Brits look to Spain to bag a bargain holiday home in 2017
- 37% of Brits currently regretting their Christmas spending (Nationwide)
- Bargain hunting particularly important to second home buyers in the New Year (Kyero.com)
- Playa del Ingles and Almeria named top destinations for making a saving (Kyero.com)
According to Nationwide, 37% of Brits will currently be regretting the amount they have spent over Christmas, while 19% will still be paying off their festive spending in March. Across Europe, Christmas spending was projected to hit £77.56 billion in 2016, based on research by the Centre for Retail Research and RetailMeNot. Meanwhile, while in the US, Deloitte’s 2016 Holiday Survey predicted that spending would pass the $1 trillion mark.
Whatever the total cost of the holiday season, the early months of the New Year are certainly a time when bargain hunting becomes a priority for many. Whether it’s the weekly shop or something altogether larger – such as a holiday home overseas – achieving value for money in January and February is a serious business.
Richard Speigal, Head of Research at Spanish property portal Kyero.com, comments,
“Clearly, everyone who buys a second home wants that property to be good value, but at the start of the year we see a particular emphasis on bargain hunting. Buyers are looking for properties that offer something exceptional for the money. Price reductions, even small ones, can make for quick sales at this time of year, as buyers are keen to snap up homes that mean they can make a saving while still achieving their dream of owning abroad.”
Those looking for a bargain holiday home would do well to make use of Kyero.com’s extensive data on market trends to scour Spain for the best areas to pick up under-valued property. The portal offers a dedicated data site to enable this (data.kyero.com) and also regularly reviews their latest search data for the most up and coming areas and those places where prices are lagging behind the national average.
Right now, Playa del Ingles in Gran Canaria is the place to buy for those looking for an up and coming area. Enquiries for properties in the Canary Islands always rise in the winter months, but 2017 has seen Playa del Ingles knock Torrevieja off the top spot of Kyero.com’s trending locations list for the first time ever.
The average property price in Playa del Ingles is €165,000, against €249,000 nationally, making it ideal for bargain hunters looking for all the benefits of Spanish property ownership but without the usual price tag.
For buyers looking for an area lagging behind the rest of the market, Almeria province is an excellent choice. Prices there are currently averaging €129,000 – nearly half the national average.
Despite a spike in sales since the Brexit vote, prices in Almeria have yet to catch up to those in the rest of Spain, creating excellent potential for future capital gains. Mojacar (average property price €165,000), Albox (€126,000) and Palomares (€84,000) are the three top spots, according to Kyero.com’s data.
Of course, discounted properties can be found in many areas of Spain, by those who know where to look. This spacious, three-bedroom frontline beach penthouse in Estepona has been reduced by a staggering €250,000, to €999,000.
Buyers looking for something more traditional can enjoy a €20,000 discount on this five-bedroom cortijo with private pool and terraces, now just €130,000. Meanwhile golfers can take advantage of the €40,000 discount on this three-bedroom villa near La Marquesa, now priced at €159,000.
“Spain offers something for everyone when it comes to bargain hunting,” concludes Kyero.com’s Richard Speigal. “There are plenty of price reductions available to buyers right now and some fantastic areas that offer excellent potential. It’s a buyer’s market for Brits looking to pick up a bargain holiday home.”
For further details, visit www.kyero.com.