Wowed by just how affordable property on the Spanish Costas is right now, many Brits and other foreign buyers are snapping up a holiday home on their first viewing trip. We meet one couple who did just that…

One trip out to the Costa Blanca was all it took for Mike Lewis and his partner Clare Stowell to find their ideal second home.

After shortlisting around a dozen properties to view with a local Spanish estate agent, in April this year the Milford Haven couple flew out to Alicante and headed to the beach resort of La Zenia. They weren’t familiar with the southern Costa Blanca, but friends had recommended it as a great place to own a holiday home – and they were right!

“We’d never expected to buy on our first viewing trip,” said Clare. “We arrived on Wednesday lunchtime, began looking at property on the Thursday, and by the end of the day we’d had an offer accepted and paid a deposit to reserve the property – in fact, it was for the first place we viewed! The apartment ticked all the right boxes and because it was a bit tired inside, we got it for a good price.”

Mike and Clare bought through the estate agency HomeEspaña, who helped them to organise everything for a smooth purchase before they flew back to the UK. By the time Mike and Clare boarded their flight home, they had arranged their tax identification number (NIE), opened a Spanish bank account and appointed a solicitor to whom they granted power of attorney.

Completion for their two bedroom ground-floor apartment took place in June and in total cost the couple around €74,000, including taxes and fees. Only 20 minutes from the beaches at La Zenia and Cabo Roig, the property has its own garden and terrace, as well as access to two communal pools. Mike and Clare intend to use their new holiday home three or four times a year, flying to Alicante from either Cardiff or Bristol, or to Murcia from Bristol.

Properties for sale similar to Mike and Clare’s include this two-bedroom top floor apartment in La Zenia (above), with its own solarium with sea views. Just a short walk from the beach, it’s on the market for €89,500.

Or for something a bit larger, you could try a three-bedroom quad villa, with a solarium and access to a communal pool. Again, all amenities and the beach are within walking distance. It’s on the market for €128,000.

For more information on buying property successfully in Spain, download the Overseas Guides Company’s free Spain Buying Guide – and start receiving free news updates by email. Or to see property for sale all over Spain, visit Rightmove’s Spain listings.

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