Life At Lisbon's Legoland!

PALMELA VILLAGE

Yes we are back at the "Pam", one of " Lisbons" most famous resorts!

For those that haven’t had the pleasure of viewing Palmela Village, close to Setubal and south of the capital Lisbon, this development is one for that old adage where you either “love it or hate it”!!

I recall my first sighting some years ago and was struck by the infamous color scheme and the highly unusual design of the properties. Like the “Guilty Pleasure” cd or admitting that you miss Val Doonican at Christmas I confess that my initial opinion has changed quite dramatically over the years.

Whilst I am still not overly convinced that the color scheme actually works and on the wrong day looks like Sporting Lisbon’s Football stadium ( lets hope Everton find the right place! ) but then it was designed by the same architect, Tomás Taveira, of both architectural and amateur movie fame!!

In Palmela Village the use of the living space and internal lighting is extremely effective and the split level mezzanine floors in the Villas does actually justify the price. Sometimes.

Whatever opinion people hold it is certainly a landmark resort and now that the Golf course has bedded in after what feels like 200 years it is starting to resemble the model village we saw years ago! (It wouldn’t be a Portuguese development if some properties hadn't been built incorrectly, or where building had been refused completely because of cork trees where the kitchen was going to be or just not built at all!)

Anyway our Portugal Head office will be closed during the Christmas period to renew our laser guns, rest our cameras and recharge the batteries. Well all of us except Serafina who is, by her own account, going to "catch up on marketing reading!". Sounds brill eh? *yawn*

You can still email us info@snaggingoverseas.com should you have any questions or queries during this time and be sure to visit http://www.snaggingoverseas.com/ to remind yourselves of what we do and where do it.

In the meantime on behalf of all the team in Portugal, Spain, Cabo Verde, Turkey and Dubai may we take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year.

Have a Snag free Crimbo.

Dads Army Snagging in Dubai,

DON’T’PANIC …!!

We are still " Snagging In Dubai !"

Whilst the world has been held spell bound by the economic excitement in Dubai our boys took it easy dropped their snagging tools and went on holiday! Suffice to say that in the developments we are currently snagging at Dubai Marina, Downtown Burji and out at Al Hamra and the Core Project it seems like a case of business as usual now that the religious holidays are over.

Which was quite unlike the furor caused by Dubai World’s statement that they were “a little short “before closing shop for a few days – it makes it exciting to say the least when comparing the style in which different cultures structure their affairs! (Although they all seem to embrace the word “delay! “ )

Doooommmmm….!!!!!!!!!!!



Speculation is rife that the capital Abu Dabu would shore up the Dubai debt – although it looks likely that they will not inject as much of the readies as its dear neighbour, and cousin, requires. This poses an interesting questionas to what exactly will happen in the short to mid term. Pragmatic observers believe it is merely a downward blip on the Dubai Radar and have advised investors not to panic whilst others have gone Full Dads Army and proclaimed "We're all doomed!"

Our advice : Always check the situtaion with your legal representative and engage directly with the developer where possible - Watch this space for photos of the developments currently under the Snagging Overseas Magnifying Glass.

Branson, Blesson, Bladerunner and Beauty

DUBAI

Following the recent Worldwide property show at the grand Hyatt - green shoots or are they perhaps golden palm trees?! – we’ve been advised that despite the downturn, there is over 900 Billion US still invested in Dubai! It would appear that people are still looking to buy in the UAE. Our contact in Salford has assured us that even Kai Wayne has already purchased in the Jumeirah!

Whilst out and about we popped into The Art lounge at the Grand Hyatt which was recently opened by the Oscar nominated and critically acclaimed director ( and business associate of Richard Branson with Virgin Comics ) Shehar Kapur
Talking of which, Dubai has the perfect comic book BladeRunner ( so was he a replicant?! ) setting with its spectacular futuristic buildings, stunning waterfronts, lunar landscape and the intoxicating smell of heat, humidity, spices and the exotic. You can often see the vapor trails in the air which is consistent with the temperature changes. – just check out The Burj (Which only means he Tower, so no prizes for naming their!) which was due to open its first phase next month. As the world’s tallest skyscraper it’s just slightly more elevated than Nikolay Valuev!

The air temperature combination has raised questions concerning humidity within the propertities we have been inspecting. In general, items identified require re-plastering and repainting with some sealant locks around windows allowing air movement.

We are currently working in Al Hamra Village Resort which blends in extremely well with its setting (ie spectacular!! ) A hybrid of Luc Blesson’s Firth Element meets Beverley hills! We’ll keep you posted.

Have a snag free week….!

Oscars-Shehar Kapur-Hyatt-Al Hamira-Richard Branson-Kai Rooney- Luc Blesson-

Where Eagles Dare - Portugal

……….WHERE EAGLES DARE..........


We are also currently snagging high above Albufeira at Cerro D Aguia.

Loosely translated as “the hill of the eagle” and commonly referred to as” Millionaires’ Row “it was one of the first residential areas lived in by the professional and wealthy classes.

Here, overlooking the Albufeira Marina – or Trumpton as we prefer to call it! - Eagles did once soar and dare and Iberian lynxes hunted without the fear of extinction.

Their habitat has slowly decreased over the decades but still the surrounding area is a blaze of all year round fauna from canary yellow mimosa to the white almond blossom – even in the height of summer the foliage still maintains a green glow despite the warm and temperate climate.

IT’S THE ALBUFEIRA MARINA ….!!!!!!

Historically, the Eagle crest has been closely associated with various important shifts in matters over the centuries with the Spanish using it on their Shield to signify their road towards democracy to Napoleon Bonaparte using it as a symbol of his new French Empire.

Incidentally, if you ever visit the historical second city of the country – O Porto – check out the huge statue of the French eagle crushed by the lion of England and its allies to commemorate Arthur Wesley’s stunning capture of the city from General Shue. Mr Wesley as you know later became more famous as the Duke of Wellington and faced Bonaparte at that one fateful meeting in Belgium.


THE REAL ALBUFEIRA MARINA ….!!!!!! ( and the view from Cerro D’Aguia )

Spain is on the up!

The UK press is responsible for so much, or totally irresponsible, depending on your viewpoint!

For example, many people mention the Spanish land grab. It was hyped in the press. Yet of the 800,000 Brits who purchased in Spain there are only some 55 cases of the LRAU (The law in question) being used against them. And there are strong arguments to support the fact that they, the Brits, may not have been in the right.

So why do we begin with this? Mainly because we have seen a big upsurge in snagging in Spain over the last few weeks and this is an indicator that the UK market is buying there again.

Yet the press would have us believe we were all mad to buy anything anywhere at the moment. Even nipping down the corner shop to buy a bag of crisps could put you in all kinds of danger. So don't do it!

Anyway, if you really are an extraorindary character and have decided to buck the trend and purchase a property in Spain because, well let's face it, it's the absolute best time to do so, please remember that before you go to deeds you should have this property snagged, or inspected for faults, and have the snag list that we produce sent to the vendor or developer.

Where are we snagging at the moment?

Well, in Spain's Costa del Sol we currently have clients who have purchased in El Campanario (The Belfry for those of us who don't speak the lingo). Paraiso Hills (Very nice too!) and Oasis Cala de Mijas.

On the Costa Blanca we have seen some action in Polaris World sites El Valle and also some movement Punta Prima.

Bu of course we will snag anywhere in Spain. We have even done some snagging in Galicia. Hence the photo. This property was sold for something like 55,000 Euros! Not bad, but it's a bit nippy up that way!

Anyway, have a snag free week and don't forget to contact Snagging Overseas for any proerty inspection or advice.

Snagging Overses at A Place in the Sun Live 2009

Well, we all know that Serafina our intrepid, knows-no-boundaries Group Marketing Director, believes that Snagging Overseas should go everywhere for all marketing opportunities. And so she prepared a trip for herself and then fell ill!

Laughed?! We were ever so worried about her health as we changed the tickets from her name to ours and got on the plane for Birmingham.

As you may know A Place in the Sun Live! is held twice a year, once in Earl's Court, London and once in the NEC in Birmingham. Being September it was in Brum.

So we duly packed up all of Serafina's marketing material and jetted off. Turth be told, we did sort of leave a lot of the leaflets in the suitcases but hey, we wanted to look at the public response and attitude to overseas property. We know they will choose us once they have bought something. I mean, why choose anyone else?

We did not, as it appears, and also as some people have tried to insinuate (Not Serafina, of course), just hang around star struck to get photos with Jasmine and Jasmine and Jasmine the three presenters of A Place in the Sun!

So what was the feeling in this edition of A Place in the Sun?

It seems the general consensus from the agents was that there was a good abundance of quality leads. What was interesting, was that this show had the highest ever ratio of visitors to exhibitors.

So, with all this talk of "Green Shoots" and "We're on the road to recovery", let's hope that the results of this show are what everyone wants - that buyers get a great deal, that sellers feel the return to confidence and that whoever buys whatever wherever that they choose Snagging Overseas to get the very best out of the proerty.

The best thing here is that we have got through an entire article about A Place in the Sun without mentioning Amanda Lamb! Oops!

The Bucket And Spade Blue Flag Brigade ……

Ever wonder how a beach obtains a “Blue Flag “– No, not by voting for Biff Baff Boris! We at Snagging Overseas have our sources in all the smallest places that not even the fees office would notice.

Our Algarvian contact rises at 04.00am on a Monday morning and divides the province into 2 half’s. Over the next 2 days between 05.00 until 15.00 his team of “ little helpers “ navigate every beach in the Algarve and physically enter the water waist high to scoop up samples of the ocean into small test tubes. These are then returned to the HQ in Lagoa where the water is tested for quality, chemicals, bacteria, minerals and Viagra.

Once the all clear is given the information is passed to the various authorities tasked with looking after the beaches from the marine police, lifeguards to the local council and tourism offices.

The Algarve is world famous for having some of the most impressive beaches in the world from the “ Caribbean “ like sand banks on the islands off Faro and Tavira to the stunning rock formations and caves around the Lagos area. Recently snagged properties in the western Lagos - Oceana Apartments, Vila Ancora and Quinta Da Palmeris- all have the opportunity to relax on the Porto Do Mos beach.

Indeed Lagos itself is one of the most cosmopolitan of Portugal’s resort with campsites and backpackers inter railing to the most western train station in Europe. Infamously home to Europe’s first slave market – now a fantastic art house gallery – it also showcases Portugal’s incredible history and attractions with quaint cobbled streets, paved walkway’s with open air cafes, lively bars and restaurants with surfers and bucket and spaders all mixing harmoniously – and remember the beaches!

Recently the Lonely Planet published its guide " Travel with Children ". Included in the " Top 10 Beaches in the World for Families " is the island off Tavira. They quote that it is "a magnificent untamed beach that goes on for miles "...and as somebody that's walked it with " she who must be obeyed "........it most certainly does!

This, along with the World Health Organisation Report that the Algarve and the Costa Del Sol enjoy TWO of the healthiest climates in the world, only strenghtens these areas when the market decides it's had enough of gloom, doom and cloud and gets back on track!

Update on Turkey

We have been snagging some developments in Turkey recently and have come across some unique approaches to customer service!

Anyway, to protect the guilty we won't be giving any names, suffice us to say that if you have purchased a property in Turkey ensure that you get your paperwork sorted by a qualified local solicitor and that you approach the whole inspection of the property subject in writing.

At Snagging Overseas we can help with this because, quite frankly, we have seen it all before! What better reason to employ the services of a professional company like ours?

Remember that we can also take photos of your property, even if it is not ready for snagging yet. There seems to be great apprehension in the overseas property world as to whether developments will be finished on time or not. The best way is to see for you own eyes!

More on Cape Verde

Serafina, our exotically attractive Marketing Director suggested we spend a few days with the boys on Cape Verde "checking things out".

Now, normally adverse to such mad junkets across the seas, we decided that perhaps this was a good idea to do a Cape Verde update and meet with all the relevant powers that be from Tecnicil.

Now we wanted to address a couple of ongoing concerns that have been raised by clients.

Surrounding Areas

The surrounding areas of Vila Verde Santa Maria are the pool and gardens and road areas around each block or community. Now it is fair to say that these areas are not finished although we have seen workers on the site - our photo here showing one of them!

Tecnicil say that these areas will be finished off in the order of the original completions per community. Should you sign title deeds with these areas as they are? Should companies like Snagging Overseas sign an apartment off with the areas as they are?

The short answer is yes, not only that, we should and we have to. Why? We have studied the promissory contract and it is very clear that the compleiton of the surrounding areas is NOT linked to the contractual completion of the property. Now this may sound like we're nit picking but imagine if we advise you not to complete on the grounds of there being no grounds (Sorry, couldn't resist it) and you then lose your investment because you have fallen into breach of contract. Where would we be then? Liable.

As it stands, we sign all units off that are complete in and of themselves. We do not make any pronouncements regarding the surrounding areas because we do not want to risk, even in the smallest way, that someone misinterpret this and use it as a pretext not to complete.

Water and Electricity

You may remember that we had received an ssurance from Tecnicil that they would correct any defects in the electrical and water installation. As a result we have been unable to test any of this and do rely on Tecnicil's assurance to be able to test once everything is connected.

Now there seems to be some delays with connecting not just individual apartments, but the resort as a whole. Tecnicil tell us that the infrastructure is in place and that it all works and the ball is now in Electra's court, Electra being both the water board and the electricity board (Not Jennifer Garner, unfortunately...).

Who's to blame? Difficult to say taking into account the multitude of players and complexity of laws involved - With normal conveyance processes a habitation licence is issued only after water and electicity inspections have been passed. In Vila Verde Tecnicil have the habitation licence though appear to be waiting for the utility licences! Africa eh?! You do not get that with Barret and Wimpey!

Now we don't want to get involved in who's to blame here and should underline one important difference between Europe and Cape Verde: in Cape Verde a habitation licence CAN be legally issued even if the water and electricity is not yet connected. It is enough that the installation is complete to gain the licence.

Snagging Portugal

With so much going on in our new territories, especially with investors and second home buyers in Dubai, we have tried to return focus to Portugal in our Blog. This is where it all began, after all. So forgive of us if you think we are neglecting you, it's not the case, we are just distracted but will resume more Portugal news as soon as possible.

Progress Photos: New service from Snagging Overseas

Many clients that we speak to have requested information via our website and often do so many months before completion.

Now the more organised like to plan in advance and they also like to see progress as it is made. We are often asked if we can go to the resort and take some photos. In fact, so many people have requested this service that we have decided to launch it as a separate service for you.

From July 1st Snagging Overseas, in all of its current territories, so that's for property owners or buyers in Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Dubai and Cape Verde, will offer a Progress Photo Service consisting of a series of photos taken over the build time of your property.

So, if you would like to see how your development is coming along or are concerned because it has been suggested in our oh so optomistic national press that things are not looking good abroad, starting from 60 Euros we will send you a set of photos of your property, your development and the surrounding areas.

Come on, impress your friends, annoy your mother-in-law by showing that your dream is becoming a reality.

Palmela Village - You love it or you hate it

We have been snagging and inspecting a futuristic, architecturally designed development near Lisbon for so long that sometimes we forget to mention it! Palmela Village!

Palmela Village is a development built by Pelicano, a Lisbon based family developer grown large.

The project was designed by the famous - those in the know would say "infamous!" - architect Tomás Taveira, the brain behind Sporting's Avalade Stadium and also Amoreiras Shopping Centre in Lisbon, one of the first macro shopping malls to grace a capital city now bursting at the seams with macro "shoppings" of one kind or another.

Tomás Taveira is well known for his love of using many colours. The Marina in Albufeira pays colourful testimony to this as do many other buildings across Portugal.

The truth is that no one sits on the fence with the Taveira designs and finish. You either love them or you hate them. And Palmela Village is no exception.

Built near the picturesque town of Quinta do Anjo (Literally, The Angel's Hamlet or Estate) but pertaining to the town hall of Palmela, Palmela Village consists of villas, townhouses and apartments designed around a golf course.

With Lisbon only some 30 minutes away and the new international airport planned for that side of the river, Palmela Village is set to be a great investment for those that bought there. Whether they like it or not!

We have been inspecting properties and homes on Palmela Village for a couple of years now. The delivery of some units has been quite slow and once the teething problems on Phase I were ironed out, the next group of deliveries improved considerably.

So if you have purchased a property on Palmela Village and need the best inspection to be done for you, with an attention to detail that characterises Snagging Overseas, then contact us at info@snaggingoverseas.com and for the months of July and August we will give you a 10% discount on all snag and clean combinations for Palmela Village.

Have a colourful summer!

When does the dream become reality?

It's always worth bearing in mind that when you commit to an overseas property, like committments of any kind, you have to accept that you're in for the long haul.

With the purchase of an overseas property, it is important to take into account that you are entering into a long term transaction. Although we speak of "living the dream", once you have started you do need patience to see it through. We are not speaking of Utopia here. People down the pub, sometimes, or perhaps especially even your friends, will nod sagely and say, as soon as the first delay occurs, "It'll never happen."

This can lead to you giving up. We have seen overseas buyers say they are no longer going through with it because a property it is a few months late. Even when it is becoming clear that it is taking shape. "We can no longer believe in it, anymore! It's like winning the bonolotto, or something! We want to believe it, but more and more we're thinking of buying a caravan in Cornwall...".

So what do we say? As we are in the industry of overseas dreams, of turning the muddy field into the permanent dream home, we say, hang in there. If you feel that it is taking too long, communicate, find out what has gone wrong, what obstacles are in the way. Can they be removed easily.

Above all, do not become disenchanted.

As I believe we mentioned once before the word Utopia comes from the Greek, meaning Perfect Place but also meaning No Place. The idea being that it is unobtainable.

But your dream is not impossible. It is truly obtainable. It is on its way. It's being built. It will be well worth waiting out the long haul. You really don't want to lose faith.

And once it's built, guess who will be willing to snag it for you?

Us!

Have a snag free weekend! No fretting, leave that to us. We'll do that for you. Que remedio?

Inside looking out

No more fretting, the summer is here, the sky is blue and so there is no reason to fret. On either side, ok?

Now, we often moan about problems with communication. When one is relegated to just emails it can be easy to foment misunderstandings that run and run.

Many companies are using internet chat programmes, you know, Yahoo, Google Talk, MSN Messenger etc. to communicate with their clients. We thought of trialling this for our clients.

The other day I was using a chat program like MSN to try and get to the heart of a problem. This is harder than it seems. We developed, it seemed, an ongoing tension that left us circling the problem for what seemed like hours. God knows what they pay staff in these companies, but I think I took up most of the other person's morning.

Did we solve the problem?

Nope.

What did we do?

We resorted to a phone call! Yep, Graham Bell may have said that people would not want to speak on the phone, but if you need to, it is second only to the face to face meeting.

Should we adopt a chat client? Have someone stuck to a desk all day when a two minute call would fix the issue and injet a bit of "human" into the process?

No thanks!

Delays - Blame British Rail?

Demora, demora, demora – Delays, Delays, Delays and more Delays – it often makes clients echo John Cleese sentiments when talking about Gondolas in Venice …."Gondolas Gondolas and more ###### gondolas!!!"

In all our experience this is the one word that raises its head with incredible familiarity – why is this such a frequent issue people ask us at Snagging Overseas?

Fundamentally it should be relatively straightforward for developers to actually complete the construction and the build itself. Therefore there must be other reasons to consider when looking at the excuses…sorry... the actual root cause!

Bureaucratic – National and European laws are constantly changing in a bid to ensure that property owners and holiday makers are safely catered for in their respective accommodations. Whilst these are effective and positive steps they can take time to filter through the bureaucratic system and instead of getting the speed of Usain Bolt it often manifests itself at the warp factor pace of a small frozen perfectly preserved mammoth!!

Let's take an example, the huge landmark, yes landmark, NOT white elephant, that is Oceanville in Albufeira has been plagued by regulation changes during its inception and construction. So much so that the confusion surrounding the various licenses – there to protect owners and meet safety criteria – has changed so much it’s obviously significantly affected the developer’s ability to complete, open and operate. How the owners must rest easily knowing that they thus protected!

The actual coming together of numerous Government run departments tasked with the role of ensuring that all building regulations, construction, health and safety issues - fire, gas, water, residential and touristic plus many other areas - are met can be somewhat complicated! Add to the “Manha”, “Amanha”, “Ish” factor mindset and it would seem likely that it would be a miracle of the Hannah Montana scale to culminate on time and work in tandem! As you know the Spanish word for tomorrow is “Manha “– in Portugal we often joke that we do not have a word for the same "level of urgency"!.

Financial – Such delays obviously have a significant impact on a developer’s ability to function during the final process to completion and title deeds. The final payment you make will generally be made up of the developer’s profit and their repayments to banks, business partners and financial institutions that helped fund the project.

Today’s Global climate has evidently not contributed much to the situation. Although the major players are weary of mentioning that “green roots “are starting to grow it is clear in our areas of operation that property is still moving (albeit at Small Mammoth pace!) And will in our opinion rise “out of the ashes” like Philip Glenister fired up in the Quattro! Now he’d make a great developer!

Weather and Materials –

Picture a beautiful tropical island with an abundance of sand. Imagine a resort being delayed because it has the wrong type of sand? Is this a British Rail project?! Seriously this can and does happen as is evident in Cape Verde. Whatever really happened behind the scenes, and we may never know the answer to that one! But who would want their properties to collapse like the England Middle Order?!

What ever reasons there are and whatever “excuses “are given it can be understandable if you suffer from great difficulty in remembering the reasons for purchasing property in the first place. If you can hang in and hold on remember it’s vital after what you have been through to finalize the process correctly and utilize the services of a professional experienced snagging company. And that’s where we join your party.

Anyway, they say that proverbs and sayings form the rich backbone of our society, so what happened to "better late than never"?

More aftersales in Portugal, now Tavira

To continue with some of the developments we are snagging in Portugal we will continue with the Eastern Algarve and the lovely development of Cabanas Gardens.

Snagging Overseas has deployed here to offer the full suite of aftersales products, cleaning, the odd snag or two and also some photos for far awar clients.

These pre and post completion services are carried out in Cabanas by Ricardo, Pedro and Esteban, our Spanish speaking cross-border madman!

We have around fifteen units to work on in this resort. Located a few kilometres east of Tavira, and perhaps 25 minutes from Faro airport, Cabanas Gardens is only a few minutes walk from the shoreline. We say shoreline because for those that do not know this part of the Algarve, there is no beach directly on the front. You have to take an aqua taxi to the real beach, which is about half a kilometre away on the famous sand bar that makes up the Ria Formosa.

Sound annoying? Well, that beach is probably one of the finest beaches in all of Europe! So it is more than worth it!

The quality in Cabanas Gardens is of the level we have come to expect in The Algarve. Nice size units with a decent finish. They could have done a bit more dusting and cleaning before delivery but that's probably us being fussy!

Now we could not do any article or Blog about Cabanas without mentioning the cafe at the end of the road there, just before the always controversial Aldeia Formosa.

Known in Snagging Overseas as the "Tosta mista" place, the old gent that owns this café makes quite possibly the best ham and cheese toasties in Portugal, if not the world.

As long as your not in a hurry, you can be sure to get the most amazing sandwich. And perfecciontists that we are we do not know his secret.

So, next time you're out that way order a sandwich. And the good thing is that it doesn't matter if you're not hungry when you get there!

Now back to Cabanas Gardens. Here are some photos of the development.

Snagging in The Algarve: Monte de Eira

Some great developments are now completing in The Algarve and so we have been called to snag some of them.

The first one that we have been inspecting in the last few weeks is Monte de Eira in Albufeira. Built by the developer Jose Coutinho from Caldas de Rainha in central Portugal, the development is well located and of a high standard.

Snagging has gone quite well there, with only a few "silly" issues to be addressed. We were surprised at the outside stainless steel railings being decidedly unstainless! Well, rusty is a word we would use.

The interiors have been fine, the usual snags, not quite so straight extractor hoods, the odd hole here and there. Some cracks and scuff marks. Nothing to write home about ad certainly nothing to worry about!

So, if you are the proud owner of a unit in Monte de Eira and need to snag and to clean there then let us know. Alternatively, you could request some photos, as this is a service we are getting more and more requests for. Remember you can get us always on info@snaggingoverseas.com or just browse the usual website.

Have a snag free week!!

Some useful links

We have been given some links to a Blog from Tecnicil, the developer of the Vila Verde project in the Cape Verde Islands.

So if you are a client from Tecnicil or are just interested in the Cape Verde Islands project, here their Blog is well worth reading.

http://vilaverde-resort.blogspot.com/

Living the dream should never be a nightmare

Many people tell us that they are over the moon with the idea of their future home in the sun. The problem is that the day just doesn't arrive, it seems.

Now for those of you who are quite kamikaze and never can wait well, we can only advise that patience. Patience is a virtue, remember?

"I can't wait!" that great English expression that can so confuse speakers of other languages. Of course the reality is that you have to. At least for now. Getting everything in place is never easy. "Can't we just take the plunge now?!" you cry. "After all, there is never a totally perfect time for anything!". Sadly there are things to be done, obstacles to overcome, hoops to jump through and then you can realise your dream.

However, a word of caution. Don't get so bitter on the way that you are then unable to enjoy your dream! A client said to me a few weeks ago that as the wait has been longer than she expected she no longer wanted to go ahead! Crazy! Two years can seem a long time, but Rome, let alone an apartment in Cape Verde, Dubai or the Algarve - or whatever it is your dream be, was truly not built in a day.

What about "All things come to those who wait!". Of course it's not strictly true. There must have been loads of people who waited and waited and waited and not nothing came to them. But I am sure that in your case, your dream will come. Just don't turn it into a nightmare along the way! And don't raise your expectations to such an extent that you become disappointed or disaffected when you do get it.

"The watched pot never boils!" is another great piece of advice, or nonsense. One or the other!

The world of overseas property, like many other things in life, is all about emotions. After all, no one buys a home abroad because it's practical, do they? Practical was always Bognor, Torquay or Slapton Sands. "Emotion" was always Spain, The Algarve, Antigua, Poço Barreto. Names that evoke the exotic, stir the soul!

So have patience, and if in this downturn you feel inclined to be negative, don't be. It WILL be worth it in the end.

Technology

While crossing Spain with no mobile phone (battery dead, forgot to charge it due to very late night) and then arriving back in The Algarve to no internet, it makes one reflect on how helpless we are in the modern world without our high tech devices.

Communication is so easy nowadays that if we lose it, even for a day or so, we fret and worry and feel like something has been amputated. And really nothing is wrong at all, just a day or so of inability to say hello!

Our new high tech methods would seriously surprise previous generations. People who travelled extensively just a few decades ago were totally out of the loop until they got back. Friends and family who were at home knew nothing either unless the very rare and even more expensive telegram came.

Nowadays a phone call is something that we can usually make from any place in the world with the highest quality.

This goes hand in hand with the expansion of the overseas property industry. The more we can keep contact with our homes the more at home we feel while away. As more of us find our new homes abroad, we feel more connected to home.

Of course it's not just the internet and mobile phones. Travel has become easier and cheaper, bringing many points in the world closer. Although many say that the credit crunch has forced the low cost airlines to reduce their supply of flights, we still see Easy Jet with full flights and Ryan Air expanding into new destinations.

However, do we get adicted to this constant contact? Are not there some people who feel relief on a plane when they are told to switch their phones off? I am sure. Snagging Overseas staff travel a lot and we certainly can not be reached while on a plane, and that is sometimes really great! And yet now, while on a TAP flight recently, we saw that the No Smoking sign and had been changed for a No Electronic Devices sign. After takeoff we were informed that the use of mobile phones WAS ALLOWED! Where will it end? It will end with people being in contact with each others ALWAYS.

Is this good? We hope so.

Snag Dubai!

For those that missed our other Blog that launched our Dubai operation we thought we'd add a few comments from here about our operation in Dubai.

We have set up a separate entity to snag Dubai properties. There are many developments in Dubai that are currently coming up to completion in the next year and we have already started to receive requests from clients on The Palm and also in places like Sport City.

We are pleased to announce that we have met with the owners of Dubai Sport City and so can improve relations with them and thus ensure smoother snagging and inspections of all kinds.

Of course, it is not vital for us to have good relations to snag a new development but everything helps!

Today marks the first snagging inspections in Dubai. We will post information about our progress on the other site and will soon launch a dedicated site just for Dubai. We will announce that here as soon as Serafina, our marketing angel, gets the site sorted (Snagged??).

One thing we will also offer is a relocation service into Dubai for those of you that wish to move there permanently. Just contact us as usual on info@snaggingoverseas.com or on info@snaggingdubai.com or leave a comment on http://snagdubai.blogspot.com/ and we will be happy to get back to you!

We always endeavor to communicate with everyone as much as possible, if we don't get in touch, don't worry, we certainly haven't forgotten you. We will send all feedback and photos and videos (!) to you as agreed.

Hang in there and wish our Dubai associates luck as they inspect their first units!

Vila Verde Santa Maria

These last few weeks have been hectic and fraught with second snagging madness on the Island of Sal in Cape Verde.

The resort of Vila Verde Santa Maria is now really starting to come together. There have been some delays, as we all know, that Tecnicil tell us have been rooted mainly in logistics, but overall the site is looking better and better.

Issues we have seen? Well, the shutter clasps are still causing us some fun over there. Clearly the Africans want the shutters to be closed all the time! In truth it could be a design defect more than a snag. The shutters that are composed of four pieces only get two clasps so if you try and open them out completely they sort of fly away from you.

The famous fridge door / light fitting is still not solved. Tecnicil have suggested that the fridge doors be set to open the other way which might be a solution for all the left handers out there but is a bit of a short cut. Someone asked if this is reason enough not to go to title deed? We wouldn't think so, after all, it's best to be reasonable. In saying that, Tecnicil should provide a solution as it is a bit daft the way it is now.

For those of you far away, you can be sure that we are thinking of you, so fret not. We are on the case!

The first communities have received their habitation licence so this is great news. Not so great is the fact that Electra the power and water company have decided they are just not up to the task of supplying power to these communities as yet. So Tecnicil seem to have laid down all the power lines, connected metres and now Electra have decided to go away and not be a power company for a while. Tecnicil assure us that this will be solved in the next week or so but it is frustrating.

A little bit of background might be interesting here.

Sal Island has two main companies that can supply power.

1. Electra, the state power company that owes every fuel supplier in Cape Verde huge amounts of money. Rumour has it that if they request fuel from Shell, they have to pay cash! For this reason there are so many power cuts in the capital city Praia.

2. Cabocan, the Spanish water and power company that is situation right next to Vila Verde Resort. However, they do NOT have a concession to provide power to places like Vila Verde. They have requested to be able to do this, apparently, but they have had no luck as yet.

So it does appear that we might be in the dark on this one! However, as we move towards a more complete Vila Verde the sheer pressure from Tecnicil and Tecnicil's clients will be such that a solution will be found. Of this we are sure.

For now, apart from shutters and slightly loopy light fittings, Vila Verde Santa Maria is looking great and the snags we discovered in the first and second inspections are practically all corrected.

On to the next communities. Tecnicil have said that the next two communities to be completed are Coprosma and Atriplex. So if you haven't already organised the snagging for these communities, or indeed the other communities, then come on, contact us via info@snaggingoverseas.com and we'll go into bat for you.

Photographs: should we?

Today, while looking at a fantastic photo, it reminded me that many clients request photos of the snags that we discover in their property.

Although we can, and do, supply photos, there really is no need for this. The snagging process is where we take your soon to be dream home and vet it for imperfections. You wouldn't want pictures of your bride when she's halfway through her makeup would you?

The best use of photos is when the property has been snagged and the snags repaired. Then we can go and take some shots of the product in all its glory. The best way to view this is to imagine that the snagging process is part of the building process and therefore you don't need to be privvy to all the details. All you need is to look forward to the end result: the bride ready for you.

So we will send you photos, but don't spoil your dream home. Ask for the end photos, the ones that really matter.

Anyway back to that photo...

Tennis anyone?

Today is the start of the Estoril Open Tennis Tournament. The competition will continue until May 10th and is the absolute highlight in the Portuguese tennis calendar, and one of the most important in Europe.

You don't have to be Dora the Explorer to know where Estoril is, but for those who might be a bit geographically challenged Estoril is tucked up close to Lisbon next to the up market Cascais, only 20 or minutes from the capital.

Last year's tournament saw crowd figures peak at 53,888 and was also the last time Swiss professional Roger Federer won a title. Prize money in the region of 450,000 dollars for the men and 220,000 dollars the women mean that professionals from all over the world come to compete.

From the Portuguese property sector, the sector we work in, the tournament has been co-sponsored by three top end developments:
Troia Resort, the Sonae contribution to real estate located on the Troia Peninsula, some 30 minutes south of Lisbon. Palácio Estoril Residências, a collection of 27 luxury apartments in the heart of Estoril, and the Pine Hill Residences close to Vilamoura in the Algarve.

With the advent of internet and GPRS mobile phones it's much easier to follow this, or indeed any, competition without actually being there.

Deuce!

"Communication...

... let me down", as the song goes, I believe. Sometimes there are moments that highlight just how important communication can be and how upsetting lack of communication can also be!

In Portugal, like in many southern European countries, the attitude towards communication can be very different to the Anglo-Saxon attitude. Imagine you speak to someone one day and you expect for them to email the next. When the next full day is gone and there is nothing you tend to think they've had a busy day. "Surely they'll write something tomorrow" is your thought.

Imagine then that 3 or even 4 days go by and still nothing. Now you know something isn't right! You might, if you're a compassionate soul, imagine - or worry! - that something terrible has happened or that they must have been so busy that it was just not possible to get back to you.

When you do finally reestablish communication you are totally staggered to find that they had every opportunity to contact you but just didn't.

Now you can feel a little - or a lot - foolish. Your plan to drop everything and go over now seems ultra silly. They have no interest after all!

So what do you do? Well firstly, remember it probably is cultural. They do things differently, after all. Well, it might be because you are persona non grata and they just couldn't be bothered to write to you, or it might be because there's just too much else on and your inconveniencing them.

The most common example that we see in Snagging Overseas is with real estate agencies. Some agencies seem to have employees that have clearly lost the ability, or the will, to communicate. And even in the best placed and highly praised agencies you can find them. They might promise things, but you can't be sure they'll keep those promises, regrettably.

Many times people overseas say "Surely they will send us something, even just to say they know nothing!" and it doesn't happen. "Surely they'll make the effort" and when they don't we try and interpret the situation by applying our idea of what we would have done.

This invariably fails. They are different to us. The whole thing is different: different mindset, different attitude and different culture. They might appear the same but they can be radically different!

So are we doomed? Of course not. Is it easy? It can be.

The best advice, when going abroad, be it on holiday or to live, is to adapt adapt adapt. Observe their culture and customs and try to at least understand them. You don't have to practice their customs, but at least you can better understand why they sometimes do what they do. They will seem different once viewed in this light.

"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change" as someone once said.

Now we are not advocating an Elizabeth Gilbert like pilgrimage in foreign climes, just a more healthy approach to dealing with the natives. Be patient, try and understand that your reason for moving was to avoid the hectic pace of life in the UK. Our reply, with the greatest of respects, "What did you expect?". It is a stress free life on the Islands because NO ONE is in a hurry. Isn't this why you want to go there? Embrace it for what it is and you will enjoy it even more.

So if communication lets you down, don't fret. Because they won't.  
In the meantime, during the period of transition to carefree person who couldn't care less about communicating, allow us at Snagging Overseas to bridge the gap. We can provide patience to deal with the different companies so you don't have to.

Snagging your property and Where we have Snagged in the Algarve

Many people have asked us to put up a page of developments where we have already inspected or where have been booked to snag and clean. Remember that "snagging" refers to inspecting new build properties for imperfections and problems before going to deeds. It is our job to snag so you don't have to!

While Serafina applies herself to the dark arts of marketing and makes up a webpage just on this, I thought we could add a shortlist here of what we are currently up to. We can do a small list here of properties that we have snagged and developments that we have inspected and cleaned.


Starting in the fantastic Algarve, home is where the heart is!, a small example of properties snagged. Remember it is ALWAYS BEST to get independent, professional snagging services for your property. To see WHY you should do this you can see our Blog about why we should snag your property.

The Algarve has long been a British destination and the last few years has seen a boom in property sales. Home to arguably the best beaches in western Europe the Algarve's mild climate and stunning views together with its spread out and almost rural feel make it a winner for almost anyone who wants to holiday or live there.

So if you have purchased in one of the developments below and are coming up to completion then drop us a line.

• Cabanas Gardens in Cabanas Tavira, in the Eastern Algarve
• Village Marina de Olhao in Olhao
• O Pomar, Tavira
• Condiminio de Pinhal, Vilamoura
• Parque da Corcovada, Albufeira
• Monte da Balaia, Albufeira
• Fonte Salgada, Tavira
• Laguna Golf, Vilamoura
• Vila Branca, Albufeira
• Edificio da Nora, Lagos
• Quinta da Barracuda, Albufeira
• Monte da Eira, Albufeira
• Olival da Colina Verde, Algoz
• Aldeia da Colina, Algoz
• Eden Resort, Albufeira
• Monte Santo, Carvoeiro

In the beautiful Silver Coast we have inspected hundreds of properties. In fact, we are big fans of the rugged coast up there. Huge stretches of beaches and breathtaking views across the Atlantic.

Property started selling in the Silver Coast a few years ago off the back of A Place in the Sun's Amanda Lamb placed Portugal in third place in her "20 Best Places to Make Money" with a special emphasis on the Silver Coast. She remarked that average property prices in the Silver Coast were still around 50,000 Euros.

The good news is that we have inspected and cleaned many properties in the Silver Coast, and while the price is indeed low the spec is very high.

Places we have worked:

• Sao Martinho do Oporto
• Nazaré
• Figuera da Foz

A complete and above all FREE guide to the buying and inspection process overseas can be obtained by registering on our main site. If you are a client of one of these developments then we can help!

We would also recommend browsing the A Place in the Sun's Country Guide to Portugal.

to be continued...

So what is it...?

that has so many wanting to buy overseas? If you're stuck at home, in the cold, wondering what to watch on TV, missing so much what is out there, just beyond your reach, you should know that it might not be that difficult and, above all, that you're not alone, even though it might seem like it.

According to a Mintel survey a couple of years ago, 54% of UK adults stated that they would like to buy a property abroad in the next five years. This is a staggering number. Of these people 36% say that they would prefer Spain and the rest are spread across preferences in France, Italy, Portugal, the US - now dropping again as the dollar weakens - and then far away places like Thailand and Cape Verde.

The reasons cited had little to do with the destinations themselves. People wanted to get away. Overcrowding, traffic, crime issues and the cost of living were the main reasons given in the survey.

The Tsunami and 9/11 had contracted the spreading waves of UK buyers, driving them back into the closer destinations. Now, several years on this tendency has remained quite solid and the "established" markets like Spain and The Algarve have benefited from this.

The recent credit crunch clearly can not contract the market geographically, but it is affecting prices. This pressure has driven prices down and so, as we commented in an earlier Blog, we have seen a return to the older, more established markets. Markets where the steady price increases of the past few years had acted as a barrier to many buyers.

This barrier has now dropped and so, at perhaps the worst time for the overseas market, some incredible bargains are starting to emerge. Not only is Spain the NEW Spain, but the Costa del Sol is the new Costa... again.

So if you are one of the people who want to get away some time in the future, make the move sooner rather than later. You will never get value for your money like you can get now.

Examples we have picked up from the Internet of great opportunities:

Property in Costa del Sol - 50% off!

http://www.amazingresorts.co.uk/property.asp?PropertyID=137

Silver Coast, Portugal, Reduced prices

http://www.amazingresorts.co.uk/property.asp?PropertyID=42

Both of these developments are finished and we have snagged some properties there and they are perfect for permanent living.

New Snagging Overseas Dubai Blog

We are thrilled to announce that we have launched a seperate Blog to accompany the Snagging Overseas division in Dubai.

Due to the huge demand for our services in Dubai we have opened snagdubai.blogspot.com to better cater for the people who have purchased there and wish for us to snag and clean their property in Dubai.

This does not mean you can not find out what we are up to in Dubai on this Blog. We will keep you posted.

So join us in wishing the new team in Dubai good luck! They have already flown there in the new Airbus A380 so they have started off on the right foot, or wing, as the case may be.

If you want more information on snagging for your property in Dubai contact us on info@snaggingoverseas.com

Treasure in the Algarve

The Algarve has long been a draw for people from the UK. Clearly there is something in the Algarve that attracts your average Brit.

The natural beauty there is clearly enough to stop anyone concentrating on their day job.

It reminds me of the words of that long ago song "Echo Beach" by Martha and the Muffins.

"The only think that helps me pass the time away
Is knowing that I'll be back at Echo Beach some day"
Tourism figures for the Algarve are holding their own in what is elsewhere a falling market. The only other market that we have seen with stable figures was Dubai.
The question that arises is, can these figures be trusted? Most countries use some kind of public entity to track tourism figures and the problem with this, like with all public systems, is what criteria they apply.
In Spain for many years the National Institute for Statistics used the level of Hotel Occupation as a measure of tourism. This led them to believe that there was an increasing crisis as time went on. They then discovered that traffic through Spanish airports was UP while numbers in hotels were going down.

What was happenning? It was the advent of the so called Residential Tourism market. People would fly out on holiday, stay in a hotel and purchase an apartment. The next time they came out they would stay in their apartment so the hotel numbers would fall. Simple. So how do we track it best? Surely airport numbers are the best indication?
In the Algarve they decided to use the traffic through Faro as an indicator. However, is this reliable? Anyone who has flown into Faro will notice a large number of Spanish people on the plane. They are clearly using Faro to then go into Spain. It would also be fair to assume that other nationalities on the plane might be going to Spain too.
So, what do we measure now? Well, we can carry out surveys at the airport. Find out where the passengers are going. But the fact remains, that it is difficult to measure exactly how The Algarve is doing with regards to tourism. Our feeling is that, as it has never been the mass market that Spain was, it has probably not suffered as much.
Let's hope The Algarve remains strong as it does have some of Europe's best beaches, friendly people and some of the best food in the world! 

Snagging Overseas Meets East Meets West......

Now that we’ve hit the Town….

With a toe in Europe and the rest of its body in Asia Minor, Turkey is rightly regarded as one of the “Cradles of Civilization"

This really is East meets West – much more than an apt description of one enormous country from its simply spectacular commercial capital of Istanbul, to the history and legacy of all the different cultures that based their empires here, cultures reflected in the enormous architectural and archaeological heritage found all over the country.

Legendary figures from Agatha Christie to James Bond to Helen of Troy have all marveled at Turkey’s mystic beauty. Truly a land of Eastern promise.

Istanbul is the thriving metropolis that bridges the east west gap across the Istanbul Strait, known to us as The Bosphorus. The current name, Istanbul, means Full of Islam and is a reflection of the Muslim heritage that characterised modern Turkish life.

Perhaps the previous names of Istanbul conjure up even more mystical images for us, Constantinople and before that Byzantium. Names that seem steeped in history.


Some less well know facts we’ve found out …The World’s First Christian church was founded by St Peter on his odyssey from the Holy Land.

St Nicolas or Father Christmas as he became better known originated in Southern Turkey

It features one of the original 7 wonders of the world – Temple of Atriums

The World renowned Ephesus has been frequented by the “rich and famous “people as diverse as Cleopatra and even our own Sir Tom Jones (although not quite at the same time – Marc Antony would have been definitely been in trouble!!)

Interestingly it also has the second largest army in NATO – perhaps because it borders 7 countries – Can you name them without looking at a map?!

So, if you feel you can't wait anymore, relax! All things come to those who wait! Perhaps you'll get your dream sooner than you imagine! In the meantime Turkey can't wait to see you!

What happens when it just doesn't work?

Now it occasionally happens that we don't get the results we want from the developer. Imagine the situation, we have snagged the property, prepared the report and sent it to the developer and then... nothing!

Although lack of communication can be alarming, it is not always a symptom of problems. However, if nothing comes back ever again then it is obviously a sign of trouble.


Snagging Overseas will pressure the developer for you, as much as we can. In developments where we have many clients this frequently gives us the "critical mass" necessary to make the developer see that he should correct the imperfections that we have reported.


However, we have had some cases where the developer just does not respond nor correct anything that we have identified.


So, what do we recommend you do when it just doesn't work? What options are open to you?


1. Firstly, Snagging Overseas will already have liaised with your lawyer. With difficult cases we will request that your lawyer or legal representative communicates the list of defects to the developer with some strong "encouragement" to get them fixed. If this doesn't work then you can...


2. Inform the developer that you are not prepared to go to title deed unless these items are corrected. Your legal representative can advise you of the best way to do this.


3. Request that the developer provide an assurance and a time frame for the proper correction of the snags. In the meantime you can also...


4. Advise the developer that you will retain a small amount of the final payment until such time as the works are done to everybody's satisfaction. Snagging Overseas will be able to advise if the developer is complying with the assurances that he has given.


5. Do always liaise with other buyers if necessary. Again Snagging Overseas will be able to help, if required. It is important then to act collectively and try and ensure that the developer understands that you are not "rocking the boat", you are merely protecting your own interests and investment.


6. Don't agree to long term promises. We have seen in one particular case in Portugal that we had pushed for all snags to be corrected and then the clients, via the Condominium meetings, agreed that the developer had up to a year to correct all snags! This meant they effectively signed away their ability to react for a whole year and a day.


7. Do listen to the experts. Your legal advisers, Snagging Overseas and possibly even your real estate agents have all seen these things happen before. Their advice will be crucial to help resolve the issues.

So, instead of worrying all night long ensure that you get the best professional help for your new brick house! Make sure you have Snagging Overseas as your new build inspection specialists!

So what was it that springs eternal?

Michel de Montaigne once wrote "My life has been full of terrible misfortunes and some of them have even happened!" This was his take on worry! Especially how worry fills your life with negativity! Here are the Chinese characters for our topic.



Of course even the most optimistic of people can be forgiven for feeling a bit down in the current circumstances. People with tastes ranging from The Bangles to Brittney Spears have expressed their worry at the current crisis and say they don't see any way out of it.


However, perhaps the best attitude is to say, "Yes, there's a recession going on, but I am just not going to take part!". After all, hoping for the best and expecting the worst can be good, but surely it's better to hope for the best and so expect the best!

In Greek mythology, after Pandora famously opened the box and thus introduced disease, death and sorrow to humankind, she went back to the box and found that something was left: Elpis or Hope.



Far be it from Snagging Overseas to philosophise, but the G20 was held amid a climate of worry and fear for the future and clearly the world leaders were putting a brave face on the event. They advocate the injection of trillions (How much??) into the economy and many journalists are carefully not asking where this money has come from. Surely it has to come from, er, the economy? So it's come from the economy to be put into the economy. We don't really know how that works. And so it becomes easy to despair and think that there is no way out of this situation. However, although a large part of this sorry situation is a product of the dark arts of financial engineering, but also of a lack of Elpis, isn't it?



The property industry has been hit hard by this crisis, and overseas property is no exception.

So we wanted to join Obama and the other manically smiling world leaders in advocating optimism. Let's expect the best, and surely it will happen! Look to a bright future, because it will be bright. Hang in there and you'll get where you want to go.

Size IS important!

Far be it from us at Snagging Overseas to make that kind of joke! However, many clients do ask us to measure their units, er, properties. This is usually something that is rooted in horror stories within the overseas property industry than because developers routinely build the property to a smaller size.

In saying that, we have come across some units that have appeared of a slightly different size but, certainly in Europe, there is usually a perfectly good explanation for this. I say Europe because we have seen some strange things in Sharm el Sheikh!

The easiest mistake to make is when comparing the square metres you were told at point of sale with the finished article.

As real estate agents have been known to make a few small exaggerations, not to mention a couple of white lies here and there, you would be forgiven for thinking they have deliberately misled you. In reality they will almost invariably speak of the total area of the property, including the thickness of the walls, any low, attic type ceilings and "lost" space like cupboard areas and kitchen units.

You see, when you measure inside a property you are measuring the total living space. In France it wasn't until as late as 1996 that they introduced a law to control the measurement of properties. The Minister of Housing for France, Loi Carrez, who brought in a law that standardised the measurement of a property. Sounds incredible, but it was a good idea.

Now everyone knows where they are when it comes to computing the space in an attic apartment, for example. Any floor space beneath 1.8 metres does not count. Cellar space also does not count. Separating walls, balconies and stairwells.

In Spain they speak of gross metres (Metros brutos) and net metres (metros útiles) and apply a very similar standard measurement. Almost the same as in France except that exterior balconies count as 50% - so a 20 square metre balcony counts as 10m2 of space. Simple right!

However, if you are unsure of the final measurements, Snagging Overseas will double check for you. Remember, however, once an apartment is built it is sometimes not possible to measure the total area, only the interior area.

So it isn't size that counts, after all, it's just HOW you measure it (The, ah, the unit, you know, the property).