I think a lot of problems in the businesses here starts with the prices of the properties and seasonal demands.

Everybody knows that Marbella is a summer season tourist place and the business owners have to try their best to take the most within these two three months, from June till August. But business and living properties are just too expensive here. You can't ask 12 months of very high rent from one business and expect that business to survive. Only place where it might happen is Puerto Banus and even there this happens very rarely.

There are still businesses in Marbella that have to pay 20.000 - 36.000 eur per month like TGI Fridays in Puerto Banus or like some other restaurants inside the port. Maybe this is reasonable in the summer but how can they survive in winter? This actually makes business very hopeless, and in the worse case scenario they will collect as much money as they can and eventually will just run away, leaving behind nothing but debts. And I totally understand them, because you have no other option.

I think that the rent should be higher for about six months, during the summer season and in winter close to zero. You can only charge a business the necessary fees, then there might be a possibility to survive and carry on your business in the next year.

The good news is there are already some places where they charge more reasonable rent prices, something like 2000-6000 eur per month. But the reasonable prices can be found only in Marbella center.

For example few years ago in Puerto Banus (not inside of the port) 40m2 spaces were costing around 250 000 eur and now they are trying to sell them with 70-80 000 and they still can't get rid of them! And the strange part is that they won't let the price down at all, even if the whole house is empty and whatever lower price you offer them, their answer is no. What they are waiting for? Better opportunity? There are no better opportunities, this space will just stay empty. The same is in Cristamar Center. That is why it is so empty.

Inside of the port the properties cost two or more millions of euros per place. The rents are  between 6000-24 000 eur. But I must say they have already been coming down quite a lot, depending on how good are one's negotiation skills. That is why business always applies to the supply and demand rule. The market will put everything in its place and if the businesses in Puerto Banus are only opening in summer and closing in winter then something must be wrong. 

People, please don't wait for miracles. Just accept the circumstances and forget the golden times. Stop dreaming, get real!

To be continued ....

Annika Urm