What does it mean to own a villa in Spain on the Costa del Sol and what are the costs?
Of course, on the Costa del Sol, especially in its most prestigious areas - Marbella and Puerto Banus, which are world-famous resorts, the prices of villas are quite high. In general, the term villa refers to a type of luxury real estate. Therefore, this type of property is most often chosen for purchase by wealthy people: business owners, top managers, stars of world football and show business.
The price range on the Costa del Sol is also quite wide: from 700 000 euros to infinity. A prominent example of expensive and exclusive villas is the gated private reserve of La Zagaleta, located in the mountains at a distance from the sea. It is a gated community and only the owners of the villas have the right to enter the complex! The cheapest villa here can cost from 3 500 000 to 4 000 000 euros.
The price of the villa is also influenced by its location - its size and the proximity to the beach. If the villa is located directly in Marbella or in its most prestigious areas (Nova Andalusia, San Pedro, Puerto Banus, Los Monteros, Las Chapas, etc.), then the price will be a priori high - it is impossible to find a 1,000 euro villa for less than 0,000 euros in this area. Or they will be small houses with small plots, built 10-15 years ago or more. New villas (or recent construction) will start from 1 500 000 euros.
If the villa is located on the first line of the sea in close proximity to the beach, then prices are from 1 800 000 and above.
What does the word "villa" mean?
This is a house with its own land and its own swimming pool. The size of the house itself is from 300 m2, and the land from 1000 m2. If the built-up area is 150-200 m2 and the plot is 500 m2, then we are talking about the house only.
But most importantly, the villa is an elite property. If the price of a house or villa on the Costa del Sol is less than 500,000 euros, then firstly it is an old house that may require further repairs, and secondly it may be a "finca" - that is, a house located very far from the sea in a remote location in the bosom of nature, most often in the mountains (25-30 km from the road, very good location from the coast) cliff, etc.).
The main thing is that good villas on the Costa del Sol start from 1,000,000 euros.
What does it mean to 'maintain a villa' and how much does it cost?
Each individual case is of course different. The content is influenced by the location, the price of the Costa del Sol villa itself and the age of the property, the size of the plot/house; the gated complex or urbanization adjacent to the specific site, etc.
And which is better, a gated compound or a detached villa? Each villa is a separate house with its own land and fenced area. However, there is a concept "closed urbanisations"with additional protection and urbanisation related to or adjacent to the specific area.
On the coast in the Marbella area there are not many gated complexes or urbanisations with villas and the maintenance fee in a particular complex is quite high (additional costs for security, maintenance of the territory, general maintenance of the internal infrastructure (some have beauty salons, fitness centers and bars, etc.). These complexes have a limited number of villas (from 25 to 12).
More common are villas that are adjacent to certain areas and form urbanization. These are the ones that are bought the most. As in closed urbanisations, each villa has neighbours around it. Such urbanisations also have certain fees,the amount of which is determined at general meetings of residents.
What does the concept of maintenance fee in urbanization or "communidad" involve?
This includes garbage collection, maintenance of the grounds (if there are tennis courts on the grounds, then the courts generally decide the maintenance fee). The only thing tenants don't pay for is security, because. in such urbanisations there is no centralised security.
The price that residents pay for maintenance in the complex varies along the coast: it depends on the area, its popularity and prestige, the number of villas/residents in the area, etc.
For example, if it is a villa of 300 m2 and with a plot of about 1000 m2. The costs will be:
Annual council tax (IBI) - due by 12 September. Tax depends on the cadastral value of the property, its age: approx. 1200 - 1500 euros per year.
Utility charges: water, electricity. Installed meters. The higher the consumption, the higher the charge: from 300 to 500 euros / month (air conditioners work in summer - the charge will be maximum. If you do not plan to live in the house permanently, the cost will be minimal - a monthly fee is charged.
Security (an alarm is installed in the house, which is transferred to the central security station) - 40-50 euros per month. However, the price depends on the company that installs the alarm. In all villas, as a rule, an alarm system is already installed. In new houses, installation will be necessary - 400 euros.
Pool cleaning and gardener: 120-140 euros per month. Directly from the gardener, hourly wage: 8-15 euros per hour. The price in this case will be influenced by factors such as the size of the plot and its overgrowth. The more complex the landscape design and the more plants on the site, the higher the fee.
The pool requires cleaning once a week with regular use. Therefore, once a week a pool care worker is called in to take care of the pool (not only to clean the pool, but also to monitor the water acidity, chlorine content, etc.). His service directly costs 50 euros per call.
However, a special water purification system can be installed in the pool and a drip irrigation system can be installed on site to reduce the need for a cleaner and gardener.
In your absence, an awning must be installed over the pool to cover it.
Payment for maintenance in urbanization/complex - communidad.
If the villas on the Costa del Sol are located in a gated complex with security and a fenced area, the fee can reach up to €1,500 per month (there are also cheaper complexes). Over the course of a year, the payment can average between 8,000 and 10,000 euros or more.
If it is an urbanization adjacent to any area, then the fee will be significantly lower: 300-500 euros per month. But the price is conditional, it all depends on the region and the location.
How to pay:
Generally, at the transaction stage, you must tell the lawyer (who will accompany the transaction) to link all utility bills to your Spanish bank account. Open it immediately. So you will not have to go and pay all the maintenance costs personally. The amounts will be debited monthly from your account (if you install the SMS notification service, you will receive an SMS with information about your account status, debits and balances, or use the online banking system: there you will also monitor the status of your accounts).
We hope that this information will be useful, especially for those who decide to buy a villa or house on the sunniest and warmest Costa del Sol, but which will be the best investment of your life.
