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Taylor Woodrow de España

June 10, 2009 by Fractional & Shared Ownership Property News & Reviews · Leave a Comment

The Taylor Woodrow story started in 1921 when a young Frank Taylor, just sweet sixteen at the time, wanted to build two average family houses in Blackpool. He had to borrow £100 from his uncle Jack Woodrow but it turned out to be a wise move for both borrower and lender: their first property venture made a 100% profit. Nevertheless, the budding property entrepreneur was too young to form his own company, so he teamed up with his uncle Jack and founded “Taylor & Woodrow” as it was called at the time.

Their company’s housebuilding division, Taylor Woodrow Homes, soon became a household name. Behind the distinctive “four strong men pulling a rope” logo that represented teamwork (replaced by a new logo in 2001) is a brand that symbolises quality and security in the consumer’s mind, a powerful combination in the building industry, especially when combined with a focus on customer service and steady, strategic expansion. (And there’s a story behind the world famous logo: Frank Taylor asked his employees to come up with a logo and it was a foreman, who designed the original four man version, who won.)

From strength to strength
In 2001, Taylor Woodrow acquired Bryant Group, a long-standing UK home developer, and renamed its house building division Bryant Homes. One of the company’s biggest milestones is its merger in March 2007 with another British building giant, George Wimpey, to become Taylor Wimpey plc, a leader at the forefront of the UK’s construction industry.
Taylor Woodrow’s evolution is marked by numerous other milestones, some of which, arguably, changed the face of Britain. St. Katherine’s Dock, developed in the ‘70s, was an extremely ambitious private urban construction project and Taylor Woodrow was a founder member of the Channel Tunnel consortium at a time when “The Chunnel” was a groundbreaking project that only the most visionary undersea engineer could dream of. From pragmatic to artistic, Taylor Woodrow’s projects have included Main Street in Disneyland in Paris, John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, and the spectacular new Frank Gehry Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London which opened last summer. The strikingly beautiful pavilion, of large, “floating” glass panels and timbers hosts a series of talks and live events during the summer months.

Frank Taylor’s empire quickly diversified into hospitals, industrial and commercial buildings in various sectors, yet to the man in the street the Taylor Woodrow brand stands for quality family homes, whether that’s an affordable house in Manchester or a luxury villa in Mallorca.

Staying true to its philosophy of quality builds in sought-after locations with a focus on customer service, the company’s recently made a significant foray into fractional properties, mainly in Spain and the golf market. Despite a rich choice of holiday home locations available to them in the Mediterranean, British buyers have been more reticent in adopting the fractional model compared to their American counterparts who were early adopters and quickly recognised that fractional ownership wasn’t just a smart idea – it works. Across the pond, fractionals in the States have been tried and tested. They’re mainstream. While in Europe, for consumers who might be thinking of dipping their toes into fractional ownership, but are still warming up to the reality of investing in the concept, the new fractional properties by Taylor Woodrow in Spain make the water a lot more inviting.

Whole in one – fractional properties by Taylor Woodrow de España
Who’d have guessed that the fractional lifestyle would appeal equally to millionaires and those of us on a more restricted budget? While CEOs share yachts and jets, the rest of us can still soak up plenty of Spanish sunshine on the private terrace of a two-bedroom holiday apartment at Los Arqueros. Just down the road from La Zagaleta (the world-famous gated private golf and equestrian resort, an almost impenetrable millionaire’s hideaway, complete with helicopter landing pad) Los Arqueros is one of the coast’s most sought-after golf locations, close to Marbella yet far enough away to enjoy total peace and privacy and nestling against a beautiful mountain backdrop and plenty of greenery are Taylor Woodrow de España’s latest luxury fractional homes.

Frank Taylor founded Taylow Woodrow de España after he and his wife Christine fell in love with the island of Mallorca during his honeymoon. Their first residential development was on the east coast of Mallorca, in Canyamel, before they expanded throughout the “Costas” – Azahar, de la Luz, Dorada, Sol and Blanca on the mainland, and the Balearic islands of Ibiza, Menorca and Mallorca. By giving home buyers a piece of paradise as well as priceless peace of mind, Taylor Woodrow de España is, even now, the only major UK home
builder in Spain, with fifty-one years experience in the region.

Taylor Woodrow’s entry into the fractional market is relatively recent, but it seems the timing is right – could this be the year the fractional model comes of age? Victor Sague, Director of Taylor Woodrow de España, says he has observed a rise in the number of buyers wanting to get their foot on the ladder in Spain:

“Interest in purchasing Spanish properties remains strong. However, over the past year we have had an increasing number of enquiries from people who are house hunting at the lower end of the budget.”

Sague goes on to say that by opting to purchase a home using Fractional Ownership, buyers are able to own a share in a home they may not otherwise be able to afford. And in today’s market, most buyers remain reticent when it comes to investing to maximum limits. Fractionals satisfy the taste for the good life without the heavy financial commitment that can go hand in hand with outright freehold ownership.

As Sague concludes, “Fractional Ownership provides the ideal solution for those who want to enjoy the use of a holiday home in the sun but due to commitments such as work, they can only make use of the home for a few weeks per year. Fractional Ownership, in this instance, is an attractive proposition.”

A viable solution for today’s property hunters
As the property market evolves, so has Taylor Woodrow, whose entry into fractionals reflects their belief that not only is this a viable solution for today’s homehunters, it’s also an alternative way of buying that could
become mainstream.

Victor Sague explains, “Taylor Woodrow de Espana has only been participating in Fractional Ownership for the last couple of months, so we are very much testing the waters at present. To date, demand has been limited, but the peak season for house sales is approaching, so the next six months will definitely be revealing and help us to further understand the appeal of Fractional Sales in the UK market.”

At Taylor Woodrow’s development at Los Arqueros in Southern Spain, for example, buyers buy into the golf lifestyle as well as the benefits of an excellent location, quality development and convenient facilities. You’re not just buying a percentage of a holiday home, you’re buying the lifestyle that goes with it.

Los Robles and Las Encinas, both at Los Arqueros Golf and Country Club, are part of the overall resort which has been developed and designed by Taylor Woodrow during the last eight years. Close to a nature reserve, and a short drive in an open top jeep from Marbella town, it’s also airport accessible – just forty minutes from Malaga.

Los Arqueros was designed by Seve Ballesteros who describes it as an ideal course for all players – a challenger for the average golfer and testing enough for pros.

Both are Mediterranean village-style developments. Los Robles has 42, two and three-bedroom apartments arranged in low-rise style (in seven blocks on just three levels) which face south or southwest for maximum sunshine on the spacious balconies and views of the golf course and sea beyond.

Generous, light-filled living areas at Los Robles maximise Andalucia’s special light, and community facilities include adult and children’s pools, gardens, storage areas, underground parking and all the luxuries of resort living, such as a spa, gym, on-site restaurant, bar and clubhouse.

Residents at Las Encinas, which is smaller, with just 30 apartments, including garden apartments, or attics with solariums, can also enjoy all the resort amenities, including a sauna, shopping centre and tranquil,
green surroundings.

Los Arqueros is on the road to Ronda, an Andalucian gem of a town twenty minutes away that feels steeped in history and is, literally, steep. Split into two halves separated by a small bridge that crosses a deep gorge, on a misty winter’s afternoon it’s a magical place to wander through and stop off for a hot chocolate or a heady Rioja at one of the tapas bars down the side streets. Bandoleros roamed the hills around Ronda and the town even has its own bandolero museum, as well as a famous bullring. Ernest Hemingway, one of Ronda’s biggest fans, claimed it was the ideal place for a honeymoon, while Dubliner James Joyce described it more poetically:

“…Ronda, with the old windows of the houses, the eyes which spy out hidden behind the latticework so that their lover might kiss the iron bars and the taverns with half-closed doors in the night and the castanets and the night…”

Spain still reigns
Spain still tops most British property buyers’ wish lists, and despite the current economy, interest from the UK and Ireland, especially, remains strong. Fractional ownership continues to attract buyers keen to find out about this new way of owning a second home. To add to their peace of mind, Taylor Woodrow have partnered with the Safe Buying Experience to ensure their clients’ transactions are both smooth and watertight.

So, while the buying boom may be over, for a while at least, fractional ownership schemes from quality developers like Taylor Woodrow de España could provide just the boost developers and buyers are looking for, while keeping the “dream home” dream alive.

Prices
Las Encinas de los Arqueros 76,250
Euros for 1/4 share giving 13 weeks usage

Los Robles de los Arqueros 83,750
Euros for 1/4 share giving 13 weeks usage

For more information, visit:
www.golfingfractions.com
www.fractionalownershiptaylorwoodrow.com
www.taylorwoodrow.es

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