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Choosing a Property in Murcia

Attracted by affordable Spanish property, attractive climate and lifestyle and a wide range of choice in property types and locations, recent years have seen many people have chosen to buy a property in Murcia. Before you add to the growing number of happy purchasers, you need to consider why you are buying as it will radically affect your decision on the location and kind of property you buy. Are you buying Murcia property as an investment, as a permanent or semi-permanent residence, for holidays, as a to-let property, or some combination of these? Selecting your property requires careful assessment of as much information as you can possibly gather. Start too with an open mind. You are most likely to make the right decision if you avoid approaching the matter with pre-conceived ideas. An open mind will see many new possibilities as you explore the purchase of new property in Murcia. Make sure you get early solid financial and legal advice if you are to make the most of your investment. AimforSpain can help you in all these respects.

Types of Property

You'll find it helpful to know what kind of property developers are talking about; a bungalow in Murcia is not necessarily the same as a bungalow in Britain.

Apartment: Don't think of inner-city blocks of flats. Apartment blocks in Murcia are typically two storeys high (except for some multi-storey developments on the coast specifically designed for short-term holiday lets) . Each apartment occupies one level and has its own private entrance. The ground floor apartment may have a garden, with the top floor apartment having a solarium or sun terrace. In some cases the development is designed to offer parking space each apartment.

Bungalow: Typically a bungalow will be on one level but it may be in a building with one, two or even three floors. It's likely to be larger and better specified than an apartment and may have an internal or external staircase up to a private sun terrace.

Duplex: The Duplex is an increasingly popular design. They are usually on 2 floors and often linked to other properties. Quite often the duplexes will be built around a communal pool with landscaped gardens.

Quad: As its name suggests these properties are in groups of four, each property forming one quarter of the building, which may be one or two storeys with a private solarium for each property. There may be access to a communal pool.

Townhouse: Townhouses are two or three storey properties arranged in what we would recognise as semi-detached or terraced blocks.

Villa: A large residence in its own grounds with one or two storeys, mostly detached though some are semi-detached. A Villa will typically have sun terraces or solariums and may have space for a private swimming pool.

Finca: These can be newly built but are more usually older style properties found in the countryside, either renovated or offering potential for renovation. They may have substantial amounts of land with the property.

Penthouse: These apartments are usually luxurious and designed to take advantage of the spectacular views. Privacy on the large solarium is a given.

Making the right choice

There are many factors which will decide the type of property and location which is best for you. Broadly speaking they fall into two categories, personal and property.

Personal circumstances to consider include: the size of your family, the amount of time you are going to spend there, how you like to spend your leisure time, whether your main concern is getting a return on your investment or making a change to your lifestyle, your finance, your need to access health care. Don't forget to consider the medium and long term will this property be appropriate for you and your family in ten years time?

Consider the property circumstances too: how is the property orientated, what is included in the price, will other properties or developments be built nearby, what services and amenities are available, are the right leisure facilities close to hand, is access easy, what are the maintenance costs, do I want a popular area or seclusion, rural or coastal, do I want to be in a secured development, how long before the property is ready for occupation?

Off-Plan properties

Buying off plan has its own special considerations. The main attractions are the greater increase in capital value you will enjoy compared to buying ready built, plus the ability in some developments to specify certain aspects of your property. Getting in early on a project increases the likely return on your capital. There are greater risks in getting in early but these can be minimized by taking the right advice and proceeding with care. Bear in mind that a project may take some years to come to fruition and construction work may be ongoing in the area even when your property is complete. Make sure your chosen developer can prove they have planning permissions, insurance against building defects and are ring fencing your deposits (as required by Spanish law, but not always the case). Get detailed plans of your chosen property and visit similar properties if you can. Also make sure you have good legal representation to accompany your purchase (legal documents will be in Spanish). Check your contract to ensure you have the right to sell on before the whole development is completed.

In General

Spend as much time as you can in your chosen area before making a final decision. This is especially important if you are planning to make a move on a permanent or semi-permanent basis – living in a place is a lot different than spending a few weeks on holiday there.

Talk to experts in the field like AimforSpain and to others who have travelled this way before you. Be patient with the bureaucracy of Spain, it comes with the relaxed lifestyle Research your own needs and your potential purchase carefully. This way you will find yourself buying a property that is both an asset to your lifestyle and your financial future.