A completely different picture on the Costa de la Luz. "Real estate is offered here at prices significantly lower than in the west of the Algarve or on the Costa del Sol, which is very attractive for investment. In addition, Seville, located just an hour away, has a stable rental market," says Robert Shaw, director of marketing and sales at Spanish Algarve Properties. "Due to strict building regulations, the supply of new housing here is minimal, and the landscapes have retained their original appearance." Other advantages include a low crime rate and an actively developing economy, excellent beaches, excellent infrastructure and excellent golf courses. In addition, the average temperature here is about +20 °C, there is more sunlight and less rain than on the Costa del Sol.
The many Faces of Huelva
Andrew Benits, director of the real estate agency Titan Properties, believes that the investment potential of the Costa de la Luz will undoubtedly attract investors soon: "Property prices in the west of the Costa de la Luz are 30-40% lower than in the Portuguese Algarve or on the Costa del Sol, so new players can be sure that they purchase real estate at low rather than inflated prices," he says. Nevertheless, according to Robert Shaw, price growth in the last few years has been quite high in this region – about 15% per year.
The city of Huelva near the Portuguese border is especially popular with foreign buyers. "There are a number of great golf courses in this part of the Costa de la Luz, where the sea is calm and warm all year round," says Shaw. – They are actively interested in those buyers who seek the chic of the Algarve, but at more favorable prices. There are kilometers of pristine beaches along the sea, and today, when local authorities have realized how much wealth belongs to them, we can be sure that due to strict rules governing construction, there will not be excessive development, as on other Mediterranean coasts."
La Ciguena is a complex in Huelva of 216 apartments and 27 villas near the town of La Antille. It is designed for people of retirement age, there is an underground garage, swimming pools, tennis courts, squash courts and tropical gardens on its territory. There are also 42 studio apartments available for temporary family members or friends. The objects are for sale by Bridge Property International at a price of 214,800 euros for two-bedroom apartments and 482,450 euros for a villa with a minimum area of 123 sq. m
. There are many resorts around the city of La Antille, there is no shortage of noisy bars and restaurants. At the same time, quiet fishing villages are suitable for fans of relaxing holidays, excellent fish restaurants and boat trips.
Views of Portugal
The picturesque fishing village of Ayamonte is located in the province of Huelva, 45 minutes away. drive from the Portuguese Faro airport. Spanish Algarve Properties agency has put up for sale a country house with an area of 155 sq. m. The apartment is occupied by a combined living and dining room with a fireplace, an office and three bedrooms. The villa is located on a plot of 482 sq. m., there are front and back courtyards, a garage and a garden in excellent condition; the cost of this property is 430,000 euros. The same agency offers apartments worth 170,000 euros near the center of Ayamonte and 10 minutes away. from the beach. The building is located on a hill, with excellent views of the river and the village from its windows.
Spanish Algarve Properties is also engaged in the sale of Mirador Del Guadiana, a traditional complex on a hill by the Guadiana River: just a few minutes along the waterfront and you are already in the center of Ayamonte. From the windows of all the facilities of the complex, priced from 240,000 euros, there is a view to the west, and residents will be able to admire the amazing beauty of the sunsets that the Costa de la Luz is famous for.
The Riverview complex, a project of the Titan Properties agency, boasts excellent views of the Guadiana River and Portugal. The gated complex consists of 70 luxury villas, each of which has three bedrooms, a kitchen combined with a living room (they are separated by a breakfast counter), as well as several outdoor recreation areas, a roof terrace and a veranda on the ground floor. The complex has private parking, two swimming pools, tennis and squash courts and a modern gym located in the clubhouse. Residents have at their disposal a championship–class golf course with 18 holes on the territory of the same Costa Esuri macro-resort, where the Riverview complex itself is located. Prices for the objects – from 395,000 euros.
Traditions and modernity
According to Shaw, the Nuevo Portil area near the city of Huelva also deserves attention. "It is located directly on the beach of El Rompido, just a few minutes from the fishing village, and the road from Seville airport along the main A49 highway takes less than an hour," he says. The complex under construction will meet international standards – an 18-hole golf course, two luxury hotels, and a huge variety of services typical of an exclusive resort. The cost of townhouses on the first line of the sea, the construction of which is to be completed in 2008, starts from 240,000 euros.
Titan Properties Agency has added the Punta Coral project, also located in El Rompido, to its portfolio of secondary real estate offers. It consists of several small gated complexes, each with gardens, tennis courts and underground parking. The convenient location on a hill provides a beautiful view of the communal pool and the sea. The townhouses combine traditional Spanish style in the facade design and modern minimalist interior design: built-in wardrobes, three bathrooms, furnished kitchen, private terraces and floor-to-ceiling French doors create all conditions for a comfortable life. The cost of the objects starts from 285,000 euros.
Spanish Algarve Properties Agency offers Las Palmeras complex in a new beach area on Isla Canela, a natural island formed by the Guadiana River. The cost of luxury apartments with one, two or three bedrooms, marble floors, a fully equipped kitchen with granite countertops and white furniture starts from 200,000 euros. This complex consists of four buildings on the first line of the sea, as well as two tennis courts, communal pools and carefully designed gardens.
With a view to rent
Chris Mercer from the Mercers agency believes that today the most popular point of the coast is the city of Jerez. "The increased interest in this region has arisen due to the many attractive properties in quiet areas and the excellent potential for renting real estate," says the expert. – There is a lack of quality offers for tenants in Jerez. This situation is radically opposite to what is happening on the main popular coasts now, where probably thousands of rental properties are empty simply because of the huge oversupply."
One of the properties in Jerez offered by Mercers agency is a 210,700 euro apartment with two bedrooms, fitted wardrobes and a fully equipped kitchen with white furniture. The building is built in a traditional Andalusian style, and the apartments have direct access to a spacious shared roof terrace with excellent views of the historic city center. You can also choose an object with a larger area – for example, a six-bedroom townhouse for 588,000 euros in the center of Jerez. The traditional courtyard with marble floors, columns, stone carvings and a fountain is especially picturesque. Other features of the property include unusual wooden beams in the living and dining rooms and a modern bathroom with hydromassage and bathtub. There is also a spacious roof terrace, and a 40-meter storage room can be turned into a separate apartment if desired.
Sophie Spyropoulos and her husband have been cruising the Costa de la Luz for several years, staying at campsites, and they really liked it here: it's not just that Sophie speaks Spanish fluently, but they both adore sherry, wine cellars and horses. "We were looking for a place where there are many good restaurants offering a traditional Spanish flavor,– explains Sofia. – It so happened that, after going on an excursion to the city of Weher, we talked with an English film crew who were shooting a commercial there, and its director said that this was the most beautiful village he had ever seen. And we agreed!"
With the help of a local real estate agency, they found an old renovated townhouse in the old part of the city. The house has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and offers spectacular views of the village, valleys and the sea.
"This was the second house we saw," says Sophie. – We took out a loan from a Spanish bank and processed the documents with the help of a Spanish lawyer and a real estate agent. The purchase process was quite simple, and at the end of 2006we finally became the owners of the house." Sofia and her husband come here four times a year, claiming: "There are a lot of calm, unhurried people in this place, and we just adore it."
