Colorado USA has it all

I enjoy nothing more than discovering interesting properties in various countries throughout the world and was intrigued when I was approached to market an historic building incorporating a luxury home and Western style Store situated in one of the old gold rush towns in Colorado USA.   I have sold a tremendous number of properties of all types and descriptions over the years in many parts of the world, but this one really does capture the imagination and I hope that somewhere out there will be a purchaser who will fully appreciate the character and history of this most unusual property which is offered at a very realistic price.  Details can be found on our web site under listings. 

Colorado definitely seems the in place to be at this time and has some of the grandest landscapes in the United States with a rich and historic culture.  Winter and summer offers every sporting opportunity with 26 ski areas and 25 scenic and historic byways.  It strikes me as being the ideal location in which to live work and play.  For those who revel in the great outdoors there is an abundance of healthy activities to enjoy during both summer and winter.  Hiking, mountain bike riding, rock climbing and swimming in a glacier formed mountain lake and horseback riding are just a few of the summer activities, whilst during the winter months there is even more choice, as Colorado is a haven for skiers and snowboarders.

For horse lovers Colorado has everything.   Did you know that the Sound of Music was filmed in Colorado?  The scenery is breathtaking and I was surprised that filming took place there as most people think it was filmed in Austria.   Here in this delightful location I have discovered two fantastic opportunities for those horse lovers who would like to have the pleasure of owning a ranch without any hassle on acres and acres of land and just thirty minutes from a fabulous ski resort. Details can be seen under listings on our web site.

I have never been to Colorado, but it is certainly on my list to visit as it offers so much, from vast prairie grasslands to the majestic Rocky mountains and cosmopolitan cities to historic mining towns… it has it all.

Eugenie

Fascinating Grand Turk Island

No wonder people from all over the globe are looking at the possibility of investment or living in the Turks and Caicos Islands.   I have been catching up with events in Grand Turk the capital of the islands and was amazed to read about the history and the fun events happening there all year round.

I was fascinated when reading that on February 20th 1962 astronaut John Glenn in the Project Mercury Space Programme became the first American to orbit the earth and his space capsule splashed down in Grand Turk waters and was brought to the island for a medical check up and post flight de-briefing.  This was of particular interest to me as my husband worked for NASA in the 1970s at the Satellite tracking station in Haartebeesthoek, South Africa during the time the Apollo 13 space craft experienced problems and had to return to earth which was quite dramatic as he was listening to the conversation between Houston and the astronauts.  I visited the Space Station many times with my three children which was a fascinating experience.  Also co-incidentally we lived in Ohio USA for three years which was the astronaut John Glenn’s birthplace so Grand Turk has a special interest for me.

Information about The Project Mercury/Glenn Flight can be seen at the Turks and Caicos National Museum as well as the whole of human history in the Turks and Caicos also featuring the Molasses Reef Wreck dating back to 1505 which is considered to be the oldest European wreck in the Western Hemisphere.

There are many fun activities happening every summer in Grand Turk.  In July the Island plays host to the annual Grand Turk Heineken Game Fishing Tournament which is very much enjoyed by the locals as well as visitors to the island who come to enjoy the party atmosphere.  It is a far cry from the days when donkeys, horses and cattle were the only transportation, although some can still be seen wandering around the streets of Grand Turk.

For the sports enthusiast Grand Turk is the place to be for diving, snorkeling, fishing and sailing and is rated among the top ten dive destinations throughout the world.  The Island is six miles long and just over one mile wide and is blessed with pristine beaches, fabulous views and stunning Bermudan British Colonial Architecture.

No wonder there is such interest in this fascinating island amongst discerning buyers seeking a wonderful environment in which to live or for holidays or purely investment.

I will be adding details of a couple of interesting commercial ventures on Grand Turk Island to the listings on my web site amongst residential properties in all the Turks and Caicos Islands which will be of interest to those people who seek an adventurous lifestyle. 

all for now

Eugenie

Film as a marketing tool

A couple of years ago, I was invited by a Television Production Company to appear on a programme promoting the sale of overseas property.  I was dubious at first, as although I had appeared on television a couple of times in the USA promoting a book I had written which was totally unrelated to anything to do with the sale of property, I was not sure whether my appearance in a reality property show would do much to enhance my business.

However, I decided to give it a go and together with a couple who had previously purchased a property through my Company on the Costa del sol, Southern Spain and were now looking for a holiday home in Mallorca we embarked upon this unfamiliar journey into the world of television.  Luckily filming took place in March before the onset of the tourist season and so there were relatively few people around so we could work in privacy.

Mallorca is a lovely island and reminded me in some ways of Barbados, possibly because it had that island feel.  The film crew consisted of just three people who knew what they were about and were very helpful.  I chose four villas to be shown in the film which were on my listings at that time and the beauty of the island was captured in the film so the whole exercise was very worthwhile.

Returning to the UK and having seen the programme shown on television, I began to think about the advantages of a professional film for the promotion of overseas property.  I realised that it was essential to use the services of a company that had experience, qualifications and professionalism in filming as there are so many companies who make videos who do more harm than good and indeed I have seen some of the very top developers in overseas property making the most terrible mistake of going for the cheapest option with the result that the film they have spent money on has ruined their image.  I must admit that there are also some video companies who charge horrendous fees to their clients and still make a bad job of it.  It is very important, therefore, I feel to make sure the Company you deal with is a member of the main governing bodies in the filming industry and have a good track record.

I made sure that the Company I commissioned to film in Spain for me had all the essential criteria and I was subsequently delighted with the results.  The film ”Safe Buying” on my website is the product of a professional production company based in Dorset namely Raya Films who are twice award winners for best documentary and members of IOV and IVCA… and it didn’t break the bank either.

Would like to hear from others who have experience in filming.

all for now

Eugenie

You can mix pleasure with business!

One of the advantages of the job I do, is that I can mix pleasure with business as I travel frequently to different parts of the world.  A lot of my travelling has involved trips to various areas in Spain and some years ago, my husband decided to sail to Spain across the English Channel and then taking the mast down motored through the heavenly French Canals when I accompanied him.  We did this in brief hops as we both had to work.   We eventually left France and sailed through the Gulf of Lions in a very heavy swell when our engine packed up and we drifted eventually into a lovely little bay named “Port Ligat” on the Costa Brava.  Friendly French fellow yachtsmen helped us repair the engine and we continued to sail to Empuriabrava (Bay of Rosas) where we were to moor for a year.   No sooner had we moored up than I received a phone call from England from a couple who had been looking at the possibility of buying a property on the Costa del sol, so I put my ‘property hat’ on, hired a car and drove to Barcelona airport and bought a ticket to Malaga where I met them in and proceeded on a three day inspection trip with them.   They bought a lovely property and became our good friends.
 
I am off to Spain again this week where our yacht is moored in a delightful yachting Marina in Almerimar near Almeria and will be involved in business during this time, but these days it is not necessary to be chained to an office desk with the advent of mobile phones, lap tops etc.  My UK office sends a text message if there is something which needs my attention and it is easy to send an email or phone from my mobile phone whilst sitting enjoying a sun-downer on board a yacht watching the sun go down.
 
All for now from sunny Spain!
 
Eugenie