Prioritise your requirements and decide who you are marketing to.
Do not spend just for spending's sake. You will not get it back in your rental income.
If you are marketing to older people then why do you want an xBox (or similar)? If you buy one are you going to provide the software to go with it? EXPENSIVE! Or expect your client to bring it with them? I've not been asked if I have one in 6 years of renting and I've had loads of kids in our apartment.
But the thing that ALL ages want is some sort of iPod docking station - people like to listen the THEIR OWN music, not yours.
Yes, we have loads of DVDs, CDs and games in the apartment. Why loads? Because you have to cater for ALL tastes. But its taken us 6 years to build the collection. And when asked, people say they rarely watch the TV or a DVD in the Summer as they are out and about. Families with young children have tended to bring their own with them - ones they know that will keep the kids happy, so I wouldn't bother too much with these.
We have bikes available (foc). No-one has yet asked for them or used them in 6 years (our apartment is on Phase 2)
Regarding TV and WiFi, your only real option is Teleast - as they effectively have the monopoly on Roda. But you need to do your maths carefully - and get permission from your community president to put an aerial up as this is actually against the by-laws . At £20 a month for wifi and roughly the same for UK TV - and bear in mind that you have to pay every month not just in the summer - this is lot to "absorb" in your rental charge and remain competitive. What happens if you get a French or Portugese renter? Are you going to provide TV for them too? (yes we've had several of both nationalities).
If you go for Wi-fi from Telfonica it will cost you €40 amonth and you will have to pay to have the phone installed and for a line as well. All getting very expensive.
On phase 3B you will almost certainly find that you will be limited to Summer lets because, as you say, you are a long way from anywhere. The letting market is VERY tough at the moment. there are only a few people who are getting a good number of lets and they tend to be penthouses with EVERYTHING to hand on the roof.
Our apartment is on Phase 2, plus we manage one for a friend right down by the 1st green (Phase 3a???). Our first couple of years were excellent, the next 2 ok, but the last 2 have not been so good. The crunch is hitting everyone and not even the extras will get you the booking these days. Only price wins. And when there are people renting a 3-bed at £150 a week - which doesn't even cover standing costs let alone the hot water and air-con (which can cost a FORTIUNE in summer) - it makes my blood boil. One client of ours used €120 of electricity in a week! They left the air-con on at 16 degrees 24*7 - and then had the cheek to get the duvets out to keep warm in bed at night. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr
Sorry - don't want to sound negative - but the letting market is VERY competitive at the mo and buying some of the extras MAY help. But you will have to spend LOTS to win over everyone else.
This message was last edited by pommers on 13/03/2013.