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IC classifieds / property
EDITION 682 :: 16/11/2012 - 29/11/2012 :: ISLAND CONNECTIONS
Property Editorial ::
I
t’s a few years since we reported on the then fledgling development in Palm-Mar and we’re pleased to say that the area has lived up to its promise and more! The first thing that strikes you is the modernity of the developments and tranquillity of the area. The residents are multinational and multicultural with a fair proportion of British and Belgians and it is definitely the place for those on the up and up, or those who have already arrived, to live and rub shoulders. Palm-Mar has its own incredible microclimate, more daily sunshine than anywhere in Tenerife, a superb series of first class housing developments, the majority of which are between only six and ten years old, guaranteeing the latest materials and technology, and its very own, easily accessed, natural beach. For those who haven’t yet visited the area, a winding road between endemic vegetation and friendly hills leads to this surprising corner, nestled between the environmentally protected areas of the special natural reserve of the Malpaís de La Rasca and the natural monument of La Montaña de Guaza. The Malpaís de La Rasca, guarded by its lone lighthouse, is a volcanic landscape of great beauty of over 315 hectares, which has great scientific, cultural and archaeological value and is home to several species of
Palm-Mar
its benches, public toilets, children’s playground and Gaudí-style tiling. It snakes along the seafront ready for joggers, elderly pre-lunch appetite-warmers or mums with strollers. In fact the whole area is ideal for children and sport, jogging, walking and cycling, as the roads are so quiet and safety levels are high.
Southern Paradise both flora and fauna that are in danger of extinction. Guaza’s main value has always been in its geology and geomorphology, a unique landscape of enormous scientific interest and over 725 hectares, containing fossils of extinct species and a considerable number of the island’s giant spotted lizards which were thought to be extinct until just nine years ago. This then is the backdrop, the stage for this stunning residential neighbourhood development. This is a neighbourhood with a finite growth, not for Palm-Mar the apartment blocks marching further and further up the mountain.
It seems incredible that placed as it is between the tourist hotspots of Los Cristianos and Las Galletas, Palm-Mar has escaped the wholesale and somewhat higgledy-piggledy building that affected most of the tourist areas in the last few decades – but it did. This is a very rare accomplishment in the Canaries, a neighbourhood that has been planned from the beginning to the end. All the buildings are of
the highest quality, blending easily each with the other and with superb finishing materials used. The public areas too have been specially designed to enhance the natural beauty and architectural jewels of the residential developments. The verges and central reservations are landscaped with mature plants and trees and there is already a park.
Unusual for building developments in the Canaries, in Palm-Mar the roads were laid and finished before the building began, the pipe-work completed and the street lighting was in and functioning. There’s a booster station for the television signal and another to ensure perfect mobile phone coverage over the whole area. Sanitation stations are so cleverly hidden that more than one tourist will pose in front of them for their holiday snaps. A water tank enclosed by hewn stone walls appears to be a hillside stronghold of yesteryear and a pumping station on the seafront has been disguised as a coastal fort. The coastal walk is very pleasant, with
There are currently five golf courses in the immediate area: Golf del Sur, Los Palos, Amarilla Golf, Las Américas and Costa Adeje. A little further off is the new Abama course. There is also an active diving club offering diving and kayaking and the Punta de la Rasca is recognised as one of the most exceptional scuba diving sites on the island for the clarity of its waters and the wealth of marine fauna and flora. New businesses tailored to their more demanding clientele continue to open; hairdressers, bars and restaurants, supermarkets, a new greengrocers. There is also a bus service four times a day which connects the area with Guaza and Las Galletas. All the biggest developers in Tenerife were and are involved in Palm-Mar and looking around it is hardly surprising that the area attracts high profile attention. A privileged climate, surrounded by almost almost ten and
a half million square metres of protected areas, private, secure, peaceful, wonderful walks through landscaped parks or natural scenery, some of the most spectacular sunsets in the Canaries and La Gomera posing coyly on the horizon. We spoke to Second Home Tenerife, who have a number of very desirable properties on their books in this area, both for rental and to buy and will act as rental agents if you have a property there and you are interested in renting out. There is a high demand in the area and average rentals are at €500/ month for a one-bedroomed property. Resale property to buy and new builds start at €98,000 and there are some very ‘des ressies’ indeed with superb views on offer from just €129,000 for a one-bedroomed property and some stunningly
lovely and very well-finished town houses from €176,000. Their multilingual staff can attend you in English, Spanish, French and Dutch. Irina mainly deals with rentals and Dorothée with sales. You can contact them on 922 748 006, or call into the shop on the main road down to the sea front. An unbeatable location, Palm-Mar has the hallmark of becoming the Marbella of the Canaries: a wonderful place to live and an outstanding investment for the future.