Spanish Property Buying Guide 2004: The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Property in Spain (Merrick Media) (Paperback)

Thinking about buying a house in Spain? Perhaps you’re not sure how to go about it or what’s available in your price range?

Look no further than the Spanish Property Buying Guide 2004, the unique and practical must-have guide for the serious Spanish homebuyer from the publishers of the popular Mguides. With more than 380 pages, the comprehensive Spanish Property Buying Guide 2004 is packed with expertly researched information on how to buy in Spain, property prices, the different regions, maps, and case studies of those who have already managed the transition to Spanish life.

Steps to buying

An authoritative and practical guide to the mechanics of buying a property in Spain, the Spanish Property Buying Guide 2004’s Steps To Buying helps you to work out what you can afford and how to recognise potential problems with properties. This fully-informed guide negotiates the idiosyncracies of Spanish law, from finding your dream home to finalising ownership. It also answers key questions like "How much do you really have to spend on solicitor’s fees and taxes?" All these questions and more are answered in this invaluable guide.

Region Guide

This profiles the history, culture, cuisine and personalities of each of Spain’s regions. Area information – are the regional food specialities found in the Costa Brava really as good as those in the Costa del Sol? Where can you find the best wines? And where are the classic seaside destinations?

Price Guide

In addition, a unique 250-page colour price guide details more than 2,000 properties illustrating house styles, estimated values and sold prices throughout Spain. Expertly researched and sourced from the elite agents in both the British and Spanish property worlds, only the Spanish Property Buying Guide enables you to see exactly what you can get from your money in the different regions of Spain.

Case Studies

These are case studies of buyers of property from village houses to newbuild villas. With extensive listings of regional and national business contacts – from estate agents and solicitors to tradesmen and letting specialists – Spanish Property Buying Guide 2004 demystifies the subject of buying a property in Spain and contains essential up-to-data information for anyone thinking of investing in their own piece of Spain.

The Spanish regions

Spain is officially divided into 17 autonomous communities that are further subdivided into provinces. For convenience the Spanish Property Buying Guide has split the country into 15 regions, grouped under the following headings : The Costas, North Spain and the Interior, and The Islands. The list below shows which of the official autonomous communities and their provinces comprise our 15 regions.

The Costas
Costa Brava
Catalonia – Barcelona – Gerona

Most people visit this area for its coastal resorts or for the cities of Barcelona and Gerona. Whether you want to relax or shop, people watch or sample great food, this book will describe to you in detail what shouldn’t be missed out in this region!

Costa Dorada
Catalonia – Tarragona

This book demonstrates how Tarragona’s historic streets offer so much inspiration for those seeking a home in this region. Tradition is key in Costa Dorada.

Costa del Azahar
Valencia – Castellon – Valencia

Costa Blanca
Valencia – Alicante

The community of Valencia is characterised by its long golden beaches and dramatic mountain ranges, and is home to some of the best-known Spanish resorts – Alicante, Benidorm and Javea - which all host fabulous nightlife! Whether you’re looking for English-speaking plumbers, nannies or even tutors you’ll find them all here. This book will show you that the property market here is still very buoyant.

Costa Calida
Murcia – Murcia

Costa de Almeria
Andalucia - Almeria

Costa de Sol and south Spain
Andalucia – Córdoba – Granada – Jaēn – Màlaga

Undoubtedly the most visited part of Spain, the region of Costa de Sol has something for everyone. Coastal areas for those sunseekers, holiday complexes and golf courses in plentiful supply, beautiful cities within the inland areas. This book will lead you to your ideal destination whatever you love doing.

Costa de la Luz and southwest Spain
Andalucia – Càdiz – Huelva - Seville

North Spain and the Interior
North Spain
Asturias - Asturias
Basque Country - Ālava – GuipÚzcoa - Vizcaya
Cantabria – Cantabria
Galicia - A Coruna – Lugo – Ourense – Pontevedra

This area makes up the northern seaboard of Spain and boasts some breathtaking scenery with green countryside, quiet secluded bays and historic buildings and traditions. You’ll see from this book that there is plenty here for both the holidaymaker and the homebuyer.

Castille Rioja and Navarre
Castille and Leon – Avila – Burgos – Leon – Palencia – Salamanca – Segovia – Soria – Valladolid – Zamora

Nazarra – Pamplona
La Rioja - La Rioja

This region is justifiably world famous for its wines. The people are hospitable and friendly, hosting grand fiestas and other events for the calendar. Certain property hotspots to look out for are advised in this book, as this area can be fairly pricey!

Aragon and the Pyrenees
Aragon – Huesca – Teruel – Zaragoza – Catalonia – Lerida

Diversity and richness are key to this region. It is known as the perfect place for extreme and winter sports while, on the other hand, it is ideal for a peaceful rural retreat with green valleys, lakes and mid summer temperatures. Tourism is all year round so this book is certainly useful for those of you with buying-to-let on your mind!

Madrid
Madrid

As the capital of Spain, Madrid is filled with history and culture, yet firmly embraces the modern world. It is blessed with a dazzling array of shops, bars, markets, restaurants and museums. If this is the place of your dreams but out of your price range, then the picturesque surrounding areas are also covered. If it is the spicy city life or the peaceful country that takes your fancy, this book will guide you to your dream home in the perfect area.

Central Spain
Castile-La-Mancha – Albacete - Ciudad Real – Cuenca – Guadalajara – Toledo Extremadura – Badajoz – Caceres

This region of Spain is certainly evocative so expect a real adventure! The properties here ooze character and personality and it is fair to say that no two houses look the same. This book will answer all your questions, whether you are interested in settling for a renovation project or any other type of unique property in your ideal location.

The Islands

Balearic Islands
Regarded by many as the jewel in Spain’s crown, the Balearics are characterised by beautiful scenery, lush forests, clean and secluded beaches, lively nightlife and a typically warm, inviting Mediterranean welcome. Location is key in this area so it’s certainly best to research with this book first!

Canaries Islands
Created by the eruption of underwater volcanoes over 20 million years ago, these islands with their unique landscapes are a popular destination with Spanish and European tourists alike. Again, property in the Canaries varies greatly in price depending on location, so researching first would be beneficial