French golfer Lucie Malchirand has been crowned the winner of the Santander Golf Tour Seville at Club Zaudín Golf, with a spectacular final round of -8 for a total of -11, the best round of the tournament and a new course record in professional women's competition

Piers Berrington, UK professional and frequent Costa del Sol golfer has won the first of three 'swings' of the Winter Tour - Marbella Golf Series 2023-2024

In 1993, a young woman from the village of Luque in Cordoba had the idea of creating an hermandad (church brotherhood which goes out in a procession in Holy Week) specifically for women. The woman confided her idea to a group of friends, and one year later in 1994, the project of the first female brotherhood was founded - Nuestra Señora del Mayor Dolor. Spanish does not have a female equivalent of the word brotherhood, for women (sisterhood might be hermanadad).

There are a number of associations and groups offering credentials and licenses to real estate agents. Some focus mainly on sharing resources and provide a credential in as much as they associate prestigious or well-known names in the industry and therefore make a joint effort to uphold their good reputation. Others serve as official bodies that license agents or provide on-going training.

The majority of property sales in Andalucía are handled by estate agents (immobiliarias), particularly those where overseas foreign buyers are involved. It's common for foreigners in many countries, particularly Britain and Germany, to use an agent in their own country who works in co-operation with one or more Spanish agents or developers. Many agents in Spain also advertise abroad, and in English language magazines and newspapers in Spain. Most, if not all, of the estate agents in Andalucía have staff who speak English and other foreign languages, so don't be discouraged if you don't speak Spanish.

Construction Project Management is the proper management and/or coordination of the entire development and construction process, relating to every aspect of a new or renovation building project, so as to ensure "Best Practice" and "Add Value" to the development. The building project may relate to the construction or reform of an entire building or to the "Fitting Out" of an existing shell structure.

Buying off plan - or at some point during the construction process - is a popular option in Spain as the earlier you buy in, the less expensive your total purchase price will be. However, while many homeowners are satisfied with the final outcome, you should be aware that there is always the risk the developer will run into hard times and the building will not be completed.

Buying a property abroad can seem a daunting prospect for many reasons, none least of which are the language barrier and the difficulty in understanding foreign laws and legal documentation. Foreigners have been buying properties in Andalucia and along the Costa del Sol for decades. The majority of these individuals will have not experienced any significant problems, however horror stories abound whereby people have faced unexpected costs at some stage of the purchase process.

If you want to be far from the madding crowd, you can buy a plot of land and have an individual architect-designed house built to your own design and specifications or to a standard design provided by a builder. However, building a home in Andalucía isn't recommended for the timid.

Since the early 19th century, there has been a noticeable revival to earlier architectural styles throughout Andalucía, including neo-Gothic and, in particular, neomudécar and neo-Islamic. Private villas as well as urbanisations often reflect past Muslim architectural style, including such elements as inner courtyards, arched doorways and windows, fountains and the frequent use of brick instead of stone.

Andalucia is an ideal year-round destination for your golfing holiday with its average eight hours of sunshine per day, and spectacular coastline filled with over 100 courses designed by world-famous names such as Trent Jones, Jack Nicklaus and Seve Ballesteros.

Given the recent increase in foreign property purchases in Andalucia and particularly on the Costa del Sol it is hardly surprising that there is strong demand for mortgages. It seems that Spanish banks have been slow to target this market by appointing specialist mortgage advisors.

Foreign currency issues can have a significant impact on the cost of your purchase. In securing property abroad, purchasers are likely to spend more time searching for the right property via their estate agent and researching the best method of financing their purchase rather than considering the financial implications of transferring money overseas. The transmission of funds for property acquisitions is often done at the last minute. This leaves the buyer exposed to the prevailing exchange rate and can significantly alter the eventual total cost of the property.

The Costa del Sol, famous to many for its stunningly situated golf courses of which are in abundance. It is no surprise, therefore, to notice on your journey West from Malaga airport the iconic road signs informing you where you are - 'Costa del Golf'.

The Costa del Sol, famous to many for its stunningly situated golf courses of which are in abundance. It is no surprise, therefore, to notice on your journey West from Malaga airport the iconic road signs informing you where you are - 'Costa del Golf'.

Furniture packs are the ultimate solution for busy people who wish to furnish a new property in southern Spain – or completely renovate a home after years of wear and tear.