NEWS ABOUT THE LIFE IN MARBELLA

In late 2023, a new law came into effect in Andalucia, whereby construction may be allowed on rural land (officially classified as "rustico"). Previously, upto 1% of rustic land would be allowed to have a single-storey covered construction, without water or electricity connection - the intention was to allow a [...]

In Spain the homeowner's associations have special sections of the law dedicated to ensure harmonious neighbour relations. In Marbella in particular, most residences of all property types are organised in communities, which may share communal gardens and swimming pools (in the case of apartments), or security and common grounds (for [...]

A certificate of habitability (also known as a "cédula de habitabilidad") proving that residents can maintain a minimal level of life is required for a property to be legally recognized in Spain. It is a certificate that certifies that the property satisfies the safety and hygienic standards necessary for human [...]

Euribor is the interest rate most often used to work out mortgage payments in Spain and to calculate both variable and fixed rates. It is anchored to the interest rate set by the European Central Bank and the rate that banks in the Eurozone use to lend to each other. [...]

Property taxes around the world are typically very convoluted and are composed of many layers, so a direct comparison accross countries is hard to perform. However, by combining various sources, such as The Tax Foundation and Global Real Estate, Spain's IBI (tax on real estate) can be seen as one [...]

European property prices have on average experienced their first decline in over a decade. The price of housing in the UK for example has fallen at its highest rate in 14 years. In Germany, property prices have registered their greatest year-on-year decrease since 2000. The Austrian home market is also [...]

The hotel chain Melia is set to open a new luxury venue in a renovated old-cinema building in Calle Victoria of Malaga. The initial excavations revealed further sections of the famous Islamic-era necropolis Yabal Faruh, the largest in Spain, with an estimated area of more than 230,000 square metres. Building [...]

Malaga Airport will have a direct flight to New York every Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday starting from May 2024. United Airlines has for yet another year committed to offering more than 17,000 seats over the May-September period. United will be operating in five Spanish cities next year, which is more [...]

According to new reports by construction companies and also independent statistics surveys, Spain will need upto 1.2 million new housing units to be constructed over the next decade. Most of those are needed in Madrid and Catalonia, with Andalusia occupying 3rd place that requires more affordable housing. The 85,000 new [...]

According to data from Spain's General Council of Notaries, foreigners bought and sold homes in Spain more frequently in 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, an increase of 9.7%. With a 36.64 percent growth in transactions in the second half of 2022 alone, Americans in Spain stand out among foreigners

The Internations Expat Insider organisation has published the results of its yearly survey, in which Spain ranked second. Foreign residents of Spain liked the quality of healthcare, the friendliness of the people, culture, but most of all the availability of leisure activities.

Banks normally issue a mortgage based on the same country as the asset is located, so it can be difficult for a non-Spanish-resident to arrange a mortgage from a home-country bank. Spanish banks however are accustomed to foreigners needing funds to purchase property in Spain, subject to some extra requirements compared to Spanish residents.

Since Brexit came into effect on January 1st 2021, UK nationals needing to move to Spain or spend portion of the year here have a much harder process than before. In addition, without residency or a visa, they can only spend 90 out of 180 days in Spain (and the [...]

Here's everything you need to know about how the new Spanish housing law, known as the Ley de Viviendas, will effect you, whether you're a tenant or a landlord. Pricing controls on rentals One of the most significant aspects of the new law is that it gives local governments and [...]

This summer 2023, a number of direct flights between Malaga and New York will be operating three times a week. United, the US airline, has 52 return flights planned and will provide more than 17,000 seats in each direction. The transantlantic connection is anticipated to boost tourism throughout Andalucia. According [...]

Malaga province continues to be an attractive destination for living and working, especially for foreigners. The province saw more people deciding to take up residence here than all the other Andalusian provinces combined. Nationally, Malaga had the 5th largest increase in population with 34,577 new residents in 2022, while the [...]

The Anantara Villa Padierna hotel hosted the fifth event of its kind on Monday 24 April. The event combined gastronomy, healthy eating and charity with the help of 40 Michelin star chefs. Around 100 children and 50 adults participated in the event which included cooking workshops given by the chefs. [...]

The Puente Romano tennis club hosted the Billie Jean Cup of women's international tennis on the 15th of April. The Spanish team won against Mexico and qualified to the finals of 12 teams to be played next November at a venue to be decided. Spain has been competing for 50 [...]

Fuengirola has been organising this celebration of its international community since 1994. From now until Tuesday 1st May 2023, representative groups from 32 countries will be offering food, arts, music and dance in the Fuengirola fairground until 4am. There are parades, musical tributes, and traditional dance shows daily from 1pm.

Spain will enter the space world in the month of May when it launches the Miura 1 rocket from the Andalucia "El Arenosillo" test centre. It will carry 100kg of payload to place into earth orbit at 153km height. Around 60% of the rocket is recoverable and will be used [...]

Malaga-born actor and director Antonio Banderas has confirmed he is collaborating with Andrew Lloyd-Weber to create a Spanish language production of the famous musical Phantom of the Opera. The musical is based on the 1910 novel of the same name by Gaston Leroux, describing the story of a soprano becoming [...]

In the same location as modern San Pedro de Alcantara, a Roman settlement has been found which had been destroyed by an earthquake in the 4th century AD. After that, the area was used as agricultural land for the Marbella area, with no residents. In 1860 a colony was founded [...]

Estepona has inaugurated the "Mirador del Carmen" sociocultural center, a facility designed as a balcony to the Mediterranean that connects the city with the sea. At 50 meters height, it offers a panoramic view of the city, and also houses a large library, a music conservatory, an auditorium for cultural [...]