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?