Q1 Shows Estate Agent Mercers on Right Track for a Strong 2013 as Murcia Property Sales Rise

MALAGA, SPAIN, April 24, 2013 (Press-News.org) Back in January, Murcia-based estate agent Mercers boldly announced a predicted 25% increase in house sales for 2013 over 2012. With Q1 showing exactly that, up 25% for the first three months of 2013 in comparison with 2012, the prediction is on track to becoming reality.

Chris Mercer, Director of Mercers, says, "I can't pinpoint exactly why our sales are up so much, but momentum is certainly beginning to build. It can't be attributed to an end-of-year rush before VAT on new builds went up from 4% to 10% on 1 January, as all of our transactions have been resales. Furthermore, enquiries have not increased at the same level but those we have are more serious, have the funds in place and are intelligent enough to know that the window of opportunity on a serious Spanish property bargain will not be open forever. Lastly, compare Q1 2013 with Q1 2011, and Mercers' business is up almost 65%, quite some margin. Needless to say we're revelling in the positivity."

The Mercers trend is mirroring the Murcia market. Figures from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) show sales of Murcian property were up 24.1% in February 2013 over the same month the previous year, with 1,169 transactions concluded. This is above the national figure of 17.3%. Foreigners are certainly partly responsible for keeping the Spanish property market alive.

Chris continues, "Prices are now very low and, in our area, we are looking at reductions of 40% to 55% from the peak. This is turning the heads of international buyers. According to the Banco de España, 2012 showed the highest volume of investment in Spanish property by international buyers in eight years, up 17% on 2011. This is good news as demand remains weak on the domestic front as Spain tackles high unemployment and an ongoing reluctance to lend by financial institutions. For Mercers, Belgian, French, Norwegian, Swedish and more recently British buyers have dominated over the past year - with some renewed interest from Germans and Dutch. Without them, Spain's property market would be in a far sadder state."

The overall picture from Spain is perhaps more cheery than it has been for some time. The bad bank (SAREB) reveals it hopes to sell almost 42,500 housing units, around half its portfolio, over the next five years in order to help provide a "floor" and restart a broad recovery in the Spanish housing market. Meanwhile the Economy Minister, Luis de Guindos, was recently quoted as saying that growth could return to the country as early as the end of 2013.

On the Market
Ref NED99 - Neptuno Villa, Camposol Golf, Mazarron, Murcia
One of the best three bedroom three bathroom Neptuno style villas on Camposol Golf - immaculately maintained, on a large 647m² plot and with a whole host of extras.

At ground floor there is a lounge with fireplace, dining room, kitchen fully fitted with white goods, master bedroom with en-suite bathroom and a second bedroom with further shower room. Accessed via internal stairs, the third bedroom is on the first floor and has an en-suite bathroom and French doors to a rooftop solarium with stunning mountain views.

Outside the plot is divided into a pool area and a garden area. The former is completely tiled, has plenty of sunlounger space and the 9m by 4m swimming pool has an outdoor shower alongside. The garden is low maintenance with mature trees set in gravel on an automatic irrigation system. A conservatory at the front of the house is perfect for soaking up plentiful winter sun whilst a large underbuild can be used for storage. There is a barbecue area outside, plus front and rear access and a tiled driveway.

The villa comes fully furnished, has air conditioning, a solar powered hot water heating system, security grills at all windows, internet connection and satellite TV.

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Three Bedrooms, Three Bathrooms
Price - 185,000 euros (approx 159,400 GBP)

Contact Mercers Costa Cálida on 00 34 968 199 188, UK Local Rate 0845 017 7805, email sales@spanishproperty.co.uk or visit http://www.spanishproperty.co.uk