Second residence on Spanish golf estate increasingly popular: "The purchase price is not so different from an apartment by the sea" A lot of Spanish costas are turning Belgian, as more than 3,000 compatriots buy a second residence there every year. Many opt for a getaway on a golf course, although the majority do not even practice the sport. What is the reason for this success and what should you look out for when buying?
Second residence on Spanish golf estate increasingly popular: "The purchase price is not so different from an apartment by the sea" A lot of Spanish costas are turning Belgian, as more than 3,000 compatriots buy a second residence there every year. Many opt for a getaway on a golf course, although the majority do not even practice the sport. What is the reason for this success and what should you look out for when buying?
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Our residential expert Björn Cocquyt finds out and tips out his recommendations in each region.
The Spanish coast counts more than a hundred golf domains. On the Costa del Sol, one resort merges almost seamlessly with another. As a result, the region has been nicknamed Costa del Golf for decades. But on the Costa Calida and the Costa Blanca, too, you are spoiled for choice. Unlike in Belgium, you can live on all these estates. Some are even as big as a small Flemish municipality and sometimes count a thousand or more apartments and houses.
"So you would do well not only to go off on all the beautiful pictures taken of the projects, but also to make a viewing trip. Then you can immediately find out what facilities are nearby and the general condition of the property. Although they like to show off their exclusive nature, one resort is not the other. Compare it to Ostend and Knokke: they are two coastal towns, but they are totally different and attract different audiences. On the Costa Blanca this is the case, for example, with Orihuela Costa and Altea." To compare prices, keep the following in mind. "If it is considerably cheaper in one place than elsewhere, it should ring a bell. That means the land value is lower there, because the construction price is almost the same everywhere. The reason may be, for example, a less favorable location. The most expensive region is the Costa del Sol. The glamour and glitz of Marbella have great appeal for those with the necessary pennies. One golf estate there merges into another. They are so large that they can be endlessly extended. It is a smart investment in any case, because I feel that real estate on a golf keeps its value more. I also consider the chance of price increases there to be greater than in a busy seaside area." Another tip: Before purchasing, look at the complete master plan of a gulf. That lists the different stages of development. That way, you can check where construction can still take place in the area around your property. Unlike areas other than golf, the chances of those plans changing over time are minimal.
Gilles and Isabelle are owners of an apartment on a golf course: "Big chance that we will live here permanently."
At least half of the owners of a condo on a golf course do not practice the sport. This was also the case for Gilles Vanpelt (48) and his wife Isabelle Dumortier (48), who have owned an apartment with two bedrooms and bathrooms on the Costa del Sol since 2014. "In three days I looked at no less than 40 apartments. I visited all possible locations, but nowhere was the location better than here in Nueva Andalucia. Everything is nearby: Puerto Banus - Marbella's marina - is ten minutes away, the old town and Estepona twenty minutes away, the airport a good half-hour away, and so on," says Gilles, who runs a business selling luxury watches and jewelry with The Watchhouse in Knokke-Heist.
"The beauty of the region is that we have the best of both worlds: we can go to the fanciest and most expensive restaurants and bars, but just as easily eat spotty tapas with the locals. There is also always something to do, but in the evening it is nice to be able to return to the tranquility of our secure golf course." The apartment is located on Magna Golf. There are nine holes constructed, but with Los Naranjos, Las Brisas and Aloha, there are three resorts with eighteen holes within a two-kilometer radius. "Meanwhile, I play golf myself and it's a luxury to have so much choice so close by. We do have to pay a bit more for this unique location - the dirt fee of 180 euros, for example, is more than ten times that of a little further away - but we take that with us. We like it so much that there's a good chance we'll move here permanently later. Now we travel up and down about eight to 10 times a year in non-corona times. The wide range of affordable flights makes that perfectly possible."
To have an idea
A resale at Magna Golf is available today from €340,000. Do you also dream of a second residence on a golf estate? Five recommendations from our housing expert: 1. Costa del Sol: semi-detached home for €438,500.
Natura Townhouses is a new, gated subdivision on La Cala Golf in Mijas. It consists of forty houses with three levels. In addition to a private garden and a 50 m² rooftop sun terrace, there are communal gardens and a swimming pool. The 208 m² homes have three bedrooms and bathrooms.
Source: Björn Cocquyt - Het Laatste Nieuws