Getting acquainted with the types of Spanish real estate is one of the necessary steps for those who have decided to move to Spain permanently, or want to buy a home here, where they can come for a vacation.
In different countries, there are their own characteristic features of real estate and sometimes there can be confusion, so you need to understand all the nuances before buying a home. What are the advantages of living in a villa? How is a bungalow different from a house? Which property to choose for permanent and seasonal living? There are many questions, so let’s figure out together all these subtleties.
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Villa
A villa is associated with something luxurious and incredibly expensive. This is partly true, because historically a villa was considered a large house of an aristocrat or a wealthy landowner with two or three floors, as well as a large plot. In the past, villas always had rooms for servants.
Today, a villa also belongs to elite real estate, which usually has at least five rooms. It differs not only in its impressive area, but also in its rich finish, as well as an interesting design. Another feature is its convenient location and mandatory “bonus” (proximity to the sea, mountain view, etc.).
Prices for villas can be very high, but it all depends on the specific region. Some of the most expensive options can be found on the Costa del Sol coast, but there are more affordable offers for buying villas on the Costa Blanca, which cost from about 600 000 euros and higher.
Is it worth considering a villa for purchase? Definitely yes, if your budget allows it, and you plan to move to Spain permanently. This is an ideal solution for living with your family and inviting friends and relatives frequently due to the large living area. Most villas are located on the outskirts or in the suburbs, so this is the best option for those who prefer privacy and silence.
A slightly different situation if you buy a home as a “second home”, i.e. for periodic living during vacation. The remoteness from the city limits makes villas an object of interest for “squatters”, who illegally occupy empty houses, which their owners may not find out about for a long time. You can evict them by law only by court order, which implies a loss of time and nerves. In this case, it is necessary to install an alarm system, or choose a villa in a place where there are other houses nearby, whose owners will be able to look after your property.
Chalet
A large house can also be bought directly in the city. Such elite real estate in Spain is customary to call chalet.
Like a villa, a chalet is a detached house without neighbors. But these two properties have several differences:
- Chalets are located within the city limits, while villas are in the suburbs or on the outskirts. Exceptions occur, but this is how it is accepted in Spain. Although now chalets in the mountains are popular, which are often found in the south of the country.
- A villa is always a house with at least two floors. Chalets can be one-story.
- The area of chalets starts from about 40 square meters. Villas are more massive – their area is from 100 square meters.
A chalet can be considered a mini-version of a villa, which has its own advantages. One of them is the absence of neighbors behind the wall. Owners of chalets do not have to pay communidad, as owners of housing in apartment buildings. Communidad is something like utility bills for cleaning the territory, landscaping, lighting and other services.
By buying a chalet in Spain, you become a full-fledged “owner” of your property. This means that you decide everything yourself, i.e. you are absolutely not affected by the activities of the management company. If the chalet comes with a land plot, then you decide what to plant on it, whether to build a pool on the territory, etc.
A chalet is also a good option for buying and permanent living. They usually cost less than villas, but their area is smaller. The fact that they are located within the city limits increases the security of housing if you leave the house empty for a long time.
Townhouse
A townhouse is a type of housing that is almost a full-fledged detached house. The main difference is the presence of neighbors behind the wall. Usually townhouses in Spain are located in a residential community together with other similar houses nearby, which are connected by a side wall.
This housing is gaining more and more popularity due to the relatively low price and high level of comfort. As a rule, a townhouse has several spacious bedrooms, a garage, there may be access to the roof, one or several terraces. On the adjacent territory there may be a garden and a pool for shared use with neighbors.
There are also townhouses of the type “Casa pareada”, which combine two houses, i.e. you will have only one common wall with neighbors. This option is preferable because it implies more space, and the territory is shared only with one family.
Townhouses cost less than chalets and villas, so they can also be recommended for purchase. Utility bills here are less than for a detached house, so this is a good option for people with average income. The presence of neighbors nearby does not interfere much, because you will have a separate entrance.
Bungalow and duplex
There may be some confusion here, because bungalow and duplex are also types of housing that are adjacent houses, connected by side walls on both sides. Externally, they form a long building that can be two-story.
A bungalow can occupy only one floor. There are lower bungalows, the plus of which is the presence of an adjacent territory, and upper bungalows, the “bonus” of which is access to the roof. In both cases, the entrance will be separate. In terms of area, bungalows in Spain roughly correspond to the size of a 3-room apartment, while you get full access either to the adjacent territory or to the roof.
If the lower and upper bungalows are combined into one property with one owner, then such housing is already called a “duplex”. Accordingly, the owner will have both his own adjacent territory and access to the roof. Neighbors will also be present on both sides.
Duplexes also refer to two-level apartments that can be located on the first two floors of a building, or on the last ones. Therefore, in advertisements it is necessary to pay attention to the designation – apartamento duplex or bungalow duplex.
Why is it worth buying property in Spain?
All the types of Spanish real estate we have described can be a good option for permanent living. Large families with children should consider buying a villa or chalet, but with a limited budget duplexes and townhouses will also be a good option.
In addition, buying property in Spain is also a good way to invest your money. There are several explanations for this:
- Spain has a very high level of health care system. According to WHO data for 2022, the country ranked 4th in the world in terms of doctors’ qualifications, equipment of clinics and price availability.
- Convenient geographical location. Spain is the “gateway” to Europe, Latin America and Africa.
- This is a country with one of the most favorable European climates. Spain can also boast of clean and well-equipped beaches, magnificent cuisine and a variety of recreation.
- Spain has one of the most open economies – with exports of more than 30% of GDP.
There are always a lot of tourists in Spain, so you can rent out your purchased housing almost all year round. It is important to contact a professional real estate agency that will check the object itself and the documents for it. This will allow you to buy a home without encumbrances, debts and other problems. For consultation, you can contact the specialists of the company “M2 Real Estate”, who have extensive experience in conducting transactions with Spanish real estate on the Costa Blanca. On the website there is a large selection of offers for purchase, while at your request we can send you other options that are not available to the public.
