Maybe it’s down to the lashing rain that most parts of the UK have been putting up with these past few weeks, or maybe it’s simply because with summer on the way, thoughts are turning to the long sunny days and balmy nights that we on the Costa del Sol are already lapping up! Whatever the reason, according to the latest report from Rightmove Overseas, record numbers of Britons searched for overseas property in April – when the company reported more than 2.9m searches – with Spain coming top of the list with a sizzling 23.36%, followed by France (17.05%), US (12.54%) and Australia (5.98%).

Not only that, but seven of the Top 10 Climbers are traditional Spanish destinations, with Marbella and Estepona both scoring highly for the Costa del Sol, while Estepona and Benalmádena are respectively in 4^th and 10^th place in Rightmove Overseas’ Top 10 Trending Searches.

“People aren’t just looking at property in Europe, they are buying there as well,” says Charles Purdy, Smart Currency Exchange MD. “With the €/£ exchange rate hitting €1.23/£ – a rate last seen 24 months ago – there’s been record buying of Euros over the last month, with France and Spain continuing to be at the top of the list for lifestyle buyers.”

The 47th edition of the Volvo World Match Play Championship takes place in the spectacular setting of Finca Cortesin

Costa del Sol, Costa del Golf… and true to its name, the Coast is hosting the only match play event to be held in Europe this season – and one of the most prestigious of tournaments. Just outside Casares, roughly midway between Marbella and Sotogrande, Finca Cortesin has been the home of the Volvo World Match Play Championship since 2009. This year, for the first time in the tournament’s history, not only will half the field be US PGA Tour members, but it’s also the first time that three Spanish players have qualified for the Championship…

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Whatever you might have been thinking of doing this weekend, put it on hold, ‘cos on Saturday 12 May it’s Málaga’s inimitable Noche en Blanco, when the city will entertain you all night long – and all for free, with more than 150 different things to do, places to visit and people to see…

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Málaga airport's runway 2

According to a report in Spanish provincial daily newspaper Diario Sur, having received the necessary certification from the State Air Security Agency (AESA), confirming that it meets the requirements laid down by the International Civil Aviation Authorities on 30 April, the Málaga-Costa del Sol airport is now all set to open its 2nd runway “in a matter of weeks”.

Costing almost €400 million, work on runway 2 began in August 2007 on a plot of land almost 2 million square metres in size. Built between Terminal 3 and the Guadalhorce river, the 2,750 metre runway has a parallel taxiing area with four access strips, six exits, two connections with runway 1 and parking for 27 aircraft.

Once operational, which airport officials say will happen imminently, the second runway will increase the airport’s current capacity of 37 take-offs and landings per hour to 72 which will also increase exponentially the number of destinations served by the airport, while the number of passengers transported per hour will rise to 9,500.

The Málaga-Costa del Sol airport is only the fifth in Spain to have more than one runway. Madrid-Barajas currently has 4, Barcelona has 3, and Palma de Mallorca and Gran Canaria each have 2.

Officially launched at a recent press conference held at the Marbella Town Hall, the first ever edition of Reality Star Marbella – bringing together talented artists from around the world – takes place at the H10 Hotel Andalucía Plaza Marbella on 15-16 June and all talented singers aged from 8 to 50 are invited to take part. So, if you’ve ever dreamnt of becoming rich and famous – or know someone who has – now’s your chance. But with 20 May the closing date for pre-selection, and applications already in from contestants from various countries around the globe, you’d better be quick!

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Image by © Matthias Kulka/zefa/Corbis

There’s nothing like starting off the month on a positive note, and here’s some very encouraging news from James Price – head of international residential development at Knight Frank – who believes that wealthy UK buyers are keen to escape to a better climate and to make a good long-term investment while they’re at it.

“The UK recession isn’t really a factor,” says Price. “People want to move at the higher end for tax reasons. It’s the result more of the pull of both climate and culture rather than any perceived ‘push’ from the UK.”

According to Knight Frank – who say they envisage buyers making their move in the coming months as recession continues to keep prices low in many Mediterranean countries – an increasing number of Britons are currently transferring money abroad in anticipation of buying a second home overseas.

"I get dizzy looking down from the kerb!"

When our Lisa’s not hard at work in the VIVA Customer Services Department she DJs and does all the tecchie, behind the scenes stuff for her Dad’s local radio station, too. So she’s sure not one to let the grass grow under her feet! But on Sunday, 13 May, Lisa won’t be doing any of those things ‘cos she’s got an important date to keep in the heart of East Sussex’s beautiful Ashdown Forest – immortalised by A.A. Milne’s children’s stories about Christopher Robin and Winnie-the-Pooh. It’s a challenge that she admits will take her out of her comfort zone, but then it’s all in the very best of causes…

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Travel search site SkyScanner report more searches from the UK for 2012 summer flights to Málaga than for any other destination. Not that there’s anything new about that of course. Still, at a time when it’s been widely claimed that a hike in airport charges is likely to mean a slump in the number of holidaymakers visiting Spain this year, it’s good to know that the Costa del Sol continues to be the destination of choice!

According to a survey recently released by the Ministry of Industry, 9.2 million foreign tourists visited Spain in the first three months of the year. That’s an increase of 2.6% compared with the same period in 2011.

Figures relating to Spanish residential property transactions during the past four years, and recently released by Fastighetsbyrån – part of Swedish banking group Swedbank – indicate that while the numbers of UK and German buyers have shrunk by 65% and 3% respectively, conversely Norwegian buyers are up by a massive 108% and Swedes by a jaw-dropping 138%.

The data also suggests that despite the fact that 10% more buyers from the UK, Germany, Sweden and Norway purchased Spanish property in 2011 than in 2010, the total market is down by around 33% compared with its peak in 2007.

Still, it’s not hard to see why Scandinavians are increasingly drawn to owning real estate in Spain, and of course the Costa del Sol’s annual average of 320 sunshine days is only part of the reason. Norway’s Krone and Sweden’s Krona have both risen against the Euro in the last 5 years and their economies are healthier than most in Europe. Not only that, but Spanish property prices have dropped by between 30% and 40% in the past half-decade, in fact at VIVA we often see certain types of properties selling for as much as 50% below peak.

So who wouldn’t be tempted?

Produced by Knight Frank and Citi Private Bank, the 2012 edition of The Wealth Report: A Global Perspective on Prime Property and Wealth has just been published. And since it covers topics such as wealth creation, spending habits, prime property markets around the world, plus attitudes towards investment and succession, it sure makes a fascinating – and revealing – read. Especially since the 68-page Report highlights the fact that among the wealthiest, Spain is one of the world’s most popular places in which to buy a holiday home or second residence…

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