Spain has so many different types of places to buy: farmhouses out in the countryside, mountain chalets, beach apartments, city lofts, fishermen’s cottages, villas, urbanisations, golf courses and resort-type developments. There really is something for everyone. We recently looked at property on golf courses, and this week we take a look at life in a resort.
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Home comforts without the hassle
Resorts are extremely convenient, with most amenities on-site. Restaurants just a short walk away, the swimming pool ready to plunge into on your first morning (and not a dubious shade of green after being left unattended all winter), neatly tended gardens, tennis, bowls, golf and beach clubs. Your friends might be waiting for you in the clubhouse.
Some of the larger resorts even have conference facilities and business suites, so you can work and play in one place. This is especially convenient for people who don’t live there all the time and who have everything ready and waiting for their return.
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Those who are lucky enough to live there 12 months of the year can enjoy the beautifully maintained gardens and the glorious weather, with the south of Spain boasting more than 300 days of sun. Most resorts are close to the sea, where you can try all kinds of watersports or indulge in a glass of cava in the beach club while watching the sun go down.
Larger resorts may have a medical centre and 24-hour reception to make life even more comfortable.
Resorts are extremely convenient with most amenities on-site, from restaurants to swimming pools (maintained for you!)
Wide variety of properties
Such developments offer various possibilities for buyers. Most offer individual villas (some with private pools), apartments, townhouses, bungalows and some have timeshare properties for people who can only spend a few weeks of the year in Spain. Some developments also have hotels or their own ‘village’.
Property on these resorts will be more expensive than buying in a town or urbanisation, but the advantages are huge and practically everything is taken care of on your behalf.
Charges
The charges are generally higher than on urbanisations, but this is to be expected given all the amenities available to you. These will cover cleaning and insurance for the communal areas, maintenance services for pools, gardens and buildings, and costs for 24-hour concierge.
Normally, you pay for your share using your property’s square metres as part of a whole. A smaller home will have lower charges as it takes up less space. Do make sure your share is clearly written into the escritura, property deeds. Extras such as separate garages will be added to your share.
Normally, you pay for your share using your property’s square metres as part of a whole.
The cost varies from resort to resort and can start at €100 every three months, but this would only be in older resorts with limited amenities. At the higher end, expect to pay around €1,000 each quarter. Some resorts might charge monthly whereas others quarterly or even annually. When you buy a property on a resort, your contract requires that you pay the charge promptly as the funds are needed for the upkeep of the resort’s communal areas which you also enjoy.
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Earn an income
Resorts like La Manga club in the Costa Calida and Miraflores in Málaga are very popular holiday spots for tourists. They have everything a holidaymaker wants, whether they are golfers, families or couples. The resorts all have a property agency dealing exclusively with those on the resort itself and they are also letting agencies for owners who want to rent out their property when they are not there. This can be very lucrative indeed.
Prices vary between resorts but there is always a demand for places that offer fun activities in the sunshine. This is year-round in much of Spain, so your property can earn you an excellent income.
Prices for a three-bedroom bungalow with private pool in the Miraflores Resort, Málaga are roughly €2,200 a week in the high season, for a two-bedroom apartment in La Manga Club resort, the rental prices are around €1,500 in the high season.
Activities
There is something for all ages at these resorts. Golf is one of the more obvious ones but some have plenty of other activities available including horse riding, sailing, lawn bowls, squash, diving, tennis, watersports, and spas.
Larger resorts have banqueting halls as well as restaurants which offer casual meals or fine dining. They also offer special sports and other activities for children from football to dance courses, rugby to mini-golf and special activities for the very young.
Abama golf resort, Tenerife
Let’s look at some resorts:
La Manga Club, Murcia
Safe and secure, La Manga Club is one of the largest resorts in Spain. Patrolled by security guards, you will find absolutely everything you could want in this 1,000-villa development. All the amenities and activities mentioned above are to be found in this fabulous place, plus a great selection of shops, three championship golf courses, bars and 28 tennis courts.
Located by the Mar Menor, development here started as early as the late 1960s. Thanks to an American real estate entrepreneur, La Manga Golf Club was born, where property owners were given a share in the holding company. From these beginnings, it has grown to be one of the best known and most successful resort developments in Spain. It’s been used by the England football team for training ahead of major tournaments, and nightlife in The Piano Bar are the stuff of legends!
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Miraflores Luxury Resort, Málaga
Overlooking the Mediterranean sea between Marbella and Fuengirola, Miraflores is smaller than La Manga but is certainly not a small resort. It offers 1,200 garden apartments and townhouses plus excellent facilities including a five-star hotel, 18-hole golf course, three restaurants, poolside bar, entertainments and fabulous gardens.
It has an excellent reputation for service and timeshare.
La Cala Resort, Mijas
Located between the Mediterranean and the Sierra de Mijas Natural Park, this was named the third-best resort in Spain in 2019. With 320 sunny days a year, there is much to enjoy in this residential resort. There are three golf courses nestled in a lovely landscape and surrounded by beautiful nature. The resort offers a spa, hairdresser, holistic centre, indoor pool, hydrotherapy jacuzzis, various sports facilities, three restaurants and two bars.
The resort is secure and has several types of property for sale, including apartments, townhouses, villas and plots of land.
PGA Catalunya, Girona
60 minutes from Barcelona airport lies PGA Catalunya. It is first and foremost a golf resort but now extends its reach with a new hotel, a vineyard under construction, horse riding, wellness centre, yoga, personal training services, tennis, cycling, outdoor cinema and sports activities for children. On site, there is a fine dining restaurant, a bistro, Italian pizzeria, pool and lounge bars.
Property styles are contemporary with villas, townhouses, apartments and semi-detached villas.
Abama Resort, Tenerife
Abama is a five-star luxury resort which has repeatedly been named as one of the best developments in Spain. There are 200 properties built on the side of the Teide mountain (the highest in Spain) with wonderful views across to the Atlantic. Villas and apartments make up the homes, and the amenities include an 18 hole golf course, a smart spa, a hotel, swimming pools, wellness club and excellent fitness centre. It boasts 12 restaurants with a Michelin two-star and a Michelin one-star.
The island’s fabulous climate means that there will hardly be a day when you can’t enjoy the golf or other activities. When you arrive, there is a beautifully landscaped vista, a glistening pool and wonderful food to greet you. Plus, there is a new children’s activity centre and a member’s club for socialising.
As you can’t physically view properties at the moment, make sure you are fully aware of what you are buying by speaking to our recommended Spanish property surveyor today – they can be your ‘eyes’ and organise a building survey or valuation of your property.
