Organic Food in Javea

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Organic Food in Javea

Why learn Spanish - Wise words from a local Spanish teacher

Today we have another guest post from a Javea resident, Lynn Cobb. Lynn teaches Spanish (amongst other things) and is also an authority on many aspects of Javea life. Although there are many English speakers in Javea it's always a good idea to learn even a little bit of Spanish...

WHY SHOULD I LEARN SPANISH?

In some areas of Spain you can certainly ‘get by’ without ever needing to speak Spanish beyond ‘café por favor’ or ‘dos vinos y una cerveza’ - & Jávea, with around half the population being non-Spanish, is probably one of those places…… BUT you miss out on SO MUCH if you don’t at least try.
When we arrived here just over 11 years ago, I didn’t know more than a few words of ‘menu Spanish’. At that time there didn’t seem to be quite so many English speakers, & there wasn’t the wealth of information available in English that there is now. For example everything from the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) seemed to be published in Valenciano – so even if I’d known more Spanish I still wouldn’t have known what was going on in the town as far as activities for the children & so on are concerned. Facebook hadn’t even been invented, so there weren’t all the local Facebook groups to help newcomers find their feet!
So why, when so much information is available in English, should you bother to learn Spanish at all?

Make friends

Do you like to talk to people & make new friends? Just think – even in Jávea, where half the residents aren’t Spanish, that’s still well over 16,000 people who are, & since research suggests that only maybe 20% of those will be able to have a conversation in English, that means that there are about 13,000 people in Jávea who you can’t chat to! Maybe one of them could have been a really good friend – or if you’re looking for romance, Sr or Srta Right!
Although you might be able to find out about the local fiestas, parades & activities in English now, you won’t understand a lot of what is actually going on during them, because of course, everything will be in Spanish - & you can’t take an interpreter everywhere! Maybe you would actually like to become involved in the fiestas & parades - & maybe you’d be welcomed – but how involved could you really be if you can’t join in the discussions & plans?

Interpreters

Talking of interpreters – if you’re learning Spanish as an adult, there will probably always be some occasions when you’ll need one – maybe for hospital appointments or legal issues – but if you learn a reasonable level Spanish you’ll be able to cope with most day to day situations & paperwork – so you can spend the money saved on something more fun. Such as fiestas or meals out……
Many or even most restaurants in Jávea will have an English translation of their menu – but a lot will also have a board for the menú del día. That might not be translated at all – or perhaps badly - & contrary to popular belief not all the restaurant & bar staff in Jávea speak English, so they might not be able to tell you what everything is….. Learn some Spanish & you’ll avoid what could be a nasty shock! Especially when some words are oh so similar……

Do it for the kids.

Do you have children at school here? Even if they attend one of the International schools they will be studying Spanish & in all likelihood bring Spanish friends home. Surely you want to know what they are chatting about? If they attend a state school then the teachers will probably not be able to speak English to you – you owe it to yourself & your children to learn Spanish too. All children need some help with homework – how can you do that if you have no idea about the language? Do you really want your children to be able to speak a language you don’t understand? Or do you want the embarrassment of having them translate for you!? Oh those rolling eyes when you ask them yet again to tell the shop assistant that you need a bigger size!

Good for you

Another great reason to learn Spanish is that it’s actually good for you! Scientific studies show that learning another language can actually help stave off dementia & Alzheimer’s. So age is no excuse – in fact learning Spanish will help your brain stay in better shape! (Hmmm maybe I should increase my charges to my older students!)
It can be fun too – if you choose to join a group you’ll meet new people of different ages, backgrounds & nationalities – another opportunity to make new friends. And you’ll learn to say lots of silly-sounding words - & what they mean!


Of course, just knowing a little bit of Spanish is better than none, right? Well maybe. Yes, if you can ask for a kilo of potatoes in Spanish or even Spanglish it’s better than not trying ….. but beware! You might one day want to ask someone if they are bored….. & actually tell them that they are boring!
There are many ways to learn Spanish. Some people like to study in private with CDs or online or with phone apps. Some prefer private lessons & others like to join a group. Yet others like books - & some lucky people just seem to pick it up as they go along! However you decide to do it – just do it! And USE it at every opportunity!
You’ll enjoy the place you have decided to make your home, or holiday home, so much more.
LEARN-APRENDER Spanish Classes in Jávea & Translation Service

Thanks Lynn!

Events in Javea - Spring 2015

There are many events going on in Javea between now and the next 'fiestas' in April. If you missed our post about this years fiesta schedule, take a look at it here. In the mean time, aside from the weekly 'mercadillo' there are two things to look out for in Javea over the next couple of months.

Artisan Fair

Every Saturday from January 17th to the 28th of March from 10am til 2pm there will be an Artisan Fair in the Plaza Marina Alta (in front of Correos) which will consist of around 15 stalls.  The stalls will be selling goods including pottery, wrought iron, leather, wood, traditional toys, silverware and crochet clothing. The aim is to "enhance the charms of the old town while offering a common meeting point between true craftsmen and the general public", say institutional sources.

 Bogamari Rock

The  Department of Youth of Javea just announced a series of concerts entitled Bogamarí Rock, a brand already with history, now reinvented into a new musical proposal to support groups and bands with young musicians of the municipality.
The shows will be held on the 28th February, 28th March and the 18th April (the opening night was on the 17th of January) at 8pm.  In addition to the live music by upcoming local bands, there will be masterclass 'clinics' on the same days at 4pm where technical advice will be given by several music industry professionals. 
All the shows are free entry but if you would like to reserve a seat for a show or a clinic send an email to:info@sonabemusic.es

We will keep you informed of any new events that come up as and when we find them.

UK Pension Changes 2015

In the UK, pensions will be changing as of April 2015, read on to find out what it means.

As of April 2015 the UK will put into effect some changes to the ways pensioners can use their money, offering greater freedom than under the previous system.  Up until this time,  pensioners could take up to 25% of their pension pot tax free and with the remaining 25% had the following options:

Trivial Commutation - this only applies to those aged 60 and over who have overall pension savings of less than 18k.
Capped Drawdown - this allowed you to take an income from your pension with a maximum amount per year.  This limit would be based on 120% of an equivalent annuity.
Flexible Drawdown - with this option there is no limit to how much you can draw from your pot every year, but you must have a guaranteed income on excess of 20k per year when you retire.
Annuity - Under the current system most people end up buying an annuity, a bit like insurance, where a fixed amount is paid per year, usually for the remainder of your life.

Pension Freedom

Under the new system, from April 2015,  pensioners will be able to take as much as they want, with the first 25% remaining tax free as in the old system, any thing over this would be considered income and would be taxed accordingly. So, for example, if you have a pension of 100,000 you can draw down up to 25,000 tax free, anything over this would be taxed at the relevant rate (taking into account any other taxable income in the financial year).  See the table below for further examples:

 So, as you can see, this will offer people a lot more freedom with their pension pot.

For more detailed information on pensions visit Pensions Advisory Service.

San Sebastian in Javea 2015

San Sebastian is the patron saint of Javea, no-one really knows why but many believe is becuase he is the patron of stone masons and which is one of the traditional trades in the area.  Another theory says he saved the village from the 'black death' when he answered their prayers when the illness struck during medieval times.

San Sebastian was overtaken in the mid 1800's by Jesus Nazareno who is similarly believed to have cured the town of cholera.  In recent years the San Sebastian fiesta has been revived from a single parade followed by mass, to a full program of bulls in the street (Bous al Carrer).  This year this runs from Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th with three daily sessions at 12: 30h at 17: 30h and 22: 30h.  

On Saturday night there will be an 'embolat bou' (one of the bulls will have flaming horns) and some of the performances on Saturday are sponsored by businesses in the area as are the Imperial bar and Mi Lola. Both Saturday and Sunday there will be carts (fake bulls) for children at 12pm.

You can read about Javeas San Sebastian 2014 here with some photos of the action too.

Javea Fiestas - San Antonio Abad

San Antonio Abad - Fiesta Activities

If you ever wanted to get your pet hamster or snake blessed, then this weekend you should head on down to Javea for the Fiesta San Antonio Abad, where San Antonio will be honoured in this traditional fashion.

San Antonio

The Port

The activities begin on Saturday morning (17th January) at about 9:00am with a parade around the streets of the port accompanied by traditional music.  This is followed by mass and then the blessing of the animals.

Old town

In the pueblo, this day is spent preparing for the burning of the pine which occurs in the evening, accompanied by a brass band. Then on Sunday, also in the pueblo, there is a similar type of parade to  that of the previous day in the port, which starts (appropriately enough) in Calle San Antonio.  This culminates in the Plaza de la Constitución, where there will be another animal blessing session, followed by the parading of an image of San Antonio back to the street which bears his name.
There is usually some drinking and eating going on the whole time and it's great fun for all ages. 

Why Animals?

The reason for the blessing of the animals is that San Antonio is the patron saint of animals among many other things.  The reason for the burning of the pine is less clear however.

Public Holidays in Spain 2015

List of Spain's public holidays in 2015

Public holidays (or Fiestas) in Spain are divided into two main types; national and regional.  Obviously, the national fiestas are observed across the whole country and the regional fiestas are relevant only in the individual autonomous communities, Javea is the the 'Communidad Valencia' and so has slightly different dates to Andalusia for example.

Below is a list of the dates for National Fiestas in Spain for 2015:

• January 1st: (Thursday)
• January 6th: (Epiphany, Tuesday)
• April 3rd: (Good Friday)
• May 1st: (Labour Day, Friday)
• August 15th: (Assumption of Mary, Saturday)
• October 12th  (Spanish National Day, Monday)
• December 8th: (Immaculate Conception, Tuesday).
• December 25th: (Christmas Day, Friday)

Valencia Public Holidays (which includes Javea, Denia, Moraira etc)

• March 19th: Saint Joseph
• April 6th: Easter Monday
• October 9th: Valencian Regional Day
• December 7th: Monday after Constitution Day

In addition to the above fiestas, there are often certain dates set aside by the individual towns for local fiestas, a full description of the fiestas in Javea will follow later this week.

To see a full list of all the National and Regional fiestas, visit www.thelocal.es

Merry Christmas from Javea Home Finders

 Javea Home Finders would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new year in 2015.

2014 has been a fabulous year and we have great hopes for next year, signs in Javea are good and we have had many tourists over the main summer months.  All this bodes well, and there is an optimistic feel around the place with new businesses opening and a large increase in new build applications with the town hall.

We hope to continue to build on our largely UK based clientèle, whilst at the same time placing a firmer foothold in the French speaking markets of Europe such as France and Belgium.

This will take the form of a fully translated French website where all our properties in Javea are listed.

We have been in our enlarged office for a year now, and this has been successful as the wider frontage attracted more passers by and allows for a larger area to display our wide variety of villas and apartments for sale in Javea and the surrounding areas.  This has also allowed us to offer a long term rental service to those passers by, where in the past we had to turn them away.  As time goes by, we hope to assist these rental clients should they choose to buy a property in the future.

So, without further ado, let me wish you all a Merry Christmas on behalf of the team here at Javea Home Finders.

¡Feliz Navidad!

Villas close to the golf course in Javea

Golf is quite a popular past-time here in Javea and living close to the golf club is the ultimate dream for many golfers.  It is with this in mind I have compiled a list of Villas for sale close to Javea golf club, so here they are in no particular order:

Ref 272 - Recently reduced from 325.000€ to 315.000€ this lovely three bedroom villa sits on a corner plot in the popular Tesoro Park urbanisation, the entrance of which is directly opposite the golf course.  It faces south and a large picture window frames the views of the village of Benitachell and its church with the dome, so characteristic of the area.



Ref 331 -  This traditional villa comprises of two separate living accommodations and is located in the edge of the Rafalet urbanisation which is only a very short drive from the golf club.  With six bedrooms altogether, this would be great family holiday home, also recently reduced.

Ref 359 -  Los Cerezos is right next to the golf course and this four bedroom villa sits on a large  plot there.  The views are fantastic to the south, there is a very large swimming pool and a lovely glazed naya.  it has three bedrooms on the main level and a one bedroom guest apartment below with space to further develop, or to store golf clubs!

Ref 193 - This is a completely unique proprerty located in the La Lluca area, it is in actual fact two plots and two houses. The main house used to have three bedrooms but has been converted into a very spacious one bedroom house with a lovely big naya and courtyard area. The second house, the guest house, has two bedrooms (each with en-suite bathroom) and a living kitchen area.  The plot is large and does require some maintenance but all the bits and bob required for this are included with the house and stored away in a handy tool shed.  There is also a garage, a workshop and a wine cellar.

The 5 best sea views in Javea

Living by the sea is most peoples dream, and we do like to see the sea now and then don't we?  Some agents describe these things inaccurately but we thought we'd give you a run down of the best sea view properties on offer in Javea.

Ref 302 - 189.000€

This three bed apartment has it all, located right by the Arenal beach, with all the bars, restaurants, cafés and shops on a few minutes from your door.  One terrace faces north to Cabo San Antonio, the other faces south so the orientation couldn't be better, the best of both worlds.  There is also plenty of parking, two bathrooms (one en-suite) and a fully equipped kitchen.  What more could you want? It's also just around the corner from our office.

Ref 264 - 215.000€

This one is just across the street from us (you can see our office in the photo) and has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, two terraces and a communal swimming pool.  Obviously all the features and amenities close at as well, great for holidays or a rental investment, this location will always be in high demand.

 

Ref 248 - 462.000€

You really won't believe the views from this place which has a heated swimming pool by the way.  Up in Balcon Al Mar, this is a typical Spanish holiday villa with a unique charm and feel, the unbeatable views from the 'tower' style roof terrace are breathtaking.

Ref 499 - 489.000€

La Siesta is home to this beautifully renovated three bedroom villa which is blessed with (unusually for Javea) south facing sea views. It also has electric gates, air conditioning and a totally new kitchen.

Ref  228 - 589.000€

This is an immaculate restoration project which currently operates as a very successful holiday rental business.  Perfect for large families with some really beautiful details and of course beautiful sea views, in a very secluded location.

Any of these take your fancy?

5 Great Reasons to Buy Property in Javea

The top ten reasons for choosing a property in Javea

We decided to compile a list of the top reasons to buy make Javea properties and here it is:

1. The Climate: Javea is reputed to have one of the best climates in the world, second only to Rio De Janiero and on average we enjoy about 320 days of sunshine per year.  You might think the other towns in close proximity would be about the same, but no, the iconic Montgo mountain is thought to act as a 'shield' keeping rain at bay and providing a micro-climate to which supposedly leads to slightly lower temperatures in the summer and the reverse in the winter.
2. The Cosmopolitan Vibe: As Javea is within easy reach from most of Northern Europe via the airports at Valencia and Alicante, reason number 1 makes for reason number 2 in that there are many different nationalities making up the permanent population, not to mention those who spend only part of the year here.
3. Size: Javea has three distinct areas which you can read about here, which means there always something new to discover all year round, yet it maintains that charming character of a small town.
4. Location: As the eastern most point on the Iberian peninsula Javea receives the first rays of the sun each day, the 'Dawn of Spain' as it is known and the sunrises are spectacular...

   

   Image by Brendan ryan

5. Unspoilt: Javea, unlike some resorts on the Costa Blanca, has very strict building regulations intended to preserve much of the natural beauty of the area, for example apartment buildings cannot exceed four stories in height (there are one or two exceptions which slipped through the net before the rule was put in place). There are also restrictions of minimum plot size and maximum build size which reduced the potential for over-development which can be seen in other parts of Spain.

Well that's the end of the list, but I am sure you can think of many more reasons to choose Javea as a permanent or holiday home, we'd love to hear them...

6 things you need to buy in spain

There are various bits of paperwork and other things you will need to purchase a property in Spain; here is a list with explanations:

NIE Number

This is a number given to every extrajanero or 'foreigner' who intends to buy anything of value in Spain, such as property, or a car for example.  This number is registered with the tax office so they can inform you how much tax you must pay when buying and selling these high value items.  You also need an NIE number to open a bank account in Spain.  Read more about NIE Numbers and how to get them here..

Bank Account

You will need to open a bank account in Spain in order to pay bills as most utility companies will only accept payment via direct debit from a Spanish bank account.

Bankers Draft

A bankers draft or bank guaranteed cheque is the only form of payment the notary will permit when the sale is being made.  This is another reason you will need a bank account.

Finances

This might sound obvious, but there is no point in making offers on properties when perhaps you are relying on the sale of another property to release funds for your purchase in Spain.    Wait until you have completed, this way you will have a clear idea of your own buying budget.  Similarly, if you require a mortgage either in Spain or your own country, it is a good idea to get an approval 'in principle' before planning your purchase.  The normal reservation period is 14 days and, while this can be extended to accommodate a mortgage application, some vendors will be reluctant to accept this and it could be a major stumbling block.
If you do require a mortgage in Spain, the best place to start is our preferred partner and specialist in their field, Mortgage Direct.

Currency Broker

This might not apply to all of you but if you are using funds from outside of the Eurozone you will find a better rate of exchange with a currency broker.  We use Currencies Direct who have an office just down the road in Moraira.  They are able to handle one of transfers or regular payments.

Abogado

We recommend you take legal advice from a knowledgeable local Abogado (Solicitior) to act for you during the sale purchase process.  He or she will be acting in your interests and will prepare the relevant paperwork in Spanish and your preferred language.  We can recommend several Abogados who speak English, German Dutch and French.

New Website

Hi everyone,

this is just a quick one to say, go and have a look at our new website.  We're pretty pleased with it; we wanted it to be faster and easier to use and there are a few things behind the scenes we wanted to improve too, so that we could spend more time finding properties for you. Hey, there's another reason to go and have a look, check out the latest properties: there have been a few in the last week, more are coming up now that the main holiday season is over (still hot though).

So, if you haven't already, head on over to www.javeahomefinders.com and let us know what you think. We look forward to hearing from you.

Javea Photos

End of the Summer in Javea

Javea is a bit quieter now that the thousands of tourists from the rest of Europe have left, which means September is a great month for a viewing trip if your thinking of buying a property over here.

This is because the weather is still pretty hot (I can vouch for that),there is much more availability in terms of accommodation and flights are cheaper too, now that the schools have opened their doors again.

Also, many places are unavailable to view during the summer months (August being the most extreme) as they tend to be full with holiday makers.

October is pretty good too, slightly cooler, which is good as it can be quite arduous traipsing round in the midday August heat, better to be in the pool with a nice cold drink in your hand.

Javeahomefinders.com

If you haven't heard already, we have just relaunched our website with the aim of being faster and more user-friendly as well as nicer to look at, to show all our 270+ direct properties in Javea and the surrounding area. Go on, have a look.

All our new properties will be photographed with our new camera which arrived the other day.  I took it round the corner from our office to practice, have a look at the results below.

Guide to Buying Property in Javea

A Guide to Buying Property in Javea 

Getting Started

If you are at the beginning of your journey or have been looking into the Spanish property market for some time but haven't done anything about it, get in touch with us.  Either start browsing properties on our website and make an inquiry, fill in the contact form, email us, call us on the phone or even comment on this blog.  Let us know your budget and requirements and we will search for you.

Choosing your home in Javea

There are many factors to take into consideration when choosing a property in Javea and indeed anywhere.  The key is research.  Due to the nature of the property market in Spain in general, is is difficult to get accurate statistics of house prices in any given area.  The best way to get an idea of how much properties are selling for is to monitor them via websites such as ours for reductions in price and length of time on the market.

Visit Javea

It is also a good idea to plan a viewing trip to Javea with the aim of viewing as many properties as you can in the time you have.  This will give you a better idea of the pros and cons of each area and the type of property you can expect to achieve with your particular budget.
This first trip could help you decide if Javea is the place for you or, you may decide that buying a property in Spain is not for you.

Viewing Properties in Javea

Normally, we begin from our office, by the beach on the Arenal and we can drive you to all the viewings we arrange for you.  When viewing properties be frank and honest with your feedback - this will help prevent wasting your valuable time. Don t be afraid to ask lots of questions and take notes if you can.  Also, don't be afraid to ask for a second viewing.

Agreeing the price

Once you have decided on a property, make an offer to the vendor through your agent. It may require several approaches before an agreement is reached. At this stage if you have not already done so, now is a good time to arrange to obtain your NIE numbers and open a bank account in Spain.

Arranging a Mortgage

If you need a mortgage in Spain, we normally refer our clients to the expert team at Mortgage Direct who have a great relationship with the major banks in Spain.

Making a deposit

When you have agreed a price, it is normal to make a reservation deposit (usually between 3,000€ to 5,000€). This ensures that the property is taken off the market whilst preliminary searches are being done and contracts drawn up. This usually for a period of 10 to 14 days. If any problems are found with the searches then this deposit is returnable, but not if you simply change your mind.

Legal representation

Whilst purchasing a property in Spain is not difficult, we do insist that all clients appoint an independent Lawyer (Abogado). This Lawyer will take care of you and assist you through the complete buying process. There are many excellent English-speaking Spanish Lawyers in the area for which we can provide contact details.

Contracts

Once the preliminary searches have been done and the purchase contracts drawn up, you will be required to pay a total deposit equal to 10% of the purchase price. The contracts are usually in Spanish and English but your Lawyer will ensure that you have a full understanding of the contract and the process.

Completion

Villa For Sale in Javea

Finally on the appointed day (usually 4 to 6 weeks from making the deposit). Your Agent and Lawyer will accompany you to the Notary office for the signing of the Title Deed (Escritura). You will make the final payment to the Vendor who will simultaneously pass over possession of the property to you, handing you the keys. The Notary will pass the details of the new Title Deed to the Land registry who will record the details of the new owner.

Fees and Taxes

If you are buying a resale property, then a Transfer Tax of 10% will be charged.  Other fees will be charged for the Notary and Land Registry, these fees are based on a sliding scale depending on the price of the property (about 0.5% for both). Your Lawyers fees (0.5-to-1.0%) will also be payable at completion.  It is wise to budget for 11%-to-12% (if you buy without a mortgage) and 12%-to-13% (with a mortgage) on top of the original purchase price to cover all fees and taxes.

Please feel free to comment or ask any questions.

Why is Javea so nice?

Jávea: Second best climate in the world? 

One of the main reasons Javea is such a popular destination for many Northern Europeans and Spaniards alike is the unique microclimate it enjoys.  This is why, although Denia and Moraira and the other surrounding towns and villages are all very special, Javea will always be thought of as the 'Jewel of the Costa Blanca'. 

The Facts

A micro-climate is a local atmosphere different from the area in which it is found. The micro-climate is a set of atmospheric conditions that characterize an environment or limited geographical area. It also depends on many other factors. These factors  are the topography, temperature , humidity, altitude, latitude, light and vegetation cover .According to a scientific study in the 1990s, it was concluded that Javea has the second best micro-climate in the world, after Rio de Janeiro.  I can't argue with that. You can enjoy a mild temperature throughout the year with an average ranging from 18 ° to 24 degrees . Only this weekend the temperature reached 21 degrees! 

Options

Javea is a very popular destination for foreign retirees to spend the rest of his life as well as those whose work allows them to live anywhere, such as off-shore workers.  The wide variety of excellent schools in the area means more and more families are choosing to relocate to Javea.

The Grass is Greener 

The green colour is dominant in the landscape but, unlike the UK for example, this is not due to heavy rainfall. Most rainfall occurs in Mediterranean rainfall regime , ie very heavy rainfall in a short time, during the months of September-October-November. These typical Mediterranean rainfall are called 'la gota fria' or cold drop in this area of ​​Spain.

Javea has a very high 'water table'and this is one of the possible origins of its name is from the Arabic XABIGA which means something like well or tank. In addition to all this , there is an underground river , called "Moraig" that originates from the inland Pedreguer mountains.

Montgo

There is also the local theory that the Montgó mountain to the north of the bay protects Javea from the weather systems which could move down from that direction.  There has yet to be a scientific study into this so you will have to make up your own minds.

Fiesta San Sebastian Javea

The Fiesta of San Sebastian in Javea

The weekend saw the fiesta of San Sebastian, in Spain, not just Javea, but Sebastian is the Patron Saint of Javea so it is quite a big deal and the first fiesta of the year.  This fiesta is marked in several ways, one of which is the blessing of animals.  The local priest is usually kept very busy as lots of children bring their pets  to be blessed at a huge gathering in the port.

The fiesta of San Sebastian is also marked by a whole weekend of bull running in the church square in the pueblo or 'old town'.  This is where the men of the town, not just the young ones, try not to get clobbered by a variety of bulls over the course of the four days. Cages are set up for spectators to stand or sit on top of and they are also a refuge for the 'intrepid' runners.

Cruel?

I have never seen this spectacle before and had yet to form an opinion as to whether it is cruel or not.  I can say after getting quite close to the event in order to photograph it that I am not  fan.  It was interesting to see these big strong animals close up but I think the only ones enjoying it were the humans.

I will let you make up your own mind about it but, I think you must see it for yourself before you can make a judgement.

On A Lighter Note

The past week has been a busy one, tryng to secure more properties to add to our website.  Currently we have almost 300 villas, apartments and townhouses to choose from so why not have a look and seeif there is anything that tickles your fancy?

Character Property with Sea Views

Character Villa with Sea Views

This villa is one of our latest additions and is a real unique opportunity. It needs some modernisation for sure, but it has views that you can't put a price on.  With five bedrooms, three bathrooms and, obviously, a swimming pool this is quite a find for the right investor or developer who wants a bit of a project.  It's well located too, only walking distance to one of Spains best beaches, Granadella.

Immaculate Apartment

We also have this immaculate two bedroom apartment in the port area.  This really is a superb renovation which includes all the show-home furniture and brand new kitchen appliances.  It's on the third floor with a lift and parking. 

So, shoot over to www.javeahomefinders.com to check out our latest properties for sale in Javea.

A New Year for Javea Home Finders

What's Going on with Javea Home Finders?

2013 was a pretty good year for us here at Javea Home Finders.  We enjoyed a fruitful relationship with many of the other real estate agents in Javea and we grew (into the office next door).
The main reason for this was that we wanted to offer long term rentals here in Javea, in addition to the sale of villas and apartment etc.  With this in mind, when the office next door became empty we took the option to secure it for our own purposes, and within a couple of weeks, two offices became one.

Long Term Rentals in Javea

To be able to offer long term rentals in Javea we have teamed up with Jo Ivory who is www.sunsetspanishproperty.com.  Jo has fast become the go-to-girl when it comes to long term rentals in Javea and she jumped at the chance to use space in our office, firstly to lend her enterprise a bit more credibility and secondly to make use of the passing trade we were missing out on by not being able to accommodate rentals.

Official Opening

Once we had knocked a hole in the wall and the dust had settled, Jo moved in and has already been able to benefit from the position of the office on the Arenal in Javea.  To launch the new office and raise fresh awareness amongst colleagues and collaborators we decided to an official opening.  This was held last Friday (10th January) and was a great success with a decent turnout, with collaborating agents rubbing shoulders with our network of expert lawyers and financial advisers to name but a few.
In fact, it was such a success that we have decided to host a similar event to cater for clients both past and potential.

Happy New Year

So this year has begun well and we hope it will exceed last year on many levels, most importantly our close work with Jo which should enable us to accommodate those who come to Javea and wish to rent before committing to buying property.  We have a native French speaker on board as the number of clients who hail from France, Belgium or Switzerland has increased dramatically over the last twelve months.  The recent strengthening of the pound also bodes well for our main source of clientèle, the UK and the large contingent of offshore workers who are able to choose Javea as their onshore home.

Happy New Year from Everyone at Javea Home Finders

Javea Properties on Pinterest

I thought I'd post the link to our board on Pinterest as I am adding all our properties to it over the next few weeks.  The board is called Javea Properties and the link is here Javea Home Finders on Pinterest.

It has been a while since the last post because we have been very busy taking clients out on viewings, selling houses and trying to find new properties.  The summer was very hot and very busy here in Javea.  It is typically a difficult time for us as we get lots of passing trade, but few of them are serious buyers.  Also it's difficult to arrange viewings as most properties are either rented out our in use by the owners during this time.

But the past six weeks or so have seen a real increase in the level of serious buyers, the ones that know about all the disadvantages just mentioned with regards to viewing trips in summer.
And as we sell properties, we must replace them with new ones, which is more difficult than you might imagine!

I think we've done a good job though,  Why don't you see for yourself on our website?  Go on, have a look at our Javea property portfolio and see if there's anything there since the last time you browsed.
We normally send new listings in our email newsletter, but there is a bit of a backlog at the moment so there could be some things there that you haven't seen.

Also have a look at our Facebook page if you haven't already, we try and keep our followers entertained if nothing else.

That's it for now, have a good weekend!

Making the move

Well, as our last post stated, we were waiting to be notified when our archive (such as it is) would be ready for us to transfer from Posterous.  We have heard nothing yet, so we will be adding more posts regularly in the near furture.
I would like to pose a question to you though.  As Javea is, in the main, divided up into Urbanizations, would it be useful to you as potential buyers to have a guide to each area to refer to when browsing properties online or in person?
This is something we have been thinking about for a little while, so we'd appreciate your input.  Go on, get in touch by either commenting on this post or email us at info@javeahomefinders.com.

Well, that's all for now folks.  In the meantime remember to +1 Javea Home Finders on Google+, like us on Facebook, follow us on twitter or just visit our website for the latest property listings.