[loll_l]

I’m looking to buy a holiday home in the near future. I have travelled around mainland Spain recently and have decided my ideal place to buy would be Benalmadena. The problem I have is that I will only be living in the holiday home for 2/3 months a year (at least for the foreseeable future) so I need somewhere that I will be able to rent out for as much of the rest of the year as possible….

In a perfect world I would buy a 3 or 4 bedroom villa in Benalmadena with a private pool but I have read somewhere that I could struggle to rent a villa out – especially when not in high season.

The way I see it is that I have 3 options. I have done plenty of research so far and I intend to do a lot more but if anyone can give advice on the pros and cons to the below options it would be appreciated – particularly if you have personal experience of any of the 3 yourself….

Option 1 (my preferred option): A 3 or 4 bedroom villa in Benalmadena. My concern here would be not being able to rent the place out. I wasn’t concerned until recently when I read that it’s very difficult to rent villas out all year round on mainland Spain. Is this the case?

Option 2: An apartment right in the centre of Benalmadena – possibly in/around the marina. I think the location may make it easier to rent out but I would still have concerns that people would not want to rent in Benalmadena over the winter months.

Option 3: Buy in the Canaries instead. My thinking here is that the all year round good weather may make it easier to rent out?

So to summarise, I would ideally like to buy in Benalmadena but if I’m going to struggle to rent the place out I may consider the Canaries as an alternative. Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Pazcat]

I would also look into what the requirements are for renting out a holiday home are and what license you may need. Each region will likely have differing requirements, might be better to go with the easier region.

 

[xabiaxica]

I would also look into what the requirements are for renting out a holiday home are and what license you may need. Each region will likely have differing requirements, might be better to go with the easier region.

I understand that both the Canaries & Andalucía have very strict registration requirements.

 

[loll_l]

Thanks for the replies - yes I mill make sure to obtain the correct license(s).

For now though I'm just interested in where it will be easier to rent a place out..... Anyone with experience of renting out a holiday home in either Benalmadena or the Canaries who can give me some information/pointers?

 

[Dunpleecin]

Canaries. CDS is cold in the winter no getting away from that. If it's not rented out you'll be paying fortunes in various fees and getting nothing back. Canaries you'd probably rent all year round if you get with the right people. If all you're bothered about is renting it out mainly and not so much being there yourself don't be snobbish about where it is. Go where there's high demand.

 

[Overandout]

I know that this is not addressing the question directly, but if the point of most importance is to have the property rented for the entire time that it is not occupied by the OP. This indicates ome kind of financial dependency on the rental income.

If this is the case, it could be quite risky to even hope for close to continuous occupation. I know of several people who rent out holiday homes (in mainland Spain) and none of them expect, nor acheive 100% occupancy, nor anywhere close in the "off season".

I would expect (hope?) that in the Canary Islands you would have more chance, but relying on it seems risky.

 

[Leper]

Agh! . . . . . . another guy with a small fortune to spend and no idea how to spend it and pops up here because the advice is not forthcoming elsewhere. [Don't get offended, read on].

The Renting Out Rule in Spain Page 1, Paragraph 1 contains the information that you can easily rent out even a shed during July and August. You have small problems renting out in June, September. But, October to May is where the hardened Holiday Home Owner comes into his own. That is why in nearly all of my posts I advise holiday home purchasers to move to the area for at least five weeks before purchasing in the off season. Even then you get a true feel of what future rentals for you will be. Having purchased you network (another way of word-of-mouth-advertising where locals will do your job for you. Pay 10% commission if necessary, but pay something to your contacts for each sale. Don't forget the person who looks after your holiday home will have contacts too, so don't delay in handing out the 10% to him/her too.

I forgot to mention Rule Number 2:- (a) Don't rely on anyone or anything. (b) Don't hang yourself out to dry.

You have been warned, and . . . . Best of Luck.

 

[Megsmum]

Thanks for the replies - yes I mill make sure to obtain the correct license(s).

For now though I'm just interested in where it will be easier to rent a place out..... Anyone with experience of renting out a holiday home in either Benalmadena or the Canaries who can give me some information/pointers?

It's actually not a case of obtaining the correct licenses. It's about being able to get a license. The Spanish governments are getting very strict on what's allowed to be rented etc. Regulations on bedroom sizes, bathrooms to bedroom ratio, standards etc. I'm sure I read somewhere that o. The canarie islands it's not easy to get a license to rent?

In my own region, they are clamping down HARD applying for a rental license can take 6-12 months. I know of one lady who had a smallish pool she was inspected had to install more ladders and purchase a specialist first aid kit costing €1000 euros, not the norm everywhere but.......

Previous posters correct..... there is more, much mor to rentals than location. We looked at something similar but the weeks potential occupied do not make up for the unoccupied..,we would be running at a loss as there needs to be monies paid out for changeovers etc.

Clearly rentals worl for some... but it's a complicated situation. Even Airbnb is starting to be scrutinized by the government