All eyes on Cannes for MIPIM

This coming week, all eyes will fall on Cannes in France, usually known for the famous film festival, but this month hosting one of the industries biggest trade fairs, MIPIM. The fair combines keynote speeches with interesting panels and awards and is well known as a mirror to the world's property markets and trends. It offers insights of profitable strategies, real estate investments worth taking a gamble on, and is an incredible networking event, with a lot of business deals starting here.



From the 16th - 19th March, the world's largest property fair will also invite a new member - the country of Turkey. With Istanbul proudly bearing the flag of European City of Culture, Turkey is also the only country in the top ten touristic destinations to have reported positive increases in visitors, too. However, Poland will be the guest speaker this year, and many are hoping to learn important lessons from the country and its infrastructures (it's preparing a bid for the Euro 2012 Football Cup).

Even considering the financial downturn of last year, 2009 statistics boast almost 18,000 Real estate professionals, over 1800 exhibiting companies, and this year's looks to be a kick in the right direction, too.

For matters closer to home, check out Modus Vivendi Barcelona Real Estate Agency for your needs.

Barcelona Parks And Gardens - Cuitadella Park

Continuing on from the first post in this series, let's take another look at a Barcelona park. La Cuitadella is known as the "garden of Barcelona" and is the oldest public green space in the city. Stretching over 70 acres, the park houses the city zoo, small boating lakes, museums, walkways and an ornamental fountain designed by Reus-bron architect, Antonin Gaudi, who also designed Park Güell.



The park is particularly popular on weekends, with many young families taking their children to play in the infants parks, wander the paths, and shade in the vegetation. It's also a popular spot for cyclists, joggers and rollerbladers, with one side of the park offering symetrical, parallel lines of walkways in contrast to the curves around the boating lake on the opposite side. On Sundays, the park has a bohemian feel with many local artists and bongo players descending to make music, or random groups of friends with guitars and immigrant families having picnics and the like.



With such a large green space for the locals to enjoy, it's no surprise that the area around La Cuitadella is a sought after area. The park shares borers with a few neighbourhoods, with the old town areas of Barceloneta and Borne on one side, the Olympic Village and Sant Marti on the opposite, and even part of Eixample Dret at the top, looking down on a map. Each area has a range of different housing available, from brand new buidlings to hundred-year old fincas, so it's likely that you'll be able to find something within your tatses.

A great way to find out about properties in the area is to contact a Barcelona Real Estate Agency such as Modus Vivendi, who have a wide selection of properties for sale and also a protfolio of Barcelona properties for rent.

Barcelona Neighbourhoods: Poble Sec

The area between the old town neighbourhood of El Raval and Montjüic Mountain is known as Poble Sec. This stretches from the seafront up to Plaça Espanya, and much of the neighbourhood is on a gradient. Poble Sec literally translates as "the dry village" and takes it's name as it was not until 1894 that the immigrant workers were blessed with the neighbourhood's first water fountain - which is still standing in Calle Margarit.



Poble Sec, like smaller neighbourhoods such as Gracia, retains that small town feel, with many local shops and commerces which have been around for years. There is a significant immigrant population in the area, like the majority of Barcelona's neighbourhoods, and the Dominican Republic has a high representation here, bringing colour and life to the area, as well as different eateries and shops catering for a Latin flavour. However, the area also has many Catalan residents who have lived here for generations. Expect a relaxed feel in this neighbourhood. This neighbourhood also celebrates a great local festival in July, when streets are closed and long tables are brought out for meals of traditional Catalan dishes and music.

One advantage of this area is the access to green spaces - none more closer than Montjüic. However, the neighbourhood itself also has two or three parks, and even leafy plaças to relax in. Some streets are on a fairly steep gradient, as mentioned above, which also favours the learner drivers of the city - a heavy presence is a common sight.

Are you looking for a property in Barcelona? Modus Vivendi Real Estate Agency can help find you the ideal place for you, and they also have a selection of Barcelona properties for rent.

Real Estate Offers in Madrid - Outlet Prices

This week saw a Winter Real Estate conference finish in Madrid, Spain's Capital. The theme this year was Outlet Residential, with incredible prices almost like tht of an auction going for a song. According to sources, the fair closed with a positive attendnce and many expositors were very happy with the results of their efforts over the three day period.

Given the huge amount of new properties literally collecting dust around Spain, the aim of the fair was to offer fantastic discounts on new properties, the great majority being apartments, with discounts of up to 40% on over four thousand individual properties. Accordning to news reports, some expositors were closing up to 15 deals a day, which is an amazing number of operations considering the current climate. Many who were interviewed said that they were begnning to see signs of the recession leaving the sector, although it has to be noted that there is a lo9ng way to go. All in all, good signs for the market, for the sector, and overall for the Spanish public. Let's hope this has a knock on effect around the rest of the country.

If you're looking for Barcelona Real Estate Agents to help with a property search, look no further than Modus Vivendi. Their Spanish Real Estate guidelines are a must-read for anyone new to the process. They also have a fantastic portfolio of Barcelona properties for rent.

Barcelona Parks And Gardens - Park Güell

This is the start of a series which will look at the parks and gardens in Barcelona, for those people looking to buy or rent near the green spaces the city has to offer. Many people moving to Barcelona will be accustomed to having the luxury of green spaces all around them, and sometimes moving to a metropolis such as Barcelona, can be a shock to the system.



Where better to start that Park Güell. This magnificent park stretches over 17,000 hectares and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Commissioned by Count Eusebi Güell and built between 1900 and 1914, its unique design and charecteristics are work of the famous Catalan architect Antonin Gaudi, who is responsible for many of the city's main attractions and buildings. The original idea of Güell was to recreate the style of English gardens he was so impressed by and for that reason the park retains the English spelling (often misrepresented as "parc" or "parque"). Güell's idea was to create an exclusive neighbourhood within Barcelona for the wealthy away from Sarria. Unfortunately the idea wasn't a roaring success with only a few plots of land sold. The park was opened as a public park in 1922, and is one of the favourite destinations for tourists and Barcelonans alike.

Built slightly on a gradient, the entrance is the most ornate with a central plaça, winding steps and two fairytale houses at its entrance. The rest of the park is a mix of stone and marble pillars, fountans and Gaudi's trademark broken tile mosaic work known as "trencadís". In 2010, the local council plans to introduce an entrance fee to the park, to help cover costs of maintenance, litter collection and graffiti. Local residents will be exepmt from this fee, and details have yet to be finalised, but the plan is definitely in advanced dsicussions.



Living around Park Güell can be a challenge. The local neighbourhoods of Gracia, Carmel and Horta surround the park, and many of the streets immediately adjacent to the park have small housing on fairly steep gradients. Many streets are pedestrian and narrow, and although some streets have outdoor escalators this is not the case for each one. The metro stations are a little walk away from the main park area, but nothing to make living near the park too difficult, with many bus routes, too.

Would you like to live near a Barcelona park or garden? What better way to search for Barcelona properties for rent or to buy than contacting a Barcelona Real Estate agency? Modus Vivendi can help find your dream home for you.

Understanding Real Estate Surveys

If you're about to buy a property in Spain, then you'll likely be arranging a mortgage/home loan for the new place. Any operation from a bank or caja is likely to insist on a survey being carried out on the property, in order to corroborate the value of the loan being offered by the bank - i.e. so they know the place you're buying is at least worth what they're willing to lend you.


This survey - known as "una tasación" in Spanish - is almost always paid for by the buyer of the property, and is taken as part of the costs involved in arranging a new mortgage. The financial entity that is financing the loan will either have their own branch of surveyors, or use a third party company who has ties with them. The actual surveyors themselves are usually architects with official and the price of these surveys range from around 200 - 400 Euros.

So What does the Actual Process Involve?

Well, from your part pretty much nothing. You'll have to let the surveyor into your home so they can measure (usually with a laser contraption) and they may take some photos. They then prepare a report, which gives the real market value of your property. The way this is calculated is a little more complicated and can include some or all of the following criteria.

Firstly, the surveyor looks at other property sales within an 800m radius of the property and then takes an average floor price. The minimum requirement of properties to consider is four - usually no problem in a city like Barcelona. If this is not possible, they take the last known floor price and compare that to the floor price of a new building, subtracting the normal devaluation of a second hand building.

Other factors are taken into consideration, such as the proximity of public transport, motorways, local commerce and schooling, etc. The building itself plays a big part, too, with communal spaces such as patios, garages and storage spaces (trasteros) being included in the price reflection.

Unfortunately, you cannot influence the surveyor the survey and its outcome. It has been known in the past for surveyors to receive a fat envelope to over-price the survey, and this way buyers who are struggling to make the budget of the price plus the usual 10% banks fees, have no problem. This is a little more difficult to find nowadays, however, and you usually have to rely on the results from the survey.

One way to find out if a property is valued correctly at the point of enquiry, is to let the professionals find one for you. A Barcelona Real Estate Agency such as Modus Vivendi are the perfect people to ask about a property, and if it's on the market at the right price. This can save you a great deal of time (and money) for over-valued properties where they have much more of an inkling that the surveyor is going to value the property lower. They also have a clear and concise list of guidelines for buying a property in Spain.

Sunny Spain Remains Top Choice for UK Investors

For many people, the dream of a place in the sun is often just that - a dream, although for the fortunate few who are able to realise that dream, it seems the Spain maintains itself as top of the list in a recent survey, especially for those living in thr UK.

Given the terrible weather experienced this year so far in the whole of the UK, it's no surprise that many people are looking for a second home in warmer climates. According to the survey, the Spanish lifestyle beat near rivals France, Portugal, Turkey and Bulgaria as preferred destination for investors looking for their home away from home. The study cites the possibility of tumbling real estate prices as a possible reason for the ranking as number one, in comparison to its sunny neighbouring countries.

This is perhaps an interesting find - while it's true that in the past the peseta and even the introduction of the Euro, made Spain a relatively cheap destination for other european countries with stronger currencies such as Germany and the UK, the current exchange rate of the GBPound against the Euro is almost equal.



Within Spain, it's likely that the favoured destinations will be the Spanish "costas" and the islands in the Mediterranean, assuming you can afford the prices. However, it's important to remember that Barcelona was also voted 5th best city in the world in 2009. There are many great real estate opportunities in Barcelona, and the best way to discover the gems is to contact a Barcelona Real Estate Agency such as Modus Vivendi. With over 5 years experience in Barcelona and the surrounding area, they also offer some secure and transparent guidelines to buying a property in Spain so rest assured you'll be in good hands.

Great Ideas for Decorating Your New Home in Barcelona

So you've found your dream home in Barcelona? Maybe it's a brand new building with apartments "a estrenar", or maybe you've decided to go for an older, second hand property and to do it up yourself, bit by bit. Either way, there can be some big decisions involved, and if it's a brand new but bare apartment - or an older property where nothing matches, it can be difficult if you dive in with both feet, and often things end up getting left half-finished while you move on to another job (we've all done it!).

So this month in Barcelona, Expohogar comes to the rescue! Forget IKEA and Habitat - this is the place for all of the cutting edge technology and decorations to spruce up your home or make it the most modern apartment in your block! In it's 42nd edition and still going strong, the ExpoHogar (home exposition, literally translated) is taking place at the Fira de Barcelona at Plaça Espanya, at the foot of Montjüic, from the 22nd to 25th January. Expect to see the new trends for 2010 from anything as small as knives and forks through lamps and prints all the way to the coolest garden furniture for this coming summer. The exposition showcases goods and designs from all over northern Spain and even from France, and despite the current financial downturn is expected to fare well yet again this year!

Are you having trouble deciding on whether to get a new place or refurbish an old classic with character? Modus Vivendi Barcelona Real Estate Agency has over 8 years experience, and also offer some secure and transparent guidelines to buying a property in Spain. Don't make any mistakes with your monay, give them a call or visit their website at www.mvbarcelona.com

Council Cencus Reveals High Numbers of "Macro Pisos" in Barcelona

Barcelona Council has released some interesting figures about the ownership of properties within the high rises of Barcelona. The local newspaper 20minutos, reported the news story which revealed that more than 27,000 properties in the Catalan Capital have less than 30m2. The council census includes 73 different neighbourhoods and a total of 805,739 individual properties. The average occupancy of a Barcelona apartment is the surprisingly low figure of 3.



Perhaps the biggest surprise is the number of small properties in the city. The Old Town neighbourhoods of Raval, Borne and Poble Sec had the highest concentration of these often dubbed "macro-pisos". The minimum requirement in Madrid for the issue of the civil licence of living quarters - known as a "cedula de habitabilidad" - is 30m2, and funnily enough, in Barcelona it's an incredible 20m2.

What also seems to surprise is the gulf between some of the properties in such a relatively small city. You can pass from the fairly squashed 20-30m2 in the Raval or Borne to almost 2000 properties which have OVER 250m2 - no surprise to hear that these lie in the Eixample Dreta and the uptown neighbourhood of Pedralbes.

The statistics also shed light on the number of foreign owners in the city with more than 15,400 properties registered to foreign owners - not to mention the number of rentals within the city - being a considerably high number. Again, it's no surprise to discover that the majority of those are located in the Old Town, a hub of immigration, where the highest concentration of old buildings are found. More than 84,000 buildings were built before 1901.

Are you looking to invest in proprty in Barcelona? Or are you thinking of moving here? Modus Vivendi is a Barcelona Real Estate Agency with over 8 years experience, and always on hand to find a solution to your needs - large or small. They also offer some secure and transparent guidelines to buying a property in Spain.