Property www.theolivepress.es
Mallorca Olive Press
www.theolivepress.es
October 2017
Issue 3
9 September 28th - October 11th 2017 Mallorca - Living Inspiration We give your dreams a home
Tel. +34 971 23 85 84 www.engelvoelkers.com/mallorca
Bring out the Branson
R
ICHARD Branson has opened a swish new holiday pad at his Son Bunyola re-
sort. The 680-acre estate began welcoming guests last summer, with two villas, the four-bedroom Sa Terra Rotja and the five-bedroom Sa Punta de S’Aguila offering a luxury island retreat. A smaller, third villa has now been added. The threestorey Son Balagueret (left) is built round a 13th-century turret which would have been a sentry’s lookout point when Mallorca was invaded by the kingdom of Aragon. A central courtyard, heated pool and private chefs add to the villa’s glamorous pull. Branson has been a longtime fan of Mallorca, having previously owned Deia’s La Residencia hotel. He bought back the 4,000acre Son Bunyola estate for around €15 million in 2015, having previously offloaded it following a battle with the local mayor over development plans.
Winning team
SHE is one half of Mallorca’s most famous tennis love match. But Xisca Perelló, Rafa Nadal’s girlfriend, has been serving up her own aces in the Balearic property market. Perello, Nadal’s 28-year-old childhood sweetheart, is the heir to Inmobiliaria Jaime III 2016, which she runs alongside brother Juan Miguel. Based in Palma, the company, founded in 1964, deals with both sales and rentals as well as property development. Xisca has been dating Nadal since 2005, but prefers to remain out of the limelight. “It’s not a world I want to be part of, nor do I think Rafa would have chosen to be with a woman who looked for that in life,” she said.
Top of the props Mallorca a hot favourite for Brits buying abroad this summer
CALVIA has been named among the four most popular destinations for Brits buying abroad. The Mallorca town was beaten only by famous Andalucian resorts Marbella and Mijas, while Torrevieja topped the list. The report by homebuilder Taylor Wimpey cited Mallorca’s growing popularity as a holiday destination. “The preferred holiday destination of the Spanish Royal Family and the location of numerous A-listers’ second homes, Mallorca is known for its exclusive feel,” explained boss Marc Pritchard, who has headed up the island’s HQ for over a decade. While the
developer boasts numerous premium sites across the island, it is properties in Calvia that have been the most requested this summer. Torrevieja meanwhile topped the
charts, with Marbella and Mijas very close behind. Marbella has ‘superb flight connections year round’ and new routes are being added every year, according
Second homes surge
HOLIDAY home demand is back in business… among Spaniards as well. New research reveals that 13% of homes sold to local buyers are intended as holiday homes, according to Fotocasa. Some 59% of buyers have no intention of renting out their second home, whilst 34% plan to offer holiday rentals. “The holiday rental market is one of the reasons why rental prices are rising so fast,” explains Beatriz Toribio, head of research at Fotocasa. Another report reveals that more than six million Spanish households own a second home in Spain, of which 3.6 million are located in coastal areas.
17 Property Shops on Mallorca We give your dreams a home
Tel. +34 971 23 85 84 www.engelvoelkers.com/mallorca
to the report. Meanwhile, Mijas was unique in attracting holidaymakers and avid golfers. “Many holidaymakers fall in love with this holiday hotspot as they are never far from the sea or a golf course,” said the report. Spanish tourism continues to break records this year with over 10.5 million tourists arriving in July– 10% more than last year’s figures. British visitors were the largest group, accounting for over 2.3 million arrivals during the month. The homebuilder has a number of projects currently underway in Mijas and Marbella, as well as in Mallorca.