Murcia looks set to be the next big destination in Spain and buyers may want to consider their investment options here, if one local agent is to be believed.

Steve Long, chief executive officer of CasaCalida Property Group, has highlighted several attractions that make the Spanish region stand out.

Among them are Europe’s largest shopping mall, a new continental airport and the proposed development of the Paramount theme park.

Mr Long commented: "I have been telling people for years that Murcia is the best place in Spain, if not in Europe, to invest in property."

He added there are comparatively few Spanish real estate developments on the market in the area, which means demand will far outweigh supply should the projected visitor numbers - of three to five million tourists each year - for the new amusement park prove to be correct.

In December last year, Proyectos Emblematicos Murcianos SA, the promoter behind the Paramount attraction, announced it would complete the purchase of the land required for the project on February 6th.
 

There has been a significant increase in the number of properties being put on the market in the French Riviera in the first month of this year.

EstateNetFrance revealed nearly 16 per cent more homes were for sale in January, compared to December.

This also represents a 12 per cent rise in comparison to the same month in 2010.

According to the organisation, many sellers were waiting until the new tax regulations relating to property in France came into force at the start of January to put their houses up for sale.

In addition, assets that had previously been taken off the market have been listed again, increasing the pool of available real estate.

The company pointed out it is a "buyer’s market" in France, even in the luxury sector on the French Riviera, where the average price of a high-end home has fallen below €2 million (£1.7 million) for the first time.

Last month, EstateNetFrance asserted buyers still view property on the French Riviera as "a secure, long-term investment", which is why there was substantial growth in the number of real estate transactions recorded in the area during 2011.