SPANISH PROPERTY BUYERS GUIDE

Buying Property on the Costa del Sol?
You've made the smart choice!

We have broken down the process into 3 easy to follow sections :

• This section covers the enjoyable part of buying property in Spain, visiting the beautiful apartments, townhouses and villas available.
• In Part Two we find out how to reserve your property and the paperwork and the checks that are required.
• In Part Three we look at the financial side of it all - who you have to pay and what.

Buying A Spanish Property - The Guide

Work out what you can afford - And stick to it!

It’s always better to work out what you can afford before you start looking.

However, there are many great mortgage and equity release deals around at the moment so don't forget to ask about them. You may be in for a pleasant surprise about how far your budget can go. Use our handy mortgage calculator to work out just what you can afford.

Always give great thought and consideration to what type of property in Spain you want to buy and the area you want to live.

Prices and areas differ greatly along the Costa del Sol as does the property type.

Apartments, new and old, are readily available in most of the costal towns whilst the best villas can be found around Marbella and Puerto Banus and out towards Sotogrande.

Townhouses are a very popular option on Spain now and most new urbanisations or developments make room for these.

The Costa del Sol can be divided into 5 areas:

1 Malaga to Elviria. This area includes the popular towns of Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola and the Calahonda/Mijas Costa area. This prices in this area are very keen - you can still get a very nice studio apartment in Fuegirola for less than 100,000€ and there are some excellent new developments in this area.

The Calahonda/Mijas Costa is probably the best area for purchasing a holiday home with excellent facilities and beaches, though if you would prefer to get closer to the real Spanish living Fuengirola, Mijas Pueblo and Malaga maybe preferable.

2. Marbella and Puerto Banus. Everyone knows about Marbella and Puerto Banus or at least they think they do.

If you think of Marbella and Banus as merely expensive and glitzly then you are missing out on so much. Marbella old town is a beautiful place to live and has some fantastic bargains hidden away there.

Prices in this area are more expensive than the rest of the Costa del Sol but you should ask yourself why? The answer is because it is the single most popular area to buy real estate in Spain, this means you get so much more value for your money when you take into account location and investment and resale potential.

3. San Pedro to Duquesa. This area includes the popular areas on Estepona, San Pedro, Duquesa, Benhavis and the New Golden Mile. This stretch of the Costa del Sol has become very popular and some stunning developments have been built in this area, such as Sotoserena between San Pedro and Puerto Banus..

Prices are very keen but because of its popularity they are rising all the time. But if you step away from the new developments and take a look at the old towns of San Pedro and Estepona you will find hidden gems and superb bargains down every street.

4. Sotogrande. Sostgrande has been developed as a playground for the rich. Superb golf courses, marinas and of course polo clubs have encouraged the development of some very expensive villas. The area is trying to develop an aura of exclusivity and property prices are beginning to reflect this.

5. The Campo or Inland. Away from the Costa del Sol coast the beauty of inland Spain hits you between in the eyes and for as long as you live here retains a hold on you. The rugged splendour of the mountains behind the costal towns is breath taking and the white towns and villages hidden on and behind these in the huge Guadalhorce valley make a stunning tableau both during the day and night.

The inland area is becoming increasingly popular with property buyers with the towns of Alhaurin el Grande, Coin and Álora being the most popular locations.

If you know the area and type of property you want you can greatly reduce the amount of time and driving required when viewing.

Make a list of what you want and more importantly what you DON'T WANT. There is nothing more depressing than finding that the property you just purchased in Spain is well not what you thought it was.

Use the same process as you would back home. Is it near a main road? Do I need my home? Near shop? The beach? A hospital? If its a holiday home can it be used by families with children, does it have a pool?

Write the list BEFORE you look and certainly before you land in Spain. The sun, weather and excitement can often sway you into making a bad decision. Keep you list close and STICK TO IT!.

Use a Reputable Agent.

An agent can be very useful when buying property on the Costa del Sol. He can provide useful local information and a wider selection of properties that can be found on the web or newspapers. A good agent will also search for your dream property if they do not have it on the books.

Read Part 2 of our Spanish Property Buyers Guide - Reserving Your Property »

Part 3 of our Spanish property Buyers Guide - Finance »