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An Ideal House and Location in Spain

Your Ideal Location

In the UK, considerations such as proximity to your family, proximity to where you work and proximity to schools might have been important factors in your choice of location. In Spain, your considerations are likely to be different. You will need to decide whether to live on an Island or on the mainland. Will you require easy access to typical holiday type facilities such as bars, restaurants, nightlife and golf courses, or would you prefer a quieter, more isolated. Would you prefer to live on the coast or inland?

Before you choose your ideal location, you should ideally have experienced it in different seasons - do you like it equally at different times of the year? If you intend being there out of season, are the winters mild or is the property in a region where winters can be colder or less sunny? Do you want to live where there are other British people around or do you want to experience a truly Spanish community? Does the area have the services you require in terms of shopping, transport, Internet access, entertainment and medical facilities? Do you want to be close to an airport with cheap flights to the UK or are you happy to live further afield?

You also need to ensure you can afford the type of property you want in the location you choose. If, for example, you want a detached house near the beach, you are going to need a substantial sum of money. If you are not rich and owning a detached house is more important to you than a beachside location, then you will need to look inland. If the beachside location is more important than the large, detached house, you will need to look at smaller apartments close to the beach.

Your Ideal Property

Once you have decided that you can afford the type of property you are seeking in the location you want, you need to start looking at properties. Ideally use an API or GIPE registered estate agent to find properties for sale - these agents are required to follow a professional code of practice.

Make sure that any property you look at is connected to the usual utilities. If you are a keen Internet user, you will want to check up on broadband availability. If the property is a more primitive building that is lacking any of the usual utilities, check that they are readily available and can be brought in at a reasonable cost.

Ask your possible future neighbours about the locality - what are its plusses and minuses? If it's a modern property development, ask them about the fees they have to pay for community facilities. You also need to find out whether future developments are likely to enhance or detract from your purchase. Are high-class houses going to be built in your area? This is likely to enhance the value of your property. On the other hand, if you are paying a premium for a view and these same high-class houses are going to block your view, they're likely to lower the value of your property.