https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/category/columnists/ Best Expat Newspaper in Spain Mon, 28 Apr 2025 09:04:00 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://www.theolivepress.es/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/oplogo-favicon-150x150.png https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/category/columnists/ 32 32 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/04/30/chaos-continues-housing-problems-in-spain-not-solved-as-tourist-rental-law-comes-into-force-writes-property-insider-adam-neale/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/04/30/chaos-continues-housing-problems-in-spain-not-solved-as-tourist-rental-law-comes-into-force-writes-property-insider-adam-neale/#respond Wed, 30 Apr 2025 10:44:00 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=409368 SPAIN’S housing crisis has entered a new phase of uncertainty and tension as sweeping reforms to tourist rental laws took effect on April 3, 2025. The changes, driven by the]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/04/30/chaos-continues-housing-problems-in-spain-not-solved-as-tourist-rental-law-comes-into-force-writes-property-insider-adam-neale/feed/ 0 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/04/29/ever-higher-marbellas-luxury-market-set-to-continue-growth-writes-property-insider-adam-neale/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/04/29/ever-higher-marbellas-luxury-market-set-to-continue-growth-writes-property-insider-adam-neale/#respond Tue, 29 Apr 2025 08:22:01 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=409353 THE March release of the Knight Frank Wealth Report is another clear sign that Marbella’s trajectory as a luxury home destination is set to continue. The annual report looks at]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/04/29/ever-higher-marbellas-luxury-market-set-to-continue-growth-writes-property-insider-adam-neale/feed/ 0 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/04/28/clock-is-ticking-is-it-the-end-of-holiday-rentals-in-spain-asks-the-property-insider-adam-neale/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/04/28/clock-is-ticking-is-it-the-end-of-holiday-rentals-in-spain-asks-the-property-insider-adam-neale/#respond Mon, 28 Apr 2025 08:20:48 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=409347 BIG changes have come in about how tourist rental apartments are regulated. Very big changes. If you already have an apartment that you rent out on Airbnb these will be]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/04/28/clock-is-ticking-is-it-the-end-of-holiday-rentals-in-spain-asks-the-property-insider-adam-neale/feed/ 0 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/04/26/mullins-it-over-rather-than-complaining-about-tourists-locals-in-spain-should-complain-about-building-standards-writes-charlie-mullins/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/04/26/mullins-it-over-rather-than-complaining-about-tourists-locals-in-spain-should-complain-about-building-standards-writes-charlie-mullins/#comments Sat, 26 Apr 2025 07:30:00 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=409014 IT’S my first Easter as a proper member of the ex-pat community.  Sure I’ve been here over the bank holiday before, but now I’ve decided to become a permanent fixture]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/04/26/mullins-it-over-rather-than-complaining-about-tourists-locals-in-spain-should-complain-about-building-standards-writes-charlie-mullins/feed/ 2 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/04/15/expanding-horizons-chocolate-is-not-just-for-easter-but-what-is-susannah-grants-favourite-spanish-choccy-treat/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/04/15/expanding-horizons-chocolate-is-not-just-for-easter-but-what-is-susannah-grants-favourite-spanish-choccy-treat/#respond Tue, 15 Apr 2025 07:30:00 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=406235 WITH Easter fast approaching my thoughts are turning to chocolate. Apparently, the price of cocoa beans has more than doubled in the past year. Ghana and the Côte d’Ivoire, which]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/04/15/expanding-horizons-chocolate-is-not-just-for-easter-but-what-is-susannah-grants-favourite-spanish-choccy-treat/feed/ 0 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/03/12/the-good-the-bad-and-the-irresponsible-the-governments-housing-reforms-are-a-terrible-idea-writes-property-insider-adam-neale/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/03/12/the-good-the-bad-and-the-irresponsible-the-governments-housing-reforms-are-a-terrible-idea-writes-property-insider-adam-neale/#respond Wed, 12 Mar 2025 11:00:00 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=409360 WHEN Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a raft of new property proposals, not just the country but half the world followed it up. Proposed to improve a range of]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/03/12/the-good-the-bad-and-the-irresponsible-the-governments-housing-reforms-are-a-terrible-idea-writes-property-insider-adam-neale/feed/ 0 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/03/03/expanding-horizons-as-ai-is-brought-in-it-still-takes-good-old-fashioned-humans-to-fix-problems-or-simply-book-a-table-in-madrid/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/03/03/expanding-horizons-as-ai-is-brought-in-it-still-takes-good-old-fashioned-humans-to-fix-problems-or-simply-book-a-table-in-madrid/#respond Mon, 03 Mar 2025 14:05:02 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=397629 WE live in Bot City. Bots are driving me dotty. Whatever happened to personalised customer service? We are constantly subjected to endless algorithm-driven adverts, but where is the human element]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/03/03/expanding-horizons-as-ai-is-brought-in-it-still-takes-good-old-fashioned-humans-to-fix-problems-or-simply-book-a-table-in-madrid/feed/ 0 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/02/20/ambiguous-and-alarming-marbella-property-expert-chris-clover-insists-the-governments-proposed-new-controversial-housing-measures-could-create-disruption-and-wont-solve-the-crisis/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/02/20/ambiguous-and-alarming-marbella-property-expert-chris-clover-insists-the-governments-proposed-new-controversial-housing-measures-could-create-disruption-and-wont-solve-the-crisis/#comments Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:01:37 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=395513 AS a real estate expert in Marbella with over five decades of experience, I feel compelled to respond to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’ plans for tackling the housing crisis. Among]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/02/20/ambiguous-and-alarming-marbella-property-expert-chris-clover-insists-the-governments-proposed-new-controversial-housing-measures-could-create-disruption-and-wont-solve-the-crisis/feed/ 1 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/02/12/looking-good-2025-another-strong-year-coming-on-the-costa-del-sol-writes-olive-press-property-insider-adam-neale/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/02/12/looking-good-2025-another-strong-year-coming-on-the-costa-del-sol-writes-olive-press-property-insider-adam-neale/#respond Wed, 12 Feb 2025 06:59:00 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=393521 NOBODY can agree on the exact numbers for the growth of prices and sales in the Spanish housing market, but everyone is agreed that they will be strong. That applies]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2025/02/12/looking-good-2025-another-strong-year-coming-on-the-costa-del-sol-writes-olive-press-property-insider-adam-neale/feed/ 0 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/11/16/what-to-do-if-buying-a-property-in-spain-as-sterling-exchange-rates-become-increasingly-volatile/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/11/16/what-to-do-if-buying-a-property-in-spain-as-sterling-exchange-rates-become-increasingly-volatile/#respond Sat, 16 Nov 2024 12:13:06 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=374883 IF you’re considering buying property in Spain, recent fluctuations in the pound-euro exchange rate are definitely something to keep an eye on. The start of the month saw the pound]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/11/16/what-to-do-if-buying-a-property-in-spain-as-sterling-exchange-rates-become-increasingly-volatile/feed/ 0 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/11/15/is-malaga-the-new-barcelona-olive-press-property-insider-adam-neale-revisits-a-question-he-first-posed-for-us-a-decade-ago/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/11/15/is-malaga-the-new-barcelona-olive-press-property-insider-adam-neale-revisits-a-question-he-first-posed-for-us-a-decade-ago/#respond Fri, 15 Nov 2024 11:39:47 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=374854 ALMOST 10 years ago I wrote an article comparing the cities of Malaga and Barcelona.  “Is Malaga the new Barcelona?” I asked in my regular article in the Olive Press. ]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/11/15/is-malaga-the-new-barcelona-olive-press-property-insider-adam-neale-revisits-a-question-he-first-posed-for-us-a-decade-ago/feed/ 0 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/10/21/real-estate-regulations-in-dubai-are-a-model-for-spain-writes-adam-neale/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/10/21/real-estate-regulations-in-dubai-are-a-model-for-spain-writes-adam-neale/#respond Mon, 21 Oct 2024 12:47:34 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=369268 I HAVE previously written about the lack of regulation and professionalisation in the real estate brokerage sector. Outside of Catalunya and Valencia, Spain is basically a Wild West free-for-all. Anyone]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/10/21/real-estate-regulations-in-dubai-are-a-model-for-spain-writes-adam-neale/feed/ 0 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/09/21/winds-of-change-housing-and-tourism-crisis-is-changing-spains-property-market-with-bans-on-short-term-lets-increasingly-likely/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/09/21/winds-of-change-housing-and-tourism-crisis-is-changing-spains-property-market-with-bans-on-short-term-lets-increasingly-likely/#respond Sat, 21 Sep 2024 10:58:00 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=361648 IT’s already been another bumper year for tourism in Spain. According to the national statistics institute the number of visitors had reached over 53 million by the end of July,]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/09/21/winds-of-change-housing-and-tourism-crisis-is-changing-spains-property-market-with-bans-on-short-term-lets-increasingly-likely/feed/ 0 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/08/25/spains-real-estate-market-is-back-to-a-normal-and-healthy-growth-pattern-says-property-insider-adam-neale/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/08/25/spains-real-estate-market-is-back-to-a-normal-and-healthy-growth-pattern-says-property-insider-adam-neale/#respond Sun, 25 Aug 2024 09:30:00 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=355307 THE Spanish real estate market continues to show significant strength, suggesting further growth in the coming years. However, to see this trend requires looking at some of the figures in]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/08/25/spains-real-estate-market-is-back-to-a-normal-and-healthy-growth-pattern-says-property-insider-adam-neale/feed/ 0 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/08/11/expanding-horizons-spain-rings-the-changes-in-original-nuptials-writes-susannah-grant/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/08/11/expanding-horizons-spain-rings-the-changes-in-original-nuptials-writes-susannah-grant/#respond Sun, 11 Aug 2024 11:09:06 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=351248 Summer is here, the hydrangeas are in full dove-white bloom and love is in the air. According to the National Statistics Institute (INE), weddings in Spain were up more than]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/08/11/expanding-horizons-spain-rings-the-changes-in-original-nuptials-writes-susannah-grant/feed/ 0 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/07/27/is-a-blanket-airbnb-ban-the-solution-to-spains-long-term-rental-housing-crisis-property-expert-adam-neale-weighs-in/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/07/27/is-a-blanket-airbnb-ban-the-solution-to-spains-long-term-rental-housing-crisis-property-expert-adam-neale-weighs-in/#comments Sat, 27 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=345977 I had just finished writing the last piece on the explosive appearance of movements against ‘tourist massification’ and legal changes to tourist apartment rentals when news appeared that Barcelona was]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/07/27/is-a-blanket-airbnb-ban-the-solution-to-spains-long-term-rental-housing-crisis-property-expert-adam-neale-weighs-in/feed/ 1 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/06/30/marbella-is-being-flooded-with-huge-real-estate-companies-but-is-this-a-bad-sign-for-the-market-property-expert-adam-neale-gives-his-verdict/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/06/30/marbella-is-being-flooded-with-huge-real-estate-companies-but-is-this-a-bad-sign-for-the-market-property-expert-adam-neale-gives-his-verdict/#respond Sun, 30 Jun 2024 11:00:00 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=338299 A STRING of huge names in international real estate have either opened or are set to open offices over the coming months. These include the likes of The Agency (115]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/06/30/marbella-is-being-flooded-with-huge-real-estate-companies-but-is-this-a-bad-sign-for-the-market-property-expert-adam-neale-gives-his-verdict/feed/ 0 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/06/30/revealed-the-olympic-fencing-champion-turned-nazi-stormtrooper-and-bodyguard-to-hitler-who-made-his-home-in-spain-and-helped-nazis-flee-to-argentina/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/06/30/revealed-the-olympic-fencing-champion-turned-nazi-stormtrooper-and-bodyguard-to-hitler-who-made-his-home-in-spain-and-helped-nazis-flee-to-argentina/#respond Sun, 30 Jun 2024 09:27:33 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=338305 AT first glance the funeral in Madrid seemed like nothing out of the ordinary. It was a warm June day in 1975 and the few dozen mourners initially lowered their]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/06/30/revealed-the-olympic-fencing-champion-turned-nazi-stormtrooper-and-bodyguard-to-hitler-who-made-his-home-in-spain-and-helped-nazis-flee-to-argentina/feed/ 0 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/06/14/expanding-horizons-friend-dating-in-spain-is-not-as-hard-as-you-think-writes-susannah-grant/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/06/14/expanding-horizons-friend-dating-in-spain-is-not-as-hard-as-you-think-writes-susannah-grant/#respond Fri, 14 Jun 2024 09:12:56 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=333387 One of the conversations that frequently crops up amongst expats is how to make friends as an adult when you move abroad.In a country where a lot of people are]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/06/14/expanding-horizons-friend-dating-in-spain-is-not-as-hard-as-you-think-writes-susannah-grant/feed/ 0 https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/06/01/the-character-of-spains-costa-del-sol-has-seen-a-huge-transformation-over-the-past-couple-of-decades-writes-property-expert-adam-neale/ https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/06/01/the-character-of-spains-costa-del-sol-has-seen-a-huge-transformation-over-the-past-couple-of-decades-writes-property-expert-adam-neale/#respond Sat, 01 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000 https://www.theolivepress.es/?p=331882 SINCE development began in the 1950s, the Costa del Sol has been defined by spectacular growth in high-end tourism. This growth vaulted Malaga province into Spain’s top destination for travellers]]> https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/06/01/the-character-of-spains-costa-del-sol-has-seen-a-huge-transformation-over-the-past-couple-of-decades-writes-property-expert-adam-neale/feed/ 0