In the UK, it always seems to me that consumers and lenders alike are totally aware of the merits of interest only mortgages, and that there is an enormous choice of products in the marketplace. Particularly when buyers are seeking to purchase investment property, the option of an interest-only mortgage would seem to make complete sense, allowing for positive cashflow and a longer term plan to pay off the loan from the expected rise in the price of a property over a 10, 15 or even 20 year period. Continue reading »

Here at Your Key to Spain, we have many years experience of the Spanish property market, and are accustomed to listening to the individual wants, desires and ´must-haves´ of hundreds of prospective buyers.

Most of these, or course, make absolute sense – the garden for the dogs, the third bedroom for the teenage boy…I´m sure you get the picture.

But the one request (or ´demand´ in many cases) that I always query is the need for a west or south-west facing terrace. Continue reading »

After a decade of political scandal, planning abuse and negative media coverage, it looks like Marbella is getting its mojo back. Continue reading »

There are plenty of tourists in Marbella at the moment, and one of the most popular areas for holidaymakers is Elviria. Situated 12 km from Marbella centre, Elviria offers something for everyone.

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I´ve been out of action for a couple of weeks alter breaking my jaw. Having reached the age of 41 without breaking a single bone in my body, I managed to visit 4 hospitals within a 24 hour period, so I am now the resident expert on the Spanish healthcare system!

I was initially taken by ambulance to the Costa del Sol Hospital in Marbella, where (apparently!….I was unconscious for most of the time) I was looked after very well, and the various procedures and treatments were explained to my partner via an English translator.

I was then transferred to the Carlos Haya Hospital in Malaga, a bumpy 50 minute drive in the back of an old knackered ambulance. I didn´t stay too long at the Carlos Haya as the staff there preferred to transfer me (again!) to the nearby Civil Hospital in Malaga where a specialist in Maxillo-Facial surgery is apparently in residence.

I was given my own room with a tv and en-suite facilities…it even had a spare bed, but was told that the specialist wouldn´t be able to see me for at least another 36 hours (this was now a Saturday evening). I wasn´t really in the best of shape, covered in bruises and scratches, jaw broken to pieces and missing my front teeth. I managed to get some sleep on the Saturday night, but swiftly decided to check out on the Sunday morning when I was offered a piece of cake and a sandwich for breakfast (!!), one of the nurses started ranting at my partner for his poor knowledge of the Spanish language, and then to top it all, they decided to move another patient into the same room…..along with an entourage of about 20 members of his family.

No way, Jose!

So I ended up going to the USP Hospital in Marbella (I am a member of Sanitas, so receive subsidised private heathcare). Within half an hour, I had been seen by a doctor, x-rayed and been given advice to be able to treat the injury at home. When I returned to the hospital 48 hours later, I saw a specialist who advised that I would need surgery that same evening, until his colleague advised that he would be able to treat the broken jaw with an elasticated brace and physiotherapy.

What an ordeal! Anyway, I now feel in very safe hands and am well on the road to recovery. I´m still on a soft diet but at least I have new teeth! And while I´ve been very fortunate with the timing and have been able to watch every single World Cup game on the tv during my recuperation, I am wary that I may be the only person to have broken his jaw and likely to end up fatter than he started! I blame M&S mashed potato and chocolate mousses!

Nikki Beach, the prestigious chain of glamorous beach-themed clubs and eateries, opened its doors in Marbella for another summer season on Thursday last week. Continue reading »

The Spanish parliament has approved a €15 billion austerity bill, designed to protect the Spanish economy from a Greek-style meltdown and to reduce the GDP deficit from 11% to a targeted 6% in 2011. Continue reading »

While all the fuss in Spain on Sunday evening centred around the battle for the La Liga football crown (would Real Madrid manage to pip Barcelona to the championship on the final day?), there were far more important matters to contend with at the La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga. Continue reading »

The Spanish government recently announced new measures designed to combat the huge national debt crisis in Spain that is in danger of overwhelming the country in much the same way as Greece.

Public sector workers will see their wages slashed by 5% this year, while their pay will be frozen in 2011. The baby bonus of €2,500 given to new mothers will also be abolished. Continue reading »

I was able to sample the delights of the new Terminal 3 at Malaga Airport last week (yes, I managed to dodge the ash clouds!). Having travelled through Malaga Airport on a regular basis for the last 10 years, I was keen to see for myself the improvements that this new facility may be able to boast.

Firstly, I wasn´t even sure that I would be able to access the new terminal. I was under the impression that Terminal 3 would be off-limits to passengers flying with EasyJet, as they were amongst those carriers that would still be using the old Terminal 2. Continue reading »