Why buy in Salobrena?

Having helped hundreds of purchasers over many years to find the right property here on the Costa Tropical we are aware that any decision can be influenced by many considerations and dependent on the reason for wanting a place in the sun (permanent living, retirement, holidays or rental/investment). Some of the most common considerations are listed below.

Europe's only sub-tropical micro-climate

If you were to ask where the warmest winters in mainland Europe are to be found, most people would not say Salobrena and probably would not have even heard of the Costa Tropical. However, owing to the proximity of the Sierra Nevada mountains, (the highest peaks in Spain), there truly is a micro climate here which provides this small section of coastline with the best winter temperatures in mainland Europe.

The average maximum temperatures in the coldest months are about 18 degrees Celsius and the average minimum remains in double digits. Although there are a few chilly nights here during the typical winter, and some form of jacket is generally required in the evenings throughout the winter, we do not ever have frosts. As a result, various tropical fruits such as the 'chirimoya' can be grown here which you will not find elsewhere on the coast of Spain. Other fruits include mango, avocado, papaya, loquat, oranges, lemons and bananas.

The Costa Tropical's micro-climate contrasts greatly with the climate just a short distance inland, both in summer and in winter. In the summer, the temperatures are far higher inland with an often uncomfortable 10 degrees difference, and in winter it is usually around 10ºC colder. Visitors to these inland areas in the spring and autumn, when the temperatures are more or less the same as on the coast, are often unaware that they will have to cope with these more extreme temperatures at other times of the year. www.salobrenaweather.com provides more detailed weather information.

Skiing in the Sierra Nevada

Another benefit of having the Sierra Nevada so close is that from the end of November until the end of April there is good snow skiing close by! The resort is just one hour's drive from the coast and is as well-equipped as most Alpine resorts. This is the most southerly ski resort in Europe, and one of very few locations in the world where you can spend part of the day skiing and the remainder on the beach!

www.sierranevadaski.com

It’s still Spanish!

In Salobrena and the surrounding area, Spanish traditions are still very much alive including free tapas with drinks in most bars! The local fiestas carry on as they have always done and certainly not just to entertain the foreigners who are very much in the minority around here.

A unique town

Perched on a large outcrop of rock overlooking the Mediterranean coastline, Salobrena is considered to be very different from any other coastal town they have seen by most potential purchasers we meet looking for their dream location. Physically it is quite distinctive, with white cube-shaped houses of the old town cascading down the eastern side of the rock, and a sheer cliff face to the west contrasting with the surrounding open fields and the blue sea.

The old town is typical in style of the old white-washed Andalucian hill towns, and, together with the medieval castle provides a beautiful view from most of the villas we have for sale, particularly at night when the castle is illuminated. Below the castle are the relatively undeveloped beach areas where you will not find a wall of high rise apartments but mainly low level development which does not dominate, and in some parts no development at all - just fields right alongside the beach.

The beaches are almost empty for most of the year, and other than peak summer holiday time, parking is not a problem. One concern that we often hear is that with increasing popularity Salobrena might become just like the other over-developed coastal towns of Andalucia. This is unlikely owing to increasing restrictions on new development from the regional planning authority, the Junta de Andalucia. Even if Salobrena town hall were to want the kind of development that has occurred elsewhere, excessive new building is unlikely to be approved by the Junta de Andalucia as they are keen to preserve what little unspoilt coast that still remains.

Although very much involved in the re-sale of existing properties in this area, we are not a development company and are not in favour of much more new development here. No doubt there will be changes over the coming years, but we would be very happy if little new construction were to take place, and we fully support all restrictions which will help maintain the relative tranquillity of Salobrena.

In addition to the attractive physical characteristics of Salobrena, the local people are very friendly and generally very welcoming to the foreigners who find their way here. Also most of the tourists here are Spanish coming from Granada, Jaen, Madrid and even further afield as Salobrena is a popular beach holiday destination for people from all over Spain, and the prices in the bars and restaurants reflect this!

The way of life here is still quite traditional, and the local goatherd who used to guide his flock past our home here 20 years ago still can be seen most days somewhere on the hillside. If you are attracted to Marbella and the lifestyle it offers (and can afford the cost of living!) then this area probably is not for you. But if you are looking for somewhere peaceful, not congested, a place to relax and enjoy a taste of true Spain you will find that this is one of the very few coastal towns where this is still possible.

Local facilities

The modern local hospital in nearby Motril has been a welcome bonus for some of our clients, and all who experience it have nothing but praise for the excellent medical care here.

Nearly all of the properties we offer can be connected to the internet with an adsl  broadband connection.

An International school just 10 minutes away in Almunecar.

And where else do you know where your local English-speaking bank manager will always be pleased to have a chat whenever you pop in - whether or not you have made an appointment?  

Good supermarkets and other shops both in Salobrena and nearby Motril with a wide selection of local bars and restaurants.

Proposed new marina

For some time there have been plans for the construction of a new marina and apartments on the site of the old sugar factory (shown below). However, in reality the marina development is primarily an excuse to build yet more of the holiday apartments that already are in serious oversupply throughout Southern Spain and with a recent ruling from the Junta de Andalucia restricting the density of housing for new marina and golf developments it is unlikely that this will get underway in the very near future.

Golf courses

There are plans for several new golf courses in the Granada region which at the moment has only a very small number (see our section on Activities in Salobrena for more information). At least two are planned for Salobrena to help encourage winter tourism. The keen golfers who live here are very excited about such plans and further golf courses would no doubt help attract more potential clients and would likely further increase property values in the longterm. However, as with many of the plans we hear about our view is that we will not believe it will happen until they actually start the construction! (Two years ago there was talk in local papers of a Formula 1 race track being built not far from Salobrena.... a perfect example of not believing everything you read or hear about!)

Investment potential

Salobrena is still relatively unknown, primarily because access has in the past been difficult. With the mountains stretching almost to the coast, the Costa Tropical was virtually cut-off until the early 1990s when improvements were made to the coast road and the road down from Granada. To further improve access, there are two motorway projects due to reach Salobrena very soon.

The first involves completing the main coastal motorway, which runs all along the Spanish coast from Portugal to France. The Costa Tropical is the only part of the coast which does not yet have this motorway completed due to the cost and difficulties involved in such a project through the local mountainous terrain, but it is scheduled to be finished sometime in 2010.

The second project involves extending the motorway from Madrid via Granada to the coast at Salobrena, and this should be completed early next year (2009). The latest section of the coastal motorway from the Costa del Sol (Nerja) to La Herradura was opened last year and this has already reduced driving time to Malaga airport by at least ten minutes. Granada airport recently became an international airport, which will also help to make access easier for many.

Once more people discover this area we are confident that they too will be impressed by the natural beauty, lack of development and traditional Spanish “feel”. With this increased awareness, demand will surely increase for the limited supply of nicely located properties on the hillside here, resulting in the inevitable increase in values to or beyond those found elsewhere.

Recently other agents we know in Nerja and La Herradura have looked at some of the properties we have for sale here and have commented that, on a like for like basis, nice villas here are clearly lower-priced than in their areas!