Buying a property on a housing estate

Guide to buying a property on a residential estate in Spain

3 November 2017, 12:07

Living in an urbanización or private estate formed of apartments, houses or villas is common practice in Spain, and recommendable for various reasons:

With facilities like swimming pools and tennis courts, communal gardens and play areas for the kids, you’ll have everything you need right on your doorstep! Some estates even have their own supermarkets and restaurants.
It will make a great holiday home. Even better, when you’re not there, there should be plenty of opportunity to rent it out to other people looking for a short-term holiday let.
Community spirit is all too lacking nowadays, but living on an estate gives you a chance to make a group of friends, either of the same nationality as you or from around the world.

Things to watch out for

While all the legal aspects of buying a property on a residential estate are usually very secure thanks to the fact that the whole community, everyone else who has bought there, are all under the same contractual obligations, it is still advisable, as whenever you buy property, to seek the advice of a lawyer. In this way, you can ensure that you don’t get bitten by any unexpected maintenance costs all year round for the communal areas, as these can raise the total buying price considerably.

Also, be advised to research very carefully where exactly the estate is located – there are some that are near the beach and well communicated with tourist areas, but others that are in the outskirts of cities and a bit out of the way.

In any case, you’ll have to weigh up the pros and cons carefully, but know that living on a housing estate could just be the perfect option for you.