The chances are that every person considering investing in property has had a common dream location for that property in their heads at one point or another - a beautiful, sparkling white new-build that looks out over the clear blue Mediterranean Sea, with sand leading right up to the patio and big spacious rooms that feel warm and homely. It does not matter whether or not you plan to live in that property or purchase it solely for investment purposes, the dream is always the same (with a few minor changes of course).

There is now a problem with that dream though - a major one in fact.

The Coastal Zone Management Agreement

In a major piece of real estate investment news, there are to be no more new build properties within 100 metres of the coastline in the Mediterranean area. The Coastal Zone Management agreement (ICMZ) was introduced as a part of the Barcelona Convention to help remedy problems that the coastline has been experiencing in recent years as a result of extensive property development in the area. Experts had become alarmed at the rate at which the coast was actually eroding and the sheer volume of pollution that had been introduced to the area as well.

Here are some facts about the ICMZ for you:

• 14 countries located around the Mediterranean voted to ratify the ICMZ including Spain, Greece, Italy, Malta and Tunisia
• The agreement prevents both residential and commercial properties from being built within 100 metres of the coastline with no exceptions, although existing buildings are to remain in place
• The entire 29,000 mile shore of the Mediterranean is affected, meaning that Europe and North Africa will be obliged to follow the directives set out by the ICMZ
• The Barcelona Convention meets twice a year and it was not the first time that this kind of agreement has been discussed - it has been in the making since 1976 - but this is the first time that all participants have agreed on it

What the ICMZ means for investors and property owners

The ICMZ is undoubtedly a victory for the environment and a huge step forward towards sustainable property development. One question remains though. By taking steps to prevent damage to the environment of the Mediterranean, will the local economy decline as a result of this ruling and how will it affect the investor?

The Spanish and Italian real estate industries have been in decline in recent months anyway as a result of the fact that developers built too many properties. To this day, a number of them are actually sitting empty because the demand was slightly less than originally predicted. The amount of properties sitting empty undoubtedly damaged the appeal of property in certain areas anyway and forced prices down, but the most demanded were always the coastal properties and building more is no longer an option.

The ICMZ itself will do nothing to boost real estate and the local economies, despite the fact that it may enhance the environment and prevent further pollution. There will, however, be one major consequence in terms of investment potential. The price of purchasing a property on the coast will inevitably go through the roof. As these properties are in demand anyway, their worth will go up because they effectively become more exclusive than ever before!

Of course, property in the Mediterranean does remain popular on the whole, but it is wise to do your research in advance so you can gauge where the best investment is to be made. If you can get your prediction right, then now may well be the time to buy!

When buying a new home or investing in property, we all take certain factors into account.

Cost and location usually top the list, but many buyers are increasingly considering the energy efficiency of the property when conducting their search, leading to a surge in interest for the eco-homes market.

But how many of us actually think about what happens to our money after the property transactions have gone through? And does it really matter? Or do we not give it much thought because we think we don’t have a choice?

Ecos Homes, based in Somerset, UK, is at the forefront of a new way of thinking when it comes to investing in environmentally-friendly property.

Declaring itself to be ‘out to create a new breed of developer’ the firm is not really a ‘firm’ at all but a subsidiary company formed by the Ecos Trust, which ploughs profits back into its mission as a ‘social enterprise’.

Their aim as a developer is to remain competitive commercially, while maintaining strong social and environmental principles.

Up to £500 in bill savings

It’s not just pie in the sky either; Ecos Homes has already built the acclaimed Great Bow Yard, a development of 12 eco-homes and a restored listed warehouse in Langport.

Reportedly saving homeowners up to £500 a year in utility bills, three-quarters of the development’s houses were snapped up off-plan, a figure the firm says shows there is a commercial future in environmentally-friendly housing.

This development is contemporary and pleasing to the eye too - bricks from a demolished house in Bridgwater were used with lime mortar, meaning they can be used again at the end of the building’s life.

Toilets Flushed With Rain Water

The development’s properties include four-bed and three-bed houses, two-bed flats and one-bed flats. Environmentally sound features implemented in the properties include toilets flushed with collected rain water, solar panels to heat water, ‘sunspaces’ to pre-heat ventilation, non-toxic internal finishings and even a purpose-built badger sett nearby as part of an attempt to encourage wildlife.

Also onsite are serviced offices, workshops and a bistro with gallery space. Surrounding the eco-houses and warehouse, a community garden has been landscaped.

As reported by property blog Buildingtalk, Ecos Homes also sees Great Bow Yard as a blueprint for commercially successful yet environmentally sympathetic developments, publishing the pamphlet Great Bow Yard: Anatomy of an Eco Build, in the hope it will help others wanting to build sustainable homes.

Invest in your future

There are new opportunities for off-plan investors, but they are sure to be snapped up just as fast. Over the next three years Ecos Homes plans to build a mix of up to 80 sustainable and affordable houses on at least four new sites in the South West.

They estimate the total value of this will stretch to around £15m in total with locations at Carhampton, Merriott, Stawell and Bridport.

The firm says: “Eco-homeowners are investing in their future. Long-term benefits are recognised, and include reduced running costs, improved resale value, a healthier living environment, and the satisfaction that comes with leaving a smaller footprint on the earth.

“What is more, it is widely acknowledged that in the future, government taxes and regulations will make many of the eco-features from our houses mandatory in all new houses.”

Chrissie Amey, owner of a three-bed house at Great Bow Yard, said: “I just fell in love with what they were trying to do here - change the way things are built - and I love the design. This is very easy to live in and it’s an exciting home to live in.”

Another sneak preview of the Ecos Homes ethos and handiwork is menioned by Julia Hailes a consultant on social, environmental and ethical issues Julia writes: “The Ecos Trust offices had real character, with cubby holes in the walls and uneven surfaces on the walls, reflecting the previous life of the building. And its eco-credentials are pretty good too, going a long way beyond the attractively designed energy-efficient lighting.”

Forget expensive experiments in green living - this could be the way we all live and invest in the not-too distant future.

Further reading: Developing for Green: Investing in Better Buildings for the Future