Property in Spain

Located next to the French border in the north east corner of Spain, with its southernmost point only around 40 miles north of Barcelona, the Costa Brava is an area that has traditionally appealed to wealthier expats. Although still popular with holidaymakers from Northern Europe, the Costa Brava remains a fairly undeveloped region when compared to the commercialism of the more southern Costas. The region is best known for its wide beaches, sandy coves, Medieval villages and numerous high quality golf courses. Its location close to the Pyrenees mountain range, which separates France and Spain, means that activities such as mountain climbing and skiing are popular pastimes for those who live in the Costa, while daytrips into France and Andorra are also taken regularly. Some of the largest and most popular resorts and town in the Costa Brava include:

Costa Calida

The Costa Calida occupies a roughly 200-mile stretch of coastline in the province of Murcia. Not being a traditionally popular tourist location – aside from La Manga, one of Spain’s top sports resorts around which most development in the Costa has tended to focus – Costa Calida remains a largely attractive, rural area. In recent years, a combination of low cost flights, low property prices and a great year-round climate (Costa Calida doesn’t translate to the ‘warm coast’ for nothing!) have served to bring the region to the attention of a growing number of foreign visitors. This has led to some areas of the Costas becoming more popular with expats. For example, there are notable growing British expat populations in the inland towns of Lorca and Mula.

As much of the Costa Calida is still relatively untouched by tourists, those who do choose to live in the region will probably need a good grasp of Spanish in order to feel truly comfortable, as English and other languages are unlikely to be widely spoken.

Costa Almeria

The major expat destination on the Costa Almeria is the eponymously named resort from which the Costa takes its name. The easternmost capital city in Andalusia, Almeria has long been a popular tourist, property and expat location. However, despite its popularity it retains a small-town charm, and is far from being overdeveloped like some resorts in other popular areas have been – particularly in the Costas del Sol and Blanca. Outside of Almeria itself, Huércal-Overa has become increasingly popular with expats in recent years, with people from Latin American and Northern Europe starting to lay down roots in the town. Located in the northern part of the region, close to Murcia, the town has a thriving commercial district, and fairly cheap living and property costs. Mojacar, Vera and Bedar are among some of the other more popular towns and resorts in Costa Almeria.

Costa de Luz

Located in the western part of Andalusia, the Costa de Luz is regarded as being one of the up-and-coming, trendier areas in the region. Bordering the Atlantic Ocean, the Costa de Luz extends from Tarifa in the south, along the coasts of the Province of Cádiz and the Province of Huelva, to the mouth of the Guadiana River. Traditionally, the Costa de Luz has been more popular with Spanish holidaymakers than it has with those from other countries, but over the past ten years, this has started to change, and as a result, more expats, especially from Germany and France, have started to occupy the region. Although not as warm all year round as some of the other Costas in Andalusia, temperatures in the summer are high and the overall tranquillity of the Costa is ideal for those seeking a laidback lifestyle in a more temperate climate to that available in other parts of Spain. Cadiz, Huevla, Tarifa and Ayamonte (Spain’s main crossing point into Portugal) are among the largest resorts in the region. As with some of the other less touristy areas, those who choose to live here will probably need a basic grasp of the Spanish language to function on a day-to-day basis.

Spain’s capital and largest city, Madrid, combines the feel of any modern international city with one that is still unmistakably Spanish. A lively city though it may be, Madrid retains a laid back charm, which few cosmopolitan Western European capital cities are able to match. While the capital is unlikely to appeal to what you may describe as the stereotypical Spanish expat – in other words, one who covets solely sun, sea and sand – as the country’s economic and cultural hub, this city is most suited to those looking for employment (even during the country’s recent While Spain has long been a popular country for overseas property hunting Brits, the UK’s decision to leave the EU has created a slight degree of uncertainty over whether the process will be as straightforward in the near future. Many non-Europeans do currently buy property in Spain, and there are no barriers to non-European property investment – although they are often seen as higher risk. It is certainly unlikely that the Spanish authorities are going to want to lose British property buyers, who have long provided such an economic shot in the arm for the country. economic travails, Madrid had the best employment prospects). The good news for those who prefer city living to beach dwelling is that Madrid is nowhere near as expensive in which to live as cities like London and Paris. The flip side to that, though, is that average salaries tend to be much lower.

As with most major cities, Madrid is well equipped to deal with expats. International schools can be found throughout the city and English – along with many other languages – is widely spoken.

With a pleasantly warm (if not blisteringly hot) year round climate, some of the country’s finest Modernista architecture and a renowned high quality lifestyle, it’s little surprise that Barcelona has long been one of the most popular places in Spain for expats to settle. After Madrid, the city is arguably the best place to find employment, with a number of multinational businesses based there. However, employment in Barcelona was hit harder by the recent recession than Madrid, so jobs outside the tourism sector are not as plentiful as they were a decade ago. The current political crisis over Catalan independence has also hit trade and tourism in the city. Some hoteliers said in early October 2017 they feared hotel bookings could be down by up to 20%, although apartment demand is suffering less. The recent political crisis over Catalan independence also hit trade and tourism in the city.