Costa del Sol Property Sales

BUYING a home anywhere can be a stressful time, but buying a holiday home abroad can lead to many worries and hassles. After the signatures dry on the contract, you then have to worry about maintenance, cleaning, renting the property out, what will happen to it when you're not there, and so on.

Of course, you may become attached to your new purchase, and cringe at the thought of leaving it alone for lengthy periods of time. That's where a management agency can come in to ease the troubles away.

The Costa del Sol has seen an influx of Irish purchasers over the past decade, and recent reports have said that it is difficult to get a rental return on properties there. However, many individuals go about renting the property the wrong way, hiring less than capable individuals to let their homes, or not putting enough effort into the marketing of it themselves.

A web-based property management service, HomeCareontheweb is an antidote to any worries you may have. In business for the past few years, the company provides a number of services. It will ensure your property is kept clean, secure and well maintained, and will produce detailed monthly owner reports which you can view any time on the company's secure website. Now that should give you some peace of mind.

HomeCare will also manage the cleaning and maintenance of the grounds and pool, and upon checking your utilities and appliances will arrange for repairs if necessary. Encountering water damage, electrical problems and insect infestations can be horrible for holidaymakers, and having someone to deal with such things can make a huge difference. All furnishings will be checked, as will the premises be inspected for pests and vermin.

Too often holiday home owners complain that much of their time is taken up with cleaning their property and doing domestic chores when they arrive. HomeCare will prepare the property for your visits by providing a welcome pack with essential groceries, putting fresh flowers in your home, making sure you have hot water after your long journey, and airing the rooms. In addition to all this, they will collect you from the airport in a chauffeur driven vehicle, meaning you will arrive in style.

Irishman Tom O'Grady has lived in London since 1988. He has used the services of HomeCare since they started some years back. The Irish Independent caught up with him as he sat by the pool of his two-bed apartment in Colorado Hills, Elviria. "They really are very good, and I have been very pleased with them," he said. "Tony (the owner of HomeCare) is a very nice guy and is very honest, and we have always found the staff very helpful.

Tom uses the apartment as a holiday home, and finds employing the services of a management company a must. "I couldn't do it without somebody helping me make sure the whole place is taken care of." While travelling to Elviria three or four times a year, he rents the apartment out for the rest of the time.

HomeCare also offer a letting service. The company will place properties on their holiday website www.holidayrentalontheweb.com. If a property has modern bathrooms, a modern kitchen, quality furniture etc, they tell us they will be able to help you generate maximum premium rental return. The company will offer you rental advice, write the web copy and take photos of your property, which will be marketed through advertising on the radio, in newspapers and in magazines. They will also manage the keys of your home.

"While the apartment isn't totally paying for itself, the medium term rental market is very good here," says Tom.

Indeed, for any buyer of property in the Costa del Sol, HomeCareontheweb can be a great starting point if you're looking for a hassle free investment.

HomeCare tell us their services cost as little as €3 per day. For further details contact www.homecareontheweb.com.