Sterling sell off abated as Pound Strengthens against Euro

Sterling Sell off abated as Pound Strengthens against Euro

Sterling vs. Euro;

This week’s report will focus on the erratic swings in GBP/EUR rates, the news and data that caused the fluctuations, and potential moves in the coming weeks.  The story dominating FX headlines recently has been sterling’s rapid decline.  The pound has been subject to an aggressive sell-off as fears mounted that the UK may enter a triple-dip recession, which could result in the loss of our Triple-A credit rating; and the now looming prospect of an in/out referendum on Europe for 2015, has created greater uncertainty.  Last week, however, we saw the first significant retracement of this pressure and, once again, ECB President Mario Draghi was at the centre of the move.

The single currency began last week on the back foot as news broke of corruption and scandal in the Southern European States.  Spain and Italy were both back in the headlines with surprising allegations of undeclared payments from a secret slush fund being received by Spain’s ruling conservative party. 

This news was coupled with the announcement that Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the World’s oldest surviving bank, was involved in a derivatives scandal . 

So why has this affected euro rates?  Essentially this calls on the old cliché “Markets hate uncertainty”. 

Though this caused a rise in GBP/EUR rates the largest swing in prices can be credited to the words of Mark Carney and Mario Draghi.  The incoming Governor of the Bank of England sat before the Treasury select committee on Thursday, and in his testimony to MP’s, he outlined his thoughts and intentions for the UK economy moving forward.  Mervyn King has suggested before that Quantitative easing has a diminishing rate of return, with regard to effectiveness, though Carney outlined that the BoE could expand the range of assets it purchases, whilst supporting the pound from further weakening, all without effecting the UK’s inflation target.  Sterling began strengthening both before and during Mr Carney’s words.

Mario Draghi once again serenaded the currency markets with his announcement last Thursday; speaking on the euros current bull-run.  He discussed the significance of the rate, with regard to growth and price stability, highlighting the dangers of a continual strengthening.  His comments on inflation hinted that a cut to interest rates may not be entirely off the table; the last time such a measure was taken, we saw GBP/EUR rates surge to four year highs.  His words came as a surprise to many, most expected him to touch upon the euros recent appreciation, though the announcement appeared more of a concerted effort to talk the single currency down.

Much of the recent coverage of GBP/EUR rates appears to show the UK, seemingly, in perpetual decline and the euro storming the markets.  Yet the most recent NIESR GDP estimate for the UK came in at 0.0%; better than expected, however, sterling/euro is at a pivotal point.  The UK certainly is not out of the woods, despite the recent flurry of positive data, the last official GDP figures have been below forecast.  If this were to happen again the false hope could be doubly damaging for the pound.  Not only this, but the euros recent appreciation has largely been built on rhetoric rather than any concrete data.  Although Greece’s Finance Minister has suggested that they could begin the road to recovery by the end of the year, this remains to be seen, and if there was a cut to interest rates to stimulate the European economies, or more negative press, we could see the euro weaken again. 

Sterling vs. US Dollar;

It was another choppy week for cable and the swings we saw in exchange rates last week could well continue. Since the start 2013 sterling has been in free fall against the US Dollar, and the current trend shows no signs of improvement.

Positive UK retail sales data released on Tuesday did see a brief spike in rates; figures showed that sales increased for January by 1.9% compared to January 2012 which is the largest year on year rise since December 2011. The news saw the GBP/USD cross jump to a high of $1.5792 but sterling could not hold its value over the course of the day and rates quickly started to fall. By midweek the pound actually fell by 1% against the dollar to reach a low of $1.5634.

Over in the states talk of spending cuts and tax increases have resurfaced. The temporary fiscal cliff avoidance package put together by President Obama on New Year’s day is due to expire on the 1st March, leading the President  to approach congress to put another short term package together to avoid larger cuts next month. The proposal was quickly rejected and the longer it drags on the more likely we are to see the dollar come under pressure. Indeed last week’s poor US Q4 GDP figure was largely put down to fiscal cliff  pressures and if a permanent solution cannot be put in place, there is chance rates could start to push higher.

Thursday was a potentially positive day for the UK last week with the Bank of England holding their monthly meeting. However the expected hold on interest rates and no further QE only gave the pound a brief boost. Even when combined with the zero growth (but no decline) estimate of Januarys’ GDP the pound could not buck the general trend of decline against the Dollar. The UK economy seems to be the centre of attention and in the absence of growth the pound simply cannot keep pace with the Dollar at the moment.

With so much volatility surrounding the currency markets the use of Stop Loss and Limit Orders has increased in popularity; they can protect you against a falling market but also help target a rate that might not be currently available. For more information you can read our finance pages here or contact us at info@goldacreestates.com : http://goldacreestates.com/Finance 

 

Eurozone Gaining Confidence

Eurozone Gaining Confidence as Spanish Banks Ease Dependancy

Is there confusion again over Spain's banks? If so its not really new.   On one hand, the Bank of Spain said in mid-January that non-performing loans were on the increase and that more than one in nine would probably not be repaid.  On the other, the central bank said at the same time that Spanish banks were less dependent on emergency funding from the European Central Bank.  In December they borrowed €357bn, appreciably less than the €411bn they took last August. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is relaxed.  He is "absolutely convinced that Spanish financial institutions will not require any more funds than they were given already" because they have been subject to a "complete striptease" laying bare their financial circumstances.

The prime minister's optimism is shared, though perhaps with more caution, by investors. Since the beginning of the year they have been buying bank shares, lifting the value of Bankinter by a third and Banco Popular Espanol by a quarter. Investors are also much readier to hold Spanish bonds. Six months ago they were demanding a return of over 7% on their five-year loans to the government. Today they are content with less than 4%.

The change is symptomatic of a warmer attitude among investors towards the euro. A month ago it looked as if 2013 would turn out to be a better year for the single currency and halfway through January that is proving to be true.

Since the turn of the year the euro has strengthened by about five and a half  cents against the pound and by about four  cents against the US dollar. It has done so mostly as a result of improved sentiment.  Strange to think it was about twelve months ago when  most of the world were questioning the very survival of the single currency  with a full complement of member states. Today it feels reasonable to expect that singleness to continue, as a result of the determination of EU leaders and central bankers to do "whatever it takes" to save the euro.

Okay  so what else is happening?  

Interestingly instead, it is the pound that must face the tough questions. Even though the UK economy appears to be in better shape than Euroland, investors are not satisfied. They fear a third dip into recession. They fear the downgrade of Britain's AAA credit rating that might follow that dip. They fear the anti-Europe rhetoric in Westminster and the media. And because of those fears their appetite for sterling has faded.  Add to this the fear of further job losses in the Financial Services sector and the high street disappearing unemployment may still have  a further negative impact upon the  UK's timetable for recovery

So half the euro's performance against sterling this year is down to improved demand for the single currency; the other half is the result of investors' disenchantment with the pound. Both attitudes could change. It would be unusual if there were not some new panic in Euroland before too many months have gone by. The UK economy might pick up speed once the cold weather has passed and people are allowed to go back to work and school.

Stateside the new holiday destination of " The Fiscal Cliff" seems to have disappeared and the republicans have provided Mr Obama a little bit longer to sort out the economy and the debt ceiling which is standing around $17trillion.  Not sure how many zeros a in a trillion but its a lot. What the bet it could hit £20 trillion.  In fairness however housing, manufacturing and employment opportunities are all moving in the right way for the citizens of the USA.

The big decision if you are transferring money is timing so if you want to make more of your money and take expert guidance talk to our preferred  currency specialists. If you want to guard against rate fluctuations and get the best deal for your Sterling contact us and read our financial pages here: http://goldacreestates.com/Finance .

Advice on Selling Your Property

Here are a few tips to Help Sell Your Property in Fuerteventura

Preparing your property for sale

■Ensure your property inside and out is clean and tidy

■Ensure any minor repairs have been carried out prior to putting your property on the market

■If redecorating try and use light and neutral colours, this will make rooms appear larger

■Remove and put in to storage any unnecessary “clutter”

■Keep kitchen surfaces clear and make sure your oven is spotless!

■If you have a dog ensure it is kept under control and preferably out of sight. Many people will not share your confidence with dogs

■If you are using an agent leave the selling to the agent

■Prospective buyers will appreciate if you provide them with an estimate of your annual running costs

Taxes and Expenses

■For a detailed guide to selling taxes and expenses please consult the Selling section of “Advice for Buyers”

■Capital Gains Tax if you have made a profit after expenses Currently 18%

■Plus Valia – Municipal Tax on increase in land value

 ■Legal Fees

■Agency Fees

For more information on Selling Your Property consult our pages here:
http://goldacreestates.com/Sell

Global Housing Market Figures Released



Latest Statistics on Global Housing Markets

Latest figures from the Global Property Guide suggest Europe is still experiencing the brunt of the downward pressure comparing figures from the 3^rd Quarter 2011 to Q3 2012 in terms of property prices and sales numbers.

On a positive note the U.S. housing market continues to recover with the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) seasonally-adjusted purchase-only house price index rose by 2.31% year-on-year in Q3 2012, the highest growth seen since Q2 2006. The nationwide seasonally-adjusted S&P/Case-Shiller home price index also rose by 1.92% during the year to Q3 2012, in sharp contrast with its 7% year-on-year decline seen in Q3 2011.

Also Dubai in the U.A.E. has shown positive trends with the price index for all residential properties surged by 14.43% during the year to end-Q3 2012, as compared to a meagre year-on-year increase of 0.96% seen in the same period last year.

The Pacific markets also show signs of recovery with New Zealand 's median house price rose by 5.19% during the year to end-Q3 2012, in sharp contrast with the 4.39% year-on-year decline in Q3 2011. Likewise, Australia 's housing market is also improving, with house prices in its eight major cities falling by just 1.57% year-on-year in Q3 2012, the lowest decline since Q4 2010.

Some European markets are experiencing turnarounds with house price falls in Ireland decelerating. Ireland 's residential property price index fell by 13.17% year-on-year in Q3 2012, the lowest decline since Q1 2011. In addition, house prices have risen significantly in Austria, Turkey, Latvia, Germany, Iceland and Finland.

On the other hand many European housing markets remain extremely depressed, and continue their rapid spiral downwards. House price falls are accelerating in Greece, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal, Croatia and Lithuania. Of the 23 European countries included in the survey, 14 countries recorded house price falls while only 9 countries have seen house price increases. The nine weakest housing markets in our global survey are all in Europe.

Also the Asian housing market surge has weakened. Seven of the 10 Asian housing markets included in our survey performed more poorly this year than the previous year. But Asia 's biggest housing market, China, is recovering, judging by the latest quarter 's figures.

In inflation-adjusted terms, 23 housing markets have shown better year-on-year figures in Q3 2012 than in the same period last year, while 20 housing markets have shown poorer performance. However the nominal figures are slightly more disappointing—25 housing markets performed more poorly while only 19 performed better.

In Conclusion of the 44 countries for which quarterly house price figures are available, house prices fell in 23 countries, and rose in 21 countries during the year ending in the third quarter of 2012, again in inflation-adjusted terms.

The Global Property Guide's statistical presentation uses price changes after inflation, giving a more realistic picture than the more upbeat nominal figures usually preferred by real estate agents. Nominal figures can be misleading, as suggested by the fact that year-on-year in Q3, nominal house prices rose in more countries (27 countries) than fell (17 countries).



 

 

 

 

 

 

European housing markets generally weak

The scale of the European downturn, the sheer size of the downward pressure, continues to surprise. Of the 23 European countries included in the survey, 14 countries recorded house price falls while only 9 countries have seen house price increases. To make the picture more dismal, the nine weakest housing markets in our global survey are all in Europe.

Ireland remains the world 's weakest housing market in Q3 2012. However, house price falls now appear to be decelerating in Ireland. House prices dropped 13.17% during the year to Q3 2012, the smallest decline since Q1 2011. House prices dropped by just 0.03% in Q3.

Not so far behind was Greece, with house prices plunging by 12.47% during the year to Q3 2012, the steepest year-on-year decline since 1998. House prices dropped 1.03% during the latest quarter. Greece is already on its fifth year of recession with real GDP expected to contract by 6% this year.

House prices have declined in Spain. House prices plunged by 11.87% during the year to Q3 2012, the biggest decline since Q4 1992. House prices dropped 2.78% during the latest quarter. The Spanish economy is expected to contract by 1.3% this year and by another 1.4% in 2013. The country 's deficit is projected to remain high, at 8.1% of GDP by end-2012. Overall unemployment is at a record high, at 25%.

The Netherlands comes fourth on the list of the world 's worst performers. House prices fell 11.43% year-on-year in Q3 2012, the sharpest decline since Q1 2009. On a quarterly basis, house prices fell 3.37% during Q3.

Romania 's housing market remains depressed. The average selling price of apartments plunged 12.76% year-on-year and fell 4.61% during the latest quarter. Romania 's economic growth is expected to be flat this year with real GDP actually declining 0.5% in Q3 2012 from the previous quarter. The economy fell into recession in Q1 2012 before seeing a minimal growth in Q2.

Many other European countries continue to suffer. These include Portugal, with house prices falling by 9.7% during the year to Q3 2012, Zagreb, Croatia (-8.03%), Warsaw, Poland (-7.64%), Bulgaria (-6.84%), Ukraine (-4.41%), Vilnius, Lithuania (-4.36%), Slovakia (-4.13%), Russia (-3.98%), UK (-3.97%), and Sweden (-3.17%). All of these, except Slovakia and Sweden, recorded house price falls during the latest quarter.

Some strong European housing markets relieve the gloom. Austria 's housing market remains ebullient, with the residential property price index rising by 7.53% during the year to Q3 2012, after rising by 11.26% year-on-year in Q2 and 8.24% in Q1 2012. House prices rose by 0.50% during the latest quarter. Vienna 's residential property price index rose a dramatic 13.10% during the year to Q3 2012.

Norway 's house price index rose by 6.55% during the year to Q3 2012, and by 1.27% during the latest quarter.

The upsurge in these two countries' housing markets was so strong as to propel them into fourth and fifth place in the worldwide league table.

Other European countries which saw moderate year-on-year house price increases to Q3 2012 included Turkey (4.96%), Riga, Latvia (3.38%), Switzerland (3.27%), Germany (3.16%), Estonia (2.62%), and Iceland (2.28%).

Finland 's housing market is also improving. The average price of apartments in old blocks of flats rose by 0.52% during the year to Q3, the first year-on-year growth after four consecutive quarters of house price falls.

 

 

 

Sterling vs Euro Latest Update on Currency Exchange

Sterling vs. Euro Currency Rates can be an important consideration for buyers of property in Fuerteventura and Spain as well as those looking to repatriate after having sold their properties with Goldacre Estates. Here is the latest weekly update on what the rates are doing:

Last week saw an interesting week on Sterling/Euro with Rallies in both directions, creating decent opportunities for both buying and selling the single currency. The early part of the week saw the pound in general decline, with Mario Draghi’s Euro positive rhetoric ringing in many traders’ ears. It was then his counterpart Mervyn Kings turn to move the markets later in the week.

At Wednesdays Bank of Englands quarterly inflation report, King poured cold water on the widespread rumours that a UK base rate cut was imminent. His read on the situation is that a cut would further hamper financial institutions’ ability to lend and would in fact be counterproductive to economic growth in the UK.

With the already low interest rates unlikely to be cut investors rallied to the Pound, safer in the knowledge that their yield would not be reduced and thus the exchange rate moved up.

It appears then that the UK with its expectation of zero growth and no apparent movement on rates or quantitative easing, is now unlikely to be the main driver on the GBP/EUR cross in the short term. The storm clouds that still hang over the Eurozone seem a much more likely cause of market movement.

Although this week has seen no real negative news from the single currency area; the effect has realistically seen a sideways drift rather than any real strength. The fact that King saying there will be no rate cut can move the market a whole cent in one afternoon session is testament to how weak the Euro is.

The weakening in UK economy will probably keep the rate in check and potentially prevent enormous rallies back to pre-2008 levels but in the here and now, a near 4 year high should still be seen as attractive if you need to purchase this year; fixing a forward rate in the mid 1.20’s would suit most budgets when compared with last year when rates were as low as 1.13. 

Weekly Economic Data that may affect exchange rates

Monday – It’s a relatively quiet start to the week. The only UK data of note is the latest House Prices from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors showing the health of this sector. In the Eurozone there are some minor Wholesale Prices. Elsewhere there are some Retail Sales numbers from New Zealand.

Tuesday – Lots of data today compared to yesterday. In the UK we have: Inflation Numbers (CPI and PPI), Retail Prices, House Prices, and the BoE Inflation letter by Mervyn King. In the Eurozone we have: French Inflation data, French GDP, German GDP, Spanish Inflation Data, Portuguese GDP, EU wide GDP, Industrial Production and surveys on Economic Sentiment. So much that could affect GBP/EUR rates. Stateside we have the latest inflation numbers, Retail Sales, and a measure of Economic optimism.

Wednesday – Again a very busy day, but this time all from the UK and US. Starting in the UK we have the all important Bank of England minutes. This is followed by a speech by BoE governor Mervyn King. In addition we will see various jobless measures including the Claimant Count & Unemployment Rate. Over in the states we have another round of inflation numbers, Mortgage Applications, Industrial Production and numbers on the Housing Market.

Thursday – Today we will see the latest UK Retail Sales, which are an overall barometer of economic activity. In the Eurozone there are some inflation numbers which could dictate interest rates. Stateside we have Building permits, Jobless Claims, and the Philadelphia Manufacturing Survey. We end the day with more inflation numbers from New Zealand.

Friday – There are no UK releases today. In Europe we see the most recent Trade Balance numbers and some German inflation data. We will also see the latest Canadian Inflation numbers. Over in the states we have the latest measure of consumer sentiment.

If you are looking to make an exchange contact Goldacre Estates Sl http://goldacreestates.com or call 0034-928535044 for more information about how we can help save you money when buying and selling propery abroad.

Latest BuyIn Fuerteventura Magazine edition available

Local magazine BuyIn Fuerteventura has just printed their latest edition to be picked up from hotels and selected outlets across the island including Goldacre Estates in the CC.Oasis Tamarindo Corralejo. The newest edition focusses on the village of Lajares in the North with its close proximity to the North shore and beaches of Corralejo, Majanicho and El Cotilo. The magazine holds adverts also for local businesses and services important to those looking to invest in property here in the Canary Islands and Spain. If you are looking to advertise your business or property for sale or rent you can find all the details on the magazines website http://www.buyin-fuerteventura.com and you can view the magazine here: http://flipflashpages.uniflip.com/2/7750/103930/pub/index.html.  

Great Tarajal hosts the meeting of Creative Women

The Association of Mujeres Sabias y Emprendedoras(Entrepreneurs and Wise Women) will organize on Friday the Second Meeting of Creative Women, in collaboration with the City of Tuineje and The Association of Municipalities of Cento Sur. After a successful first meeting and high demand, this group has decided to repeat the experience and has set three goals: to make aware women who wish to participate in important role in the development of projects based on the search for new opportunities; encourage their initiative, and give women a strong self-esteem and confidence.

The novelty of this second edition is the participation of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation of Fuerteventura, which presents the Business Support Program for Women . The meeting will be held on August 19 at Avenida de Gran Tarajal from 10.00 to 21.00. Registration can be done in the asociaciónmujeresmusabem@gmail.com mail or phone 692 103 752.

Anything you want to know about Fuerteventura, and more specifically about the property market (Mercado inmobiliario en Fuerteventura), or the Fuerteventura Golf, GoldAcre Estates can give you a hand.

GoldAcre Estates offers one of the largest selection of properties in Fuerteventura in lovely villages such as Corralejo and in great resort as El sultan always at a very competitive price. You can find great apartments that offer first line to the sea (primera línea).

For Further information click on http://www.goldacre-estates.com/english/pages/more.html

Or contact info@goldacre-estates.com

The Fuerteventura city council invested more than 500,000 euros in the refurbishment of the FV-320 road. The work will be finished by the end of the week.

According to Europapress, the president of the city council of Fuerterventura, Mario Cabrera and the mayor of Betancuria, Marcelino Cerdeña visited last Monday the advance of the work that will be finished by the end of the week.

Cabrera explained that this refurbishment was carried out  thanks to an investment of 274,230 euros, for resurfacing a section of the road. With the earlier rehabilitation also made by the city council, for another 4 kilometers, the total investment is over half a million euros  which has brought a significant improvement for locals and tourists who use this road.

 Cerdeña said that "thanks to the involvement of the city council we achieved a necessary work”

Fuerteventura is recovering from the financial crisis little by little, and many investments have been made for the past few months to improve the roads, hotels, resorts…  We have to highlight the efforts made by the city council to improve the quality of life on the island that both tourists and locals can enjoy.

Fuerteventura, Canary Islands has always been a great place to live, nice weather and very laid back atmosphere, but it will be even better with all these improvements.

Fuerteventura is one of the best place in Spain to invest in property as well. The island has been attracting more tourists this year and it will go on this way. Great opportunities can be found with very good rental potential. Amongst all the real estate agency, one of them stands out. GoldAcre Estates SL offers the largest selection of property for sale in the island and will help you finding the home that best suit your needs, and can attend you in English, Spanish, German, French…

More information about Fuerteventura and the property market opportunities click on the following links:

http://www.goldacre-estates.com/english/pages/more/fuerteventura.html

http://www.goldacre-estates.com/english/index.html

Tourism industry growth in Fuerteventura

The municipality of La Oliva continues its great summer season after reaching 90.07% occupancy in tourist resorts and other infrastructure for the month of July, according to LaProvincia. These figures represent an increase of 17% compared to July of last year when hotel occupancy rates reached 73.48%. The growth is mainly due to the arrival of more tourists from the French and Italian market. The number of British tourists has been maintained but the number of domestic visitors declined, as in all the islands.

Many establishments in the tourist area of Fuerteventura estimate that they will close the month with even better figures than those obtained so far with a rate of 91.59% occupancy. This growth trend is likely to continue in September.

More and more tourists are coming to the Canary Islands, and the property prices are very attractive and with very good rental potential

Among the great opportunities you can find on the islands GolAcre Estates has been offering amazing properties in Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria, you have for instance this great villa for sale in Casillas De Morales in Antigua, Fuerteventura with 5 bedrooms and a fully fitted kitchen. For more information about this villa click on http://www.goldacre-estates.com/english/pages/propertydetail.asp?PropertyID=1184578191.

Any further information about the island, or GoldAcre Estates click on the following links

http://www.goldacre-estates.com/english/pages/more/fuerteventura.html

http://www.goldacre-estates.com/english/pages/more/about.html

Fuerteventura Unique Villa

Unique Villa in the Canary Islands
A truly one of a kind rustic, yet incredibly charming villa in La Oliva. This corner unit villa lies in the heart of one of the oldest village’s in Fuerteventura, the property has been converted into a 5 bedroom villa spaced out over 2 floors. The villa holds a very special feel to it right from the moment you 1st see it. Walking up to the spanish property the villa greets you with tonnes of character and charm with its beautiful Canarian appearance. Something that is sometimes hard to find. The garden area from the front entrance is perfectly manageable and is decorated in abundance of different and colorful plant life. All of the bedrooms are a lovely size with more than enough size to store no end of essentials, with the light flooding into the bedrooms, giving a cozy and tranquil space, perfect for anyone getting a good nights sleep after spending the day enjoying the sea and sun. The living rooms is a great size also with enough space to hang the 46inch TV on the wall, if a break is needed from the fabulous weather we have in Fuerteventura.
For me the most fascinating feature this property has which makes it so unique is the incredibly big, covered, Barbecue area. That also acts as a large entertainment area, and eating area. Utilizing this space for the kitchen also maximizes the amount of space we all wish to have in our kitchens.
Being a short walk into one of Fuerteventura’s most charming towns La Oliva you are never far away from restaurants, shops and a municipal heated swimming pool. The Canary Islands really do have some of the most amazing beaches from around the world and Fuerteventura’s Beach in La Oliva is a peaceful walk away.

For more information on this property please do not hesitate to contact us here at GoldAcre estates.

http://www.goldacre-estates.com/english/pages/propertydetail.asp?PropertyID=-2006800399

Air Europa To Begin Flights To Spain And Tenerife From Miami

Spanish carrier Air Europa has announced it will begin nonstop service from Madrid to Miami International on March 19th, 2010, and also will renew nonstop service to Tenerife, Canary Islands, starting on June 19th, 2010.

The Canary Islands have a comprehensive inter island flight service between Tenerife and Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and La Palma and these new flights will be a great boost to the Canarian population requiring international connections.

Air Europa will operate four weekly flights to Madrid and one weekly flight to Tenerife using Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The airline first began operating at Miami International on June 20th, 2009, with just a seasonal service to Tenerife.

Residents and property owners on the islands are now benefitting from a host of new flights that have begun to serve the islands in recent months. This will also help the American tourism to the islands

Ryanair announces new flights from Prestwick to Fuerteventura, Canary Islands

Ryanair has announced extra flights to its sunshine routes from Prestwick and a new route to Fuerteventura starting next month.Chief executive for Prestwick airport, Iain Cochrane said: “This is more excellent news for the airport. As well as these welcome extras, we have new Ryanair routes starting to Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands and Ibiza next month, plus summer flights to Jersey and Turkey with other airlines.”

This is yet more good news for the tourist industry on Fuerteventura and for property owners looking for more connections back to the UK. It will also help the real estate market on the island by providing more connections between Fuerteventura and the UK which is an important consideration for potential purchasers.

The extra flights from Prestwick will go to Malaga, Alicante, Palma, Faro and Carcassonne.

Exceptional opportunity, 4 Bedroom Villa in Villaverde, Fuerteventura, Canaries

KEY POINTS
4 Bedrooms

2 Bathrooms

Heated 7x3 Swimming pool

Large plot size 1700 sqm

Triple Car Port

Large roof terrace

Garden sun terrace

Furnished with fitted Kitchen

This fabulous 4 bedroom villa is situated in the popular village of Villaverde just a short walk away from the village centre with its shops, quaint bars and fabulous resurants. The property sits in a large plot with a sheltered sun terrace, a covered 3 bay car park, planted flower beds, and a large heated swimming pool.

Inside the property all the bedrooms are a generous size with the master bedroom ensuite. The lounge is bright and and well furnished with Satellite TV. There is a galley style fitted kitchen with a separate large dining room. The large roof terrace offers all day sun and great views across the countryside.

Villaverde is a typical Canarian village located only 12 km outside of Corralejo, the location of Villaverde affords and elevated position with stunning views all around, Villaverde has plenty to offer, be it quality dining, with a variety of restaurants including the hidden gem known as Casa Marcos, a lovely tapas restaurant with a great atmosphere for locals and tourists alike. However, if you like a big plate of meat, then there is only one place for you, El Horno is one of the best restaurants on the island, offering a wide variety dishes to choose from.

The village is centrally located in the north of the island, 12km from Corralejo, 15km to the lagoons of El Cotillo or 20 minutes to the islands capital, Puerto del Rosario and the airport. This is the perfect opportunity to own a fabulous villa in the sun at a fraction of its true value and an opportunity not to be missed, so if you are looking for a permanent residence or a perfect rental home then this investment opportunity has to e for you. For more information email info@goldacre-estates.com

Telephone 0034 928 535 044

Improving Property market in the Canary Islands aided by improvement in Sterling vs the Euro

MPC member sets the ball rolling with talk of higher UK interest rates. Greece's fiscal problems worry the euro.

After a day's hesitation in the vicinity of Monday's €1.11 starting point the pound set off higher. It was not quite a straight-line advance (it almost never is) but sterling did not really come to a stop until it topped out at €1.13 on Friday. End of week profit-taking brought a brief setback but the pound was back up beyond €1.63 by the time London opened this morning.

Sterling had a good week on almost every front. On the rare occasions it failed to make progress - and only the yen springs to mind - it was steady. There was not universal support in every case to start with but by Tuesday there was wind in every one of sterling's sails. The pound owed its uncharacteristic advance to the Bank of England, specifically to Andrew Sentance, a member of the Monetary Policy Committee. He told The Guardian newspaper that 'Threadneedle Street has done enough to lift Britain out of its deepest post-war slump and will need to consider raising interest rates this year if a recovering economy poses a threat to inflation.' In his opinion the sixth consecutive quarter of falling output in the third quarter of 2009 presented 'an excessively downbeat' picture of the UK economy and he downplayed the risk of a double-dip recession.

That argument received corroboration the following day. The National Institute for Economic and Social Research ('Britain's longest established independent economic research institute' according to its own blurb) reckons the economy grew by +0.3% in the fourth quarter, contracting by -4.8% in calendar 2009. That last figure was given added punch by simultaneous news that Germany's economy shrank by -5.0% on the year. Although the NIESR is not responsible for the 'official' figures investors were happy to accept that the UK economy had finally returned to growth and they clung to that upbeat mood for the rest of the week.

By contrast, investors did not have their usual disregard for factors detrimental to the euro. They have at last fallen in with the idea that Greece's membership of the euro cuts both ways. Total public sector borrowing in Greece is set to reach 120% of gross domestic product this year and could be as high as 140% of GDP in a couple of years' time. The Greek government says it intends to barrow this budget gap but its deeds have so far fallen short of its words. Some analysts have speculated that a possible solution is for Greece to abandon the euro and go back to issuing its own currency, a sort of Drachma II.

At his press conference on Thursday the president of the European Central Bank made his position clear. First he said the idea of Greece leaving the euro was 'absurd'. Then he went on to say the ECB would offer no special treatment to Greece. That means, following the downgrade of Greek credit ratings, that Greek government bonds will not be eligible as collateral at the ECB once it retightens its rules to pre-crisis standards. Yesterday's Sunday Telegraph carried a piece entitled 'ECB prepares legal ground for euro rupture as Greek crisis escalates'. The official ECB line seems to be that a) there is absolutely no chance of Greece leaving the euro and b) this is what will happen when it does. Investors are less than relaxed about the situation.

The pound has spent most of the last three months between $1.58 and $1.68. It starts this week right at the top of that range and looking punchy. If it can consolidate its gains there is nothing to prevent it reaching €1.15 without too much effort. The uncertainty principle still points to a 50% hedge of any euro requirement but there might be better levels at which to make the transaction. Buyers of the euro who are not already hedged should use a stop order for protection in anticipation of this rally carrying further.

Report provided by moneycorp

Skyscanner reveals top 50 destinations for UK travellers

Travel search site www.skyscanner.com reveals the top 50 most searched for destinations from UK airports for travel in 2010.

In the top spot is Malaga, moving up one place from last year. Tenerife and Alicante are second and third, meaning Spain takes the top three positions.

Orlando is a new entry into the top ten, rising 12 places since last year. Dalaman holds its position as the 5th most searched for destination for a second year in a row, whist New York also brakes into the top 10, up five positions from last year.

Palma comes in 8th, losing one spot since last year; Lanzarote is 9th, rising four places, and Geneva is 10th, dropping two places.

Overall Spain is yet again the most popular country for Brits to visit, with 11 Spanish destinations within the top 50, five of which are in the top 10.

“These early indications show that Spain is still by far the most popular destination for British travellers. Medium and long haul locations also seem to be on the rise compared to last year, suggesting that holiday budgets may be growing after a tough financial year” said Barry Smith, Skyscanner co-founder and business director.

Brand new entries to the top 10 are Johannesburg and Cape Town, which will be welcoming the World Cup in 2010. Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong also entered the top 50.

Destinations dropping most in search volume are Edinburgh, Salzburg, Murcia and London. Fuerteventura also fell in the rankings but the fall was dispraportionate to the year before because of Ryanair suspending its service. Other airlines stepped in, such as Easyjet, Palm Air, Monarch and Jet2 to fill the gap but not in time to halt the slide in the ranking. In the coming year Fuerteventura will be helped with the new airport terminal opening and the capability to welcome more flights to the island. Irish property owners and visitors will be helped with Ryanair reinstating its flights to the island in March 2010.

1. Malaga, (Spain) [+1]
2. Tenerife (Spain) [+2]
3. Alicante (Spain)[0]
4. Orlando (USA) [+12]
5. Dalaman (Turkey) [0]
6. Faro (Portugal) [0]
7. New York (USA) [+5]
8. Palma (Spain) [-1]
9. Lanzarote (Spain) [+4]
10. Geneva (Switzerland) [-2]

11. Bangkok (Thailand) [+11]
12. Paphos (Cyprus) [-3]
13. Barcelona (Spain) [+1]
14. London (UK) [-13]
15. Bodrum (Turkey) [-4]
16. Paris (France) [+1]
17. Rome (Italy) [-2]
18. Gran Canaria (Spain) [+1]
19. Larnaca (Cyprus) [+1]
20. Sydney (Australia) [+7]

21. Johannesburg (South Africa) [New Entry]
22. Amsterdam (Netherlands) [-4]
23. Murcia (Spain) [-13]
24. Dublin (Ireland) [-1]
25. Ibiza (Spain) [+5]
26. Prague (Czech Republic) [-2]
27. Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt) [+11]
28. Auckland (New Zealand) [+11]
29. Venice (Italy) [+4]
30. Luqa (Malta) [+5]



31. Krakow (Poland) [-5]
32. Las Vegas (USA) [+13]
33. Cape Town (South Africa) [New Entry]
34. Melbourne (Australia) [New Entry]
35. Fuerteventura (Spain) [-10]
36. Berlin (Germany) [+1]
37. Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) [New Entry]
38. Marrakech (Morocco) [-9]
39. Milan (Italy) [-7]
40. Dubai (UAE) [New Entry]

41. Madrid (Spain) [-5]
42. Hong Kong (Hong Kong) [New Entry]
43. Perth (Australia) [New Entry]
44. Edinburgh (UK) [-16]
45. Munich (Germany) [New Entry]
46. Salzburg (Austria) [-15]
47. Crete (Greece) [-6]
48. Brisbane (Australia) [New Entry]
49. Sofia (Bulgaria) [-2]
50. Nice (France) [-2]

About Skyscanner
Skyscanner is a leading travel search site based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Skyscanner provides instant online comparison on flight prices for over 670,000 routes on over 600 airlines, as well as car hire, hotel and holiday price comparison. With Skyscanner, users can browse without having to enter specific dates or even destinations, and Skyscanner is available in 20 different languages including French, German and Spanish.

Ryanair Flights To Return To Fuerteventura, Canary Islands

Ryanair fights are to return to Fuerteventura, in the Canary Islands commencing in February 2010. In an interview with Q FM, Sr Mario Cabrera confirmed that a 5 year deal had been done with the airline to bring flights back to the Canarian island.
Bookings will be available from Ryanair from the 18th December but the flights will not be able to begin until February because of the airlines current capacity.
John GoldAcre of GoldAcre Estates said "This is great news not just for tourists, but for property owners and those wishing to purchase property on Fuerteventura".
The Ryanair flights will help owners wanting to rent their properties and visit the island and will be a boost for the real estate market.

Where Is Your Pound going in Spanish Real Estate today

Keith Spitalnick Business Development Manager of Currencies Direct predicts an upward trend for the Value of sterling against the euro by the year end. This is good news for Spanish Real Estate and people looking to buy property in the Canary Islands and Spain, prices could not be better as many new properties today are being offered at discounts and of course you have very good prices on some resale properties from people that are having to sell their Spanish property.

Read Keith full story and prediction of how he sees sterling moving, Keith commented, I keep getting asked is where I see GBP/EUR headed by then. I personally feel that GBP/EUR is in an upward trend however the language from the Bank of England is holding it back, trying to hold the pound low. After Christmas sterling could start to rally. 1.1500 is my short term target.


It’s been another busy week for GBP/EUR as the fallout from the latest Quarterly Inflation report was digested in the papers; the Banks assessment for growth is now twice the latest consensus of their panel of independent forecasters and their predictions for inflation and interest rate levels over the next couple of years have been revised sharply higher. This helped to boost the pound ahead of the Bank of England minutes last Wednesday. The pound also rallied as we saw the UK inflation numbers come in higher than expected. This gave Sterling a strong boost all round, on expectations that, with inflation “surging”, rates might have to be raised sooner rather than later. I think that this is an unlikely scenario and that Base Rates will remain at these low levels until the 3rd quarter next year, possibly longer.


The Euro was not so fortunate with comments from ECB president Trichet rattling the euro. He commented that the fiscal situation in some European countries is so bad that there is a danger that markets will lose faith in them. At last a bit of plain talking from the ECB! In addition we saw the Euro current account showing a deficit of €5.4 billion - this was concerning as it identified a surge in imports and slumping exports; this could bring the strength of the euro back to the fore as a red flag for the ECB. If this issue is raised it could start to turn the tide on recent euro strength…

Unfortunately the pound could not hold onto its gains after peaking at 1.13. This was due to the split decision from the Bank of England who were split three ways on the November Quantitative Easing vote. 7 backed the £25 billion increase, David Miles wanted a £40 billion increase and Spencer Dale wanted no change. This undermined sterling which immediately dropped over half a cent against the USD and the Euro. The split has highlighted the indecision on future policy and this is hardly surprising given the implications on monetary policy decisions within the current economic climate.

So overall its the same old problems hurting the pound in the form of QE and concern over public debt. However it is widely expected that UK GDP will be revised higher next week for the third quarter and that fourth quarter data will show an exit from the recession...therefore the pound should start to perform better going forward. Last week we also witnessed one or two red flags from the Euro zone and the recent support of the euro against the US dollar could wane if more concerns arise...this would certainly play into GBP/EUR gains.



www.currenciesdirect.com

Monarchs New Flights To Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Prove Popular

Monarch’s Airways new flights to both Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria are proving popular as figures for the October half term are released.
The Fuerteventura flights saw over 2000 passengers during half term and Gran Canaria had over 1500 making a 0.86% increase on the same period last year.
Managing director Liz Savage commented, “Our new services to the Canary Islands of Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria have been very well received and their addition strengthens Monarch’s flying programme to the Cannary islands, with 46 flights per week operating between the UK and the Canaries during winter 2009-10.”
Certainly the Canary Islands residents and property owners have also benefitted from these increased flights and wil help the Spanish property market– local Tui flight ticket providers have just advertised with Goldacre-Estates.com Christmas specials starting from €39!

Monarch Airways Begin new flights to Fuerteventura,In The Canary Islands

Today Monarch Airways have begun their new flights to Fuerteventura from the UK. Monarch have increased their flights to all the islands and are offering more departure airports in the UK.
Flights to Fuerteventura will operate from London Gatwick, London Luton, Birmingham and Manchester. Yesterday Monarch flights from London Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester began a new service to Gran Canaria.
Liz Savage, managing director of Monarch flights, said "We are delighted to be expanding our network to the canary Islands with the launch of sceduled flights to Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura. These will operate in addition to our existing routes to Tenerife and Lanzarote, and we have been overwhelmed with how well these new services have been received with over 35,000 advance booking already taken".
This will be great news not just for the island and tourists but for UK residents who own property on the island.
For more information on these flights and others to the Canary Islands contact Monarch Airways

Canary Island And Greece Property Review

John Gold reviews the current economic climate for the Canary Islands and Greek property market.

How wrong can you be?

Talk about the kiss of death in our last newsletter, I talked about the positive news regarding sterling and since then it has all gone down hill !!
The economic data from the UK has sent sterling vs some of the other major currencies through the floor ( well not quite, bit of an exaggeration ) but it went as low as 1.08 euros to the pound ( see I said in my last newsletter you would not find a better time to buy ) anyway after the downward trend of the last couple of weeks, hey guess what we are now seeing it tracking upwards again to the heady heights of 1.0999 today ( 30 September ) fingers crossed it remains going in the right direction again if you read some of the daily reports from the major currency houses they have talked about the bank of England creating the reduced strength of the pound.
Anyway the good news for the buyers out there is property prices have not gone up!! YET! but on a more serious note opportunities are still out there and at some prices of the properties available, it really does not matter what the exchange rate is or does.
You will note a great selection of properties in this newsletter outlining some opportunities across the board from Villas to Apartments,
Keep an eye on your e-mails for the new electronic versions of BuyIN Fuerteventura and BuyIN Greece magazines, which are nearing completion and will be distributed shortly.
I mentioned a couple of newsletter ago the words Fractional Ownership which is starting to gain momentum in the real estate industry in the newest edition of BuyIN Fuerteventura there will be a focus on this subject to explain more, but an example of this is four owners can share ownership in a 3 Bedroom 2 Bathroom Villa with pool and Jacuzzi, in 1,000m2 plot for three months spread throughout the year from only 79,750 euros per owner and it is all FREEHOLD.
The sun remains, beach beckons and properties in the world of GoldAcre Estates remain available and the whole TEAM would love to show you them.
Good luck, happy hunting and wherever your search may you find your DREAM HOME we are there to assist you.