Imogen Calderwood
AFTER a recession that has seriously affected the property market throughout the region, sales in Mijas are finally picking up again.
One of its best established agents Mijas Properties and Holidays has no less than eight sales going through in the pueblo alone.
“It is like someone has suddenly switched on a light this year,” explains owner Susanne Teres, who has run the agency for 30 years.
“After several years of real hardship people are deciding to buy again and we have got a lot of sales going through.
“Some of the offers are quite low and we have had to lower our commission to get some sales agreed but so be it, we are finally getting interest again,” continues Teres, who previously worked as a stylist in London.
The boss of nearby Palomino Properties insists that there are luckily a few deals to be had, but mostly the owners are not dropping their prices much.
“There are some bargains out there, but generally people don’t need to sell so the prices are staying high,” says Virginia Palomino, who previously worked as an accountant for Exxon oil company in Canada.
“That said, since 2011 we have had a good market for cheaper run down properties and that continues.”
Down on the coast, Homefinders, in La Cala, has also been having a great start to the year.
“In the last six months of 2013 we sold no less than 22 properties, nearly four a month,” says sales manager Andrew Dodd.
“And some things we were selling at €120,000 last year are going back on at €135,000 to €140,000 ”
Most of the buyers of holiday homes that are propping up the market are Scandinavian and British but they have had buyers from Belgium, Germany, Ireland and Italy.
“And we even had a Greek buyer who bought our cheapest property for €37,000,” he adds.
However, he continues: “I can´t get enough properties to sell around La Cala,” he continues. “And ones with a sunny aspect, sea view and a decent price get snapped up very quickly.”
Another local agency La Cala Sales and Rentals has also seen some decent movement this year.
Its owner Andrew Partridge, who has lived on the coast for 20 years, is confident that 2014 is going to be a big year. “Not just for sales but also for rentals,” he explains.
Finally, it would be worth checking out the properties of Mijas Real Estate on the road up to the village.
Well established, it has a range of good properties and places to rent.
For more information contact www.lacalasalesandrentals.com and www.homefinders-network.com in La Cala and www.palominoproperties.com and www.mijasproperties.com in the village… also visit www.mijasrealestate.com
