Rob Horgan
WHILE stubborn La Cala remained largely unscathed by the economic crisis, it is certainly enjoying the perks of an emerging property boom on the Costa del Sol.
With a new coastal boardwalk connecting the ‘recession-proof’ resort to nearby Riviera, floods of locals and tourists are paying a visit.
And if the property figures are anything to go by, they like what they see.
“In terms of the number of sales, we have had our best year in the last decade and I know most other estate agents are saying the same thing,” explains Andrew Partridge, of La Cala Sales and Rentals.
“Having the likes of Elliott Wright and Steven Saunders on your doorstep is a massive pull and just goes to show the growing popularity La Cala has got.”
He added: “The town hall must take some credit for driving the market with investment in the boardwalk.
“And with the next section due to connect us with Fuengirola things are only going to get better.”
Originally from Oxford, Andrew has been selling property in southern Spain for over 20 years.
And while he says Brits still make up a large proportion of the market he is seeing a large influx of Scandinavians and expats returning from the Middle East buying up property in La Cala.
The market has in fact been so good that Andrew is desperate for more sellers.
“18 months ago you would have been happy for a house to be bought up within six months, now properties are selling with weeks of going on the market,” he explains. “We are selling up so fast that we are desperate for more sellers.”
And while he is being cautious about the new short-term rental laws that are soon to come into play he believes it is ‘changing times not worrying times’.
“The new laws may have an impact on the market and are likely to drive prices up slightly,” he explains. “However, we have nothing to worry about as we do everything by the book.
“The laws are more likely to weed out bedroom agents and make the market place fairer in terms of competition.”
