THE OVERSEAS PROPERTY SHOW sizzles with OUR JOANNE!
Some people are born lucky; others get places through hard work and endurance. Joanne Mooney qualifies in both categories – born with brains, good looks and a bubbly personality, the petite tv presenter is hopping and bopping across continents in the time most of us take to read the Sunday papers. From Bulgaria to Tenerife; Torreveija to Cape Verde, she takes it all in her stride. Along with co-presenter, Andrew Fowler, the pair review new holiday destinations, investment potential, property resales, best mortgage advice etc for TV3’s The Overseas Property Show.

Globe Trottin’
Is it all glamorous? Five star hotels? Celebrity treatment? Designers falling over her to wear their outrageously priced flip-flops? “Good Lord, no” she laughs. “We source all our material ourselves, check out new investment destinations – the pros and cons of site location, rental potential – we are a small operation, a tight-knit team who work well together.”
And there was me thinking Joanne had a wardrobe assistant and make-up artist following her around on her travels….

“As I work full-time, generally speaking, we fly out at weekends and review the selected destination, edit the script, film and back on a plane the following day for work on Monday.”
Its a case of packing the suitcase, hopping on a plane, sometimes with only 3-4 hours sleep.”

From Finance to Festivals
But Joanne is not complaining – she loves the job, the travel and the general buzz of putting the programme together. Bubbly she may be but Joanne Mooney certainly can’t be mistaken for an air-head; currently the Marketing & PR Manager for the HSE Community Games, Joanne has extensive experience in the media and financial sector, having qualified with a degree in Economics in 1995 from UCD. She then went on to study Corporate Finance in the UK where she worked as a Financial Analyst before getting her licence in Bond Trading.

For several years, she was part of the team on “Stream” (The Den TV) scouting sports, fashions, teenage trends along with a 30 minute programme “Stuff” again focusing on youth related matters. On Nationwide, she covered festival celebrations around the country and was anchor presenter for ESB Community Games Sports Programmes plus she worked with the news team on 2FM Radio. Joanne also writes a weekly column with the Irish Mail on Sunday.

Investment Advice
So when Joanne gives advice on overseas investment, pay attention, she knows what she is talking about! Asked about her own favourite spots on her travels, Joanne enthused about the following:

“Tavira in Portugal was just lovely; as investment potential, I would recommend areas in Bulgaria where you can buy apartments from €60,000 – some very impressive developments, close to the sea and airports, definitely worth the money.
Gold City Resort in Turkey is unbelievable, absolutely palatial comfort with 1 beds from €94,000 and 2 beds from €135,000.
We were in Dubai late last year - its like a floating development site, a skyscraper city not unlike Hong Kong but the wealthy lifestyle is incredible.
A new holiday location off South Africa is San Vincente, Cape Verdi; this is deemed to be “The New Canaries” with direct flights starting soon from Dublin Airport and it would be a good investment.”

Overseas Property Show have reviewed holiday destinations in Spain’s sunny Torrevieja and Marbella to colder climates such as ski resorts in France and Switzerland.

Thursdays on TV3
You can catch Joanne and Andrew in action on Thursday nights on TV3 at 8.30 with repeat programme on Saturday at 3pm. If you want to check out destinations they have reviewed, then log onto their website: www.propertytv.eu where you will find everything from a country cottage in Chevela, inland Spain for €28,000 to a ‘WOW’ development in Alanya, Turkey – a luxurious, no expense spared 5 bed mansion with 4 bathrooms, a balcony for each bedroom, own swimming pool, underfloor heating, opulence itself……. A mere €245,000. (Irish based Costello Developments).
In the same area, a 1400 sq ft 3 bed apt, fully furnished, impeccable style and finish, ocean views, communal pool – from €190,000.
Looking to Bulgaria, the new European investment country, a studio apartment in Sunset Resort located 15 mins from airport starts from €45,000 up to 2/3 bed apts from €90,000; Atlantis Apts in Saraforo offer 2 bed apts from €73,000 – the Overseas Property Show recommends these for rentals as they have splendid seaviews and are located close to the beach and only 5-10 mins from Burges Airport.”

Multi-talented family
You have to hand it to Joan and Michael Mooney but they reared a multi-talented crew; Laura also works in the Finance Sector with ACC, is married to Brian and recently produced Joan and Michael’s first grandchild, Ava; Keira work in the legal sector with Matheson Ormsby Prentice, soon to qualify as a solicitor and late and last year was one of the successful Irish team who won the ITU Inaugural Corportate Team Title at the World Championships in Mexico (each of three team members ran 500m swim, 13.5k cycle and 3.5k run).

Brother Sean is an editor with RTE in Cork and undoubtably takes after his dad, quieter, ‘more sedate’ whilst the girls, I think, take after Joan, bubbly, chatty, more energy than a truckload of Lucozade and of course, all georgous looking – not that you aren’t beautiful too, Sean……

TV3 on Thursday nights – The Overseas Property Show at 7.30pm with repeat show on Saturday @ 3pm co-hosted by our own Joanne Mooney and Andrew Fowler.

Rose B O Donoghue