For sale, this delightful cottage called Finca Pantano occupies a fabulous spot
in the heart of the Grazalema National Park overlooking the unspoilt lake and
the majestic mountains beyond. It's just 5 minutes from Zahara, 20 minutes from
Grazalema, 25 minutess from Ronda, and an hour from the airports at Jerez and
Seville (1hr30mins from Malaga).
The cottage underwent a full and sympathetic restoration around 4 years ago, and
has been finished to an extremely high standard throughout. It would be a great
place to live for someone on a more limited budget, but its size also makes it
an ideal weekend retreat or the perfect holiday home. It occupies a glorious
15,000m2 orchard with hundreds of mature trees, no near neighbours and some of
the best views in Europe. The surrounding area is rich in wildlife and fauna,
and has been blessed with wonders like the Garganta Verde (Europe's largest
Griffon Vulture nest site) and El Torreon, the tallest mountain in this part of
Spain. It's the perfect place to enjoy nature, and the land would suit anyone
with a pony or two - there are great walks and rides starting right at the
entrance!
The park area is highly protected and no development can spoil the natural
beauty of the area, nor the peace and quiet. The cottage has mains electricity
and a spring-fed well provides abundant free water. It would be possible to
connect 'Iberbanda' for broadband internet access, as well as a 'phone.
Unusually for this area, the cottage has been registered as a house (72m2) and
is entirely legal (that took over 2 years!).
The accommodation has been beautifully finished with period features, hand-made
terracotta tiled floors, exposed wooden ceilings, etc ... and was the subject of
a number of magazine 'decor' features following its renovation - these included
'Casa & Campo', 'Living Spain', 'Spain', and 'Spanish Homes'. There's a large
Sitting Room with a period stone fireplace and cast-iron log-burner, a fully
integrated country-style Kitchen, one Double Bedroom (currently furnished as a
twin), and a gorgeous Bathroom. There's a small attached storage shed, plus a
terrace and pergola'd dining area which makes the most of those incredible
breath-taking views.
There is an additional detached outbuilding which can be restored to provide a
second bedroom with an en-suite (or alternatively a studio or office).
Finca Pantano has been rented for holiday lets for the last 3 years, with an
average occupancy of an incredible 50 weeks per annum! Its location and quality
have made it extremely popular, and with weekly rents ranging from 350-750
pounds, the annual income is in excess of 25,000 euros (for 2007 it almost
reached 30,000). Any prospective purchaser is welcome to see the diary!! The
purchaser can take over the entire letting infrastructure (ie agents, websites,
cleaners, the family who tend the land, furnishings and accoutrements,
professional photographs for promotions, etc), and our bookings ... so the
transition will be smooth and painless.
Currently, the cottage is fully booked for March, April, May, June, July and
September, and already half booked for August and October, as well as next
Christmas
At this price level, it's virtually impossible to
find anything else in the park this close to the lake, and larger properties
reach three or four times this sum. The last comparable cottage was sold over
three years ago, and for more money. The cottage is lovely, but the situation is
unbeatable ... it's great for anyone wanting to relax in the midst of nature.
