News and views from the Costa del Sol!

Easy Guide to Buying a Property in Spain

Whether you are looking to buy a large villa with a swimming pool, or a stylish apartment overlooking the beach, once you have found your dream property in Spain, you will need to think about the process for the actual purchase.
Luckily The Spanish Estate Agent is by your side every step of the way.

Spanish PM reassures Brits in Spain

The Spanish PM, Pedro Sánchez, has recently reassured Britons living in Spain that their rights will remain unchanged even if Britain leaves the EU with no deal. Mr Sanchez aims to have an outline of the rights of citizens in the respective countries by February; the plan is conditional on the same rights for Spaniards in the UK.

Great news for the most popular retirement destination in Europe for Brits. Some 300,000 of us have settled there, mostly along Spain's stunning coastline, and, of course, sun-seeking retirees are hard pressed to find a more agreeable alternative! 

Exclusive golf courses on the Costa del Sol

The Spanish Estate Agent's Shirin Shirifi is lucky enough to play golf on the exclusive La Zagaleta course.

It's still t-shirt weather on the course where she snapped these over the weekend.

Golf is one of the big draws of the Costa del Sol with quality courses near or on most developments.

Tee up your search for a home in the Spanish sun with golf on the doorstep here.

A view to a purchase

The very first step on your journey to buying property in Spain is putting pen to paper! Start to think about exactly where you want to go and what you're looking for... and if you don't know, start researching!

An initial trip to scope some general areas and some towns in particular is always worthwhile. Don’t aim to view on this trip, but to get a feel for how busy certain places are, how easy they are to reach from the airport and what the local facilities are like.

Costa del Sol coastal paths

Once finished, the coastal path along Spain’s eastern Costa’s (the Senda Litoral de Malaga) will join up with other coastal paths to extend from just north of Gibraltar in the south, to Barcelona on the Costa Brava.

Many parts are already finished and there are lengthy stretches along the Costal del Sol where you can enjoy an easy, almost flat walk right beside (and for short stretches, on) the beach. The path is a mix of gravelled tracks, short paved walks through front-line developments and along existing seafront promenades and newly constructed boardwalks.

Sunbeds in November...it must be Spain!

November 2019, and the staff at the Ducquesa Chirungito (beach bar) between Sotogrande and Estepona set out sun beds in a pleasantly warm 20 degrees.
Send us your photos of similar events on a UK beach near you, and we’ll publish the best ones.
Only joking!!
Jump on a plane and come and buy a place here on the sunny Costa Del Sol.

November 5th Spain Style

The bonfire-shaped piles of driftwood on the beach near Manilva, Costa Del Sol, reminded us of ‘home’...briefly.
This is mostly bamboo washed ashore in a recent storm. It’s hard to imagine that it was so wet here so recently.
It’s done a lot of good in greening up the ‘campo’, or countryside. And now we are back to big blue skies and warm air.
That’s not smoke by the way, it’s a vapour trail. It’s a message. Jump on a plane....

Learning the language - we can all do it!

If you are considering moving to Spain, you may have idly wondered how much Spanish you really need to speak to live here and be happy.

The answer, of course, is personal and subjective! Some British people can live in Spain for decades without venturing beyond simple greetings and questions - what they consider necessary to “get by”. You, however, might have a radically different view of what it means to “get by”. Maybe you would like to discuss local politics with your neighbours, or engage in conversation with your butcher about local recipes.

Buy now, Brex-it later

So it’s all still up in the air regarding the final outcome of the Brexit debacle.
The point-scoring rumbles on.

If you are a potential buyer, reading this, we sincerely hope you will NOT wait for the politicians to iron out the small print of our shared future over the next 20 or 30 years.

Let us offer you your own dedicated personal property consultant.
Push past the doubt.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
We stand ready to find you the right property and agree a great deal.
Then we’ll help you settle in.

Calling all shopaholics!

It's a fact that shopping on the Costa del Sol (and in Spain in general) can be a cheap treat!  Prices compare favourably on the whole with those in the UK and the CdelS has some great malls where you can while away a few hours on those days when it is either too hot or too cold to be on the beach.

Plaza Mayor Shopping Centre
The Plaza Mayor is one of Andalusia’s largest shopping centres. It has dozens of shops and cinemas, a recreation area, a supermarket, cafes, restaurants and, in short, everything you need to enjoy a full day of shopping. It’s located only two kilometres from Malaga, and very close to Malaga-Costa del Sol airport. One of the essential places to visit if you’re going shopping on the Costa del Sol.

Miramar Shopping Centre
Miramar Shopping Centre, which was opened in 2004, is one of the largest shopping areas on the Costa del Sol, with a surface area of almost 120,000 m2. Its many different shops, restaurants and entertainment options make it a must for all tourists visiting Fuengirola. Certified by Trip Advisor in 2018 as an excellent shopping centre, it has 12 very well-equipped cinemas, a kids’ club and a Go-kart track with a junior and a children's track where a great time can be had by all.

La Cañada Shopping Centre
The La Cañada shopping precinct in Marbella covers more than 100,000 m2 with the best national and international stores across all departments.

Apple, Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Tous and the Inditex group brands are but a few examples of the centre’s extensive retail offering. To complement this there is a cinema complex, ample free parking and a varied choice of leisure and restaurant services.

Furthermore, there is a new and exclusive “personal shopper” service available which can help the customer find what they want.

Satisfied customers!

At TSEA we have something for everyone.

With a variety of characters all offering sound local knowledge and professionalism, the team at TSEA are well equipped to find your dream on the Costa del Sol.

Pictured, satisfied customers who had offered a tricky wishlist to the Estepona team.

‘Our requirements: Several levels, set back from the coast with sea view, light and airy. Future ability to climb the property ladder should there be kids in the future’.

Tick.

Search our Special Selection for properties that tick all the boxes.

The perfect time of year

The towel count is falling on the beaches of the Costa del Sol and that, coupled with an average September daytime temperature of 28°c makes this, for me, the perfect time to visit.

This is THE best season for property hunting too, with cheaper flights and rental accommodation.

The Spanish Estate Agent is booking up their agents fast for September and October viewings. To bag your preferred dates contact Chloe on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

And if you need a little pre-holiday reading, browse our specialist listings of brand new developments for sale, ready built or off-plan, along the Costa del Sol.

Biznaga!

No, this is nothing to do with the Big Bang Theory.  When you visit Malaga, you’ll probably notice the little bunches of white flowers that are sold in the streets. They are biznagas and they are a symbol of the city.

It’s customary to make them in summer, but you can make them all year round due to Malaga's excellent weather. 

The word biznaga comes from the Arabic and means “a gift of God". In the old days it was used as an air freshener due to its pleasant fragrance, and as a natural mosquito repellent. Now it has become a decoration, as well as one of the emblems of Malaga.

Biznagas are handmade, using jasmine and the stalk of a nerdo, a kind of thistle that is collected in late spring. The jasmine flowers are inserted onto the umbels of the nerdo when they are still closed. In the evening, the flowers open up, releasing their characteristic fragrance.

There are many types of jasmine but the one most frequently used is the Royal Jasmine, which is white and has a sweet aroma.

Top designer, Carolina Herrera has just launched a new collection with the Biznaga as the inspiration. Check out the Facebook page here

To check out properties in the area where these jasmine grow, click here

Still time to catch the cycle race!

The peloton of the Vuelta a España will wind its way across 280 kilometres taking in the Costa del Sol and inland areas during the first four stages of the tour
The 'Vuelta' never forgets Malaga. In fact, this is the 30th time that the famous international cycle race will pass through the province, after that first time in a difficult year (1936), which was only the second time it took place. This year three of the stages will be held in Malaga and the fourth will start in the province and head to Granada. These are three days which should definitely not be missed by lovers of this sport who want to see their idols close up, even if it is only for a few fleeting seconds.

Stage 3 (Monday):

Mijas-Alhaurín de la Torre (178.2 kms.)

The longest stage through Malaga province will begin at 12.50pm in Calle La Noria, in Mijas.

It is nearly 180 kilometres in length and will pass through Mijas, Marbella (and San Pedro Alcántara), Ronda, El Burgo, Yunquera, Alozaina, Coín, Mijas again, Benalmádena, Torremolinos and then finish in Alhaurín de la Torre. This is the first time Alhaurín has been the finishing point for the Vuelta, and the winner of this third stage is expected to arrive around 5.26pm.

This stage crosses two mountain passes, the Puerto de Madroño at km. 45.6 and the Puerto del Viento, at km 85.

This route is classified as medium mountain, and it will provide the cyclists with one of the few occasions this year when they are able to battle it out in a sprint to the finish at the end of the day.

Stage 4 (Tuesday):

Vélez-Málaga-Alfácar (161.4 kms.)

Cycling fans in Vélez-Malaga will also be able to enjoy their moment of glory, thanks to the fact that a stage of the Vuelta will be beginning there for the first time.

This will also be the last day the cyclists are in Malaga province.

They are due to set off from Avenida de las Naciones at 1pm, but the finishing line is in Granada province. After passing through Torrox and El Morche, in the opposite direction to last year, Nerja will be the final town in Malaga province which the multicoloured snake of the peloton will pass through before reaching Granada via Almuñécar.

After more than 160 kilometres, the cyclists' finishing point will be in a place which is completely new to them: Alfácar, in the Sierra de Alfaguara.

Published by Sur In English

8 days and nights of Málaga Fair!

Coming up this weekend! MALAGA FAIR! Not to be missed!

Starting this Friday 10th August with a firework display at the port, it is party time for a full 8 days and nights! The fair is a huge event and takes place over two venues where you can see free concerts and generally let your hair down and take in the different flavours of Spain.

During the day head to Calle Larios (from midday-6pm) where you will find free concerts in several squares in the old quarter such as Plaza Uncibay, Plaza Mitjana, Plaza de las Flores and Plaza de San Pedro de Alcántara (off Calle Carreteria).

At night head to Real de la Feria – in the west of city where partying is full on and the atmosphere electric!