Considering Different House Types

Urbanizations

Spain is a land of urbanizations, which is a continental name for housing estates. They may line the beach, be in the country, attached to towns, villages or resorts, they may be on flat land, on hills or around sporting facilities such as golf courses. They can be high-density estates of identical white properties, or small individual developments of big detached houses spread over a hillside. Or, more likely, they will be various combinations in-between.

A property on an urbanization is easy to buy and maintain, having all the necessary facilities, ready-made social contacts and greater security than owning a detached home in a more remote location. The disadvantages can be the inflexible and restrictive community rules, difficult neighbours, a lack of privacy and a lack of control over the future of the development.

Life on an urbanization can, however, be popular whatever the type of house. Sitting by the swimming pool meeting new continental friends, passing the time of day with a glass of wine in hand is an agreeable way of life. Little Spanish is spoken. Sharing experiences bonds the community together. Informal groupings take place. Golfing partners come together. Coffee mornings just happen. Family problems are shared.

The siesta is forgotten as people assemble in the local bar to escape the searing heat of the afternoon sun. Life is easy. However it is very important for mind and body to stay active or a slow soporific mental decline will occur.

Some urbanizations are closed communities where people meet up at night and know each other’s business. Others are less intrusive. Some are entirely of one nationality while others are more mixed. In some most of the residents are elderly. Some urbanizations are a group of holiday homes scarcely having any permanent residents, and becoming virtual ghost towns in winter.

Is a property on an urbanization a good rental proposition? The answer is yes, particularly with foreigners holidaying in Spain who can meet up with people of their own nationality for sporting and social occasions.

Detached Villas

These properties offer privacy at the expense of security. They can be expensive. Built to an individual design they are sometimes perched precariously on cutaway hillsides, so much so that insurance companies can charge a premium. Windswept plots make dust a perpetual irritant.

Even with some disadvantages a detached property is desirable, particularly one that overlooks the sea or the mountains or even a lush green golf course. They are more expensive than a house of similar size and comfort on an urbanisation, but the advantages are privacy and no community of owners to deal with. With a swimming pool they are prized letting properties.

Villa properties are attractive for up-market tenants soaking up the summer sun while on their annual holiday. They tend to be the houses of owners seeking to defray some of their annual expenses by letting out the property. A buy-to-let investor should think carefully before acquiring such an expensive property, let out only for a short season, when the alternative could be four cheaper apartments let out for longer periods.

Apartments

Choosing to live in an apartment offers easy living in secure surroundings. In order to sell apartments quickly they are always built to a high standard, with outside balconies included. Some basic economy flats exist in large cities where low cost living is a priority. Living in an apartment will probably mean Spanish neighbours, as urban Spaniards are traditionally apartment dwellers, with more floor space than some UK semi-detached or detached houses.

Nice people they may well be, but they tend to be noisy and have a different ‘body clock’ to other nationalities. Normal behaviour is to rise late, have lunch at 2.00 p.m., an evening meal at 9.00 p.m. and go to bed at midnight or after. Family discussion is often loud, very loud, Spanish voices having the unique ability to penetrate all bricks and mortar.

Holiday apartments are meat and drink to a buy-to-let investor. They are small, flexible housing units. A large number of holiday apartments have been built along the coast. Many are designed for pretty undemanding tenants residing about two weeks at a time. They offer limited comfort for a long-term stay. It is often these apartments that are used for basic holiday rentals. An equally large number of apartments are available in cities, towns and villages but designed and furnished for longer stay tenants.