Cape Verde Property

In 2005 a new airport (IATA airport code: RAI, Praia) was opened in the capital Praia and from November 2006 there have been direct flights from UK airports. As competition between the carriers increases lower airfares are set to follow. If you’re thinking of investing in Cape Verde but aren’t too familiar with the islands, why not take an inspection visit and enjoy a holiday at the same time.

Private investors expect that the large island of Santiago, 200 kilometres southwest of Sal, will soon be opened to charter tourism. A huge tourism infrastructure is already being built outside Praia. The capital is now surrounded by large luxury hotels and beach resorts.

Just 14 kms northeast or Praia, the small village of São Francisco, is also set to receive large numbers of charter tourists. As the Sambala tourist village facilities come on line close to the airport, more and more flights will switch from the old Sal airport.

Up until recently, to get to the Cape Verde Islands from the UK you’d have to take up to three separate flights and the whole journey could take you up to 14 hours including waiting for connecting flights.

Now you can take direct flights from Amsterdam, Paris or Lisbon in around 8 hours and from the UK in under 6 hours.

There are flights to Sal Island from Lisbon every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday and every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday into Santiago.

Amsterdam is the interchange point each Thursday and from Paris you can reach Sal every Monday.

New routes from the UK
Since November 2006 there have been direct flights to Praia, Santiago from Birmingham. This summer (2007) a second direct route to Cape Verde is to be launched.

The flights will go direct from London Gatwick to the island of Boa Vista once a week. It will take around 6 hours and cost around £377 including all taxes, fees and charges.

Alternatively, you can still fly though major European cities like Paris, Lisbon, Amsterdam, and Las Palmas and Gran Canaria. America is already linked by flights out of Boston, New York, Houston and Atlanta. These European and American flights land on the island of Sal.

There will be more and more flights between Praia and the UK over the next year or so. Soon, we might even see direct flights from Stansted, Leeds and Bristol.

The new Praia airport has made a huge difference to Cape Verde travel. It can handle bulk carriers like the Airbus 320 and Boeing 757 and 737 making it attractive to budget airlines, meaning cheaper flights for you!

The climate, beautiful scenery and wonderful beaches make Cape Verde one of the top tourist destinations for 2007. If you’re thinking of buying here, book an inspection visit and come and see for yourself!

Up to date flight information can be found at http://www.teletickettravel.com and www.tacv.cv

New development property can be found throughout the Cape Verde Archipelago, in Ponte Preta (Sal Island), in particular. Cape Verde is widely regarded as the hottest new investment area in 2007.

The Cape Verde Islands
Cape Verde is located 400 miles from the west coast of Africa. It’s made up of ten islands and eight islets. The official language of Cape Verde is Portuguese. But most Cape Verdeans speak the national language, Crioulo.

Cape Verde has a warm, dry climate, with average annual temperatures that range from 68 °F (20 °C) to 77 °F (25 °C). It’s rarely too hot in summer or too cold in winter.

Cape Verde is known for its spectacular mountain scenery and stunning deserted beaches with crystal clear warm waters.

Each of the islands has it’s own distinct character – from the lush and lively Santiago to the sandy and salty Sal, and from the volcanic Sao Nicolau to the diving paradise of Boa Vista.

The government here are preparing for a huge increase in tourism on the islands and are expanding the infrastructure accordingly. They need to accommodate the increasing number of visitors attracted to this unusual but very beautiful destination.

New Developments on Cape Verde
Some of the finest new developments on the archipelago can be found in Ponta Preta, Sal.

Capeverde4sale.com are offering a selection 1 and 2 bedroom apartments as well as stunning detached villas, front-line to the beach in the Santa Maria area (Ponta Preta, Sal). Santa Maria’s unspoilt sandy beaches are the best on the island. From here it’s just a ten-minute taxi drive to the airport.

These apartments are the highest of quality with surrounding large-style pools and all only a few metres from the beach. There are a total of 392 low-rise apartments spread over 3 phases. Starting prices are as low as €103,600 and they are expected to sell fast!

Villas start at €280,500. For this price you’ll get an exclusive luxury detached villas, front-line onto the beach with the highest of specifications – 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, marble floors, air conditioning and your own private swimming pool.

Buyers Guide
Two of the most lucrative investment options are off plan and buy to let.

Off Plan
Off plan buying is ideal as you get your home now when the price is at it’s lowest. With off plan, the property price is fixed up front and for an average capital outlay of 30 per cent at the launch stage of an off plan development, you can spread payments over 18 to 24 months. The advantage of this is that you only need a small mortgage and will also enjoy substantial savings on interest.

When the development is finished you can either sell before taking the title deeds or rent it out on a short or long term basis.

Buy to let
In buy to let situation, you buy a property and rent it out as soon as possible. Ideally the rent should cover the cost of your mortgage and if you’ve planned it well, you might even have some money left over.

Getting to Cape Verde
In summer 2007 (within the next few months) a second direct route from Cape Verde is to be launched.

The flights will go direct from London Gatwick to the island of Boa Vista once a week. It will take around 6 hours and cost around £377 including all taxes, fees and charges.

Alternatively, you can go through the major European cities of Paris, Lisbon, Amsterdam, and Las Palmas and Gran Canaria.