Townhouses For Sale in Javea

Types of Javea Townhouses

Until recent years, villas or apartments were the top property choices among newcomers to the Costa Blanca. Still, since the property market revival in 2015, we have noticed an increased interest in old pueblo-style casas or townhouses.

Traditional village houses usually form part of a terrace, often with a small private garden or yard at the back of the house. You can purchase many of these properties at a low price because they need extensive renovations which will often be more expensive to complete than buying a new or a resale home.

In town centre dilapidated houses, you can almost guarantee the bathroom and kitchens will need completely renovating from scratch. Other rooms in the house may be oddly distributed compared to modern homes, with undersized high windows and little natural light.

Having said that, if you have your heart set on a home in need of renovation, it is worth looking into. This type of property is usually very central, often in the old town of Javea. It has the advantages of a town centre apartment close to all amenities, with more privacy than apartment block living.

The other type of property you will find in Spain’s resorts and towns is a modern, purpose-built terraced house in a complex. Based on the classic architectural Mediterranean style, this is where any similarities end, as these new communities usually feature open plan airy rooms and offer all mod cons such as air conditioning, double glazing, wall panelling, etc. They are often within a gated community with a swimming pool and communal gardens. Some have a small private garden with direct access to the pool.

These communities are an ideal option if you like the communal aspect of apartment life while also enjoying outdoor space and greenery. In Xabia, there are several such communities in the famous Arenal beach and Javea port areas, some with sea views.

Costs Associated with Buying a Townhouse

Other than the possible high costs for refurbishing a derelict Spanish townhouse, just as when buying an apartment, plot, or villa, you must pay additional expenses and taxes on top of the purchase price when buying a townhouse. What you must pay will depend on if you buy a new build property from a developer, or a resale property sold by an estate agency or a private individual.

When purchasing a new property, you will be charged IVA (VAT) and stamp duty, and with a resale property, a transfer tax. There are additional notary fees, lawyer fees, and expenses associated with obtaining a mortgage to budget for. Every real estate sale is distinct, but to be safe, add between 12% and 15% of the buying price to get a realistic idea of extra fees, and then add in renovation costs if applicable.

About a Community of Owners

As with buying a luxury villa on an urbanisation, or buying an apartment in a block, you’ll become a community of owner’s member when purchasing a townhouse that is part of a complex. Each community has a president and is managed by a building management company or an “administración de fincas”. The administration firm oversees the running of the complex and collects the community fees from each owner.

Every complex and urbanisation has rules, that owners are expected to follow. With a townhouse, you have more leeway with how you can decorate your home’s exterior than if you live in an apartment block. Nevertheless, there may be restrictions on the paint colours allowed for gates, window grilles, etc., and what you can or cannot keep on the balcony. If there is a pool or a play area, there will likely be some regulations involving their use.

Owners can make suggestions at the community AGM to change or submit a rule or new community feature, and the members will vote.

Owners on complexes must pay community fees, for maintenance. It is important to make your payments on time, as if you decide to sell, you will need a certificate stating all fees are paid. Furthermore, if fees are unpaid for various years, the town hall can auction the home without your agreement to settle the debt.

Well-kept complexes with shared facilities or security staff will have higher fees than complexes or urbanisations without communal areas. Before committing to buying a property with shared facilities, make sure you know how much the community fees are to budget accordingly.

There are unlikely to be community fees with an older house as this property type is not part of a block, complex, or urbanisation. The upside of not being part of a community of owners is you can make your own decisions regarding maintenance, but you will have to meet the costs yourself.

You will still be charged the IBI, a municipal yearly tax for all residential and commercial properties. The amount of IBI you are liable to pay depends on several factors including where the property is located (one municipality will be more expensive than another) the plot size, the condition, and the construction cost of the property.

Townhouse Pros and Cons

Modern townhouses have few disadvantages. They aren’t as private as a detached villa with a garden, and you might have more communal limitations than with a villa on an urbanisation. If you are more interested in an old town house, possible disadvantages include expensive renovations, and convenient close-by parking could be an issue.

One of the advantages of living in a townhouse, whether you choose an old traditional building or a house on a complex, is it is likely to be within easy walking distance of facilities and amenities. A further benefit is that a townhouse offers more space than an apartment, as they usually include a small back garden. Because they comprise a ground floor, a first floor, and sometimes an extra upper floor or two, they typically have more than one terrace or balcony. If the house has a flat roof, that’s all yours too.

Valuvillas is a long-established British-owned estate agents located in Javea. We have hundreds of properties for sale in all areas of Javea, Denia, Moraira, Benitachell, and other nearby towns.