The BEST area in Spain & why? - Spanish Real Estate forum - Spanish property

Richie · 11-12-2007, 12:54 PM

What is Spain's best area? Why in your opinion is it the best region / city / town?

There are so many different areas for someone that is open to where they land in Spain, so for your area - give us the best reason why someone should live and buy there!

Lets see how much you have got to say about your area that you cover!

Matthew King · 11-12-2007, 01:03 PM

Javea (Northern Costa Blanca) - Because there have always been strict building regulations since the early 70's that have prevented the building of any high rise apartment blocks, anywhere - not just on the frontline.

There's 1 or 2 that squeezed through, but Javea doesn't generally go over 4 stories. Which keeps everything bright and airy, and largely unspoiled.

There's also a ton of investment in the area, with loads of stylish bars and restaurants. Surrounded by nature reserves. Scented for many months of the year by tons of orange groves in the valley.

Protected from harsh winds etc by the surrounding mountain ranges (e.g. Montgo). The closest point in Spain to Ibiza - you can see it from certain view points on a clear day.

Pleasant white sandy beach in a bay, with shallow water out for 50m - making the beach excellent for families and water sports, historic old town, fashionable port with stone beach, hut type bars on the beach playing chilled out music, and a nice little marina.

Denia (working town) to the north, Moraira (lovely little town) to the south. Nice golf courses all around. What more can you ask for.

Popular holiday destination especially with the Madrid crowd, which makes apartments (and villas long term) in the area a good investment if you plan to holiday let.

I've been all over the north east coasts of Spain, and down as far as Alicante. Out of the places that I've seen that's my pick. Lived there for 4 years, if you can stand the heat then go for it!

spanishmortgageman · 11-12-2007, 01:12 PM

I have lived in Spain all my life, and very little can beat the character of Costa blanca, not overpopulated, its green, fresh air . It seems that as soon as you go south of Alicante it gets very flat and dry with many places being overpopulated and like concrete Jungles( or is that juts torrevieja and Costa del sol

)

Matthew King · 11-12-2007, 01:14 PM

I have noticed how it becomes like a spaghetti western set when you get as far south as Alicante on the coasts. It's like a gradual decline in colour travelling south from Javea.

Begging for some clint eastwood malarky in that terrain.

Richie · 11-12-2007, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew King

I have noticed how it becomes like a spaghetti western set when you get as far south as Alicante on the coasts. It's like a gradual decline in colour travelling south from Javea.

Begging for some clint eastwood malarky in that terrain.

Try living here! I can't stand the area but I suppose you get what you pay for! If I had the choice I would move tomorrow but unfortunately I don't so I'm stuck here

I must take a day or two to go the Costa Blanca north, I never seem to get the time to do anything during the week and weekends I say I am not goin gto work and I do, even if I don't I'm too tried to do anything anyway!

So Costa Blanca north is the top region so far!

Homefinder · 11-12-2007, 02:01 PM

I agree with Spanishmortgageman and Mathew King and there is little that I could add except that, even if they tried, they could not do much damage.
This is because there is actually very little land left now for new building, especially in Moraira and Benissa Costa.
It all started here in the early 70's, long before most other areas. They made mistakes, of course, and although they corrected them, there are a few aspects of the development that we can do without.
Lots of the little "pigs ears" of houses have been, or are being, extensively refurbished or even demolished - yes that is happening!
One problem that Teulada-Moraira has is finance as there is little income for the town hall from new building licences. The licence fee is a whopping 5% and the developer has to contribute 7,000 Euros towards updating the infrastructure in the case of an isolated plot. The minimum plots size is 1,000 metres and the little remaing land is expensive, which all goes to make new buildings expensive.
Moraira-Homefinders have an extensive range of property in the Moraira Area. Prices here actually started falling in 2004, due to competition from other areas during the boom, and now seem to have stabalised with renewed interest in the area.

I actually started my own survey about which areas would be most likely to survive the Spanish Tourism and Real Estate Crisis. From the little response I got the Costa Blanca North area is well ahead.
Perhaps Webmaster will agree to consolidate the two surveys.

Homefinder

Matthew King · 11-12-2007, 02:09 PM

I also love the Canary Islands, especially Lanzarote. Being small islands they have a completely different feel to them from Mainland Spain. Haven't lived there though, just 3-4 holidays.

Would be interesting to hear from someone who has a good knowledge of the areas there.

Richie · 11-12-2007, 07:42 PM

Must admit I am a Granada fan, I have been down there a couple of times and it is "real Spain" as far as the southern regions can be called real Spain.

It reminds me of the north west of Spain, proper food, tradition and so laid back - the properties have real character and I would jump at the chance of moving somewhere like that.

What I also love is that all the locals help each other out, the bad thing is that everyone knows everyones business

.

Homefinder · 11-12-2007, 08:09 PM

The title for the post is "The best region in Spain". Perhaps webmaster should qualify that. For example are we talking about personal opinions or the most popular opinions. I thought the latter and voted on that.
Really though, I only live in Moraira because I have business here.
My personal choice would be anywhere AWAY from the coast and TOURISTS.
I have a little townhouse in Riba Roja, the "back of beyond" of Tarragona, on the mighty EBRO river. A tiny town with wonderful vecinos who struggle to talk to me in Castellano. If I had any sense I would sell up here, move there and live on my wits (?) Thinking about it, if I relied on my wits, I would probably be hungry - but then I could live on the fish I catch, pack up smoking, get rid of the stress, learn Catalan - and live to be 100.
So my personal choice would be anywhere inland that is QUIET and near a river or lake.
Homefinder

ToniW · 11-13-2007, 11:30 AM

Well I would have to say I love living in Valencia, the beach is lovely without tower blocks overshadowing it, just a long wide palm tree lined promenade with excellent restaurants scattered along. The City of Arts and Sciences is spectacular, dificult to explain so visit the website http://www.cac.es. The city centre is beautiful with its towers, cathedrals, museums, plazas and fountains. The villages surrounding are very traditional and offer a great way of life where family values are still important. With the Americas Cup returning, bigger and better than the last one, and the Formula 1 starting next year things are really buzzing here.
BUT I have to say I havenÂ´t really travelled very much so canÂ´t honestly compare it with many other places. I have heard that Javea is nice and keep meaning to visit one day, although I know someone who visits it every week just to eat fish and chips, so this doesnÂ´t help create a good image for me. Still enjoying this area, will start exploring others one day. Will be interesting to read about other places on here to give me some ideas.