Portugal's Algarve, located at Europe's westernmost tip and boasting 100 miles of Atlantic coastline, could be Europe's most famous secret. This region boasts Europe's best beaches, Europe's best golf courses, some of Europe's friendliest folk, and Western Europe's lowest cost of living. It's also Europe's newest tax haven.

European retirees have recognized all that the Algarve has to offer for a long time, and this sunny coastal region is the chosen destination for more than 100,000 of them. Beyond Europe, the Algarve is largely ignored as a retirement haven. However, if a Continental lifestyle appeals to you and don't have the budget for France, Italy, or Spain, this could be an appealing alternative.

A couple of weeks ago I speculated that in terms of the UK mortgage market it is not a matter of when interest rates will rise but how quickly, and now we have a bit of a clearer idea after Chancellor George Osborne announced in his Mansion House Speech that the Bank of England will get new powers to intervene in the mortgage market.

A disappointed management team from the Direção Geral do Território has regretfully decided in conjunction with Loulé council to extend the deadline for the submission of land registration data for properties in the municipality until November 30, 2014.

The decision comes after urgent discussions between Loulé council and the government body resulting in an emergency motion being passed in the Loulé assembly to extend the deadline for the submission of registration forms by property owners. The last deadline was 31 December, 2013 but so few had bothered to register that the data collected was un-useable.

This might be your last chance! The property market in the Algarve has quickly taken a turn and the good deals are quickly disappearing. If you are still looking for your ideal home in the sunny Algarve, book your visit today.

The latest index figures suggest that the UK house prices are rising strongly although it is interesting to see that other reports suggest that growth in the prime central London market appears to be waning.

Data from the Halifax shows that in May prices increased by 3.9%, a sign that growth in the market does not seem to be softening. Most experts agree that monthly figures can be volatile so it is interesting that the Halifax data also shows the quarterly figures to be strong.

Apolónia and its backers say that the cost of a proposed commercial centre, off the Couleur France roundabout near Karting Almancil at the western entrance to Almancil, is put at €49 million.

The two level 'Alma Plaza Lifestyle Center' includes a cinema, a clinic, play areas, shops and restaurants which it is suggested will create up to 505 direct jobs and 210 indirect jobs.

Parque da Floresta in Vila do Bispo in the west Algarve still has some assets to dissolve and the two companies involved in the development are having land and properties sold off at public auction.

Quinta da Colina, Sociedade Urbanizadora has 51 properties under the hammer and Vale da Raposa, Empreendimentos Turisticos has 31.

The property market appears once again to be moving with properties that have been on the market for years, finally finding buyers.

Zoie Hawker from Fine & Country real estate confirmed that things are looking up as more properties at the higher end of the market are selling. “Enquiries are increasing, mostly from the French, British and Germans but sales are regularly held up due to discrepancies in the property paperwork. Lawyers are progressively more diligent in their searches and it can take a long time to sort out any problems.”