A list of property Amenities and Features for home buyers in the Costa del Sol.
Are you considering buying a property in the Marbella area but you do not know where to start? What can you do to make your dream home search more efficient?
Before you are able to make an offer on a property, there are many things to be done and many questions to be answered. It can be an overwhelming process. What is the purpose of your purchase: are you looking to buy as an investment, as a holiday home or a main residence? What is your budget? Are you buying on your own or with someone else? Do you need a mortgage? Once you answer these questions you can start one of the most important and exciting parts of the purchasing process: creating your wish list! When the time comes for your agent to ask what kind of home you are looking for, you will be more than ready to answer. It can be very helpful to divide your list into four categories: “Non-negotiable elements”, “Nice to have items”, “Dream features” and “Absolutely unwanted features”. The more particular criteria you can provide your agent, the more detailed the search will be, this can be tricky, the more parameters included the fewer homes you may find. The best way is to highlight criteria that are most important to you and keep a certain level of flexibility.
LOCATION
Is the most important and at the same time the most underestimated criteria. If a property does not have desired amenities they can be changed or added but the bad location cannot be changed. Mountainside and Beachside are unofficial geographical terms used in the Marbella areas and they refer to the land above the N-340 coast road (Mountainside) and to the land below N-340 coast road (Beachside). If your criteria is walking distance to the beach, your property can still be located Mountainside.
Types of location
Beachside – Close to golf – Close to sea – Close to playground – Close to port – Close to schools – Close to shops – Close to town – Front line beach – Front line golf – Inside Golf resort – Mountainside – Amenities near – Transport near
CONDITION, STYLE, VIEWS & GROUNDS
The influx of international residents in the Marbella areas has continued to grow over the years and so has the variety of architectural styles. In the past the traditional Andalusian style prevailed, the present is more about contemporary or Nordic style property. Blending different styles in the exterior and interior is also quite common.
Condition options
Brand new – Excellent – Good – Recently refurbished – Renovation needed
Style of home
Andalusian – Mediterranean – Modern – Contemporary – Nordic
Views
Country – Garden – Golf – Lake – Marina – Mountain – Panoramic – Poo l– Sea – Street – Urban
Grounds features
Plot size – Swimming pool private or communal – Heated pool – Indoor pool – Salt water pool – Spa – Sauna – Turkish bath – Jacuzzi – Fireplace of Fire pit – Barbeque – Outdoor kitchen – Terrace private, covered, uncovered – Tennis or paddle court – Garden private or communal – Automatic irrigation
TYPE OF PROPERTY AND BASIC HOME AMENITIES
All apartments in the Marbella areas except some apartment buildings in Marbella center, form part of a gated community with communal gardens, swimming pools and a security service. The choice between an apartment and an independent house is not always a question of budget. Some apartments in the luxurious complexes can be more expensive to maintain than an independent villa. It depends whether you prefer enjoying communal services without having the direct responsibility of maintenance and upkeep or if you prefer to enjoy complete privacy in your home and garden.
Types of property
Apartment – Ground floor apartment – Penthouse – Duplex or Triplex Penthouse – Townhouse – Villa – Finca
Basic home amenities
Year built – Number of bedrooms – Number of bathrooms – En-suite bathrooms – Guest bathroom – Number of levels – Orientation – Garage – Car port – Storage room
Types of rooms
Cinema Room – Dining Room – Game room – Guest room – Laundry room – Living room – Office room – Separate dining – Steam room – Study room – Utility room – Wine Cellar – Gym – Solarium – Basement – Separate apartment
Types of flooring
Marble floors – Parquet floors – Wooden floors
Furniture
Fully furnished – Optional furniture – Partly furnished – Unfurnished
SPECIFIC HOME AMENITIES AND FEATURES
Specific amenities and features are very individual preferences to each buyer and their needs. Even if you are planning on inviting your friends and family in your property, remember it will be your home so make your needs a priority. If you find an interesting property that is missing some important features, you can always consider adding them after the purchase as a home improvement project.
Kitchen Features and Amenities
Fully fitted kitchen – Kitchen equipped – Open plan kitchen
Master bedroom Features and Amenities
Balcony – Fitted wardrobes – Wall to wall carpet – Dressing area
Water and Energy Amenities and Features
Air conditioning – Celling cooling – Celling heating – Central heating – UF cooling system – UF heating (baths) – UF heating (partial) – UF heating (all) – Solar panels – Water tank
Special Features and amenities
24 hours concierge service – DB Surround system – Electric blinds – Glass doors – Handicapped access – Domotica – Wifi – Satelite TV – Telephone – Lift – Pets allowed – Bars
Security Amenities and Features
Alarm – Doorman – Double glazing – Gated community – Security entrance – Security Service – Security service 24 hours – Security shutters – Video entrance