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Slovakia Investment Property Newsletter
August 2005 - Issue # 11
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Last days of August...the holiday season is coming to the
end and life in Slovakia is slowly getting back to the
(business) usual.
Yet in our newsletter we will, for the next few months,
stay in holiday mood and carry on with our coverage of
Slovakia's most popular tourist attractions.
And, if you have not yet visited, don't miss the chance
to discover this country full of historic heritage and
natural beauty while early autumn with sun and mild
temperatures makes a visit all the more pleasurable.
In this issue you will find:
1. Exciting News on Slovak Sky
2. Europe's Last unspoiled Winter Paradise
3. Your Questions Answered (mortgages)
4. Win a Bottle of 'Tokaj'! (Prize Draw)
5. Tell Us What You Think!
===================== FEATURE EDITORIAL =================
1) Exciting News on Slovak Sky
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While the Bratislava (M.R.Stefanik) Airport, experiencing
extraordinary growth in passenger numbers, is getting ready
for privatization, Bratislava will be welcoming new low
cost airlines bringing visitors - among others - from the
UK and Ireland.
British visitors, already having a choice of direct flights
from London, Birmingham and Manchester with the budget
carriers EasyJet, Sky Europe and Air Slovakia, will benefit
from new offers by Ryan Air. The company is starting direct
daily Bratislava flights from London-Stansted (from 30 October).
Irish residents traveling to Bratislava, until now faced with
the option of flying to Vienna airport (just 40 km from the
Slovak capital) or through London, will be pleased to know
that the Slovakia-based carrier Sky Europe is introducing
direct flights from/to Dublin, starting on 14 October.
And, for the first time, Britons will be able to fly from
London to the northern Slovak town of Poprad - the gateway
to the High Tatras. Sky Europe's London (Stansted) - Poprad
flights will be available from 3 December, in time for the
winter skiing season opening.
Ryan Air has also announced potential interest in flying
to Poprad, possibly starting as early as spring 2006.
Links:
http://www.airportbratislava.sk
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2) Europe's Last unspoiled Winter Paradise
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The Low Tatras (Nizke Tatry) - an 80 km long mountain range
in central Slovakia - lie south of the High Tatras and
run west-eastwards. Most of the area is protected as the
Low Tatras National Park (NAPANT).
With an area of 810 km2 the Low Tatras are Slovakia's
largest mountain range. While the highest peak (at 2042 m)
is Dumbier, it is the #2, Chopok (2024 m), that is the most
visited, thanks to a cable car access.
The Chopok mountain offers a total of 28 km of ski slopes.
The chair-lifts, cable cars and lifts have, together, the
capacity for transporting 20,150 passengers per hour.
Skiing conditions remain excellent until late spring.
On the north side (Chopok-Sever), in Demanovska Valley -
the most visited valley in the Low Tatras - lies Slovakia's
best and most popular ski resort - Jasna.
In the summer and between seasons Jasna is a gateway for
hiking, cycling, as well as fishing and water sports on
the nearby Liptovska Mara water reservoir.
Other attractive and highly popular ski resorts are Tale,
situated in the Bystra Valley, and Certovica.
The most important tourist centre in the western part of
the Low Tatras is the ski resort of Donovaly. Donovaly,
one of the most frequented resorts in Slovakia, also
gained international appeal thanks to holding the annual
World Championship of Sled Dog Racing.
The densely forested Low Tatras are virtually untouched.
Visitors can savour beautiful unspoiled nature, wild animals
(among others bears, wolfs, mountain goats), a rich world
of flowers, and explore several well-known caves.
Skiing, snowboarding, skialpinism, hiking, paragliding,
rafting and water sports are among the many activities
that attract thousands of Slovak holiday makers - and
increasingly foreign visitors - to the Low Tatras year
after year.
After a long day of skiing or hiking visitors can enjoy
the thermal waters and wellness facilities of the region's
renowned spas - Besenova, Aquapark Tatralandia, Liptovsky
Jan, as well as swimming in Krpacovo and Liptovska Mara.
With new hotels and gradual improvement of service facilities
Slovakia's largest and most untouched mountains have the
potential to become popular as one of Europe's last
unspoiled winter hideaways.
For further information please visit:
http://www.nizketatry.sk/en.html (detailed information)
http://www.nizketatry.info/ (general)
http://www.nizketatry.sk/obce/obce.html (L.Tatras villages, resorts)
http://www.chopok-jasna.sk/ (Jasna ski resort)
http://www.parksnow.sk/donovaly-zima/en/index.php (Donovaly)
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3) Your Questions Answered
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"Is it true that only EU citizen can obtain a mortgage in
Slovakia?"
No, the lenders in Slovakia do not restrict any foreign
citizen's ability to take out a mortgage. Non-residents
purchasing or owning a Slovak property can obtain a local
mortgage under more or less the same conditions as Slovak
citizens.
In order to obtain a loan, all applicants must provide
proof of sufficient income - the lenders do not allow
self-certification and (future) rental income is not taken
into account. Maximum age (at which the mortgage has to be
paid off) is 65.
For detailed information on Slovak mortgages, please send
a BLANK email to: finance@slovakiainvestmentproperty.com.
If you have any question you want to see answered here,
please send it to us: contact@slovakiainvestmentproperty.com
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4) WIN a Bottle of 'Tokaj'! (Prize Draw)
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As every month, it is again time to give one of you the
chance to win a bottle of Slovakia's famous Tokaj wine
(or Tokay as it is known internationally).
The lucky July winner is Mr. H. Leung. Congratulations!
All you have to do to be entered into the prize draw is email
your answer to our Question of the Month before 15 September to:
competition@slovakiainvestmentproperty.com.
It's as easy as that! We will contact the winner to obtain
the postal address. Good luck!
Question: What is your current budget for a potential
1. Slovakia property purchase
2. overseas property purchase (all except your home country)
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5) Tell Us What You Think!
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We would love to hear what you think of this issue of our
newsletter. We hope you find the information useful and
wish you best success in your investment activities.
And of course, if you have any suggestions for upcoming
issues that you'd like to share with us, please send them!
Just e-mail us at: contact@slovakiainvestmentproperty.com
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We are looking forward to seeing you next month. In the
meantime, if you have any questions or would like to
request further information, please contact us at
info@slovakiainvestmentproperty.com or at
+44 (0)207 152 4014.
Best of success,
Petra Gajdosikova
Managing Director
Slovakia Investment Property
www.slovakiainvestmentproperty.com
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Copyright 2004-2005, Slovakia Investment Property
All rights reserved
Slovakia Investment Property is a trading name of
Alpha Real Estate Investments Limited