Kirsty Mckenzie
House hunters hoping to get onto the property ladder or take the next step up should always look to Spain, in our humble opinion.
Expats in the Costa del Sol and beyond have some serious bragging rights, after all – we’ve got first class restaurants, cafes, gorgeous architecture, plus buckets of history and sun nearly all year round. Why would you ever settle anywhere else?
And that’s before we even mention brilliant property prices that cost a fraction of what you would pay in the UK.
Take a look at this stunning penthouse apartment in Estepona for instance. This incredible three-bed property in the gated community of Bel-Air Gardens, can be found tucked away between the towns of San Pedro de Alcantara and Estepona. The house is even being sold with furniture, so buyers have nothing to do once they move in accept relax.
And there’s plenty space to lounge about – the luxurious pad would be perfect for a family, thanks to three good sized double bedrooms, a master en suite and two additional bathrooms.
The real selling point is the spiral staircase that leads to a very private roof top that boast panoramic views of the sea. We can practically smell the BBQ happening already.
When you get sick of topping up your tan on the rooftop, you can always nip down to the sparkling blue communal pool for a quick dip.
And the location isn’t too shabby either – Bel Air Gardens is a popular spot on the coast just a stones throw alway from Cancelada, where you can find various restaurants and bars.
The address is within range of shops, cafes and local amenities and you can easily take a wander and explore neighbouring Estepona and San Pedro.
There are local primary and secondary schools nearby too, with both Queens British Grammar School and The International School Estepona both less than 13 miles away.
For the same price in London – that’s roughly £180k – buyers are a lot worse off.
At the moment £179k will get you a studio apartment in Northolt in the London Borough of Ealing, 11 miles west-northwest of Charing Cross.
Described as an ‘investment’, the 283 square foot studio doesn’t have a bedroom as such, but advertisers say there is a reception area with a wardrobe space that is also connected to bathroom and kitchen, both roughly 6x6ft.
Of course property prices in London are highly competitive and it can be tricky, especially for first time buyers to get their foot on the ladder and find a reasonable priced place in the capital.
Still, if we had to choose between a London studio and a three-bed apartment, complete with pool and private roof terrace? The place in the sun gets our vote.
Now if only we could find some extra change down the back of the sofa to help afford that deposit…
