On the 11th of April, Christie’s International Real Estate - Costa del Sol team held a property event in Tallinn, Estonia. The objective was to present the beauty of the Costa del Sol and its incredible lifestyle to individuals and agencies interested in buying and investing in the area. The event was held in collaboration with Christie´s Real Estate Signature Estonia. The organisers were very satisfied with the outcome of the meeting. In addition to strengthening ties between the two European agencies for future business operations, the attendees showed great interest in the supply of luxury properties in Marbella, Malaga and the surrounding area. The best areas according to Christie’s experts were pointed out and examples of the Costa del Sol’s select portfolio were provided.

A very full agenda to present the Costa del Sol

The day took place in the elegant interior design and furniture studio Atelier, which lent its comfortable and stylish showroom for the scheduled agenda. After the official presentations, two conferences were led by members of Christie’s International Real Estate - Costa del Sol. On the one hand, Carmen de Arriaga, the company’s Marketing Director, updated the audience about the paradise that is the southern coast of Málaga. She highlighted the landscapes, the climate, the gastronomy, the multiculturalism and the excellent golf courses in the area, among other aspects. Among the areas that aroused most interest was the Golden Mile, Marbella East and Benahavis, on the western side of the coast; and Malaga centre, Malaga East and El Higuerón on the eastern side. After getting to know the Costa del Sol better, it was time for the legal and financial aspects. For this Wim Lamers, from Marbella-based company Welex, offered the fundamental keys to the correct real estate investment on the Spanish coast.

Finally, both the speakers and the CEO of Christie’s International Real Estate - Costa del Sol, Hans Veenhuijsen, kindly answered the numerous questions from the fifty or so attendees. Many of these focused on the contractual aspects of the buying process and its guarantees; others on the incredible boom that Malaga city is experiencing. Finally, there were many questions relating specifically to Marbella as the glamour queen of the Costa del Sol.

Very international attendees and a very relaxed atmosphere

The meeting was a great success with a very international audience and a very professional, but at the same time, very relaxed atmosphere. The attendees came not only from the host country, Estonia, but also from Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands among others. This shows the enormous interest in the Costa del Sol in Northern European countries. We must remember that more than one hundred and fifty nationalities live together in total harmony on the Costa del Sol’s coastline. The foreign residents are still mainly English and German. However, the presence of the "Nordics" (i.e. Swedes, Finns, Norwegians, Danes and even Dutch and Belgians) has always been very high.

In recent years, the "new Nordics" have burst onto the scene. This is the case of the Estonians who, according to the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE), are increasing every year. An example of this focus on the Costa del Sol by the Estonians is the case of the television programme "Eluga Hispaaniasse". This reality show, starring Harri Tiidus and his wife Veronika Vallimäe-Tiidus, described in detail how the couple emigrated from Tallinn to Malaga. This step-by-step move to Spain was a television hit in the country.

At the level of luxury property investors, the interest is even greater. It has been proven that the Costa del Sol is a safe investment, revaluable, with rental or resale potential and, of course, with three hundred days of sunshine a year. These factors, and others mentioned at Christie’s meeting, mean that the demand for first-hand, expert information about the luxury property market on the Costa del Sol is now essential.

Luxury hosts

Christie’s International Real Estate subsidiary in Estonia, Signature Collection, led by its CEO, Tauno Loodus, ensured that everything went as planned and gave a warm welcome to the Spanish members who travelled to their area. The agency has very experienced agents, some with more than a decade of experience in the housing market. Interestingly, among the professionals on their team was a member who already knew Spain very well, having lived for many years in the Canary Islands. The rapport between all the agents present was instantaneous and served to reaffirm one another between companies that, after all, share the same values and objectives as the wider Christie’s International Real Estate family.

A very chic end to the party

After the main events, the participants were presented with corporate gifts which included not only information about the Costa del Sol but also beautiful gifts with typical Spanish products, such as extra virgin olive oil from Jaen or high-quality national almonds.

A coquettish and very private cocktail party then began. The DJ’s music livened up the evening and delicate catering with champagne helped to break the ice, generate networking and potential business opportunities. Other important partners were also present in the room. On one side, the world’s leading luxury services and management firm Quintessentially; and on the other, the multi-brand boutique with exclusive fashion from contemporary designers, Maximalist, who set up a corner with examples of their garments and gave a very chic touch to the ambience.

From Christie’s International Real Estate - Costa del Sol the feeling was not only one of great personal satisfaction and appreciation of the event’s overall success, but also of great appreciation for the organisational efforts of their Estonian colleagues. It is hoped that this will lead to future and closer collaborations for sales in both Estonia and Spain.

Very active networking

This event is part of a planned programme to strengthen ties with Christie’s International Real Estate’s vast network. Last year the Marbella team was the main sponsor of the "Forbes Gala XI" in the Czech Republic, and just a few months ago attended the "Official Christie’s Christmas Party" in London, to name but a few examples. It should be noted that Christie’s International Real Estate network has 900 offices around the world, a global portfolio of more than 11,000 very select properties, and property sales over the past five years have totalled $500,000 million.

About Christie’s

Finally, the original firm, CHRISTIE’S, has been in business for over 250 years. It is the number one auction and private sale company for products with the highest artistic and economic value on the market. It is present in five continents, in cities such as New York, Amsterdam, Moscow, Berlin, Rome, Japan, Dubai and Singapore, among others. It is a firm with history, with recognised prestige, with corporate responsibility, as it supports numerous educational and altruistic projects, and which today has a great future projection.