A Russian taste for Sotogrande

Luxury villa for sale SotograndeSotogrande is known as a place with a very good mix of nationalities. A mini cosmopolitan community, it is free of the preponderance of one nationality sometimes seen in other areas. Popular with British, American, Belgian, Dutch, Gibraltarian, German, Swiss and many other nations, its core remains Spanish, and that can only be a good thing. Sotogrande also has a reputation for being the preferred destination of ‘old money’ of many nationalities, this in contrast with the likes of Puerto Banús and Marbella.

For some, this would automatically exclude Russian interest in our fair beachside community, but in reality there have been Russian homebuyers in Sotogrande for some time, and the interest is growing. In fact, an increasing number of Russian people are buying in Southern Spain not just to spend summers and flash their cash, but to live year-round, or at least the greater part of the year. This is a different kind of buyer and person – people who not only enjoy the climate and amenities, but recognise this as an ideal part of the world in which to live comfortably and bring up your children in a safe and healthy environment, with a lively social scene, good schools and a wonderful outdoor lifestyle full of sun and sports.

Modern interior of Holmes Sotogrande villaTourists and buyers of Russian origin now make up the 2nd largest foreign population on the Costa del Sol taking the place of the German market but still  second by some way to the British market. More and more Russian buyers are driven by these motives, and more and more of them are discovering Sotogrande – and the fact that there are Russian families here that have been part of the local community for some time now. We ourselves have even set up a dedicated office in Moscow with Russian speakers that have grown up here, and therefore combine the two cultures perfectly.

More often than not our Russian clients opt for sizeable villas with modern luxuries, though some go for luxurious apartments and penthouses in the marina area. Their children get a first-class education at the Sotogrande International School, but it is also the freedom to play golf, tennis, go horse riding and head out to the beach in our glorious weather that is valued so highly.

Thanks to good direct links to Russia from the newly extended and modernised international airport in Málaga, it is possible to travel to and from Russia and other parts of the world with ease, explaining why Sotogrande is becoming such a highly favoured destination for yet another nationality.

 

By · February 14th 2013