Your home in Spain.

Your home in Spain could be a small apartment or a luxury villa, depending on what you can afford.

If you are not completely sure of what type of home in Spain will be most suitable, not only today, but maybe in 10 years time, it may be recommendable to start by buying an apartment that can easily be sold later on.

I started off in a studio, then moved into a one bedroomed apartment with my husband, but when we started planning a family, we bought land and built a house – baby gates included!


There are different types of properties and we shall briefly list their advantages and disadvantages. We will also provide the Spanish word for each property type, so if you are looking to buy a property, you can search the internet using the Spanish word, thus broadening your options of finding the perfect home in Spain.

A Studio ('Estudio' in Spanish)

The cheapest property in Spain is a STUDIO. A studio is defined as an open-plan apartment with a living space, a bathroom and a small kitchen. Studios have combined living and sleeping areas. The average area or a studio maybe between 28 – 40 square metres. Here you can see my daughter Jessica in a studio example in ‘IKEA’ the furniture shop.

Jessica in a studio - one room living space



A small apartment or flat (' apartamento' in Spanish)

A holiday apartment (or flat) is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building. Apartments normally have a separate kitchen, a bathroom and 1 or 2 bedrooms. A balcony is common in Spain, as is a community swimming pool.

small flats in Spain



A large apartment or family flat (' piso' in Spanish)

A large apartment or flat would have 3 to 4 bedrooms, perhaps 2 bathrooms, a couple of balconies and a community pool. A family apartment can make an ideal home in Spain, and well as a holiday place for larger families or groups. An apartment should have the best price-quality relation and the lowest maintenance costs. But it is necessary to be aware of the noise-levels and the sanitary habits of your neighbours. In an apartment block you will always have a Community of Owners.


Townhouses ('Casas Adosadas' in Spanish)

There are different types of houses available in Spain. Townhouses are the cheapest and are usually built on 2 floors, include a small patio at the front and back and have a community swimming pool. They may have community parking underneath them, and should have lower maintenance costs, unless there are many commonly owned installations to maintain. One will have less privacy, more noise, but also easier contact with other people. Very good for families with children.

townhouses in Spain



Semi-detached houses('Casas pareadas')

Semi-detached houses are generally larger, maybe on three floors, with a private garage underneath. Will probably have a garden, and a community pool.

semi-detached in Spain



Villas ('Casa individual' or 'villa')

Spanish villas are properties with a private entrance beyond a front gate and usually a driveway, also with a somewhat grander floor plan. The easiest to distinguish are the semi-detached and fully detached villas. A large garden, either surrounding, or front and back is usually present. The main features would therefore be a distinguished entrance through a gate and front porch or garden preferably with a drive way, a large hall, wider hallways and the floorplan spanning two or three floors.

luxury villa in Spain



Country house ('Casa rural')

An agricultural property or rural house (even if nothing is being farmed there), is on the outskirts of the town. Be very careful in buying an agricultural plot of land with the promise of your dream home in Spain, since in many places you will not be granted a building permit (for example if it is a natural park or the plot is under the minimum square metres required for construction). Do not believe the statements of the vendors when it comes to building permits, borders or availability of roads, water and electricity. Have it all checked out. Make sure that all infrastructure needed has been installed, to avoid having to pay for it later.

The country house we rented in Cadiz, Spain.


Above you can see an example of the country house we rented two years ago in Cádiz. There was lots of space for the children to run around. A local neighbour even gave the children donkey rides!

David riding a donkey in Cadiz with Eduardo the neighbour



An apartment is a good place to start. If you find you want to spend more time there or that you would rather be in a different area, it is often easier to sell an apartment on rather than a villa.

For families looking for a permanent residence, a home in Spain on an urbanisation might be your best bet, as the children make friends and play together in the community areas. We adults also meet regularly and chat around the swimming pool.


One of the most common comments that we hear from those who have bought abroad is "Why didn't I buy a bigger home in Spain?". You don't realise how many friends and relatives you have until you buy a Spanish property, or a ski chalet in Sierra Nevada, Granada. You might consider buying a slightly larger place than you think you need now, because it will pay for itself in the long-run.

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