Guest, Author at listproperty4free.com

Lanzarote’s Lure for Overseas Investors

As Lanzarote starts to reopen its doors to international flights in July and international tourism starts to reboot again we take a closer look at the factors that have made this small Spanish island located off the coast of Africa such a big hit with overseas property investors over the last few decades.

Tourism first started taking off on Lanzarote (and in the rest of Spain) during the 1970’s. With the advent of package holidays and a general increase in air travel from richer European nations such as Germany and the Scandinavian countries. Along with the desire of General Franco to bring in some much-needed foreign currency.

But it was the arrival of British holidaymakers in serious numbers during the 1990’s which really started to fuel the boom in overseas investment and the UK continues to account for around 50% of all visitors to Lanzarote to this day.

What Factors Attract Overseas Property Investors to Lanzarote?

Climate is a key factor. As Lanzarote’s location just 80 miles off the coast of Africa means that the island enjoys great weather all year round. So, anyone who owns a property here can rent it out to tourists for 12 months of the year – as opposed to a seven to eight-month season in other parts of Spain. Whilst owners can also enjoy a break in the sun in their own holiday home whenever they fancy.

Over the last decade, investors have enjoyed a good deal of capital appreciation too. The entry level price of studios and holiday apartments in the main resorts have risen by 50% or more. Yet prices still remain very affordable by comparison with other parts of Spain, with one bed apartments still available from around €90,000.

But it’s the rental returns that are the real draw – as owners are lured by those year-round bookings from holidaymakers.

Lanzarote boasts a very buoyant tourist market. During the course of 2019 over 3 million holidaymakers booked a break on the island – a figure which has doubled in the last 20 years. And this boom in arrivals has attracted inward investment from hotel chains as well as smaller private investors.

Despite these buoyant tourist arrival figures Lanzarote also retains an unspoilt, authentic charm – especially when you venture away from the three main resorts which are all well contained on the island’s south eastern coast. So there is something to attract all types of property investors – from holiday apartments for sale in Lanzarote through to rural, rustic fincas in need of renovation.

Quality of life on Lanzarote is also high. There are over 60 beautiful beaches, tons of great restaurants and a really relaxed vibe. The island is also very small, so it’s easy to get around and take in both the scenery and the fantastic attractions created by the famous local artist and architect Cesar Manrique.

Which Are the Best Locations for Investors?

The main resorts on the island all offer a guaranteed stream of bookings for investors looking to crate their own holiday rental business. Puerto del Carmen is the largest of these three resorts but both Playa Blanca and Costa Teguise are also very popular.

Rural tourism is also growing in popularity – numerous expats and overseas investors have created delightful rental properties in the countryside by renovating old fincas and farmhouses.

Author: Nick Ball

Change Orders and Cost Control-All That You Need to Know

When it comes to the completion of construction projects, change orders happen to be one of the major sources of frustration for contractors. At the same time, they have a far-reaching impact on the project scope, cost and timelines, yet it is something that cannot be avoided. However, having a proper change order management system in place enables teams to mitigate the disruptions in costs and schedules. But effective change order management remains a crucial pain point for a majority of construction companies.

Thankfully, big and small firms alike have realised the value of effective project management and cost control software solutions in construction, which have the potential to steer change management in the right direction. But before we talk about these solutions, it is vital to understand the costs associated with change orders in the first place.

Calculating the actual cost of change orders

Even before you start working on project cost control strategies in the face of change orders, it is vital to grasp their actual impact. Apart from the quantified costs, change orders also result in a significant loss of productivity. There is a lot more that exists below the surface. Let us explain the true cost of change orders as segmentation of direct, indirect and consequential costs.

Direct Costs: As the name implies, these are the costs directly influenced by the change order. Typically, this includes labour, equipment, material and other expenses related to the change. Apart from these costs, less obvious expenses such as the cost of the structure redesign, expenses of extra set up and clean up and cost of communication with engineers and crew specifically for implementing the order also come in this category.

Indirect Costs: Essentially, indirect costs include overheads. They may be a fixed or variable part of the project, based on the accounting practices followed by the business. When indirect costs are calculated as a percentage of the overall job, they tend to rise.

Consequential Costs: These are the costs associated with the timing of the change order. It is common for these orders to slow down the efficiency, which can result in consequential expenses that are hard to quantify. This can happen due to factors such as reassigning supervision, diluting labour power and more.

Cost Control with a Digital Solution

Considering the myriad of costs associated with change orders, managing them can be more challenging than you may think. Handling them manually can take a lot of work, right from budgeting for the change to tracking costs, analysing them and preparing reports that are to be passed on to the stakeholders. Apart from the complexity of the manual cost control operations, the chances of error run high when you have to record, access and process information across multiple spreadsheets. To handle such scenarios effectively, a project cost control software solution can prove beneficial as it automates the entire lifecycle and provides actionable insights to take the right steps for monitoring the change order-related costs.

Project managers should look for a holistic project management software solution that not only facilitates cost control but also encompasses other aspects such as ordering supplies, planning deliveries and scheduling labour. One that enables real-time updates in project information is a plus because it will keep the stakeholders informed about cost deviations at all stages.

About the author: The author is a construction project manager with Zepth.com and has a flair for writing as well. Since She has a rich experience in working on construction projects of diverse sizes and scales, he likes sharing them as articles on leading blogs and online platforms.

How to maximise the market value of your home

Owning your own home, whether outright or with a mortgage, gives you lots of opportunities to grow its value, enabling you to profit at the time of any future sale. If you’re wondering about the best ways to maximise the current market value of your home in order to cash in big time in future years, read on.

Before starting to knock any property around, check out local planning laws

Before even beginning to discuss all the different ways you can increase the market value of your home, it’s vital you take a look around your home and think strategically about any future marketing attempt. If you have lots of unnecessary furniture and ornaments cluttering rooms, you may want to think about the benefits of decluttering. You’ll be amazed by just how much more empowered and energised you feel living in a clutter-free home, and may also uncover some of your most valued, long lost treasures during the process!

No matter where you happen to live in the world, it’s quite certain that local planning or building regulations will impact on any decision made to extend your home. Some homeowners apply for planning permissions retrospectively, but this can be a risky tactic. For example, Churchill’s research shows that 40,000 retrospective planning applications were made between 2017 and 2019 in the UK, and that a total of 12% of these applications were declined outright. The most sensible way forward is definitely getting in contact with local planners before any structural works or alterations take place. You could actually be pleasantly surprised, as some works won’t actually require formal planning applications or ongoing inspections.

Top ways to increase the value of any existing home

1. Potential property buyers always rate kerb/garden appeal highly

There are lots of ways that the market value of homes with gardens can be increased, without any need for building works. Maximising the kerb or garden appeal of your home shouldn’t be underestimated, and it may only require keeping on top of all regular maintenance and lawn care. Adding a patio or deck is one way to create entertaining space outdoors, and this is often top of the list for many homebuyers. Of course, if you’re an apartment dweller, you may only have access to an outdoor balcony or patio, but these small spaces can still be transformed into charming outside spaces with good planning.

The kerb appeal of your home relates to first impressions, so a lick of fresh paint on woodwork, a tidy front garden, and sparkling windows are all essentials that help to maximise the market value of your home.

2. Converting your loft or attic space

You could add even more value to your home by creating an extra bedroom or office, and lofts are often the ideal space to consider. Check with local planners before starting any building works, as regulations are likely to be in force. Some of the planning issues that will need consideration include staircase access, windows, and requirements for any en-suite bathroom or shower room. It’s often a good idea to involve an architect from the outset, and unless you’re a DIY expert it’s probably best to hire some professional help.

3. Extending your home to the side or rear to create larger living spaces downstairs

Many city and rural dwellers in terraced or semi-detached homes find that extending the downstairs space to the side and back can provide even more room, which is particularly valuable for growing families. In the UK, extensions like this are often considered permitted developments and may not even require formal planning permissions. However, check all this out beforehand, as any works to party walls which are shared with neighbours may well need planning investigation.

Some of the other valuable ways to maximise the capital locked in your existing home include:

– Turning an integral garage into a room, which can be a valuable way to free up unused space

– Adding a conservatory

– Converting a cellar into a basement room

Your existing home could be the key to gaining your dream home in the future, so staying on top of clutter and adding extensions or upgrades can be an excellent way to truly make the most of your property investment.

Author: Hubert Day

Design Project of an Apartment – Where to Begin

Once there is a design project, it has stages of its development.

1. Making an apartment plan.

2. Development of a sketch of the project.

3. The choice of a common design concept, taking into account the characteristics of each room.

4. Preparation of drawings.

5. The choice of accessories and decor items.

The implementation of the first paragraph is impossible without taking measurements. Accuracy is important here since any error can lead to problems at further stages of the project.

Apartment plan

You can draw a plan either manually or using graphic programs. It indicates all sizes, the location of windows and doors, new walls and partitions (if necessary), niches and various changes that will improve the appearance and functionality of the room.

When creating a plan, it is important to consider the purpose of each room, the number of residents who will live in the apartment, and their lifestyle. If there is only one room, it is important to correctly separate the zone of sleep and leisure, work. Next, you need to duplicate the project and draw a sketch of the arrangement of furniture and equipment on a new sheet.

Sketch of premises

The sketch allows you to decide on the interior concept, choose the style and design features of the apartment. To achieve a balance in the palette and details, it is important to familiarize yourself with the features and rules of using the selected direction in advance. To create a detailed sketch, computer programs such as Homestyler, HomeByMe, SmartDraw, IKEA Home Planner, Sweet Home 3D, Planner 5D and others are used.

Interior Design

After the concept is selected, and the desired style is fully understood, you can proceed to detail the design of each room. In addition to the texture and color of finishing materials, furniture upholstery, textiles, and the location of fixtures are selected to achieve the desired level of illumination in each zone.

Decor elements are selected at the last moment when the sketch will have a full arrangement of furniture, a detailed color palette, the location of lighting fixtures. It is not necessary to indicate all the decorative elements, but only those for which you need to prepare (leave) a place.

Creating design project drawings

The drawing is an amended plan, which indicates not only the dimensions but also the location of the heating equipment. As well as communications, plumbing, electrical wiring, sockets, and switches. The drawings also indicate the features of the room that need special attention (extension of the windowsill, the need to install drywall constructions, underfloor heating, etc.).

The choice of accessories and decor items

To come with accessories and décor items is the most creative part of developing a design project. At this stage, the texture of the furniture and its color, the design of lighting fixtures, paintings and various objects of the decor of the room, accessories are selected. All details should correspond to the chosen style and harmonize in the palette. You can sketch in advance or simply trust your taste and intuition. This is the advantage of a do-it-yourself design project. No one will dictate the rules – each element will be matched with the soul.

If you cannot choose exactly the furniture that is necessary to implement the general concept. You can always draw a few more sketches and make it by hand, or order it from professionals.

About the author: Melisa Marzett is a freelance writer who writes articles for www.findwritingservice.com and also a traveler who is not afraid of anything, who welcomes any challenges and believes firmly that whatever doesn`t kill us, makes us stronger.