Living on the Costa Blanca: real estate under the Spanish sun

Interview with Nicolai Jensen, licensed partner at VON POLL REAL ESTATE Costa Blanca

From Dénia in the north to Alicante in the south - the Costa Blanca stretches along the eastern Mediterranean coast of Spain and offers unspoiled nature and endless sandy beaches. Due to the fascinating landscapes, the wide range of local recreational and leisure opportunities and the pleasant climate all year round, the regions located here are not only popular with holidaymakers. The high quality of life on the so-called White Coast is also attracting more and more people who want to relocate there and are looking for a property. But how has the real estate market on the Costa Blanca developed? Which regions offer the greatest potential and how is the property search going?

Mr. Jensen, the last year has been very challenging for markets worldwide. What is the current situation on the Costa Blanca?

NICOLAI JENSEN

The real estate market on the Costa Blanca has developed very positively overall. Demand for real estate remains high, especially from international buyers. This also has an impact on marketing times. Property offers do not remain on the market for long - especially in the highly sought-after locations that score points for their good infrastructure and proximity to the beach. These include Calpe, Benissa and Moraira. Properties there have proven to be very stable in value and prices have risen steadily. Prospective buyers looking for a new home on the Costa Blanca will find a nice mix of new builds and renovated existing properties, with a clear focus on environmentally friendly and energy-efficient buildings.

You mentioned that the Costa Blanca is very popular as a place to live, especially among international buyers. What characterizes this clientele? And what exactly are they looking for?

NICOLAI JENSEN

In fact, the majority of the clients we look after in our VON POLL REAL ESTATE store in Calpe come from other European countries - most of them from Germany, Switzerland and England. We also receive many inquiries from interested parties from the Scandinavian countries, Belgium and the Netherlands. The inquiries often come from couples or families. But we are also contacted by many pensioners who are looking for a suitable property to enjoy their retirement under the Spanish sun. The regions along the Costa Blanca offer many exciting new-build projects that are tailored precisely to the needs of this target group, especially for senior citizens.

Of course, the different groups of buyers also have different ideas and requirements for their new home. However, the most important criterion for buying a property is still the location. This means short distances and good transport links to the beach, stores for daily needs, doctors and other healthcare facilities. Especially for international buyers who do not speak Spanish, it is also important that multilingual services are offered locally. In addition, prospective buyers pay close attention to the well-maintained condition and modern, contemporary furnishings of the property, which ideally should also be equipped with a pool. Finally, the availability of financing options plays an essential role, with many of our prospective buyers being able to afford an outright purchase.

So does this mean that most buyers purchase a property on the Costa Blanca for their own use? Or are there also investors who are interested in renting out a property?

NICOLAI JENSEN

Most of the properties we broker are used as a first or second home - in other words, bought for private use. A somewhat smaller but not insignificant proportion is purchased as an investment, particularly for vacation rentals. The owners or investors focus on short-term rentals. In addition to the high returns that can be achieved, the Costa Blanca as a year-round destination and the associated constant tourist demand are also reasons why short-term rentals of vacation homes or apartments are significantly more profitable than long-term rentals.

What should international prospective buyers be aware of when purchasing a property on the Costa Blanca? Do you have any tips?

NICOLAI JENSEN

The real estate market on the Costa Blanca has no significant pitfalls for international property buyers. However, a certain level of prior knowledge and understanding of local laws and regulations is required. We see time and again that prospective buyers are not sufficiently informed about the legal situation on the local real estate market and underestimate, for example, the costs incurred for maintaining the property and local taxes. Commissioning unregistered estate agents can also be problematic. Sometimes a lot is promised but not kept in the end, which can also lead to legal and financial complications. We therefore advise all prospective buyers to seek detailed advice from a local real estate expert who is very familiar with the legal situation and the processes involved in real estate brokerage in order to ultimately conclude the transaction safely. My multilingual team at VON POLL REAL ESTATE COSTA BLANCA and I are on hand to assist interested parties with all questions relating to real estate brokerage and ensure that all the necessary permits and documents are in place so that nothing stands in the way of owning your own property on the white coast of Spain.

Dear Mr. Jensen, thank you very much for the interesting conversation.

Further information about the team around Nicolai Jensen from VON POLL REAL ESTATE Costa Blanca as well as the current real estate offer on site, contact details and much more can be found at: https://www.von-poll.com/en/real-estate-agent/calpe