This week we talk to James Wyatt, a partner at Barton Wyatt, an award-winning estate agent in Virginia Water, the UK’s most expensive postcode outside of London.
To help our readers come up with ideas for future projects, we gave James £25k, £100k and £1 million to invest anywhere in the world with the objective of maximizing return over a five-year period.
Ashley Rigg: Hi James, thanks for talking to me today. How’s business at the moment?
James Wyatt: It was good until the stock market fallout a few weeks ago. It’s like someone has turned the lights out. Having said that, we’ve still got clients on our books actively looking for £20-million to £40-million properties. Property stock is very tightly controlled around here so turnover is low.
AR: Well I’m afraid that the money I have to offer you today pales in comparison, and to make matters worse it’s fictional! Let’s start things off with £25k. Where would you invest it to maximize my return?
JW: I’m going to go for Portugal. We have lots of clients interested in buying there because of our golf connections (the Barton Wyatt office is near Wentworth).
AR: Why Portugal in particular?
JW: It’s convenient, there are lots of flights to Faro from the UK, it’s not had the same kind of boom-and-bust and over-construction issues as Spain and I think there are areas that still offer value. For £25k I’d buy something in the hills behind the Algarve, about 30 to 45 minutes’ drive from the golf courses towards the coast.
AR: What can you get for your money?
JW: I think you could get a dilapidated farm building for that price with maybe up to half an acre of land. You’d have to spend that again to re-furbish it, more if you want a pool. You could sell it for £100k-125k after a year or two. A very tidy profit.
AR: Thanks James. Let’s add another £75k into the mix. Where would you invest £100k?
JW: The Middle East looks very attractive at the moment, relative to the rest of the world. It’s somewhat out of the loop from the current financial troubles due to its natural wealth and resources.
AR: Would you invest the money in Dubai?
JW: Probably not. I think there is better value in the neighbouring Emirates of Sharjah and Ras Al-Khaimah. The traffic in Dubai is a nightmare and you can often get from Dubai airport to Sharjah and Ras Al-Khaimah quicker than you can to Jebel Ali or even Jumeirah. Both are on the coast and are a lot quieter. The shopping is not as good, but they are playing catch-up and the great thing is they are learning from Dubai’s mistakes.
AR: Is there a risk of over-supply in the UAE?
JW: I used to think that, but there is just so much demand. In Dubai over the last couple of years, rents have more than doubled and the government has had to cap rent increases. There seems to be more and more international companies relocating there all the time. I think the boom still has a few years to run yet.
AR: What would you get for your money?
JW: You’d be looking at a one-bed flat for £100k. A two-bed would cost around £140k if you wanted to gear your investment.
AR: Anywhere else you’d consider investing?
JW: I’d also put money into Bahrain. Dubai is the commercial centre of the Middle East for most industries but Bahrain is the financial centre. It’s managed to capture that niche and it’s a pretty good one to capture. It’s also stable politically and I believe it offers good long-term investment prospects.
AR: Right, let’s make it interesting. Let’s put £1 million in the pot.
JW: Ooh, with that amount of money, I’d be tempted to put it in the bank and wait for some good deals in the UK market. There are some good developers in financial trouble and there will be some great deals to be had if you have the money.
AR: Cash is king, isn’t it? What if you had to invest right now?
JW: I’d put the money into Florida. I think the market is at or around the bottom. I bought there recently when you could get two dollars to the pound but there are still some great deals to be done.
AR: Anywhere in particular take your fancy?
JW: It’s all about location. I know people that have been burnt in Florida, buying at the peak of the boom in less sought-after locations. Personally, I like West Palm Beach, just north of Miami. It’s a retirement market but it’s smart Florida. You can get some real bargains at the moment. For example, you can get a 5,000-square-foot apartment with a pool for US$700,000 (£406,000). In Virginia Water, it would cost you £2.5 million for something similar.
AR: What would you do with the rest of the money?
JW: I’d go for Florida again but probably invest in Sarasota. It’s very much the capital of culture, with great opera and theatre. Some developers there will sell at up to 50% discounts. Many of them just need the money coming through the door. For US$1 million (£580,000) you could you get a 3,500- to 4,000-square-foot house in a smart location such as the Founders Club which will appreciate significantly in the coming years. Alternatively, there are more central locations where key-ready homes are available for around $200,000 (£116,000). In both West Palm Beach and Sarasota there is good rental demand and over five years I believe that you can make a significant return on investment and, of course, enjoy the lifestyle of the Sunshine state.
AR: Thanks James. Great talking to you.
JW: You’re welcome. Hopefully speak to you again soon.
About Barton Wyatt. Barton Wyatt is a third generation business in Virginia Water, Surrey selling and letting property in the UK and selling new homes on golf resorts around the World.Awards in 2007 included CNBC World top 5 Real Estate Agent, Daily Mail UK’s Best Estate Agent and Best UK International Estate Agent.In 2008 Barton Wyatt are again a Daily Mail award winner.
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Agent particulars: James Wyatt, Virginia Water, Surrey
Last Updated: 12:01am GMT 22/02/2003 - Daily Telegraph.
'I have had two new houses in the past five years, both built by the same developer, but this is the first I've had built for myself. It's the big move if you like: we're jumping up into a large, family house, although, by Virginia Water's standards, I'd say it's actually quite modest.
James Wyatt: he is building a large, family house
"We've one daughter, Victoria, who is two and Jane, my wife, is pregnant again, so it's the right time to do this. I knew exactly what sort of property I wanted. It's what is referred to as a railway carriage house, long and thin. The living-room, dining-room, kitchen, breakfast room and family room are all along the back with the view of the garden, and the other two reception rooms, which aren't quite so important - the study and the telly room - are on the front.
"The chap who developed Virginia Water from its humble beginnings was called W G Tarrant, a very brave developer, who was continually going bust. He started building houses in West Byfleet. Then he bought St George's Hill in Weybridge and developed that and then, in 1921, he developed the Wentworth Estate.
"As it happens, his office is where mine is now. His drawings are on the wall here and his typical Surrey vernacular, tile-hung house was often the railway-carriage design. These days people don't build weedy, thin houses, they prefer bigger houses on smaller plots, but I like them.
"I've never thought of any of the places we've lived in would be a home for very long. But I've a feeling this new house is going to be different because it's been a product of love and enormous involvement. From when we married, in 1994, we've kept moving, up until now, every two years. After we moved the first time I thought: well, this is a good way to get up the property ladder, buying the right thing and then fairly quickly moving on. And that's what we've done, though the actual business of moving is ghastly.
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"Put a price on this property? Let's say that to buy the plot and build the house was getting on for one and a half million. And I suppose you could now say it's worth one and three quarter million so, yes, I'm going to make a little bit out of it.
"Estate agency is not a game where you make lots of money. All we do is take a commission and at the end of the year there's a profit. But one of the ways you can build up your capital is through building your own house and it's tax free, and that's the angle."
James Wyatt is a partner with brother Rupert in Barton Wyatt, Station Approach, Virginia Water, Surrey.
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
Last Updated: 12:01am GMT 22/02/2003 - Daily Telegraph.
'I have had two new houses in the past five years, both built by the same developer, but this is the first I've had built for myself. It's the big move if you like: we're jumping up into a large, family house, although, by Virginia Water's standards, I'd say it's actually quite modest.
James Wyatt: he is building a large, family house
"We've one daughter, Victoria, who is two and Jane, my wife, is pregnant again, so it's the right time to do this. I knew exactly what sort of property I wanted. It's what is referred to as a railway carriage house, long and thin. The living-room, dining-room, kitchen, breakfast room and family room are all along the back with the view of the garden, and the other two reception rooms, which aren't quite so important - the study and the telly room - are on the front.
"The chap who developed Virginia Water from its humble beginnings was called W G Tarrant, a very brave developer, who was continually going bust. He started building houses in West Byfleet. Then he bought St George's Hill in Weybridge and developed that and then, in 1921, he developed the Wentworth Estate.
"As it happens, his office is where mine is now. His drawings are on the wall here and his typical Surrey vernacular, tile-hung house was often the railway-carriage design. These days people don't build weedy, thin houses, they prefer bigger houses on smaller plots, but I like them.
"I've never thought of any of the places we've lived in would be a home for very long. But I've a feeling this new house is going to be different because it's been a product of love and enormous involvement. From when we married, in 1994, we've kept moving, up until now, every two years. After we moved the first time I thought: well, this is a good way to get up the property ladder, buying the right thing and then fairly quickly moving on. And that's what we've done, though the actual business of moving is ghastly.
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"Put a price on this property? Let's say that to buy the plot and build the house was getting on for one and a half million. And I suppose you could now say it's worth one and three quarter million so, yes, I'm going to make a little bit out of it.
"Estate agency is not a game where you make lots of money. All we do is take a commission and at the end of the year there's a profit. But one of the ways you can build up your capital is through building your own house and it's tax free, and that's the angle."
James Wyatt is a partner with brother Rupert in Barton Wyatt, Station Approach, Virginia Water, Surrey.
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
Monday, August 18, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
James Wyatt explores the hidden Costa in Spain
Little known though is Barcelona’s southern airport Reus, which rather like Londons Stansted airport, is actually a long way from its supposed ‘local’ city. This is a bonus in Reus’s case. Not only is Reus a nice little place to pick up some last minute typical Spanish food and nick-nacs to take home, it is truly the best gateway to the unknown Costa Azahar – some miles south.
Many years ago, the Spanish equivilant of our airport authority, started opening military airport bases for civilian activities. In time, these have become passenger airports. The Costas are neatly covered with an airport at neat intervals. Except in Castellon. This spot between Barcelona and Valencia has no airport at all. Reus, some way south of Barcelona has bought the distance down a bit, but there is still a yawning gap on the map. Hence this is an area that has very few Brits buying property, as it is a good hour from the airport (Reus one way, and a bit longer to Valencia). If you want the real Spain, this can be a great bonus. Known as the ‘Orange Blossom Coast’, this 70 mile stretch of coast will be shaken up in 2010 by the opening of the new airport at Vilnova. Given approval recently by the Madrid Government, the airport will initially open with a modest 2,700 metre runway which is long enough for some EasyJet and Ryanair type jets, but there is permission for a huge extension of a further 4,000 metres which will allow intercontinental planes to use the airport. And yet the whole areas is easily accessed top to bottom by the marvellous AP7 motorway which will take you north to France in a couple of hours or south to the booming City of Valencia in just over an hour. Valencia has held the Americas Cup recently and will repeat that extravaganza shortly. It will also host a round the roads Formula 1 race on the 24th August.
For now, this remains one of the few coastal strips in Spain where buying property – even in a rotten market – can only be good in the long run. The area is rich in history, has a low cost of living, and is wonderful for fabulous beaches whether you want to keep your clothes on or take then off!
A recent visit had me in film land. Peniscola is where El Cid was filmed. It is a pretty headland and surrounded by orange and olive groves and endless fig trees – which makes it about as Spanish as you can get in surroundings. The backdrop of the dramatic mountains gives the perfect frame to encapsulate the whole picture. Not far away is the picture postcard hilltop town of Morella, clearly a Virginia Water honeymoon destination as I know of at least houses of the same name. The castle at the top of the hill has dramatic views which at over 1000m high, I suppose it should.
I should also mention Benicarlo and Vinaros in passing. Both have something for everyone and in particular have a great Spanish feel.
In Sant Jordi, the enormous Aldea Golf at Nova Panoramica resort has one of the best local golf courses. The approach is dramatic, with the road widing up and crossing an ancient gorge. The course is designed by Berhard Langer (his only course in Spain) and run by the posh Sotogrande group. This is a 600 acre facility used for training by professionals, and yet is friendly enough for golfing fools like me. This is where Bancaja Habitat are constructing 1, 2, and 3 bed homes which are ideal as holiday homes or for an investment. Prices are incredibly reasonable – from £92,500 to £145,000. I was very impressed with the lifestyle too – an great clubhouse where you can buy the latest gear and then have a wonderful meal of the highest quality whilst overlooking the golf course with its dramatic mountainous backdrop. The shopping mall will provide everything for day to day needs although the local towns are well worth visiting. The professional golf players on site are brilliant – they should be, having had all sorts of well known pro’s visit to use the top class practise facilities – it isn’t often that you get to practise off grass rather than mats.
I could have quite happily stayed at Aldea Golf resort, but it’s always good to try other local courses, and there are a couple. Club de Golf Costa Azahar and Club Campo del Mediterraneo nearby will give a good work-out.
This is a great spot for the kids too with miles of empty and stunning beaches and if you need a theme park fix, Port Aventura up the road is a Spanish attempt at Disneyland.
This is an area beloved by the Spanish – and for good reasons too – there aren’t many Brits! Take a look before it changes too much.
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
Monday, July 7, 2008
Florida Golf Property
Florida Golf Property
With over 60 million people visiting Florida each year, it is not surprising that the ‘Sunshine State’ is the world’s favourite holiday destination. Florida’s centre has the highest concentration of amusement parks anywhere in the world, but with its large number of golf courses and more than 100 natural lakes, it is easy for residents and visitors to distract themselves from the hustle and bustle of Disney World et al.All year around year, the keen golfers will find the golf courses in South Florida open and challenging. Usually half the year (May to October) the golf courses are hardly ever crowded. So you can pick your tee time and be assured of a leisurely round.
Also, many of the private courses are open to the public during these months. Throughout Florida there are more than 1,000 courses available catering to every level of player.
Barton Wyatt offers luxury golf property in Florida; especially at Reunion Resort:
Located on 2,300 acres of rolling terrain, 25 minutes southwest of Orlando, Reunion Resort & Club of Orlando is often described as "a new breed of family Resort". You will enjoy an unprecedented complete lifestyle, with engaging activities and luxury for the entire family. The epic vision begins with three signature golf courses from renowned designers Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus. Reunion owners and members can also choose from an array of amenities including two grand resort clubhouses, tennis courts and a superb spa and fitness centre. The Villas Condominiums are located within walking distance to Reunion’s Water Park, the shops and restaurants at Reunion Square. As it continues to grow, this area of Reunion will truly be the HUB of activity. All Villa units are 3-bedroom 3-bath condominiums. With the exchange rate at 2.02 (the highest since July 1981) this is an amazing time to get involved! For a limited time only, if you purchase a condo in The Villas at Reunion Square, Ginn Reunion will lease back the unit for two years at $5,000 a month! This is guaranteed income for two whole years while the property continues to mature - with virtually no money out of pocket!!! Contact us for more details.
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
Friday, June 27, 2008
Diary of an International Estate Agent - Viva Las Vegas
Dreaming of huge wins on the roulette tables and life changing poker hands, about 50 UK agents were delegates at the American National Association of Realtors (NAR) annual convention – this year in Las Vegas, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the NAR.
‘Sin City’ and ‘Estate Agents’ don’t make very good bedfellows, but with some 30,000 delegates from all over the World, the NAR has to use towns with gazillions of hotel beds and very large convention centres. Las Vegas fits the bill perfectly. A convention of this size is considered quite small in the US. Welcome to American where bigger very definitely means better (to them anyway).
A day on the plane, 4,500 miles and 8 time zones later, Las Vegas hits you like an over-excited teenager. Everything is in your face – constantly, coaxing you to play 24 hours a day. Sleep seems an irrelevant nuisance.
It’s been 10 years since I last visited, and the City has changed out of all recognition. Not much remains as I remember it. The New York New York hotel which I saw being constructed is billed as being reopened, after remodeling, refitted and updating – in just 10 years. Las Vegas comes to life at night with all the incredible lights and displays of erupting volcanoes, dancing fountains and so on. During the day, it looks tired and a bit miserable, like most of the people walking the streets after a long night getting smashed and losing their shirt on the roulette tables or mesmeric fruit machines.
There was great excitement within hours of arriving. The Stardust hotel was to be blown up that night, (to make way for another new 5,000 room hotel). Not something you see every day, so we struggled through to 2am to see and hear the quite incredibly loud firework display – clearly noise isn’t a problem given that everyone is still awake! – followed by a dramatic countdown and the explosion itself.
The building collapsed like the proverbial pack of cards just 200 metres away from us and we were soon engulfed by the cloud dust that raced towards us rather like the TV footage of 9/11, fortunately without the tragedy.
Gondolas in Vegas!
The Sands convention centre adjoins the Venetian Hotel, which, as the name suggests, take its cue from the watery Italian City. I’ve never seen roulette tables in Venice, but this hotel has genuine Venetian gondolas with real Italian gondoliers who, with a wistful sigh, will sing ‘O sole mio’ or “the Cornetto song” as you might know it!
My hotel is next to the convention centre but it still takes a 15 minute walk to get to the conference. The UK attendees who made the trip this year were given an endless list of lectures and talks to attend. Whilst the American way of selling property differs from ours, there are many common factors.
We speak the same language which helps, and we want to make money too, as well as sharing business tips, leadership skills amongst other matters.
Building international relations
On Tuesday evening, the NAEA, together with our friends from similar associations in New Zealand and Australia, held a drinks party as they had done last year in New Orleans. Last year’s success had clearly filtered back amongst other associations as there were infiltrators from Holland, France, South Africa, Spain and even a chap from Argentina. National flags adorned the walls, with top marks going to Peter Bolton King for noticing that the Union Jack was upside down. He must have paid attention in cub scouts.
Another early start the next morning. My cheap hotel corridor is strewn with hundreds of calling cards offering all manner of pastimes all for the same curious price of sixty nine dollars. The discount beer bar is still doing a roaring trade in the casino, and the tables are full of glazed-eyed punters. It is 7.30am.
One of the great attractions of NAR is the well organised networking opportunities with specific countries. There is particularly good representation from South America and the Caribbean in the International 2nd Home and Resort Pavilion and they are overly keen to do business without realising that the UK market for high rise apartments in the kidnapping quarter of Bogota is limited.
The Expo is vast. Row after row of stands offering everything from cheesy business cards with your photo on to supposedly high-tech ‘for sale’ boards illuminated by a couple of torches.
There are plenty of competitions to enter with prizes including holidays, Cadillac cars and Las Vegas sized piles of cash. Celebrities too. Sugar Ray Leonard, the ex world Champion and Olympic champion boxer made an appearance, although what for, and what the connection was with NAR remains a mystery.
Peter Knight of Phoenix plc has become something of a regular speaker at the NAR conventions, and this year his talk on ‘Profiting from International Sales’ had him on stage belting out an enthralling talk like a well rehearsed Elvis stage show for an hour and a half.
NAEA Chief Executive honoured
Later that day, old timer Bill Cosby took the stage in front of 6,000 delegates to keep us all amused before the International evening black tie dinner. Attended by several hundred, including our President Stewart Lilly and NAEA International chairman Ian Tonge, the highlight of the evening was a special award as an Honorary CIPS Designee presented to Peter Bolton King by the NAR for his fantastic efforts in promoting business links between our associations.
John Mike (a long term friend of the NAEA) who as the NAR’s presidential liaison officer to the UK was similarly recognised. The dancing to a great live band went on late into the night.The next NAR convention is in Orlando in November this year. Details from www.realtor.org Tickets go on sale first week in May.
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
‘Sin City’ and ‘Estate Agents’ don’t make very good bedfellows, but with some 30,000 delegates from all over the World, the NAR has to use towns with gazillions of hotel beds and very large convention centres. Las Vegas fits the bill perfectly. A convention of this size is considered quite small in the US. Welcome to American where bigger very definitely means better (to them anyway).
A day on the plane, 4,500 miles and 8 time zones later, Las Vegas hits you like an over-excited teenager. Everything is in your face – constantly, coaxing you to play 24 hours a day. Sleep seems an irrelevant nuisance.
It’s been 10 years since I last visited, and the City has changed out of all recognition. Not much remains as I remember it. The New York New York hotel which I saw being constructed is billed as being reopened, after remodeling, refitted and updating – in just 10 years. Las Vegas comes to life at night with all the incredible lights and displays of erupting volcanoes, dancing fountains and so on. During the day, it looks tired and a bit miserable, like most of the people walking the streets after a long night getting smashed and losing their shirt on the roulette tables or mesmeric fruit machines.
There was great excitement within hours of arriving. The Stardust hotel was to be blown up that night, (to make way for another new 5,000 room hotel). Not something you see every day, so we struggled through to 2am to see and hear the quite incredibly loud firework display – clearly noise isn’t a problem given that everyone is still awake! – followed by a dramatic countdown and the explosion itself.
The building collapsed like the proverbial pack of cards just 200 metres away from us and we were soon engulfed by the cloud dust that raced towards us rather like the TV footage of 9/11, fortunately without the tragedy.
Gondolas in Vegas!
The Sands convention centre adjoins the Venetian Hotel, which, as the name suggests, take its cue from the watery Italian City. I’ve never seen roulette tables in Venice, but this hotel has genuine Venetian gondolas with real Italian gondoliers who, with a wistful sigh, will sing ‘O sole mio’ or “the Cornetto song” as you might know it!
My hotel is next to the convention centre but it still takes a 15 minute walk to get to the conference. The UK attendees who made the trip this year were given an endless list of lectures and talks to attend. Whilst the American way of selling property differs from ours, there are many common factors.
We speak the same language which helps, and we want to make money too, as well as sharing business tips, leadership skills amongst other matters.
Building international relations
On Tuesday evening, the NAEA, together with our friends from similar associations in New Zealand and Australia, held a drinks party as they had done last year in New Orleans. Last year’s success had clearly filtered back amongst other associations as there were infiltrators from Holland, France, South Africa, Spain and even a chap from Argentina. National flags adorned the walls, with top marks going to Peter Bolton King for noticing that the Union Jack was upside down. He must have paid attention in cub scouts.
Another early start the next morning. My cheap hotel corridor is strewn with hundreds of calling cards offering all manner of pastimes all for the same curious price of sixty nine dollars. The discount beer bar is still doing a roaring trade in the casino, and the tables are full of glazed-eyed punters. It is 7.30am.
One of the great attractions of NAR is the well organised networking opportunities with specific countries. There is particularly good representation from South America and the Caribbean in the International 2nd Home and Resort Pavilion and they are overly keen to do business without realising that the UK market for high rise apartments in the kidnapping quarter of Bogota is limited.
The Expo is vast. Row after row of stands offering everything from cheesy business cards with your photo on to supposedly high-tech ‘for sale’ boards illuminated by a couple of torches.
There are plenty of competitions to enter with prizes including holidays, Cadillac cars and Las Vegas sized piles of cash. Celebrities too. Sugar Ray Leonard, the ex world Champion and Olympic champion boxer made an appearance, although what for, and what the connection was with NAR remains a mystery.
Peter Knight of Phoenix plc has become something of a regular speaker at the NAR conventions, and this year his talk on ‘Profiting from International Sales’ had him on stage belting out an enthralling talk like a well rehearsed Elvis stage show for an hour and a half.
NAEA Chief Executive honoured
Later that day, old timer Bill Cosby took the stage in front of 6,000 delegates to keep us all amused before the International evening black tie dinner. Attended by several hundred, including our President Stewart Lilly and NAEA International chairman Ian Tonge, the highlight of the evening was a special award as an Honorary CIPS Designee presented to Peter Bolton King by the NAR for his fantastic efforts in promoting business links between our associations.
John Mike (a long term friend of the NAEA) who as the NAR’s presidential liaison officer to the UK was similarly recognised. The dancing to a great live band went on late into the night.The next NAR convention is in Orlando in November this year. Details from www.realtor.org Tickets go on sale first week in May.
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
The Diary of a Global Estate Agent - Air travel, guilt free
Chapter 8
Carbon emissions are big news at the moment. There seems to be a story in the papers every other day about some royal flying off here or there to pick up an eco award. Recently there have been threats to increase the tax paid by frequent flyers, as if last years hike in ‘departure’ tax wasn’t bad enough.
It is a growing irritation for the likes of me and thousands of Brits who choose to live or holiday abroad. Now there is no way I will stop flying either on business or for pleasure, so I’m getting into carbon offset payments. It’s guilt money I suppose. I fly, I pay, and someone plants a few
trees or something. So everything’s OK then! The Government approved Pure Trust helps me travel completely guilt free. So off I went to Pisa.
Wednesday
This is a day trip, but with business out of the way, I make time to skip up to the top of the leaning tower. A uniquely disastrous Italian building job. Quite why it hasn’t fallen over is anyone’s guess, but British engineers have in recent years managed to tilt it back a bit, and it supposedly has another 300 years left in it.
There’s not much else in Pisa, so I drive over to nearby Lucca for lunch. It’s a lovely little Roman walled city with lots of oddities such as the 150 foot tall Torre dei Guinigi with fully grown oak trees at the top.
Thursday and Friday
In Brussels for a meeting of Agents selling Pueblo Don Thomas (PDT) in La Gomera, Canary Islands. PDT is headed up by the lovely Brigitte Gypen. Agents from Holland, Belgium, Spain, Germany as well as Dominik Haendly from Chestertons in London (and me!) meet up at the Airport Crown Plaza hotel to collaborate on ideas to boost sales.
La Gomera is a volcanic speck of an island next to Tenerife in the Canary Islands. It is a wonderful scenic place. Small, no traffic, few tourists, a simple way of life. It’s even got a rain forest. Problem is that it takes a while to get there. 4 hour flight, then ferry, then taxi, or flight and private plane hop, or of course private plane all the way! There is also the small issue of price. These properties start at €400,000 and head on up to over €1m.
The resort overlooks a picture postcard pretty golf course sloping down to the cliffs with a view of the ocean from every hole. It is owned by Norwegian shipping tycoon Fred Olsen who has significant shipping interests in the Canary Islands.
Personally, I can rave about La Gomera as an Island – but it gets tainted with the Tenerife ‘fish & chips & 10 pints of lager’ brush. We share ideas with each other and discuss different marketing methods. It is amazingly useful and very interesting to hear of the variety of marketing methods used around Europe (ours are far superior!). Tongues and ideas loosen during lunch as the wine does its trick. All too soon the call of the evening dinner party I have to get to makes me run for the airport.
Monday
The totally awful rain and hurricane type gusting wind on the drive to Gatwick remind me of one of the few perks in the job – it will soon undoubtedly be sunny and warm where I am headed to. Get to Almeria in Spain. Bummer, it’s cloudy and windy.
The lunar landscape of the Parque Natural Cabo de Gata in this area has a stark beauty about it with smooth wavy rock forms have silver green hues and pale copper bands. Good enough for John Wayne to have used it for some of his dreadful cowboy films. In contrast the craggy coastline has a wildness about it that belies the fact that this is a tourist area. Johnny Depp and his Pirates of the Caribbean filmed here.
45 minutes up the coast and I’m at Playa Macenas, a new golf, hotel, beachfront resort near Mojacar. New beachfront golf is unusual which makes this development special. It’s well under way and the first occupiers will be in later next year. There is also a large beachfront hotel being built and a smart Clubhouse. The beach itself is shortly to undergo a bit of Michael Jackson type surgery. The sand is too dark apparently, so the local council is importing white sand from Saudi Arabia! After a stomach churning ride around the hilly building site with Sally Tallant of developer MedGroup, we go back to their beachfront offices and take a look at the DVD of the project and to discuss the exhibition we are holding for them.
Back to my hotel which is a reincarnation of Stalag Luft and appears to have been built in the 1960s. Then I spot the foundation stone: built 2001. Terrifyingly awful all round.
Tuesday
I head off to see Desert Springs golf resort. On the way I pass hundreds of disused cave houses which are part of the scenery in this area from the silver mining days. Staggeringly I also passed a brand new cave house in the middle of construction. Yours, Mr Fred Flintstone for just £60,000. No heating required as your cave will naturally maintain 18 degrees all year round.
Further up the road near Cuevas del Almanzora is a stark reminder of the water issues Spain has. The local dam was finished in 1991 and was the backdrop for the rowing events at the Barcelona Olympics a year later. It is huge – hundreds of metres high. But it is also empty.
Desert Springs is a bit like Disneyland – the buildings don’t quite look real and are painted in incredibly garish colours. Lots of cacti supposedly give the desert feel to this grown-up theme park, and yet the golf course grass is such a vivid colour, they must come out at night to spray it green. With villas in the€500,000 to €1.5m range, this is a resort for the rich. With the airport over an hour away, I’m left wondering about the priceless mantra of ‘location, location, location’.
On my way back to the airport, I stop for a bite to eat in a beach town, only to find that it is a large naturist town – the whole lot! A whole town of people walking around starkers, doing their shopping, sitting at the bar, sunning themselves on the beach. This is suddenly an attractive proposition. Maybe a sandwich and a drink next to a blonde page 3 image of heaven only wearing a pair of high-heels?
Sadly not. It’s too cold, and anyway all the locals are knackered old retired Germans who clothes are very much in evidence today. Might have to revisit though…
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
Carbon emissions are big news at the moment. There seems to be a story in the papers every other day about some royal flying off here or there to pick up an eco award. Recently there have been threats to increase the tax paid by frequent flyers, as if last years hike in ‘departure’ tax wasn’t bad enough.
It is a growing irritation for the likes of me and thousands of Brits who choose to live or holiday abroad. Now there is no way I will stop flying either on business or for pleasure, so I’m getting into carbon offset payments. It’s guilt money I suppose. I fly, I pay, and someone plants a few
trees or something. So everything’s OK then! The Government approved Pure Trust helps me travel completely guilt free. So off I went to Pisa.
Wednesday
This is a day trip, but with business out of the way, I make time to skip up to the top of the leaning tower. A uniquely disastrous Italian building job. Quite why it hasn’t fallen over is anyone’s guess, but British engineers have in recent years managed to tilt it back a bit, and it supposedly has another 300 years left in it.
There’s not much else in Pisa, so I drive over to nearby Lucca for lunch. It’s a lovely little Roman walled city with lots of oddities such as the 150 foot tall Torre dei Guinigi with fully grown oak trees at the top.
Thursday and Friday
In Brussels for a meeting of Agents selling Pueblo Don Thomas (PDT) in La Gomera, Canary Islands. PDT is headed up by the lovely Brigitte Gypen. Agents from Holland, Belgium, Spain, Germany as well as Dominik Haendly from Chestertons in London (and me!) meet up at the Airport Crown Plaza hotel to collaborate on ideas to boost sales.
La Gomera is a volcanic speck of an island next to Tenerife in the Canary Islands. It is a wonderful scenic place. Small, no traffic, few tourists, a simple way of life. It’s even got a rain forest. Problem is that it takes a while to get there. 4 hour flight, then ferry, then taxi, or flight and private plane hop, or of course private plane all the way! There is also the small issue of price. These properties start at €400,000 and head on up to over €1m.
The resort overlooks a picture postcard pretty golf course sloping down to the cliffs with a view of the ocean from every hole. It is owned by Norwegian shipping tycoon Fred Olsen who has significant shipping interests in the Canary Islands.
Personally, I can rave about La Gomera as an Island – but it gets tainted with the Tenerife ‘fish & chips & 10 pints of lager’ brush. We share ideas with each other and discuss different marketing methods. It is amazingly useful and very interesting to hear of the variety of marketing methods used around Europe (ours are far superior!). Tongues and ideas loosen during lunch as the wine does its trick. All too soon the call of the evening dinner party I have to get to makes me run for the airport.
Monday
The totally awful rain and hurricane type gusting wind on the drive to Gatwick remind me of one of the few perks in the job – it will soon undoubtedly be sunny and warm where I am headed to. Get to Almeria in Spain. Bummer, it’s cloudy and windy.
The lunar landscape of the Parque Natural Cabo de Gata in this area has a stark beauty about it with smooth wavy rock forms have silver green hues and pale copper bands. Good enough for John Wayne to have used it for some of his dreadful cowboy films. In contrast the craggy coastline has a wildness about it that belies the fact that this is a tourist area. Johnny Depp and his Pirates of the Caribbean filmed here.
45 minutes up the coast and I’m at Playa Macenas, a new golf, hotel, beachfront resort near Mojacar. New beachfront golf is unusual which makes this development special. It’s well under way and the first occupiers will be in later next year. There is also a large beachfront hotel being built and a smart Clubhouse. The beach itself is shortly to undergo a bit of Michael Jackson type surgery. The sand is too dark apparently, so the local council is importing white sand from Saudi Arabia! After a stomach churning ride around the hilly building site with Sally Tallant of developer MedGroup, we go back to their beachfront offices and take a look at the DVD of the project and to discuss the exhibition we are holding for them.
Back to my hotel which is a reincarnation of Stalag Luft and appears to have been built in the 1960s. Then I spot the foundation stone: built 2001. Terrifyingly awful all round.
Tuesday
I head off to see Desert Springs golf resort. On the way I pass hundreds of disused cave houses which are part of the scenery in this area from the silver mining days. Staggeringly I also passed a brand new cave house in the middle of construction. Yours, Mr Fred Flintstone for just £60,000. No heating required as your cave will naturally maintain 18 degrees all year round.
Further up the road near Cuevas del Almanzora is a stark reminder of the water issues Spain has. The local dam was finished in 1991 and was the backdrop for the rowing events at the Barcelona Olympics a year later. It is huge – hundreds of metres high. But it is also empty.
Desert Springs is a bit like Disneyland – the buildings don’t quite look real and are painted in incredibly garish colours. Lots of cacti supposedly give the desert feel to this grown-up theme park, and yet the golf course grass is such a vivid colour, they must come out at night to spray it green. With villas in the€500,000 to €1.5m range, this is a resort for the rich. With the airport over an hour away, I’m left wondering about the priceless mantra of ‘location, location, location’.
On my way back to the airport, I stop for a bite to eat in a beach town, only to find that it is a large naturist town – the whole lot! A whole town of people walking around starkers, doing their shopping, sitting at the bar, sunning themselves on the beach. This is suddenly an attractive proposition. Maybe a sandwich and a drink next to a blonde page 3 image of heaven only wearing a pair of high-heels?
Sadly not. It’s too cold, and anyway all the locals are knackered old retired Germans who clothes are very much in evidence today. Might have to revisit though…
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
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