The guide for buyers

The first question each prospective buyer should consider when beginning his search is, “How am I going to find my dream property? Will I ask for professional help or will I try to find it by myself?” 

In our more than 20 years of experience we have contacted thousands of buyers and occasionally we have heard aboutthe theoreticaladvantages of trying to contact the vendors directly. We will not make a long explanation about the advantages of buying through a professional and reputable real estate agent, but it is worth while to talk briefly about exactly what our work is all about.   

To start with, remember that for the last 2 decades, we’ve dedicated our time exclusively to counseling people who want to buy and/or sell real estate in Mallorca. We offer exactly this professional experience, while helping people to achieve their goals with the least expense and effort possible, within the boundaries of maximum safety. We analyze your wishes, your dreams, your economic possibilities and help you to understand the realities of the market. We are not talking about simply opening doors of houses and showing you where the bathrooms and kitchens are… Once we have found the property of your dreams we stand closely at your side, helping you through the whole purchase process, including banks, lawyers, the notary and so on. We provide the necessary translations and coordinate and find the answers to important questions like which is the best company to insure my property, who can help me redecorate, rebuild refurbish, enlarge, rent, what schools to send my children to, or even where can I buy the best wines or wonderful Spanish ham.

The second most important question that each potential buyer should ask himself / herself at the beginning of his/her search is, “what kind of property do I really want to buy – a house, a country house (finca), a country home, an apartment or a plot for construction?” 

One could easily think that this question is often directly related to the amount of money one is willing to invest, as houses or fincas usually cost more than apartments or plots of lands. However, although this may be partially correct, it is also true that according to the areas of the Balearic Islands (Illes Balears), the prices of the exact kind of real estate you are searching for can vary radically. This means that within our wide range of properties and areas you may find apartments that cost more than some houses. This fact makes it frequently advisable to search by budget alone, without specifying the type of property you’re looking for. You might be pleasantly surprised with what you find!

Following is an explanation of the advantages and disadvantages of each kind of property from our point of view: 

Hints for the purchase of a flat/apartment:

  Thanks to our long experience in selling properties, we can give the following advice to those people who live in houses back home and are therefore possibly not aware of certain advantages related to owning a flat or an apartment rather than a house. 

 Aside from the fact that an apartment will generally cost less than a house, it will also generally require much less work to maintain, entail less costs and less worry than a house; there will be no lawn mowing or pool cleaning. You will be able to simply open the door and immediately start to enjoy your holiday.

In contrast to a house, you can leave an apartment unattended for many months with neither problems nor worries.

If you live in a complex of apartments with a good administration, nearly everything can be taken care of for you. The electricity, telephone and other bills can be paid through your Spanish bank account, and you can keep in contact with your housekeeper from home to clarify any possible questions or problems. The laws in Spain are very clear and concise. They defend your rights and clearly define your obligations as co-owner in an apartment compound. These laws were always good, and have been made even better in the last few years, offering important guarantees to apartment owners.

Of course it’s true that an apartment doesn’t provide the same level of comfort as a house. The swimming pool doesn’t belong only to you but is also used by your neighbors. A terrace offers less space for sun bathing than your own garden, and if you want to have a barbecue with your self-caught fresh fish you have to make sure, that your neighbors are not being bothered by the smoke. In general you have to show more consideration to other people and be more tolerant towards them. In the same way this closer living together has the advantage that you will get in contact with other people much faster if you like to do so. It is frequent that both adults and children make friendships in their vacation apartment compounds that last over decades.

Especially in the last ten years, many high quality apartment complexes have been built in all parts of the island. Well-maintained community gardens, beautiful pool areas etc. guarantee a pleasant and relaxing holiday and are still available for a reasonable price. It’s important to have a close look; some apartments offer a quality life style similar to that of the best villas, but without the inconveniences and can be found at reasonable prices. Your will find many examples in our Internet database.

Advice about buying an apartment, flat or penthouse in the historic or old part of a town or city:

Historic centers offer a very special kind of attraction, for both permanent homes and for vacations homes. The quality and large amount of activities offered in the downtown areas simply can’t be compared to other areas. Good restaurants, museums, beautiful, historic architecture; cultural events like ballet and live music combined with a rich night life, all easy to reach on foot or by taxi, mean a kind of incomparable luxury for those who appreciate these kinds of culture combined with a certain independence from cars.

There is no doubt that Majorca/Mallorca has some of the most beautiful historic centers in the Mediterranean, rich in the influences of the different cultures that have made the island an example of intercultural coexistence for the last 20 centuries. Thanks to a new awareness, the historic centers of towns and cities in Spain in general, and especially in Majorca/Mallorca, have been extensively restored bringing them back to their original beauty. The old streets, with their palaces and quarters full of repeatable flavor, now enjoy excellent level of cleanliness and very modern infrastructure.

Thanks to these tendencies, it is our true pleasure to offer you a selection of unique apartments and flats in buildings and historic palaces that have been completely restored in most of the historic centers of Majorca/Mallorca.

Advice for the purchase of a villa:

  It’s not really necessary to mention the advantages of a house over an apartment. With a house you have your own plot of land where you’re free to do what you want. You won’t have to share the pool nor hear the noises the neighbors make. You’ll be more free.

If you decide to buy a house as your vacation residence and plan to use it only a few weeks a year, you have to be aware that owning a house far from you home will mean certain obligations. Someone will have to water the garden regularly, clean the pool, cut the grass, etc. Ideally, these jobs would be given to a friend or neighbor who lives here all year round. If this is not possible, of course you can contract a specialized maintenance company.

There are many such companies on the island that offer full house services. They take care of the house and the garden, and when necessary make small repairs and general cleaning. You can easily organize all the things that need to be done by phone, fax or internet from home.

In this way, you won’t have to worry about these things when you’re away, and at the same time, will be able to take full advantage of your time when you’re here.

Advice for people looking for a “Finca” or country home in Mallorca

What, in may ways, may have seemed like an adventure 25 years ago is today a very different reality. Today, life in the country offers huge advantages with practically no inconveniences. A large number of “fincas” now have mains electricity, good access roads, heating, water and even telephones. At the same time, as we’ve mentioned in the paragraphs about living in villas, there are many services companies that can completely mitigate the possible inconveniencies of owning a “finca” / country home.

Look into our website and you’ll see beautiful examples from surprisingly reasonable prices to some of Majorca’s most incredible “Possessions” (Country Palaces or Manor Houses), luxury country homes (fincas) and sumptuous mansions

Advice about buying a village or town house:

With 53 townships and more than 100 historic villages, Majorca/Mallorca offers a great variety of possibilities for those who want to live as the Majorcans have lived for 20 centuries. It is a reality that, traditionally, the Majorcans chose to live in villages rather than in the country because of the huge advantages. In the towns, people know each other, they great each other and they help each other. At the same time, today, the small towns and villages have been transformed in a way similar to the cities and offer practically all the same attractiveness as the cities, but on a smaller, more comfortable scale, without traffic and with a more personal atmosphere.

In our website you will find many examples.