If 2018 was marked by consolidated growth of the property market on the Costa del Sol, then much the same is expected of 2019. Demand is consistently solid, and as a result growth and construction are sustainable, i.e. nowhere near the over-inflated levels seen during the pre-recession property bubble. Property prices have been increasing steadily for some years now, having recouped the losses suffered during the global financial crisis that hit this region between 2009 and 2013. The early recuperation seen after 2013 has long since become a new growth cycle in its own right, and it is one marked by a new kind of home too – sleek, white-toned modern in styling, and fitted with the latest technologies, comforts and entertainment gadgets.
Building standards are higher than ever, right up to international levels, and the trend has been towards open-plan living indoors and villas that are more compact in construction size and garden space, and therefore easier to maintain, but also crammed full of the latest design and lifestyle features. Modern technology assists luxurious modern living, so expect the best entertainment systems, home automation comforts, interior styling, top-brand kitchens, Zen bathrooms and even private spas, gyms and home cinemas that are now integrated into entertainment zones that also include a bar, lounging areas, and games of your choice.
Rooftop terraces with outdoor kitchens and heated lap pools and/or Jacuzzis are de rigueur, while the open-flowing floor plans are welcoming back split levels and the sixties retro futuristic sunken outdoor seating area with fire pit. In other words, homes are becoming more exciting, with more delightful features to choose from, and homebuyers of not just newly built villas but also off-plan apartments for sale on the Costa del Sol have more and more freedom to personalise them. This is a luxury that was not available in off-plan buying before, and it is an ideal way to cater to a highly international buying public.
We are also seeing more and more natural materials and earthier tones replacing the sleek white minimalism of the past few years. This leads to an attractive blending of crisp white plaster with stone, wood and concrete, and beige, brown and copper hues further enhanced by a return of colour, texture and tonal patterns returning to furniture and interior styling. It’s a time of personal expression and experimentation, so homebuyers are encouraged to follow their hearts, and this is also evident in the fact that the new Marbella properties offered for sale are more and more not just homes but encompass a lifestyle.
Indeed, Marbella’s undiminished appeal is all about the wonderful lifestyle this sun-blessed corner of Europe has to offer, the demand for which remains as strong as ever.
