowing that there house sale is pretty much guaranteed and they can move on and plan to move on a definitive date. This method of selling helps people is difficult circumstances to move on in life. Circumstances such as moving due to a divorce, family bereavement, ill health, releasing equity, relocating, financial debt and so on. All these situations can be resolved by the quick sale of a house to a direct cash buyer.

Getting a quick house sale is not easy when you are restricted to tight deadlines and you need to sell your property quickly to move on in life. There are a variety of reasons that force a homeowner to pursue the option of needing a quick house sale. Some of these reasons include the following: a divorce or a relationship split forcing a quick sale, family bereavement, financial debt or threat of house repossession, relocation to another area or another country, the need to sell a family inheritance quickly, releasing equity from a property owned and so on…

If a homeowner is facing the dilemma to get a quick property sale then the option to sell a house using an agent will not always work for you. In such cases one method for consideration would be to sell your property directly to companies that specialize in buying property for cash from homeowners.

This method of selling gives the seller the advantage of getting a fast house sale without the hassles and long waits involved when selling using an estate agent. Some of these advantages include: zero agent fees, a guaranteed sale, no property chains involved in the sale thus eliminating any obstacles to the sale, a straightforward selling process and so on. The method ensures that the seller can get a guaranteed sale time without worrying about any hold ups.

This method of selling will also work well in slow markets. If your house is on for sale and has been on the agents window for too long, then this option will allow you to sell quickly.

Now that the buzz of property investing is over and the property markets around the world have started cooling considerably from their peaks, is there still any opportunities left for property investment? Is it time to look elsewhere and find alternative markets for investing your money?

The simple and short answer is of course not. The property market is probably becoming one of the best investments opportunities to plan for big rewards. If you are the one to usually think “out of the box” and are successful in making money, then you will know that the property investment market is where your money should be going. That’s right, as crazy as it may sound; the smart money always goes against the crowd.

While everyone is jumping the property ship, the smart investor will be looking for investment property bargains at low prices. That means finding property that is being sold at rock bottom prices from people who are looking to sell quickly and happy with a lower price.

The property markets of countries like the american property, Spanish property and now even the UK property markets have experienced significant falls and these markets are now presenting the savvy buyer with excellent opportunity to buy properties significantly below the market value. The savvy investors have already started picking up property at bargain prices and it is the perfect time to go against the crowd while everyone else is abandoning property investment. If you are serious about making big money in the long term, then investing in property is definitely the way to go.

A Pousada is a hotel that is owned and partly managed by the state. Many Pousadas are interesting historic buildings such as castles or monasteries that have been restored. Many have prime locations and excellent views and they generally offer 4-5 star accommodation and associated facilities.

The first regional Pousada was created in Portugal in 1940 when the state owned Portugal Pousadas Group began- the concept was to restore and preserve national heritage and to increase the supply of first class accommodation. The Pousadas are classified into 4 groups being Historic, Historic Design, Nature and Charm.

The Hotel Pousada de Sao Bras de Alportel has magnificent views of the surrounding Algarve mountains and is near the Atlantic Ocean and the most beautiful beaches in Portugal. This Pousada offers the best of both worlds. It is set in peaceful countryside away from the crowded Algarve resorts and only thirty minute drive from the coastal resorts.Click here for properties for sale in Sao Bras

The Alentejo area is commonly known as the “bread basket” of Portugal. A fitting title for this vast open countryside with undulating plains and rich fertile soil. With very few exceptions all the major towns are mainly reliant on agriculture, livestock and wood. Typical products from this area are grain, sunflower, carthame, fruit, vegetables, olives, wines, cork, eucalyptus, lamb, pigs, kid, granite, schist and marble. This richness of produce has been taken from the land for thousands of years as visitors may encounter throughout most of the region signs of human existence from thousands of years ago

Topographically the countryside varies considerably, from the open rolling plains of the south of the Alentejo to the granite hills that border Spain in the north-east. To feed the water needs of this considerable area a number of public dams have been constructed. In the heart of the productive agriculture zone of Moura, there is the largest dam in Portugal named “Alqueva”, and also and one of the largest water surface areas in Europe.

Click here for properties for sale in the Alentejo region

Beja

This city is the capital of the Baixa Alentejo District and maintains attractive visible evidence of its historic background. It is recorded as existing in 48 AC after the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar gave it the name of Pax Julia and declared it as a regional capital. However, there is evidence that the location was inhabited since the Bronze Age. The Town Square was originally the site of its Roman Forum. The Moors renamed the town when they occupied it, and but for a brief time in 715, they were firmly entrenched from 711 to 1162.

The city with about 22.000 population has a number of ancient buildings and the name Beja as used today was given to it by the occupying Moors in the 6th Century. The Convento da Nossa Senhora da Conceição dating from 1459 is both visually interesting and enjoys international fame from the 1669 French publication of the celebrated “Lettres Portugaises”. These were five lyric love letters by a 26 year-old nun named Mariana Alcoforado to her lover the Comte de Saint-Léger after he deserted her.

Click here for properties for sale in Beja

Vale da Telha is situated in the Costa Vicentina National Park on the Western Atlantic coast of the Algarve. It is 6 kilometers from the charming white-washed hillside town of Aljezur, and is between the beautiful beaches of Monte Clerigo and Arrifana.

Vale da Telha is served by a small number of bars and restaurants plus a few shops, The town of Aljezur provides a daily market offering fresh produce including fresh fish, flowers and a host of locally grown vegetables. There are a range of banks, a post office, small supermarkets and shops plus local government offices and a good choice of restaurants in Aljezur.

Vale da Telha offers tranquility and amazing value compared to most areas along the south coast of the Algarve. If you feel tempted to find out more, why not come and check it out for yourself?

Click here for properties for sale in Vale da Telha

 Aljezur

The river that divides Aljezur was once navigable but today is just picturesque in spring and autumn and dry in summer. The ‘Old Town’ is built on a hill that leads up to the castle. The castle was built by the Moors in the 10th Centuary.

There are an array of small museums and galleries dotted along the narrow winding medieval streets & alleyways leading up to the castle. Crossing the river past the local ’strip faming area’ leads to the ‘New Town’. This is dominated by the new Church ‘Igreja Nova’ which has given its name to this part of the town.

Click here for properties for sale in Aljezur

If you are looking to purchase a property in Portugal then you will be aware that the majority of properties for sale here are priced in euros. Therefore, in order to make a purchase you will need to exchange your sterling funds for euros. The rate of exchange has fluctuated quite a lot within the last year with rates varying from highs of around 1.5 euros to the pound and lows of around 1.25 euros to the pound. It is thought that the higher rates were an extreme and current rates are around 1.3 euros to the pound.

If you would like to purchase a property in Portugal and are concerned about fluctuating rates then it is possible to purchase a property in
pounds sterling and avoid having to exchange monies into euros. There are a number of property owners in the Algarve who set their property prices in sterling and are happy to recieve payment in this currency.

For details of a selection of properties priced for sale in pounds sterling, please click the link below.

Click here.

There are also property owners who will accept euros or sterling and have reduced their sterling price substantially to attract potential buyers from the UK.

The first such property is a fantastic 2 bedroom townhouse on a small condominium with just 12 houses and a large communal swimming pool. The house is located in the area of Vale Formoso which is less than a 10 minute drive from the popular beach resorts of Vale do Lobo and Quinta do Lago. The house benefits from air conditioning, underfloor heating and is being sold fully furnished. The asking price is 345,000 euros which at a rate of 1.3 is the equivalent of approximately 265,000 pounds sterling. However- the owner will also accept 250,000 sterling for the property thus a saving of 15,000 pounds sterling.

Click here for further details and pictures

Another great value property currently available for sale in pounds sterling is this spacious 4 bedroom detached villa close to Almancil just a 15 minutes drive from Faro airport.The villa is set on a plot of 1000m2 with around 300m2 build size making it a comfortable property for either permanent living or for a holiday home. The single storey property has air conditioning,
double glazing, underfloor heating, alarm system and a heated swimming pool. The property is being sold for 725,000 euros which equates to approximately 557,000 sterling. The owner is also prepared to accept 500,000 sterling hence a saving of 57,000 pounds.

Click here for further details and pictures     

If you are considering a permanent move to Portugal and want to bring your dog or cat with you, there are certain procedures to follow. ‘PETS’ (Pet Travel Scheme) is the system that allows pet dogs and cats to travel amongst EU and certain non-EU countries. To enter EU countries with pets from the UK you should get your pet micro chipped, (although some countries accept tattoos) and vaccinated against rabies. You should then obtain an EU pet passport. This will allow you to import your pet into most other EU countries.

A non-commercial pet importer may bring up to 5 pets into Portugal. If you have more, contact the Portuguese DGV (Direcção-Geral Veterinária) for advice. Animals under three months old can only enter Portugal from an EU country if the owner can prove that an animal not yet weaned is accompanied by its mother. If the rabies vaccination was the pet’s first vaccine then 21 days must pass before the pet may enter Portugal. There is no time delay with booster injections providing there is proof that the booster was given before the last vaccine had expired.

 Step by step procedures for importing your pet into Portugal:

 1.      Have your pet micro-chipped.

2.      Have your pet vaccinated against rabies after the micro-chipping,     even if the last vaccine is still current.

3.      Arrange a blood test to confirm satisfactory level of protection against rabies.

4.      Arrange ‘PETS’ documentation. For animals travelling to countries within the EU, such as Portugal, an EU passport is required.

5.      Arrange for your pet to travel with an approved transport company on an authorised route.

6.      If you intend to return to the UK with your pet, he/she must be treated against ticks and tape worms no less than 24 hours and no more than 48 hours before he/she is checked in with an approved company for the journey into the UK.

Not all transport companies are registered as animal transporters. If you want to bring your pets from the UK to Portugal by air you can use one of the following companies:

Thomsonfly; GB Airways; Monarch Airlines; My Travel; British Airways World Cargo.

They fly to and from the below airports:

 To                      From

 Faro Airport   Doncaster

                          Gatwick

                          Heathrow

                          Manchester

Lisbon Airport  Gatwick

                           Heathrow

                          Manchester

Funchal Airport           Gatwick

(Madeira)                 Manchester

If you choose to travel by sea, Brittany Ferries sail to Santander, Spain, from Portsmouth and Plymouth.

And if you prefer rail travel, the Euro Tunnel Shuttle Service allows pets to travel from Folkestone to Calais.

There are of course many issues to consider before putting your pet through an overseas journey, such as the state of the pet’s health, whether or not it will take to its new life in a foreign land with different temperatures, and if your pet will be able to learn a new language to fit in with the locals!

Click here to see a selection of properties for sale in Portugal