What do you do with the rarest of Marbella real estate assets – a tranquil frontline beach location close to all amenities? Simple, you create a living environment worthy of such a privileged setting.

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An intergovernmental organisation with its headquarters in London and 53 member states around the world, the Commonwealth of Nations is a product of Britain’s colonial past, but also one of the finest examples of international cooperation to come out of the post-colonial era. (more…)

Words: Michel Cruz

Images courtesy of Diana Morales Properties and Callum Swan

Exactly two years ago I wrote a report on the state of the property market with feedback from leading real estate agents. Here I analyse the prevailing market conditions and look to developments in the near future, drawing as always from the expertise of some of the most experienced agents in Marbella.

Two years is a relatively short period of time, but one in which a lot can change. In my June 2013 report we were still talking tentatively about early signs of recovery and hoping that this was a sustained movement out of the doldrums of the preceding years. We have since received confirmation that this is indeed a true recovery, and now the question we ask ourselves – amid a market that is visibly gaining in momentum and confidence – is whether we should already be speaking of growth instead of just ‘recovery’. (more…)

Ten years old this year, Manifesto Design is the design and marketing company founded by expat couple Michel and Jackie Cruz, who moved to Spain some 15 years ago.

Now longstanding residents of Marbella, they have made a life for themselves, building a good name as reliable and skilled professionals, and creating a company that has weathered the recession well and is showing renewed growth and vigour. (more…)

A couple of years ago I had the privilege of editing a special publication produced by Inmobiliaria Rimontgó in honour of the company’s 50^th anniversary. In this day and age it is a real achievement when a business reaches that milestone, and as this is a highly respected family firm originally founded by the current owners’ grandfather, it certainly meant a lot.

Hailing from Jávea, a beautiful coastal town a little south of Valencia on Spain’s east coast, the Ribes family has been a driving force in local business for around a century now, originally leading the way in making this one of the most important orange-exporting regions in Europe and later establishing the real estate firm that has grown into a highly prominent one today. (more…)