As Brits once again top the list of second-home buyers, it seems even rising house prices and the threat of Brexit haven’t dampened our appetite for escaping to the Spanish sun
Picture yourself sipping sundowners by your private pool, or even on your balcony as you look out over the turquoise coastal waters below. Make no mistake: us Brits love a home in the sun, and we are behind almost 16% of all foreign Spanish property sales.
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While from 2016-2017 there was a slow down in British buyers investing in Spanish properties, as cautious buyers waited to assess the fallout of Brexit, it seems we simply can’t hold off any longer. Research from the Spanish Land Registrar’s Association shows that UK demand for second homes in Spain rose from 14.7% in mid 2017 to 15.6% by the end of the year.
In addition, housebuilder Taylor Wimpey Espana has revealed that Brits are once again their biggest buyers – accounting for almost a fifth of all reservations made in February 2018.
House prices in the Balearics are going up in value faster than anywhere else in Spain - up 6.8% in 12 months
Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director of Taylor Wimpey Espana said: "With Spain now the second most popular tourist destination in the world, it is no surprise to see British holidaymakers and indeed second home buyers, returning in greater numbers this year.
"Property sales to Brits are strong, reclaiming their crown as our number one buyers and we are in fact seeing more and more affluent British citizens looking to place their money outside of the UK, with a view to Brexit in April 2019. Spain is deemed a safe haven and we expect to continue to see ever more British buyers in 2018."
While the property market in Spain is buoyant, with house prices up 4.5%, it’s the beach lifestyle of the beautiful Balearics that is proving most popular, with prices up 6.8% over the past year.
Here are five stunning properties in the Balearic Islands that could be yours.
Ibiza Town, Ibiza – €4,300,000 + VAT
On sale with Rightmove
For Gargantuan budgets, this 5-bed white-painted villa in a gated development offers 180-degree views, a rooftop terrace and private terrace, meaning it has after-party written all over it. It even has staff quarters and an indoor tropical garden.
Capdepera, Mallorca – From €315,000 + VAT
On sale with Taylor Wimpey
The brand-new Royal Blue development from Taylor Wimpey offers a selection of 3-bed contemporary apartments. Located near to the beach of Cala Mesquida, on the biggest isle in the Balearics, the complex is within walking distance of local restaurants and offers glorious sea views from its large terrace.
Santo Tomas, Menorca – €275,000 + VAT
On sale with Rightmove
By the beach in Santo Tomas in the small village of the same name, this spacious 3-bed apartment has not one but two terraces to make the most of those gorgeous Mediterranean views. It has a communal pool, restaurant on-site and it comes fully furnished, meaning you’re good to go.
San Jose, Ibiza – €635,000 + VAT
On sale with Rightmove
If mountain views, a party terrace (it is Ibiza, after all) and a pool (albeit shared) are on your wishlist then this 2-storey villa will tick the boxes.
It’s handily placed for access to some of the quiet coves and sleepy fishing villages to the west of the island, as well as the buzzy restaurants and bars of San Jose itself.
Pollensa, Mallorca – €835,000 + VAT
On sale with Rightmove
If your Spanish holiday home dream is less beachside bling and more rural idyll, then this traditional country home may appeal. Set over one floor, near the historic town of Pollensa in the north of Mallorca, it has a huge garden, its own pool and exposed wooden beams.
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