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In case you are thinking about buying a property in Spain and you are faced with the question of choosing a home that meets all your criteria and preferences – then keep reading this article!
In order to make the best choice, you need to understand what types of housing are offered in the Spanish real estate market, take into account their features and other factors – so that the selected residence meets all your requirements for comfort and functionality.
So, here is a list of important points to consider when choosing your dream home!
1. The purpose of buying a home in Spain
The first thing to determine is the purpose of the property you are purchasing.
By clearly understanding the purpose of looking for a property, you can more easily determine the location and type of housing. Such goals could be an investment with a rental property, finding a home to move into permanently, or as a holiday destination.
For example, if you intend to make money from renting to tourists, it doesn’t make sense to look far from the beaches and tourist attractions. If you plan to stay in Spain for a fortnight each year, you are unlikely to find a house with plots and gardens to maintain throughout the year. If you are organising your life away from the hustle and bustle, country houses with their own garden are ideal.
2. Determine a budget
You might be able to afford any category of luxury property, or you might have to make compromises to stay within a budget – make sure you understand your financial situation and capabilities. It’s important to know that about 10% of the cost of housing will go to taxes, and plan for the future necessary costs of insurance, utilities and other services each year.
In the case of a mortgage loan, don’t forget about the fees associated with registering it, and make sure your income allows you to pay the bills throughout the term – having a passive income and/or a stable job situation with a high salary is a big plus.
3. Decide on a location
Deciding on this question will depend more on the purpose of the purchase, and your work and family circumstances. If you are looking for a holiday home, of course you want to be close to the sea. If you are looking at Spain as a place to live permanently, you will want to move away from the coast. Wind, sand, high humidity, and unpleasant noise from the street may not be the best factors in choosing a place to live permanently. It is also important to consider the proximity of schools, hospitals and other infrastructures in case there are children or elderly people.
4. What type of house to choose
- Flats in blocks of flats
If you are planning to buy a flat, there are several things to consider. Whereas in Russia it is common to “not offer the ground floor and the top floor”, in Spain it is the other way round. The ground floor in Spain is called a “bajo” and often has a number of advantages in the form of a separate entrance, garden and parking space – especially for new homes. Ground floor accommodation can be up to 20% more expensive than a higher floor. The penthouse on the top floor is an exception – it too is considered privileged due to its access to the roof terrace. There you can sunbathe, host barbecue parties and much more.
- Low-rise developments
Large detached houses in Spain are divided into villas, fincas and masias. Fincas and masias are country houses with a large plot of land, usually intended for farming.
Most foreigners buying a house in Spain opt for villas and chalets – the latter being nothing more than a more compact type of villa. Villas and chalets, unlike fincas and masias, are planned with full infrastructure and links to urban centres, close to all kinds of services such as hospitals, schools and shops. It is also worth noting that most of the villas and chalets in the Costa Blanca area have their own swimming pool and private garden.
A separate popular type of property are townhouses and bungalows. A townhouse is a term that usually refers to a low-rise development of several multi-level flats. Depending on the number of floors they occupy, townhouse flats are divided into “bungalow”, “duplex” or “triplex” – one, two or three storeys respectively. It is worth noting that despite being one-storey, the term ‘bungalow’ also includes a one-storey flat on the first floor with access to the rooftop with a solarium.
5. House layouts
It is worth noting that the layout of homes in Spain can cause some confusion – traditional Spanish architecture implies small bedrooms and a large lounge with a sofa and dining table, usually directly connected to the kitchen. The fact is that the large bedrooms, typical of northern countries, are not characteristic of many buildings in warmer regions of Spain. The main role of the bedroom is to sleep, and the rest of the time is spent either in the hall or outside – such is the effect of the warm climate on the mentality of the locals. Depending on the age of the property, you may have to get used to the architecture and layout of the area.
Despite this, developers have recently started adapting interior spaces and rooms to suit buyers’ preferences – in the case of new builds, the problem is not as acute.
We hope that this article will help you feel more confident in choosing your home. If you still have questions or have decided to buy a property on the Costa Blanca, do not hesitate to contact Terrasun. We are ready to help!