Turn over to see the four exciting properties we found for Vicky and Andy!
THE EXPERTS To help Andy and Vicky with their purchase, some words of advice...
Kieran Byrne runs HomeEspaña, an estate agency that specialises in property in the Costa Blanca (
www.homeespana.co.uk, 00 34 966 761 545)
The main appeal of the southern Costa Blanca is proximity to airports – both at Alicante and Murcia – blue-fl ag beaches and great amenities, including a new shopping centre and three quality golf courses within fi ve minutes’ drive of each other. Cabo Roig, Playa Flamenca, La Zenia, Los Dolses and Villamartin are all popular areas, with lots of discounted property. We advise that having a pool, or access to a communal pool, is more valuable
THE BRIEF
WHO Andy and Vicky Radhanauth live in Horsham with their two children, Thomas (18) and Ana (15), not forgetting the family spaniel, Molly. Andy runs a garden maintenance business, while Vicky works part-time for British Airways. Their family home – a handy 20 minutes from Gatwick Airport – is a four-bedroom Edwardian semi.
WHAT THEY WANT In a nutshell, they’re looking for a convenient holiday home in a sunny part of Spain. Their ideal property is a two-bedroom apartment within walking distance of the beach and amenities, and a bit of life for the evenings. They would compromise on being in a coastal resort if they found the right property in a small town a few miles inland. They’d like rental income to contribute to the running costs, so their apartment must appeal to holidaymakers. Their budget is €70,000- €80,000 (£56,000-£63,000).
WHERE Andy and Vicky are familiar with Mallorca and the area around Nerja in the south of Spain, but feel that their money would go further in the Costa Blanca. From internet research, they’ve pinpointed Playa Flamenca and Villamartin as possible areas, but are open to suggestions.
REASON FOR BUYING Family Radhanauth love their holidays – hardly surprising given the family’s BA connection. They’ve done all-inclusives at the usual beach destinations and now are itching to have their own pad which they can hop out to for long weekends or longer. They’ve recently come into some inheritance, and see buying a holiday home as the ideal way of investing it.
KIERAN BYRNE PROPERTY AGENT
than being on the beach, especially for rentals. Andy and Vicky should be aware that if they buy on a complex, they will have community fees to pay. Typically, these range from €250-€600 (£200-£480) a year, depending on the size of the complex, whether there are many gardens to maintain and if the apartment block has a lift. Another cost will be council tax, or SUMA, but this is low and depends on the size of a property – for example, about €350 (£280) per year.
Peter Esders is a lawyer and head of the Spanish legal department at the UK-based law fi rm Chebsey & Co (
www.chebsey.com, 01494 670 440)
My fi rst piece of advice for Andy and Vicky would be to visit any property they are considering buying and explore the local area before going ahead with a purchase. Ideally, I advise buyers to visit a property at different times of the day, too – and if they’re buying as a primary residence, they should also try to visit at different times of the year. Something to be aware of is that when cheaper properties were bought
PETER ESDERS LAW SPECIALIST
originally, many buyers cut corners and didn’t pay for an independent lawyer to check their property’s paperwork. As a result, problems with some properties only come to light with the next sale. Buyers need to make sure any such irregularities are identifi ed during the buying process – not after. Items such as lack of correct paperwork, charges on the property, unpaid council tax and so on, are identifi able and can often be resolved so that a deal can still happen.
Amanda Lamb is presenter of Channel 4’s hit TV series A Place in the Sun
AMANDA LAMB PRESENTER OF A PLACE IN THE SUN
The Costa Blanca is one of the UK’s favourite second home and retirement destinations, not just in Spain, but anywhere in the world. While its popularity led to a surge of new developments, many new projects and privately owned properties have been repossessed or deserted since the fi nancial downturn. Andy and Vicky should choose carefully. Their ideal holiday home needs to be in a well-maintained area, with busy commercial outlets and attractions, and to be somewhere popular ideally with Spaniards as well as other nationalities. Alarm bells should ring if they visit somewhere with a large amount of vacant or run-down properties, poorly maintained communal areas or a lack of amenities. There are some eye-wateringly cheap properties available at the moment, but you can only call them a bargain if they’re desirable and great value for money. Finding a trustworthy, knowledgeable estate agent who understands their personal needs will play an important part in their purchase.
DID YOU KNOW?
The two halves of the Costa Blanca are noticeably different in terms of scenery and appeal. The further north you head from Alicante – the Costa’s midway point, with its airport serving many destinations in the UK – the more mountainous and verdant the landscape becomes.
Heading inland takes you into deep valleys, including the popular Jalón Valley, where a unique microclimate allows citrus, almond and olive groves to flourish. After Benidorm, the resorts along the northern stretch, including Altea, Calpe and Jávea, began as fishing villages and have a cosy, traditional feel.
Heading south from Alicante, the landscape turns flat and more arid. The white, palm- fringed beaches of the locally known Orihuela Costa are the main attraction. Notable beaches are at Punta Prima, La Zenia, Playa Flamenca and four within the Torrevieja area. Torrevieja’s heritage lies in salt production, thanks to the two lagoons, La Mata and Torrevieja, which sit between the town and the sea. Despite being protected as nature reserves, areas of the lagoons are still used to produce salt.
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