You will excuse my excitement at the following article, I have had a presence in Murcia for over 8 years and have prime land to build over 600 houses in the region. Perhaps my personal dream and belief in the region will now come a little earlier than planned. If you are looking for advise or investment then I would be pleased to discuss. View our local best selection of properties in Murcia here www.casacalidaproperties.com or on the auction site.

Murcian Regional News, Minister in talks with Paramount Studios project team
The Minister of Culture, Pedro Cruz , and the President of the region, Ramon Luis Valcarcel, have returned from meetings in Dubai with the interesting news that feasibility studies are to take place into the construction of a massive theme park, on a level with Disneyland Paris here in Murcia..
Whilst it is too early to get overly excited, the new park could create 20,000 jobs and bring 3 million tourists a year more into this region, should the project go ahead.
The two have been in discussions with Michael Bartok, Executive vice president of the licencing division of Paramount Pictures and Ruwaad Holdings CEO Hayan Merchant who are said to favour the region because of it’s climatic attractions, over and above other regions including Catalunia and Andalucia, both of which have been considered for the project.
A site is being sought in Spain to create the largest them park in the country, of a size and sophistication to rival Disneyland Paris, together with film studios which will be the centre of Paramount filming in Europe.
Executives from Ruwaad, together will technical staff are to travel to Murcia and carry out the technical and feasibility studies, and the regional executive will begin the drive to attract investors for the scheme.
At this stage several locations are under consideration for the construction of the site, but Murcia is considered to be ideal due to the location of the new Corvera Airport, recently completed motorway links, the new high speed rail lines which are currently under construction and the fact that the region is the warmest in Spain, with an average 300 days of sunshine a year.
The project investigation team are moving fast and will be in Murcia within the next few days, hoping to complete the initial assessments within a month, with all viability studies to be completed by the end of April.
Should this project go ahead it will certainly be a massive stimulus to the employment prospects within the region, although other theme parks already in place, such as the local Terra Mitica in Murcia and other major parks throughout Spain have failed to perform financially in line with projections made.
Cruz spoke tentatively about investments of 1.800 million euros being required, and the region itself will be required to cede land to the project and invest financially if it wishes to hook a big fish like Paramount, but initial reports will indicate the feasibility of the project within a month or so, and maybe, just maybe, there might be a pot of gold waiting for Murcia at the end of the Ministers Rainbow
Source :http://www.simplynetworking.es/news-2359-31-murcia_possible_location_for_giant__new_paramount_studios__theme_park.html

Online marketing, For Sale By Owner, Spicerhaart, iSold, Tesco, Google, OFT, movewithus, Casacalida, Auctionpropertydirect, NAR, National Association of Realtors

Estate agents are facing a potential threat from within their own ranks as a growing number of companies look to online models that allow vendors to sell their own properties.

Websites allowing sellers to privately advertise their homes have attracted strong criticism from agents over the last few years, but the announcement that UK-based estate agent group Spicerhaart is launching its own flat-fee online service, iSold.com, represents a growing concern that the market is changing and that agents need to change with it.

“Use of the internet is growing in all sectors, and we want to cater to that move towards online, for those people who want some control of the process but with the reassurances of a big, experienced company,” Spicerhaart spokesman Steve Shore told OPP.

With Spicerhaart linking with Tesco for the launch, Google expanding its property activities, and the UK’s Office of Fair Trading putting pressure on the property industry to open up to more online alternatives, more companies could be forced to join their web competitors rather than trying to beat them.

Working harder
The recession has added to the pressure, making agents’ jobs harder and encouraging companies to look for more cost-effective business models. At least 20% of agents in the UK are looking to relocate their businesses from the high street into their own homes, according to a recent survey by property services firm movewithus.

Steve Long, managing director of Spanish agent Casacalida, recently launched Auctionpropertydirect.com in order to allow distressed sellers to market directly to buyers and to facilitate online auctions. “Our estate agent business is dead at the moment,” he told OPP. “The amount of work you have to do for a sale is unbelievable. We’ve closed our offices in Murcia because we don’t get any clients out there anymore and it’s too expensive to operate.”

The growing tendency for buyers to research their property on the internet and to use a lawyer to handle the sale has reduced the need for agents, he said. “Because people are going online first they’re coming ready with all the info and when they go to view they already know about the area, the property and the legal issues.”

Model business
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) estimates that around 12% of homes sales in the US are conducted without an agent, and the country’s ‘For Sale By Owner’ sector is repeatedly held up as a model for the rest of the world.

Some agents are apparently willing to work with FSBO services to promote private sellers’ property to their buyers. One site even claims its partnerships with brokers allow sellers to list on NAR’s portal Realtor.com. However, NAR strongly rejects this assertion and argues that the sector isn’t as strong as some might suggest.

“These sites have zero credibility,” said NAR’s spokesman Lucien Salvant. “The percentage of sales made without an agent in the US has fallen from 18% to 12% in the last few years and half of those involve two parties that already know each other.”

While you’d expect an agents’ organisation to leap to the defence of its members’ business, Spicerhaart is also keen to point out it doesn’t see iSold as a replacement for the traditional model and is continuing to open physical branches.

“There’s still a massive market for people who require a face-to-face service – iSold is just doing it without branch premises,” said Shore. “We’ll still carry out valuations and help people negotiate. It will be complementary to our existing business – there is room in the market for both.”

Did you know that OPP is producing it’s first ever dedicated report on Below Market Value (BMV) deals and destinations in April, with insights on investor criteria and routes to market for developers? If you would like to contribute to the report, email the editor now. To guarantee receipt of this unique report, subscribe now.

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Date added: 09 March 2010

Unique UK Investment opportunity, register today and bid. You can own this prime land portfolio offering huge potential

250 acres of hunting/fishing land for sale on Dunnet Head, Caithness, Scotland.

 Guide Price an unbelievable: £200,000 which equates to only £800 per acre! Set in the most northerly point on the British mainland!

 Dunnet Head has spectacular views across the Pentland Firth which has some of the best sea fishing to be found around anywhere along the UK coastline. The land is open Moor land and is roughly about 250 meters above sea level. There are a few grouse and snipe it’s also a good area for duck shooting and has easy access from the main road which leads to the lighthouse. There is one Loch on the land which is shared by the next estate owner. The Loch has not been stocked for some time (12 years ago), but can be stocked with brown trout or rainbow. The ground comes with Agriculture number so you can get grants for fencing etc.

 The village at Dunnet Head has a Hotel and main public beach which stretches 3 miles across Dunnet Bay. There are two Towns nearby, one called Thurso which has about 15 thousand people and the other Town is called Wick which has roughly the same number of residents, with both towns having Tesco shopping etc. Wick also has its own airport with flights daily from Aberdeen and Edinburgh. There are number of schools in both areas. Castle of Mey where the late Queen mother stayed is not far from Dunnet Head. Paul Young hooked on Scotland has also filmed on these lochs at Dunnet Head.

http://www.auctionpropertydirect.com/propertiesdetail.php?id=1201

Did you know that you can buy multi unit blocks of tenated flats giving a 10% plus yield from Auction Property Direct   simply follow the link go to “Search” and look for “Investment” Germany”  we have many liquidations exclusive to UK market in the Heart of Germany where most people rent for life.  No fuss, no risk, just easy secure investment.  These properties are wholesale, you buy at around 50% below value, you make 10% day one. We can also assit you to split the title to allow each property to be sold as resale not wholesale.  This is a sure way to take your yield over 25% per annum and still no risk!!

Example:

Construction Year:  1960 – Plot Size:  1.180 m²                                 

Residential Space:    1.400 m² split into 19 Residential units  

Commercial Space:  70 m² split into  1 Commercial unit 

Other Info:  10 Marked parking spaces with these two blocks of flats                              

Net Rental Income:  140.000,- EUR p.a.                                                                                 

Buying Price:  1.400.000,- EUR  

Auction or pre auction property is now becoming popular in Europe as it has been for years in the States, Auction Property Direct is a great place to list your property with no added commission and is also therefore the best place to buy a property. Safe open and transparent, endorsed by UK and International lawyers. Save this site to your favourites, register online and grab yourself a bargain! You have to be in it to win it as they say, make an offer, you never know your luck.