Because Murcia has long been considered a backwater of Spain, it hasn’t benefited from the recent real estate boom or the popularity of vacation homes. However, things are now shifting in Murcia. Murcia is now a popular location for those looking for a permanent home in Spain, for property investors, and now, Murcia is putting itself on the map as a beautiful holiday home destination and is appealing to those seeking to buy a holiday home abroad. Things are really heating up here in Murcia!
Despite the fact that Murcia hasn’t been well-known as a vacation spot lately, Mark Stucklin claims that the popular La Manga Club was actually founded in the Murcia region 35 years ago, in 1972, giving rise to the concept of a Spanish vacation home resort. According to Stucklin, the club actually started by chance when Gregory Peters, a Californian rambler, stumbled upon the region and fell in love with the wild countryside that overlooked an extraordinary saltwater lagoon known as the Mar Menor.
La Manga Club, the first residential golf development in Spain, was established and continues to uphold its standing as a premier resort. At the resort, no new homes are being built, but the resale market is booming. Even so, real estate in this area is not cheap; in fact, it starts at a price of about 1 million euros, which is higher than the average for Murcia.
The region of Murcia is now unquestionably a popular destination with foreign buyers in a way that it never was before, and it’s not difficult to understand why. However, only La Manga Club has occupied the limelight in Murcia over the recent years. With nearly year-round sunshine, pleasant temperatures, little rain (ideal for year-round vacations), stunning scenery, friendly locals, and a low cost of living, Murcia has a great climate. However, unlike other areas like the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol, the area is still largely undeveloped.
And right now, in the lovely inland region of Murcia, new developments are popping up, including fabulous new golf resorts and residential developments that are practically small cities in themselves.
The Santa Ana del Monte Golf Jumilla Resort and the Golf Resort El Castillo are notable real estate developments. The locations of both resorts are on the outskirts of Jumilla, sandwiched between mountain ranges. The Resorts will have first-rate recreational facilities that rival those of the La Manga Club, such as professionally designed golf courses, equestrian facilities, heated indoor pools, outdoor pools, gymnasiums, tennis, badminton, and basketball courts, commercial centers with a variety of shops, bars, and top-notch restaurants, five-star hotels with spa services, prestigious club houses, and much more.
After purchasing a three-bedroom, two bathroom villa in the La Zarza valley, Alan & Elaine Ablett, owners of Rest Assured Properties, moved from the Costa Blanca to Murcia in 2005. For investment purposes, they have also purchased a two-bedroom apartment at the El Castillo golf resort. The off-plan purchase of the golf property is scheduled for completion in December 2008. In a short period of time, they have already witnessed the apartment’s price increase by 20,000 euros.
“We were aware that we didn’t want to settle down permanently in a tourist-heavy, overdeveloped, and crowded coastal region like the Costa Blanca. We wanted to experience “real Spain” so we started looking to different areas” said Elaine – “we always wanted to move to an inland region and we came across this north west area of Murcia, We knew this area was right for us and are sure that we’ve made the right decision – sun filled days in December and a relaxed way of life – now that’s what I call quality of life”.
Because coastal real estate has largely priced itself out of the market, buyers also like resale properties in this part of Murcia’s interior. Buyers are moving inland due to problems like rising crime and overcrowding. Buyers’ preferences in resale homes and their financial capabilities differ. Townhouses in historic towns and villages like Pinoso, Jumilla, Canada del Trigo, and La Zarza are popular as are three bedroom/two bathroom villas with a plot of land.