29 Jun 2026 4:57 PM:

My purchase is now coming on 13 or 14 years ago, so some things will have changed.

But at the time I had two separate valuations done, and they came up with substantially different prices (about 15% apart). Surprisingly the bank valued it higher than the independent consultant, and both valued it higher than what I actually paid.

I think at the end of the day valuation is an art and not a science, and the property is worth what you personally think its worth, and what you personally are looking for. What may be a dream house to one buyer may be a hopeless ruin worth no more than the land value to another buyer. What may be a tasteful refurbishment in the eyes of one buyer may be the soul sucked out of the property to another buyer.

Forum thread: Research help needed from people who have bought property in Spain

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08 Jun 2026 7:33 PM:

there is a very small outhouse/shed (of a few square meters) which looks like it hasn't been registered properly. Personally I'd be happy to just knock it down if anyone raised an issue with it, but obviously I'm worried that if we bought it we could also be liable for some kind of hefty fine somewhere down the line for illegal construction.

I'm no lawyer, so please take this with a pinch of salt. But in my experience there are illegal outhouses and extensions all over Spain, and for the most part nobody cares. Also, after a certain number of years they don't strictly become legal, but they enter a tolerated status, meaning you get away with it. So as long as you don't do anything stupid, nothing bad will happen. 

 

This message was last edited by amogles on 6/8/2026.
Forum thread: Advice on Buying a property

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08 Jun 2026 7:13 PM:

 

I am wondering what the holiday letting / rental market is like in Spain. Is it easy to let out property in Spain either through Airbnb or local agents? Also is the market confined to the tourism season ie July & August or is it Spring & Summer?

I would be very cautious because the government has got a lot stricter and (depending on your area) you may need to jump through lots of hoops and get inspections and permits before you can do holiday rentals, which will cost you time, money and perseverance. A lot of people stil rent places out illegally but then you would have no leg to stand on should it come to a legal dispute, or should a disgruntled neighbour decide to report you. So don't do that.

In addition to the government rules, if your property is part of an organized communidad, there may also be communidad rules that maybe don't prohibit holiday rentals, but may sometimes add some additional caveats. And if your tenants misbehave while you're away, and park in somebody else's parking space and party loudly all night, the ire of the people they annoyed may come back to hurt you.

That said, there are tourists all year round, and if you have a desirable property in a desirable location and at a competitive price, you should also be able to find tenants off-season as well. But don't expect to be able to charge the same rent all year round. Less desirable properties will be more diffifcult to rent out off season.

 

Forum thread: Advice on Buying a property

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12 May 2026 11:36 AM:

There is already another thread discussing this:  Managing a property on Costa del Sol while living abroad – how do you handle it?

Forum thread: How do Costa Blanca owners manage properties while abroad?

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18 Mar 2026 6:52 PM:

My father used to have a professional managment agency look after his property when he was absent, but was very dissatsified, as several times they failed to spot an issue even when it was obvious (once a storm took off several roof tiles, we had no idea how they could not have noticed as there were broken tiles all over the front garden, another time my dad came back to find the back door was unlocked, fortunately nothing was missing), the agency simply  provided excuses rather than owning the problem.

I don't have any agency at my place. One neighbour has the key and keeps an eye on things and another friend takes a look here and there, and I never had a problem. So depending on your particular risk awareness and maybe location, probably an agency is not necessary.

Forum thread: Managing a property on Costa del Sol while living abroad – how do you handle it?

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