Spanish properties are diverse, offering a wide range of options from small apartments to large country estates, encompassing nearly all types. Each region has its typical Spanish properties, such as cortijos, masías, or pazos in the Autonomous Community of Galicia (typical rural Spanish properties).
Apartments
Apartments are ubiquitous in Spain, with the vast majority of Spaniards living in apartment buildings, especially in large towns and cities. The resorts of Benidorm, Lloret del Mar, Magaluf, and Torremolinos have saturated the market with apartment buildings established for vacation purposes, making it difficult to find a popular coastline without apartments (and high-rise hotels). Since the 1960s, apartment buildings have remained in demand throughout Spain, with a healthy market for both buyers and sellers.
Townhouses
Townhouses are typically a row of terraced houses, often featuring regional architectural styles, arranged around communal gardens with pools. Townhouses are increasingly popular in large cities, especially in Madrid, where there are extensive suburbs filled with rows of townhouses. In coastal resorts, townhouses are often referred to as Mediterranean villages, with houses painted bright white, becoming increasingly popular with blue and yellow tones.
Villas
Spaniards typically do not live in detached houses, and in many large towns, it is difficult to find large homes unless they are the residences or palaces of local nobility. However, along the coast, there are many detached houses, generally owned by foreigners or wealthy Spaniards who use them as second homes. Some villas are part of complexes that share communal gardens and pools, situated on small individual plots, while others are set on large estates.
Urbanisations
Urbanisations refer to dedicated developments or newly developed areas that include apartments, townhouses, and detached houses. They are an important part of Spanish holiday destinations and cities, with some having become part of the holiday home market since the first sun worshippers arrived in Spain in the 1960s, most of which are newly built.
Country Properties
As property prices rise in coastal areas and resorts become increasingly crowded, foreigners are increasingly looking inland for Spanish countryside properties. These properties, also known as fincas, describe a range from cottages to well-preserved farmhouses, typically cheaper than holiday homes, available in areas away from coastal resorts. Fincas can range from ruins on large plots of land to cottages or large rural residences, some close to farmland.