Feel That Sea Breeze In Tenerife

May 9th, 2011

Living on a volcanic rock in the Atlantic Ocean, you couldn’t get further from the mundane routine of normal daily life. Tenerife has all the romance and excitement you would expect from a paradise island but with all the modern comforts you could wish for.

Property in Tenerife is as diverse as the island, from luxury isolation, to bustling town life, rural serenity, and coastal charms. The sea is never far away in amazing views or if you want it close up you can dip your toes in the sea at a family friendly beach or even head out on a pleasure boat to enjoy nature at first hand.

Crossley Morfitt & Lennox have offices in La Caleta and Los Cristianos but we like to make it easy for you to contact us and keep up to date with our latest news at your leisure. For fast and easy interaction there’s Twitter, our properties and the natural wonders of Tenerife are always open to viewing at Flickr, for a 3D walk around try You Tube, and you can pop in and chat at Facebook .

Tenerife was made for sharing that’s why Crossley Morfitt & Lennox are reaching out in a choice of languages, our website has always been available in English with Spanish as an alternative. Looking further afield we welcome our Polish friends and with a strong Russian interest in Tenerife we are pleased to also offer that language option.

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Posted in Canary Islands, Las Americas, Los Cristianos, Los Gigantes | 167 Comments »

Buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants – Want a fixed Estate Agency Fee

August 26th, 2008

A new low cost fixed fee Estate Agency Network website has been launched by David Wood to bring together buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants throughout the South Yorkshire area. This innovative concept is spearheaded by David who has a wealth of property expertise behind him, not only in the UK market but also throughout Europe including Cape Verde and the Canary Islands.  Complimented by their thought provoking blog, dwood-property.com is definitely the place to start whether you are a Landlord or private individual, when considering buying, selling, letting and renting property.

Posted in Canary Islands, Property for sale, Real Estate Agents, Renting property Tenerife | 151 Comments »

Holiday Homes – Avoiding Holiday Hassle

January 2nd, 2008

“A third of current and potential overseas homeowners believe that owning a holiday home will make family breaks more affordable and a quarter feel it would reduce the sheer stress of arranging holidays” – www.homesworldwide.co.uk.

Although everyone looks forward to it, the annual family vacation can sometimes leave you feeling exhausted, stressed and (probably) broke, wondering why you bothered to even leave the office in the first place. In some cases, you’ll need another holiday just to get over the stress of the last one.

According to a recent study by NatWest Bank, more and more Brits are investing overseas partly to avoid the expense and stress of the annual family holiday.

Holiday Hassles
Family holidays are meant to be a time for relaxation and rejuvenation – in a place where you can unwind, away from the stress of the office. Unfortunately though, they often end up as being hugely traumatic.

The hassle and expense of organising the whole affair can be more exhausting than just spending the time in work and sticking to your usual routine.

There’s location and accommodation to consider. Then there’s flights, car rental, packing, taking the kids stuff and (nowadays) airline luggage weight restrictions. It all adds up in terms of time and money. And this is before you’ve even left. Once you get there you’ll have to work hard on not killing each other!

One thing’s for certain, if the accommodation is terrible, the holiday will be “challenging”.

Buying a holiday home
If you’re going to be going to the same holiday destination every year (like most people do) it makes sense to invest there. After all, rent is dead money.

A holiday home can be an excellent investment, cutting the stress out of the annual holiday and bringing in significant rental income for periods that you are not using it. It should just basically pay for itself.

The long-term benefits of owning a second home should greatly outweigh the initial up-front costs. You obviously won’t have to pay for your holiday accommodation anymore – a significant saving. Along with rental yields (mentioned earlier), if it’s a good quality property in a popular location it should accumulate substantial property appreciation.

So where’s popular…

Spain “tops the tables”, in terms of popularity, according to Mike Freer (Head of Business Development at NatWest International Personal Banking).

Top European Investment Locations
Spain and the Canary Islands have been firm favourites with UK investors for many years. The warm climate, friendly locals and chilled out pace of life has attracted more immigrants than any other country in European.

According to homesworldwide.co.uk, “Foreign residents now comprise almost ten per cent of the total population, adding up to 4.48 million out of a total of 14.12 million people”. Spain now has more foreign residents living in the country than Germany or the UK.

A significant proportion of these are British. Spain has a large English expat community on both the mainland and on the Canary and Balearic Islands. The numbers are growing too. Every year more and more families and young couples decide to leave the dreary UK climate and set up home in Spain. Most never look back.

Buying Property in Spain (2007)
Most experts agree that despite the recent property “crisis”, Spain and the Canary Islands still have excellent long term potential. The market is predicted to stabilize and just become more realistic.

Overbuilt tourist traps like Marbella on the Costa del Sol have been hit the worst but this vast country still has many untouched areas with plenty of fresh investment opportunities. Take the Costa de la Luz (Cadiz), inland towards Olvera, Alpujarras region, La Gomera and Fuerteventura etc.

The Canaries offer year round sunshine and warmth, unlike the mainland. As it’s literally always peak season here, buy-to-let investors can charge peak season prices all year long. Tenerife, the largest island in the group is one of the most popular. Click on the following link to find available properties – Tenerife Property.

Posted in Canary Islands, Property for sale, Renting property Tenerife, Spain | No Comments »

Buenavista Golf, Tenerife, Canary Islands

November 13th, 2007

Buenavista Golf is located in an area known as Isla Baja, in the extreme northwestern corner of Tenerife. Up here the climate can change dramatically from one season to the next but overall it’s mild and pleasant.

The course was designed by legendary golfer Seve Ballesteros, who commented “I have designed a course where most of the holes offer different alternatives to their denouement. These different options ask for very implying strokes”. It opened up in Autumn 2003.

The Course
Buenavista is an 18 hole 72-par-course that covers a length of 6.150 meters. The clubhouse has some spectacular views from all the terraces out over the course and down to the Atlantic Ocean.

The course has 6 holes of par 3, par 4 and par 5. Some of the most demanding holes on the course include the par fours (on the outward nine) and par threes (on the inward route). The greatest precision is required for the par threes at the 15th and 17th, as they are right beside the coast. At some of the holes on the course, it feels like you’re hitting directly into the ocean.

The 5 hole greens are located close to the cliffs that stretch along Tenerife’s rocky coastline. The powerful Atlantic swells create some spectacular wave breaks here, which are literally thunderous!

As much as possible, the fairways have been designed to respect the natural contours and surrounding landscape conditions.

One of the course’s water features runs all the way down to the Atlantic. It starts off at the well next to the old Hacienda de la Fuente by the 1st hole and runs all the way down to the 17th hole before entering the ocean.

Normally the course is only open to groups of 8 or more but often they can place you in a group with others to make up the right numbers. Contact them in advance to make sure…

Contact details
Buenavista del Norte, s/n.
38480 buenavista del norte
0034 922 12 90 34
0034 922 12 80 44

Posted in Canary Islands, Golf, Spain | 1 Comment »

Golf del Sur, Tenerife, Canary Islands

November 13th, 2007

Located in the south of Tenerife, Golf del Sur is an incredibly well-kept 27 hole championship golf course. It runs alongside the very popular Golf Del Sur complex.

The course itself contains 3 loops of 9 holes, so if you’re not up to a full 27 you can just play 18 or 9 at a reduced price. The course is made up of a driving range, and two putting greens.

The closeby pro shop is very well stocked and golf lessons are available.

This is another course that was designed by Pepe Gancedo. The layout of the course was later modified by Manuel Pinero. His aim was to enhance all the natural protected areas that surround the course. Golf Del Sur was opened in 1987 and since then has gone on to play host to numerous professional golf tournaments.

Golf Del Sur is located within an oasis of calm – one of the quieter areas of Tenerife, popular with golfers young families and those who want a peaceful and relaxing holiday. There are some superb sandy beaches closeby along with plenty of restaurants and bars. For those after something more lively, Los Cristianos and Las Americas are just 15 minuets away.

Other courses closeby include Las Americas, Adeje and Amarilla. They’re all less than 20 minutes away. Los Palos, just 10 minuetes away by car offers beginners or those seeking to improve their short game, a good quality par 3 course.

How to get here
Take exit 24 off the Autov¡a de Tenerife T-1, towards Los Abrigos. Then take the first turn off on the right and you’ll come to the Golf del Sur development where the golf course is located.

Contact Details
Urb. Golf del Sur. Avda. Galván Bello, s/n.
38639 san miguel
0034 922 73 81 70
0034 922 73 82 72

Posted in Canary Islands, Golf, Spain | 151 Comments »

Amarilla Golf and Country Club (Tenerife)

November 13th, 2007

Amarilla is located in the south of Tenerife, very close to the Atlantic Ocean. So close in fact, that at one point (the 5th hole) the sea becomes a fairway – you have to cross it in order to reach the green!

Amarilla sits beneath the omnipresent gaze of the formidable Mount Teide – offering spectacular views towards its often snow-capped peak.

Designed by Donald Steel, one of the world’s most respected golf course architects, this course utilises Tenerife’s contrasting landscape to the fullest. During your round of golf, you’ll pass by everything from steep ravines to the wild Atlantic Ocean.

Set up in 1989, Amarilla Golf and Country Club now provides a driving range, putting green, pro-shop, equestrian centre and Club House. It even has a tennis court and swimming pool and of course a bar and restaurant.
In 1990, they hosted part of the European P.G.A. Tour here – the second edition of the Tenerife Open.

Contact Details
Urb. Amarilla Golf
38639 san miguel
0034 922 73 03 19
0034 922 78 55 57

Posted in Canary Islands, Golf, Spain | 62 Comments »

Golf in Tenerife (Overview 2007)

November 13th, 2007

“It is almost impossible to remember how tragic a place this world is when one is playing golf” (Robert Lynd).

According to Sports Marketing Surveys (2003) “there are 61.1 million golfers worldwide and 6.9 million of these are in Europe”.

On Tenerife – “the island of eternal springtime” – you can play at any stage of the year, in just shorts and a t-shirt, in perpetual sunshine, beneath endless blue skies…

Golf Courses Overview
At the moment there are over 9 top quality courses on Tenerife, including: Abama, Amarilla Golf, Centro de Golf Los Palos, Golf Costa Adeje and Golf del Sur. Here’s some of the most popular…

Abama Golf Course
Located in southern Tenerife, this unique 18-hole golf was created by Dave Thomas. It’s a genuine work of art with superb sea views all the way to the idyllic island of La Gomera.

Contact details
Ctra. Gral. TF-47. Km. 9. Playa San Juan
38687 guia de isora
0034 922 12 60 00
0034 922 12 66 21

Amarilla Golf
Amarilla Golf was created by landscape designer Donald Steel. It’s located in the south of the island, right beside the ocean. At some points of the course you’re so close to the ocean that you have to drive the ball over the waves onto the next green.

Contact details
Urb. Amarilla Golf
38639 san miguel
0034 922 73 03 19
0034 922 78 55 57

Centro de Golf Los Palos
Designed by Integral Golf Design, José María Olazábal’s company, Los Palos is a a nine hole, par 27 golf course – perfect for beginners. It’s a beautiful course featuring a colourful garden and many water obstacles of lakes and streams.

Contact Details
Ctra. Guaza-Las Galletas. Km. 7
38636 arona
0034 922 16 90 80
0034 922 16 92 38

Golf Costa Adeje
Located in the south of the island, beneath the rugged Adeje Mountains, this course boasts some excellent views out to the Atlantic Ocean and La Gomera Island.

It was designed by Pepe Gancedo and fits perfectly into the surrounding dry desert-like landscape.

Contact Details
Finca de Los Olivos, s/n
38670 adeje
0034 922 71 00 00
0034 922 71 04 84

Golf del Sur
Another course designed by Pepe Gancedo, Golf Del Sur has been the host to numerous professional golf tournaments. It was opened in 1987. Its layout was later modified by Manuel Pinero, who enhanced all the natural protected areas that surround the 27 holes.

Contact Details
Urb. Golf del Sur. Avda. Galván Bello, s/n.
38639 san miguel
0034 922 73 81 70
0034 922 73 82 72

Golf Las Américas
Designed by John Jacobs, Las Americas is located in the south of Tenerife in the world famous Playa de Las Américas holiday resort. It’s positioned in a sort of a natural amphitheatre with excellent views out over the Atlantic, towards La Gomera.

Contact Details
Golf las Américas. Playa de las Américas.
38660 arona
0034 922 75 20 05
0034 922 79 52 50

Tecina Golf
Tecina is located on La Gomera Island – an exotic paradise around 40 minutes away from Tenerife, by ferry.

Designed by Donald Steel, this spectacular 18-hole course is set high up on a cliff and has amazing views out to sea and over to nearby Mount Teide.

The upper parts of the course are surrounded by La Gomera’s fantastically colourful native vegetation.

Contact Details
Lomada del Tecina, s/n. Playa de Santiago. La Gomera
38811 santa cruz de tenerife
0034 922 14 59 50
0034 922 14 59 51

Tenerife Golf Property Investments
Golf property in Tenerife has become incredibly popular. Many UK buyers now own their very own place in the sun right on the golf course.

Buying a luxury villa or apartment on a golf course might sound extravagant – something for the super wealthy but it’s actually quite a sound and affordable investment option.

There’s always a demand for golf accommodation on Tenerife, all year long. You can easily rent the property out to help finance it. Ideally the rental income will pay off the mortgage.

Posted in Canary Islands, Golf, Golf Del Sur, Las Americas | 1 Comment »

The Pyramids of Guimar (Casa Post)

August 7th, 2007

Casa Post is Tenerife’s number one property search magazine and website. Displaying hundreds of up to date properties from some of the most well established real estate agents on the islands, it’s literally a one-stop- shop for buyers, sellers, investors and developers.

Online and in the magazine there’s a wide range of property types on offer; everything from small cosy studios to huge luxury villas and country houses. In between there’s an endless range of apartments and townhouses.

Every month, Casa Post publishes various articles about the Canary Islands.

This month we look at the Pyramids of Guimar – an ongoing mystery that continues to divide opinion across the island.

Inside Tenerife - the Pyramids of Guimar

When a local newspaper claimed that strange pyramid type structures were found on the holiday island of Tenerife, Archaeologists and local authorities laughed, dismissing them as simple stone terraces – a common sight throughout the Canary Islands.

One Man thought different however…

“They were painstakingly built step-pyramids, constructed according to similar principles as those of Mexico, Peru, and ancient Mesopotamia”.“With slopes of the volcano Mt. Teide at their back and facing the Atlantic, the edifices are precisely aligned according to the sunset on the summer solstice, as are other sacred structures in different parts of the world.”Thor Heyerdahl has done extensive research on the pyramids of Tucume in Peru. After visiting the Guimar site for himself, he had no doubt.

There was no way they were random piles of stone or simple terraced steps, as some of the local authorities had claimed.

The Evidence

Unlike your standard pile of rubble, every stone was turned with its flat side out and placed together by stonemasons.

On the west facing side, there were carefully built stairways that lead up to the summit – a perfectly flat platform; as if designed for sun worship or perhaps some kind of religious ceremony.

Unlike stones found in the fields, they were not weather worn and rounded. These stones were made out of sharp fragments of lava. Some of the corner stones had even been trimmed, in order to fit perfectly into the structure.

The conclusion

A number of archaeologists from La Laguna University were called in. They performed a test excavation of the site and much to Thor Heyerdahl’s delight, found that a ceremonial platform between two of the pyramids had been built of blocks, gravel and earth and wasn’t just a random pile of rocks.

The local sceptics gave in and eventually admitted that there was some kind of ceremonial architecture there but were still unsure of how the Guanches, the original inhabitants of Tenerife, had been capable of building such a structure.

All the evidence would suggest that these fascinating structures were built by some pre-European voyagers who sailed the Atlantic waters in ancient times, and possibly built them as some kind of time measuring device.

Today the pyramids remain intact. They were once slated for destruction to make way for urban development but are now preserved. Two of the smaller pyramids have even been restored.

If you come here, come with an open mind and decide for yourself, as Dr. Heyerdahl would want. The symbol of the resort is a question mark asking visitors to make up their own minds.

Contact details:
The Pyramids of Guimar, Canary Islands, Spain
Address: Casa de Chacona
Calle Chacona
Guimar 38500
Tenerife, Canary Islands
Spain
Telephone: (34)-922-51-45-10
Fax: (34)-922-51-45-11
Website: www.fredolsen.es

Casa Post Magazine
Casa Post is a free magazine published monthly. You’ll find it throughout the Canary Islands, Tenerife in particular. It’s distributed through cafe bars, airports, petrol stations, information centres, waiting areas, and central meeting points.

Posted in Media, Spain, Uncategorized | 60 Comments »

Online Property Portals

July 23rd, 2007

casa Quest (www.casaquest.com) displays thousands of properties for sale in the Canary Islands and deals with some of the most reputable estate agents on the archipelago.

By clicking on your chosen island, you can search through a vast array of properties with descriptions, locations, photos and prices.

You can then build up your own portfolio of preferred properties and decide which ones you really want to see before contacting the agent representing the property. This saves time for both you and the agent.

The site also provides local information about the Canary Islands, property and investment related articles, links to legal advice and information about mortgages and finance.

The Canary Islands
Also known as the “Happy Islands”, the Canary Islands are famous for their perfect year round climate, spectacular landscapes, excellent beaches and amazing nightlife. They’re located beneath Spain, about 97 kilometers off the northwest coast of Africa.

The islands cover 7,242 square kilometers and have 1,007 kilometers of coastline. Seven are inhabited.

The Spanish Property Market
A recent article from www.tenerifecapitalbusiness.info (3 July 2007), points out that Spanish property market is in good shape and hints at which of the two archipelagos is the best value for money.

Despite the recent market slump, it appears that the Spanish market is looking a lot healthier than most had expected.

In Malaga province for example, property prices have not fallen as expected but in fact have risen by over 1.5% from €310,000 to €315,000. Similarly, in Seville prices increased by €20,000 in the last month, from €160,000 in June 07 to €180,000 in July 07.

In Alicante province average property prices have remained stable at around €250,000, the same as they were in May 2007. All in all, national average property prices in Spain remain static at €250,000.

According to the latest Kyero.com Spanish House Price Index, property for sale in the Canary Islands is significantly cheaper than Balearic Islands.

On the Balearic Islands of Mallorca and Menorca the average property price is €402,000, whereas on the Canary Islands of Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria the average property price is just €230,333. Add this to year round sunshine and the possibility to rent at “tourist prices” all throughout the year and it seems obvious which one is the investor’s choice.

The website
Casa Quest is basically an information site. It’s not there to sell properties. It was set up back in 2003 by Dr Paul Johnson, a retired British medical practitioner, in collaboration with Sorted Sites, (http://www.sortedsites.com). Its aim is simple – to make buying and selling property on the Canary Islands easier.

Posted in Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Spain | 57 Comments »

Tenerife Investment areas (Los Cristianos)

July 2nd, 2007

Located on the south of Tenerife, just 15 minuets from Reina Sofia Airport, Los Cristianos is one of the most popular investment resorts on Tenerife. There’s a wide range of excellent value properties for sale in Los Cristianos – everything from luxury apartments and studios to grand villas and spacious townhouses.

Island Overview (Tenerife)
Tenerife is often described as “one of the last paradise islands in Europe”. It’s an island of dramatic extremes and contrasts. Along with a colourful array of exotic fauna and flora, this volcanic island has lush green forests, black volcanic beaches, miles and miles of beautiful coastal scenery and some spectacular cliffs (Los Gigantes).

Tenerife has a perfect climate. The island enjoys wonderful weather all year round. It’s never too hot or too cold. Most of the sunshine, the least clouds and highest temperatures can be found in the coastal areas. The south tends to be hot and dry while the north of Tenerife tends to be a lot greener and more humid.

Los Cristianos (Tenerife)
Los Cristianos is a quite resort. It’s generally suitable for families, older couples or anyone wanting to relax and enjoy the wonderful climate and beaches.

Los Cristianos has some amazing beaches. The main Los Cristianos beach has clean calm warm waters and is sheltered from the wind by a harbour. You can comfortably practice water sports here all year round without a wetsuit!

One of the best beaches on Tenerife is located just five minuetes down the road from Los Cristianos. Las Vistas beach (in the next bay) is a fine golden sandy beach with crystal clear waters and top-class facilities.

Los Cristianos has managed to retain its indigenous Canarian charm, a lot more so than some of the other resorts on Tenerife. It’s grown from a small Spanish fishing village into a top class resort with vibrant mixture traditional Spanish and modern European culture.

There’s a large British expat community here, many of whom own their own properties. San Marino complex, for example, has many English residents.

From Los Cristianos, you can take a ferry to nearby La Gomera; a nature lover’s paradise, with volcanic sand beaches, natural parks and dramatic mountains peaks – a popular spot for whale & dolphin watching as well as deep-sea fishing.

Buying a home in Tenerife (Choosing the right agent)
Buying a new home is a big step, especially if it’s in a foreign country. When doing so, it’s important to choose the right agent – one that you can trust; and one that knows the area and the market extremely well.

Tate Properties are one of the most well-established and reputable agents in Los Cristianos. They have an impressive range of resale and off-plan properties, along with numerous quality properties available for long term rental.

They’ll do most of the hard work for you, including property searches; paperwork; sales contracts; land registry searches etc. You’ll be guided through the whole process, from start to finish.

Posted in Los Cristianos | 111 Comments »

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