What kind of properties do you specialise in?

Although we sell the whole range of properties, from land and shell form through to high-end farmhouses, penthouses, detached villas and developments, we specialise in properties which are essentially well finished or are in great locations. We encourage owners and developers to continue to raise the bar on quality finishing – if well executed and costed, this attracts more top-end buyers and speeds up the sale.

We cover all price ranges from a 300-year-old farmhouse in Għarb for €210,000 to a luxurious detached farmhouse for €1,750,000. We don’t list shell properties or land on our website – however, we are happy to help clients whatever their search requirements. We have received a lot of praise from our clients on the quality of our website and we recently won an award at the International Property Awards 2012-2013, the only Malta-based agency to do so.

Is the holiday property market healthy?

We have just come through several lean years, but this year there are signs that the market is picking up, both with foreigners and Maltese seeking homes either as holiday retreats or main residences. Most of our foreign clients tend to look for character farmhouses and rustic builds or the better quality apartments, also in the larger developments, for holiday homes.

We are experiencing an increase in requests for permanent homes, including from Maltese buyers. Traditionally Maltese clients were mostly interested in seaside apartments. However, a particular property situated on the seafront in Xlendi has generated a lot of enquiries, particularly from Maltese buyers.

Gozo is popular with ex-pats who want to retire here – what sort of properties do these clients look for?

Ex-pats usually look for a permanent home, with farmhouses and rustic builds topping the list. There is also a strong trend towards traditional townhouses which are difficult to find in a renovated condition. A lot of foreign buyers, although enchanted by the history and character of farmhouses, find them too dark and claustrophobic for a permanent home, so the high ceilings and spacious hallways found in a typical townhouse are particularly appealing.

There is also increasing interest in upmarket developments on Gozo. Many ex-pats look to acquire a property to use initially as a holiday home with the eventual aim to move permanently on retirement.

What is so attractive about living in Gozo?

We believe our clients should feel comfortable with the lifestyle in Gozo so we hope to persuade first-time visitors that there is a lot going on here in terms of cultural and social activity. Gozo is still relatively unspoilt compared to many if not most islands in the Mediterranean and beyond. The pace of life is gentle and we get many comments about the good air quality. We also boast two opera houses, our own music season, and various outdoor activities including climbing, abseiling and diving.

We recently helped several overseas clients who initially opted to live in Malta to relocate to Gozo. They found that even though they enjoyed better shopping and greater choice of restaurants that Malta has to offer, they preferred to base themselves in the quieter, less polluted environment of Gozo.

Do you also cater for high-end clients?

We do. These clients, who come from Hong Kong, Bali, South Africa, Sweden and beyond, are maybe the most appreciative of the qualities of Gozo as an unspoilt destination, and the absence of an airport or land connection is a bonus for them.

Privacy is a deciding factor, something you find more easily in old farmhouses, rather than modern developments. However, we also have clients looking to invest, in which case high-end developments are an attractive proposition as they offer superior facilities. The changes in the permanent residence scheme two years ago pretty much killed off this market, although with recent announcements on new schemes for tax and residency we are beginning to see signs of the high-end market picking up again.

We are pleased to observe a marked improvement in finishing standards. This is necessary to continue to attract high-end buyers to the market.