It has been almost 2 years since we received the keys to our townhouse in the urbanization La Cinuelica, just south of Torrevieja on the Costa Blanca Spain. It seems strange to look back over those two years and see the transformation of the immediate area, and now to see the development look more or less like we thought it would when we signed our property off plan 4 years ago.
I say this because the entire off-plan buying process means that everything is in the mind and not in sight. Even the plans at this stage are artist drawings and not actual photographs of real estate that we usually have in the UK. It’s not just the property we bought that I’m talking about, but the streets, green spaces, shopping malls, and the general feel of the area as we walk through it.
The truth is that only now can we really see what we imagined 4 years ago. Never mind that we received our keys almost 2 years ago, the house may be finished but the pool is not, nor are many of the houses around us and then we had all the other blocks of houses and apartments being built nearby as well. We were unaware of the effect it would have on our property, as for example our local streets have just recently been paved. They don’t pave the roads when they finish a block of houses; they wait until they are all finished and pave them all at once. Of course, this makes logistical sense, but not for those who have not had proper roads for almost two years.
The result has been that many who had dreams of spending time in Spain or even living here have long since moved back to the UK, not realizing that things eventually come together and builders eventually go.
From our point of view, we are very happy with what we have purchased, our house is located right on the pool (the largest in the area) and we have access to Punta Prima beach within walking distance and very close access to shops and restaurants If we had been in this place 18 months ago, many of those who left to go home, I think would still be here.
We don’t live in the La Cinuelica urbanization, we just go on vacation there, well I call it vacation, but it really is our second home and we treat it as such. It is not the same as renting a holiday apartment in Benidorm, with representatives all around you trying to sell you tours and nights out. Now we have friends and neighbors and favorite places to eat, shop and sunbathe, it’s really relaxing.
The plan was originally to buy in La Cinuelica and then move to a bigger place, but now I’m not sure. The location to all amenities is perfect for us so although it’s not big enough for a family home, I don’t see us moving or selling any time soon.
So for those of you who have bought off plan or are considering the process. Just add a few more years to your expectations and you should get what you were looking for.
