Showpiece Homes, Luxury Living… and Nueva Andalucía

Experienced travel journalists arriving in a new destination – or returning to an old one – will usually tell you that the most invaluable insight they gain on an area is gleaned from taxi drivers. Similarly, an accurate perspective on the property market in a particular area is invariably supplied by a local bar manager, or restaurateur or owner of a retail outlet dealing with significant numbers of visitors. This is certainly the case on the Costa del Sol, where a cross-section of businesspeople we surveyed (informally) were of the consensus that the area had turned the corner and was in recovery mode. Sure, there are some pockets of the Coast where businesses are still struggling to emerge from the crisis but in general the mood is positive following a summer when tourism numbers reached new highs, the streets of the main towns were bustling with people, and most seemed to be spending confidently again – at least more enthusiastically than in recent years when austerity has been the buzzword, not only for governments around the world, but also for personal home budgets.

In short, almost universally, both people in the street and experts in their offices tweeting and blogging authoritative updates on the market now agree: the worst is behind us, visitors are rediscovering the incomparable attractions of the Coast, and the real estate market is back on solid foundations… for buyers, sellers and project developers. Of course, there are two key caveats, as the property market recovery is by no means across the board of all Spanish areas and price spheres. First of all, growth in the sales of new properties is still lagging slightly behind that recorded for re-sales, especially on the Costa del Sol where the surfeit of new homes available after the property bubble bust has been reduced significantly. The second qualification is that growth has been particularly noticeable at the high-end of the market, with Marbella one of the main beacons of optimism in Spain. Within Marbella municipality, one of the most popular areas for homebuyers – across a wide spectrum, from young families to retirees – is Nueva Andalucía. A delightfully cosmopolitan residential development, almost a “village” within itself, Nueva Andalucía has been progressively expanding upwards from Puerto Banús (towards the mountains above Marbella) and outwards (bordering San Pedro de Alcántara to the west and the Golden Mile to the east) since its early years of development back in the 1970s. In some other areas of the Coast such rapid expansion has not always been accompanied by a commonsense approach to development, but Nueva Andalucía has managed to maintain a sedate and sophisticated ambience while being conveniently located for residents and visitors wanting to take advantage of Marbella’s other more pulsating lifestyle options, varied leisure amenities, and excellent commercial infrastructure.

In fact, they don’t have to go far at all to take advantage of the latter, with the Centro Plaza commercial centre sitting atop the hill at the main entry point to Nueva Andalucía from Puerto Banús. This iconic shopping and business complex celebrated its 25th anniversary this summer, and now comprises 124 shops and offices covering 20 commercial sectors and businesses as well as having a strong online presence that includes a blogging website, social networks and internal newsletters. Another establishment that also seems destined to become a focal point of the area, albeit on the eastern outskirts of Nueva Andalucía at one of the other entrances into Puerto Banús (near La Alzambra), is the Ambrosia Gourmet Market Marbella, inaugurated with a lavish party at the end of July. As the name suggests, this new concept on the Coast offers gourmet cuisine from breakfast to dinner, lunches in the restaurant, and an array of packaged products to take home or to the office. The market also organises special culinary events, starting with a wine tasting and master class in ham cutting over the next two days. [caption id="attachment_3713" align="alignright" width="150"]

Centro Plaza[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3711" align="alignright" width="150"]

Ambrosia Market[/caption] So that’s the luxury living taken care of – now back to property. Ideal for families, the five-bedroom, recently-renovated villa featured here extends over 355 square metres of built area on a 1,652 square metre plot in a quiet cul-de-sac and close to the area’s famous “Golf Valley” courses. It’s amenities include a top-level tower with a bar for entertaining guests and a large roof terrace with views of the surrounding area, as well as a stunning mature garden with tropical fruit trees and a heated pool. And the best of all? It is only €1,350,000… Special Selections We appreciate your taking the time to read about this outstanding property but perhaps it is not exactly right for you? If not, we invite you to have a look at our other special selections for: La Zagaleta, Luxury Villas, Golf Properties, Seafront Properties, Apartments and Special Offers. Click on the category of your choice and follow the link. Also please feel free to roam around our website: www.villamarbellanow.com.

Showpiece Homes, Luxury Living… and Nueva Andalucía

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