Costa del Sol region dominates Brit buyers’ preferences for Spanish properties

Costa del Sol region dominates Brit buyers’ preferences for Spanish properties

Are you a Briton seriously considering getting involved in the Sotogrande property market in 2022? If so, we can hardly blame you – not least as you will be far from alone in seeking out a home in the Costa del Sol region, whether you do so for investment or lifestyle reasons. 

As recently reported by the Property Investor Today website, over half – 54% – of Brits who reserved homes with a popular Spanish house builder during 2021 chose properties on the Costa del Sol. This compared to the 24% who opted for homes on the Costa Blanca and the 22% who went with the Balearic Islands. 

What’s more, the article added that there had been a big rise in reservations for such properties by Britons since August 2021. It’s another solid indication that would-be purchasers from the UK are not allowing either the COVID-19 crisis or Brexit to deter them from realising their Spanish property dream. 

“The British love of Spain runs deep” 

Mark Pritchard, sales and marketing director for the home builder in question, expressed astonishment at the surging figures concerning demand for the company’s Spanish homes during the second half of last year. 

He observed: “Some months we saw levels of reservations that we’ve not seen in the 64 years that we’ve been building in Spain. The British love of Spain runs deep and families are determined that neither politics nor the pandemic will get in their way.” 

That conclusion is borne out by the fact that despite the aforementioned barriers, of the 34 different nationalities represented among those who reserved properties with the company during 2021, Britons ranked a close second to the Germans. 

This is reflective of the recent general trend for purchases of Spanish homes by foreign nationals, Germans having accounted for about a tenth (10.42%) of foreigners buying properties in Spain in the year up to 2021’s third quarter. By comparison, Britons made up 9.89% of the total share of foreign home buyers in the country. 

Foreigners, in turn, accounted for 10.77% of all property purchases in Spain over that bracket of time, as disclosed by the Colegio de Registradores. 

Sustainability and swimming pools among buyers’ top ‘wants’ 

As for what those buyers prioritised in a Spanish home during 2021, the home-building firm said new homes in quiet areas, “with open and flexible spaces”, were particularly sought-after. 

Buyers were also keen on ensuring the homes they acquired offered high levels of sustainability and energy efficiency, which is especially unsurprising given how prominently the United Nations Climate Change Conference – otherwise referred to as COP26 – was featured in the news last year. 

But what about 2022? Well, the home builder expects the above trends to remain in play, but also that buyers will be keen on such perks as communal swimming pools and “lush, landscaped gardens”. 

All in all, 2022 promises to be an enthralling year for Sotogrande property – but with prices also on the increase, would-be purchasers might be best advised to make their move sooner rather than later if they can. 

Get in touch with the BM Sotogrande team via email, over the phone or in person, and we will discuss with you how we can work with you to make this year one you will remember for all the right reasons.

Blog Post 14/01/2022