With autumn upon us once again, and after a less than impressive UK summer, many families are thinking about getting away for some much-needed winter sun. Spain’s Costa del Sol has long been a favourite holiday spot for families looking to pick up a second home. Now it has the added attraction of serving as a winter bolthole for those looking to escape the potential of another winter spent under lockdown in the UK. As such, despite Covid and despite Brexit, the Costa del Sol continues to be popular with British second home buyers, according to new figures released by Taylor Wimpey España.

The leading Spanish homebuilder reports that the Costa del Sol remains its most sought-after region with British buyers. In terms of properties, families are increasingly seeking key-ready homes that they can begin to enjoy immediately and from which they can work. Reliable, fast WiFi is now an essential, not a nice-to-have.

A leading example of the type of property being sought in Benhavis is Botanic, where all apartments except the last, key-ready penthouse have been snapped up in the last few months. Priced at €720,000 plus VAT, the penthouse delivers exceptional accommodation backed by views across the rolling green hillsides down to the deep, glistening blue of the Mediterranean. The spacious interior provides room to work from home while also accommodation the family – perfect for the growing demand for ‘wolidays’, where the pandemic has blended work and holidays like never before.

With so much interest in the Costa del Sol and other areas of the Mediterranean coast, prices are racing upward. They rose by 5.2% on average in Spain over that past year, with both the Mediterranean coast and the Spanish islands exceeding this, at 6.1% and 7.9% respectively, according to Tinsa.

“The attractions of owning a second home in Spain have never been greater, particularly with winter on the not-too-distant horizon once again. We’re seeing interest in all regions increase compared to 2019’s figures, with international clients turning to Spain for key-ready homes that provide them with plenty of flexibility when it comes to where to stay and where to work. Properties such as the Botanic penthouse are particularly attractive to British buyers, as the purchaser and their family become eligible for a Golden Visa, thus opening up access to the Schengen Zone once more.”

Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director of Taylor Wimpey España