With so many properties for sale in Mallorca, it is difficult to know where to begin. Before searching for your dream home, you need to decide between apartments and penthouses or houses and villas. Once you make your choice, then you will need to work out your exact requirements and preferences and to know your true budget and limitations.
Apartments and penthouses versus houses & townhouses
If you like to be around other people and to socialize, then you should consider apartments or houses for sale in gated communities. Communities located in holiday resorts in mallorca, mainly have some sort of shared facilities (gardens, saunas or swimming pool). Apartments and penthouses allow you to mix and mingle with your neighbors. They are fabulous for children as they can meet and play with others. If you do have children or animals then you may want to buy a ground floor apartment with garden. Garden apartments are also very convenient for the children to run in from the swimming pool area unaided - giving you time to relax in the comfort of your own home.
The most expensive apartments available to buy are usually penthouses, however paying a premium to purchase penthouses can be very advantageous. They usually offer superior views, extra space and, with no apartments upstairs, you can be assured of no noise or footsteps coming from above. Penthouses also carry a certain prestige, which is further accentuated in some of the very special and exclusive communities of apartments that are for sale in Mallorca. Luxury developments like The Mardavall of Portals or Las Fuentes de Los Pampanos of Santa Ponsa are well known for their elite status - making them extremely desirable and sought after.
All types of apartments are ideal for holiday homes because they are secure & easy to close down - a lot less maintenance or expense than detached houses and very appealing for families with children who want to socialize.
For those of you who prefer privacy and "getting away from it all" - then looking at villas or houses for sale in Mallorca may be more appropriate. Detached houses give you space & privacy, but this usually does come with extra running costs and a higher sale price.
Detached houses or villas within gated communities can offer a great compromise as they provide the best of both worlds - the advantage of being independent & private but also with community facilities accessible nearby. These give the freedom of choice when it comes to socializing with others.
Running costs for apartments, houses and villas
When looking round at various apartments or town houses to buy in a community, you should always remember to take into account the community fees. These fees consist of the community expenses (running costs of the shared pool & garden, water bills, cleaning of the communal areas etc). These costs are totaled up and shared out between all of the apartments in the complex. Each share is calculated based on the size of the apartments or houses and the percentage or proportion that each property occupies of the whole development. Penthouses & ground floor apartments usually pay the most as they are larger in size. Usually the more facilities that apartments offer, then the higher these fees will be. In Mallorca, a community can be as low as 25 - 50 Euros a month, whilst some of the more prestigious developments have apartments and penthouses for sale where the community fees can be can be 200 euros - 800 euros a month and, in some extreme cases, even higher than this.
Houses usually have higher running costs as you need to pay to maintain your own pool or garden. You should also consider other maintenance. Repairs will have to be paid for by you, the property owner, whereas in apartments, building & exterior repairs are sometimes covered by the community fees or by the community building insurance. Houses and villas require you to take out your own building insurance policy & to be individually responsible for all of the day to day maintenance - however you can use a villa management company to take care of all of this on your behalf. Many houses that are on the market for sale in Mallorca already have a company that takes care of the property. If this is the case then you should ask about their charges before you buy the house. A good property management company will be able to run your villa efficiently and deal with any issues, making home-owning abroad as stress free as a dream holiday.
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