April has rolled around already, and it's time to start hiding Easter eggs around the garden again! We wish you all a wonderful time over the break, but we know that if you're spending the time in Tenerife, that's guaranteed! We have an interesting collection of articles for you this month. If you've ever compared property investment in the real world to Monopoly, then you'll enjoy "Playing Monopoly - Tenerife Style", which takes you on a tour around the island's playing board. With some developments nearing completion, we give you an insight into how you might get a fully constructed villa at close to an off plan price in our second article, "Grab a brand new villa at bargain prices...while you still can!" which is a real education in the tactics of property buying. In our final article we report on San Blas Village, which has really progressed since last we spoke about it, now welcoming potential buyers with a tour of the nature reserve.

And, of course, we have a round up of the best and most interesting properties we have taken on this month. Right now is a good time to buy, so pay close attention! When Summer comes, many properties tend to be rented out and not available for viewings, and as Autumn approaches prices tend to rise. If you can make time to view during April and May, you may save yourself a few thousand!

As we near the summer months, when every last crevice in the south of Tenerife is jam packed with tourists, there is a flurry of activity from rental investors, rushing to take advantage of the enormous demand from holidaymakers. Just like a game of Monopoly, they are positioning themselves on the Tenerife Monopoly board, buying the properties they expect to be landed on, and rubbing their hands with glee at the expected rental returns.



At the cheaper end of the board, there is the light blue set - Angel Islington, Pentonville Road and Euston Road. At about 100 pounds sterling, they are undeniably cheap and the perfect first rung of the property ladder. On the Tenerife board, this would equate to a complex like Green Park. Apartments on this holiday complex start at less than 80,000 euros, but with a 24 hour reception, pools, restaurants, entertainment; it has all the trimmings that a holiday maker would want. Renting at about 225 euros - 375 per week, they bring in a respectable return. Adding on the capital growth you would achieve over a period of, say 5 years, you would be looking at a handsome profit for a small outlay. In the early stages of a Monopoly game, the strategy of building on these is generally agreed to be excellent, and for a property investor, Green Park is similarly an excellent first rung on the ladder.´

Sitting near the middle of the Monopoly board is the orange set: Vine Street, Bow Street and Marlborough Street. Mathematicians have calculated that these receive the best ratio of rental return to cost (combined with the likelihood of being landed on). For a property investor, the best parallel would be a golf property. The majority of owners of golf properties do not actually play golf themselves, but most people who rent them have a golfer in the family. Owners may enjoy the view and the environment, but most are keenly aware of the rental potential. Golfers are a captive market, and many properties spend the year rented on the strength of a small card on the wall of their local club in the UK. Low marketing costs are a real boon to investors. Take an area like Amarilla Golf, for example, where there is a huge investment in infrastructure, a new marina and new developments located in and around the golf course. It is easy to see that investors will reap the benefits of capital growth in the next couple of years, when the projects complete. Renters will find a captive golf rental market in an area that offers forty five holes within buggy range, as well as strong demand from the increasing numbers of swallows that are choosing the area for the winter months. Of course, the mathematicians make their calculations on the face value of the properties at the outset of the game. Later on, as properties change hands, there is a great deal of bargaining and the orange set tends to get exchanged for much higher values. So the answer is, to try and buy the orange set at the original value, in order to get the best return. Amarilla Golf is exactly the same. Buy while the developer still has them for sale: prices are still low.

And then there's the Mayfair set. With only two squares on the board, renters are rare. In Tenerife, this must compare to El Duque. It's an area of luxury and prices are very high, but people who buy here are not necessarily concerned with a rental income. El Duque property should really only be bought by people who wish to stay in the property themselves, investors looking for a good return should stay clear. Just like in Monopoly. With little chance of achieving a good rental return compared to the purchase price, El Duque must rely on capital growth. It's already at the top of Tenerife's price range, so there may not be that much room for prices beyond the natural price rise of the market. It's a lovely place to buy, if you can afford it, but certainly no area for an investor to reap rewards.

Unfortunately, Monopoly money is not the same as the real stuff, so a bit more care is required for an investor. The best advice is to talk to experts. Pick an estate agent with a good track record, one covered by a Professional Indemnity Insurance, with the resources of a full service contracting department and you won't go wrong. Property investment on an island like Tenerife is not only financially rewarding, but it can be personally rewarding as well. There is no replacement for the good times you and your family will enjoy in the sun and few types of investment that can offer such a great lifestyle.

There are certain tactics in purchasing properties at bargain prices. The best way, obviously, is to buy a property off plan from the developer. The disadvantage for some people is that it can often mean waiting for a while until construction completes. Another, slightly more cunning way, is to wait for the moment just before the developer passes title to the buyers, just at completion. The advantages of purchasing this way are that there is no wait, and you can see the finished product. Another advantage is that you can often snap up a bargain!

Sometimes (if you're lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time) you might strike gold and find a vendor who wants to sell his contract before completion. It might be that his financial circumstances have changed, or perhaps he has just changed his mind. Some vendors will be selling in order to make a small profit on the pre-construction prices, but of course, this is quite short sighted. The real growth, especially in Amarilla Golf, is yet to come and this is your chance to benefit while they miss out.

When people are in this situation, of course they call us!

We aim to be prepared for this eventuality, and we want to be able to pass the best bargains on to you, as subscribers. There are two excellent new developments that will soon be coming to fruition, and we want you to be ready for them! Villas del Duque, in the prestigious Bahia del Duque area and Palm Ridge in the sought after Amarilla Golf course are both nearing completion, and soon we're going to be hearing from people who are keen to sell on their contract before completion. If you want to make sure you are in the right place at the right time and hear about any bargains just as soon as we do, then just send an email with your name and telephone number to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it and ask to be put on the ‘pre-completion villa resale' list. Then all you have to do is sit tight and prepare yourself to move into your brand new villa, at a bargain price!

San Blas Village, as you may know, is a unique concept. Luxury villas nestled between beach and nature reserve with all the facilities of a five star hotel is very new to Tenerife, and an eco-resort that is probably unique in the world. Construction has been racing along, and AQA, the developers, can now give prospective buyers an insight into what the million square meters of nature reserve will offer. A small part of the reserve has been prepared for a guided walk which takes you on a journey through time.

Without giving away too much, and spoiling the surprise, the tour is very professionally organised. The commentary is provided using headsets as you walk along the riverbed and actors perform scenes from the history of the islands. The reserve has a fantastic heritage. Guanche pottery, caves and aqueducts attest to their erstwhile habitation, and one re-enactment of a religious rite is absolutely fascinating. Hidden in the reserve is a large boulder that must have been imported to the island as the stone is not indigenous. Around it grow the same type of plant that ancient Egyptians used for embalming mummies. The parallels are easy to draw.

Fascinating, though the history of this area is, the show is stolen by the natural wonders. A small lake has a type of fresh water fish that seems to have evolved right there. Rock formations capture the imagination… and the waterfall is breathtaking!

After taking this tour, anyone is bound to be excited about what is in store for San Blas. But it doesn't stop there. Apart from a huge range of sports facilities, there will also be a working traditional farm, which will provide fresh natural produce to the hotel, and be an engaging tour in itself. Without doubt, this will be one of Tenerife's highlights and on the 'must see' excursion list for our many tourists.

With the five star hotel well under way, the developers have also prepared a suite to show what the 251 rooms will look like. Having spoken to some buyers of the villas, we know that they want to maintain their tranquillity and have friends and family stay in the hotel. This will reassure them that the quality of those rooms is going to be amongst the best that Tenerife has to offer.

If you are looking for a villa in Tenerife, then you absolutely must take a look around San Blas village, the showhouse, the hotel and the nature reserve. Whether your reason for purchase is investment or a holiday home, this has to be the best opportunity that the island has to offer.

Although the English supermarkets here are full of chocolate eggs and cards with bunnies, Easter in Tenerife retains its dignity and religious significance. Semana Santa (Easter Week) is chock full of processions, masses and vigils throughout the island. Even if you are not a catholic, as most of the celebrants are, these ancient rituals are still fascinating to watch. In Tenerife, the public holiday is on Friday the 6^th. Bank Holiday Monday is a strictly British preserve.

If you have seen Edition 536 of Island Connections on April 1st, you may have noticed the property of the week.




Tenerife is going green… you can trade in your old appliances, like your clunky old dishwasher, and get a discount on your new one! The grants take the form of discounts for trade ins at selected retailers. Dishwashers get 85 Euros, and if you swap for a high efficiency freezer you could get 185 Euros off the price. Trading in vehicles can be worth up to 6,000 Euros depending on the type you choose!

M&S Money, in the UK, released a report saying that Britons squander 1.3 billion pounds on foreign exchange transactions! If you're looking to transfer large sums of money, shop around or contact us - we've already done the legwork for you.