MUrcia Spain

For many years now, Murcia has been seen as a the backwater of Spain and has subsequently missed out on the property market boom and holiday resort home destination of past years. However, things are now changing in Murcia - Murcia is becoming a popular place for those looking for a permanent home in Spain, for property investors and now, Murcia is putting itself on the map as a beautiful holiday home destination and is now appealling to those seeking to buy a holiday home abroad - things are really hotting up here in Murcia!
Having said that about Murcia missing out as a holiday destination over the past years, according to Mark Stucklin, the idea of a holiday-home resort in Spain actually started out in the Murcia region an astonishing 35 years ago in 1972 with the creation of the popular La Manga Club. Stucklin states that the club was really born out of accident when Gregory Peters, a Californian rambler stumbled on the area and instantly fell in love with the wild countryside that overlooked an extraordinary saltwater lagoon known as the Mar Menor.
La Manga Club, the first residential golf development in Spain was born, and still today, the club retains its reputation as a class resort. Although no new properties are being built at the resort, the resale market is very buoyant. Property here is not cheap though, recognised as an exclusive resort, property starts at around 1 million euros - not the ususal price paid for property in Murcia.
So whilst only La Manga Club has occcupied the limelight in Murcia over the recent years, the region is now definitely a popular destination with foreign buyers in a way that it never was before - and it's not hard to see why. Murcia has an excellent climate, with almost all year round sunshine, beautiful temperatures, low rainfall (suitable for all year round holidays), magnificent scenery, warm welcoming people, low cost of living - and, the area is still largely unexploited unlike other regions such as the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol.
And now, new developments - fabulous new golf resorts and residential devlopments that are almost small cities in themselves are springing up in the beautiful inland area of Murcia.
Notable property developments include the Santa Ana del Monte Golf Jumilla Resort and Golf Resort El Castillo. Both resorts are situated on the outskirts of the town of Jumilla, nestled between mountain ranges. The Resorts will boast some superb sports and leisure amenities to rival those of the La Manga Club, including professionally designed golf courses, equestrian centres, heated indoor pools, outdoor pools, gymnasiums, tennis, badmimton and basket ball courts, commercial centres with a range of shops, bars and top class restaurants , 5 stat hotels offering spa treatments, prestigious club houses and much much more.
Alan & Elaine Ablett, owners of Rest Assured Properties relocated to Murcia from the Costa Blanca in 2005 after buying a three-bedroom, two bathroom villa in the La Zarza valley. They have also bought a two bedroom apartment on the Golf resort El Castillo for investment purposes. The golf property was bought off-plan and is due to be ready December 2008. Already they have seen the price of the apartment rocket by 20,000 euros in a short space of time.
"We knew we didn't want to live permanently in a coastal region such as the Costa Blanca because it is too much of a tourist region and is overcrowded and overbuilt. We wanted to experience "real Spain" so we started looking to different areas" said Elaine - "we always wanted to move to an inland region and we came across this north west area of Murcia, We knew this area was right for us and are sure that we've made the right decision - sun filled days in December and a relaxed way of life - now that's what I call quality of life".
Resale properties in this inland region of Murcia are also popular with buyers as coastal property have by and large priced themselves out of the market. Rising crime and over-crowding are also issues that are driving buyers inland. The types of resale properties buyers are seeking varies, as does their budget. Three bedroom/two bathroom villas with a plot of land are popular, as are town houses in traditional towns and villages such as Pinoso, Jumilla, Canada del Trigo and La Zarza.