Europe:
Spain – A favourite for overseas property buyers
A geographically diverse country with a vast
variety of scenery and regional characteristics.
Likewise, the range of property that can be purchased
here is also broad and varied.
Spain has been, for many years, the most popular
location for holiday and retirement property ownership
for British and other European buyers.
It is impossible not to be aware of the Spanish
property market and most people in the UK today
will know someone who owns a property there of
some description.
Culturally, the country is littered with superb
old buildings, from Roman aqueducts and Islamic
palaces to Gothic cathedrals. Almost every second
village has a medieval castle or church and Spain
has been the home of some of the world's great
artists and musicians, and has a rich history
and culture. Spain is a modern country, with a
good infrastructure and much to do and see.
Many property buyers are looking for an investment,
or indeed to move and reside permanently, in locations
that offer a great standard of living, comparatively
cheaper property prices and a relaxed healthy
lifestyle.
Why Spain? –
In simple terms some of the reasons for buying
a property in Spain include; It’s relative
proximity to England, travel to most parts is
cheap and easy, the sun shines most of the time,
the food and lifestyle is healthy, English is
widely spoken and the investment prospect here
has been excellent due to holiday (rental) demand
and an ongoing growth in the number of people
that want to live there.
The most popular locations have been along the
Mediterranean coast and it is in these areas that
Knight Knox have a huge array of property for
sale. That said, we also have resale’s inland,
a selection of city properties and homes on the
Spanish islands.
Here is a summary of some of the most popular
regions covered:
Costa del Luz
The Costa del Luz is the coastline stretching
from the south west of Spain facing the Atlantic
and bordering Portugal down to Gibraltar and the
start of the Mediterranean coast. Known as the
Coast of the Light the climate is milder than
in other areas of Spain although the summer months
still bring temperatures in the mid to late 30’s.
The countryside in the area is rich in flora and
fauna, characterised by forests of pine, beech,
oak and eucalyptus, orange and lemon groves, salt
marshes, vineyards, meadows, and sleepy fishing
villages untouched by the passage of time.
Property developments and leisure facilities such
as golf courses are being constructed in this
area more than ever before but it is still not
so built up as the other areas along the coasts
of Spain.
. Costa del Sol
The Costa del Sol, which is Mediterranean shore
of Andalucia, from the Straits of Gibraltar to
Almeria and is very well known to holidaymakers
and homebuyers.
New developments here are stylish, low-rise and
designed to blend as unobtrusively as possible
with the environment, many using traditional materials
and motifs taken from the vernacular architecture
of Andalucia. Tourists and residents enjoy this
area, with its popular towns such as Marbella
and Puerto Banús. As new marinas are being
built, a transient population of yachtsmen fills
the sea-front bars from Malaga to Sotogrande.
Golfers come too, in ever-larger numbers, to enjoy
the long golfing season.
The climate is a supreme asset of this region,
with mild winters and hot summers, due to the
protection afforded by the Sierras and the close
proximity to Africa. Besides favouring the practice
of outdoor sports, the region's pleasant weather
attracts elderly visitors and temporary residents
who, like migratory birds, fly every winter to
Malaga and repopulate Torremolinos, Fuengirola,
Benalmádena and Nerja. The stretch of the
coast east of Málaga is less developed
and maintains a more pronounced Spanish character,
which is surrounded by the impressive mountain
scenery of the Axarquia. The upgrading and replacement
of roads and other facilities is on-going, with
large-scale investment in water treatment and
sewerage systems, hospitals, schools and leisure
facilities, plus talk of new theme parks. - All
in all, the area is very much in the middle of
a renaissance.
Costa de Almería
The province of Almería is situated
in the eastern region of Andalucia, in southern
Spain. The landscape is varied; from snow capped
mountains to fertile valleys, or arid desert regions
where many cowboy films were made. The way of
life is slow and relaxing and the Andalucian people
are known for their friendliness and kindness.
The cost of living is relatively inexpensive here
and property prices lower than in the neighbouring
Costa del Sol.
Agriculture is the major occupation in the area,
so local markets are abundant with supplies of
fresh fruit and vegetables. The summers are very
hot, especially in July and August, while spring
is very pleasant with a greener landscape and
a wide variety of wild flowers and the winters
are beautifully mild.
While the majority of people buying property
have traditionally looked to the Costa del Sol,
Costa Blanca and more recently the Costa Cálida,
Almería is becoming more and more popular.
Partly this is due to very attractive pricing,
and partly to on-going work to make it much more
accessible. There could be good potential for
investment in this area and popular resorts such
as Almerimar, Roquets del Mar and Mojácar
offer excellent leisure and lifestyle facilities
to suit all.
Costa Cálida
Quite simply the ‘Warm Coast' lives up to
its name with the type of climate that promotes
a relaxed and carefree pace of life.
The area is framed by groups of low hills and
mountains covered in pine forests and shrubs.
Small villages and towns are dotted throughout
the region all reflecting the easygoing pace of
this part of Southern Spain.
The region stretches from the Mar Menor to Aguilas,
with its exceptionally pleasant microclimate,
delightfully peaceful beaches and unspoilt countryside,
has not yet experienced mass tourism. Although
the large warm sea inlet of the Mar Menor and
its signature landmark of La Manga have long been
attracting sun seekers, on the whole the area
has remained just outside the main thrust of development
until recently. The main reason for this anomaly
has been the region's position just outside Spain's
network of fast motorways and, crucially, its
distance from an international airport. Now, with
the extension of the A7/A37 motorway from Alicante
to Cartagena and Murcia and regular flights between
Murcia (San Javier) airport and the UK, the area
is opening up to tourists and would-be residents
in a noticeable way. The planned new airport at
Corvera, which will offer enhanced capacity and
up-to-date infrastructure will attract ever more
traffic and disclose the full potential of the
region.
Further inland, and surrounded by a fertile countryside,
Murcia, the provincial capital, has an atmospheric
medieval quarter and lively modern avenues and
property in and around this city and to the North
is growing in popularity.
Costa Blanca
The Costa Blanca has justifiably been a popular
destination for many years and covers Spain's
Southeast coast from half way between Valencia
and Alicante down to Murcia.
Many areas have introduced strict planning controls,
preserving the quality of he location but pushing
prices strongly upwards. Even in the areas with
a more generous attitude, prices and the quality
of the facilities have risen hand-in-hand. Prices
here are still very competitive and the range
of property types is vast.
A flat, sandy coast of vast beaches fringed by
dunes and scattered palm trees, stretch southwards,
in a succession of resorts, culminating in the
town of Torrevieja. Here, in what is now the heart
of the area, a fast growing, modern resort has
come into being, engulfing a modest, older fishing
port, now replaced by a smart new marina.
There is much to do in the area, from theme parks
to the dozens of golf courses that have been built
in the last 15 years. The area to the North of
Alicante includes Benidorm and the scenic beauty
of the North Costa Blanca coast, with popular
towns such as Denia.
The Costa del Azahar
The Costa del Azahar is an area that manages to
combine a fine climate for year-round-living with
modest development and a beautiful landscape.
Three or four times each year the air is filled
with the scent of citrus hence the name 'Orange
Blossom Coast'. The mild, constant climate accounts
for the fertility of its land, with a seemingly
endless plantation of orange groves, which provides
the periodical eruptions of scented blossoms giving
their name to the coast. Miles of fine sandy beaches,
offering extensive facilities for sports and leisure,
attract growing numbers of visitors and home buyers
to the coastal resorts.
Golfers are also well served by the many excellent
courses found in the proximity of most resorts,
and the region is well endowed with art treasures
from a rich history stretching back over 2000
years. A wide range of improvements and infrastructures
are being added constantly to the existing resources
in order to meet the demands of both Spanish and
foreign visitors, whose growing numbers are turning
the Costa del Azahar into one of the major tourist
destinations in Spain. In an area blessed with
so many attractions, developments are still relatively
sparse and the landscape is unusually free of
the larger urbanizations dominating the better-known
Costa’s further south.
The Costa Brava
The Costa Brava is the furthest North and has
an intrinsic charm that is subtler than the more
flamboyant attractions of other, more popular
coasts.
People come here attracted by the quality of
life and striking beauty of the surroundings than
by the promise of constant hot weather and those
seeking all-year round sun should perhaps look
further south. While summers here are as warm
as anywhere in Spain, winter days can be bracing
and nights decidedly cold.
It is a climate, however, ideal for the practice
of any kind of sport and there are excellent facilities
ranging from sailing to golf.
Both mountain walking and skiing are close at
hand, as Andorra and the Pyrenees are within easy
driving distance from the coast.
Whilst every care is taken to ensure
that all general information and descriptions of property is correct we
advise all clients to make their own checks and take legal advise when
purchasing property overseas. Information and price guides subject to
change. Please go to our notices section for further information
