‘It isn’t all doom and gloom in the eurozone, says Shortcuts’

‘It is true that there are overpriced properties in parts of Spain, but equally there are properties that have remained in demand,’ he says. ‘I don’t see why that would change, whatever happens to the euro.’

For the past eight years, Jan and Andy Pratt have run the website shortcutspropertysearch.com, a thriving property-finding business in Majorca and Barcelona. Jan, 53, says: ‘Until 2008 we were ridiculously busy, but then it really did tail off. People are definitely taking a keener interest in what will happen to the euro, but in many cases they are not deterred. They want the right property in the right location.’

Property Wire Confidential

Mallorca continues to be regularly praised and covered positively in the media as an excellent choice for a holiday home. This excerpt was taken from the latest edition of the widely read online magazine Property Wire Confidential, September 2011 edition and features comment and information from Jan Pratt of Shortcuts Property Search. Download the complete article»

CHARACTER BUILDING; OVERSEAS PROPERTY

Buyers now want second homes with personality, potential and a pretty view, says Gwenda Brophy

Byline: Gwenda Brophy

FOR Britons considering buying an overseas property, the overriding priorities have always been guaranteed sunshine and a convenient, accessible base.

Never mind that what they bought was an identikit apartment or just one property within a large development.

However, over-development and falling values has made this type of property a less attractive proposition.

Property abroad: homes with character

For Britons considering buying an overseas property, the over-riding priorities have always been guaranteed sunshine and a convenient, accessible base.

Never mind that what they bought was an identikit apartment or just one property within a large development.

However, over-development and falling values has made this type of property a less attractive proposition. As a result, many buyers are looking for homes with character.

Many of those who have bought abroad have gained in confidence and are now seeking something unique, a property with its own story to tell.

Lofty ambitions

We gave ourselves a challenging brief when we decided to sell our villa in the south west to move to old town Palma. We wanted sea views, spacious outside living, peace and quiet yet right in the heart of the old town. We also wanted plenty of light, parking and a lift – within budget. It took some time to find, and then there was all the renovation work to organise, but ultimately we are thrilled with the result.

It has since been featured in the June 2009 edition of a popular UK magazine, 25 Beautiful Homes.

Property in Majorca: House of solitude

The Deia retreat where Garcia Marquez wrote his masterpiece is for sale, writes Zoe Dare Hall

Solitude is hard to find on a small island, but in Deia on Majorca's northern ridge, the Nobel prize-winning Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez found inspiration for one of his greatest works.

"Marquez used to stay in this house, Can Blau, in the 1960s and 1970s when visiting his friend Claribel Alegria, a Nicaraguan poet who raised her family here. While he was here, it's believed he was writing One Hundred Years of Solitude," says Stephen Thompson, the current owner of Can Blau.

A wealth of single minded spenders

They have the cash, the independence and are rich pickings for firms who provide for their needs. Lynne Greenwood reports

A wealth of single minded spenders

They have the cash, the independence and are rich pickings for firms who provide for their needs. Lynne Greenwood reports

They are single, experienced solo travellers, with a lifestyle focus on career and socialising, inclined to spend their disposable income on treating themselves.

So says the latest World Travel Market's Global Trends report.

Overseas Property: The next Barcelona?

There’s a definite buzz around Palma, capital of Mallorca, as property-hunters scour the narrow streets for homes that combine Mediterranean tradition and city sophistication. But the bargains are disappearing fast, warns Karen Robinson

Jan and Andy Pratt are looking for a Mallorcan home. It won’t be their first property on the island, but this time they are turning their backs on golf villas, seaside developments and farmhouses, and looking in the capital city, Palma. “We’ve done swimming pools and barking dogs and rural,” says Jan. “We want to go out to dinner and walk home.”

A whim win situation

A last minute purchase in Palma has proved a big hit, says Susan MacDonald.

FOR YEARS Jim and Sandie Furze owned a holiday home on Minorca, one of the Balearic islands off the Spanish mainland. “We loved going there because the island is ideal for small children — and we had three under the age of five. Our needs didn’t stretch much further than a safe environment with sandy beaches, calm seas and beautiful scenery,” Jim says. “And best of all, having our own holiday place meant that we could travel light, open our front door and find everything we needed for the children.”