Once you have decided where you want to buy your property in Spain you will need to decide what style of home you want. Obviously this is partially dictated by your budget, however there are now so many homes available there should be something to suite all budgets whichever style you prefer. The three main choices are apartments, villas and town houses, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

Apartments
One of the most popular styles of home is the apartment. It usually offers more space for your money and extra facilities you might not get with a house. Many apartment blocks include shared pools and shopping arcades. However you will have to pay a yearly or monthly fee to cover the repairs and maintained of the apartment block and it’s facilities. You will also find that you may be able to get an apartment in a much better location than you would a house for similar cost. When buying an apartment in a block you would be wise to chose one with a lift, whilst a few flights of stairs might not seem like much, you will soon get tired of walking up them with your weekly shopping!

Villas
The traditional purchase of the foreigner, the Spanish villa, still very popular with people wanting to buy a home in Spain. Most of the villas purchased as holiday homes are bought on complexes purpose built for the foreign market. This type of property does have it’s advantages, and of course some disadvantages. The main advantage of these villas is that they are new builds, built to modern standards. Many of them often come with a pool or at least a communal pool on the complex. The biggest disadvantage, in some people’s opinion, is that these complexes tend to turn in to completely foreign communities with no trace of traditional Spain. However if all you want from Spain is the excellent climate and you aren’t too bothered about experiencing Spanish life, this may be ideal for you. You can of course find villas in traditional Spanish towns and in some remote locations throughout Spain. These originally belonged to wealthy Spaniards and are now very popular with foreigners looking for larger more expensive house.

Town Houses
These are the traditional Spanish property located in typically Spanish towns and villages. Most of them can be found lined along narrow streets with the the front door opening straight on to the road. They are still the most common type of house in Spain and where most of the Spaniards live. For people who want to experience real Spain this type of property is ideal. Town houses are becoming more and more popular with people buying a home in Spain as they offer great value for money because you aren’t paying a premium for specially provided amenities. You should be wary of buying a town house in a place that is currently entirely Spanish as you may find it difficult to settle in. Most people tend to go for a place that already has a small foreign community so there are people who you can socialise with before you are confident speaking Spanish!