News: ​Foreigners invest 1,180 million euros in the purchase of houses in Alicante

Foreigners with a certain level of income and originating in Russia, England, Sweden and Norway, fundamentally, invest in housing on the Costa Blanca.

Foreigners with a certain level of income and originating from the EU and Russia, fundamentally, invest in housing on the Costa Blanca as much as those who arrive only for tourism rest during a specific stay in the province, either in summer or in winter. . Last year, in which the sales of flats and bungalows in Alicante to foreigners, especially second-hand properties, skyrocketed, spending on brick reached 1,180 million euros.

A few days ago, this newspaper already reported that Alicante led the sale of new and used homes to foreigners in Spain, with 9,200 flats, 'bungalows' and villas in 2011, as many as all closed operations in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Murcia together . Or more than in Madrid and Andalusia together. Only Russians, English and Norwegians, in this order, had bought 4,000 of the properties, taking advantage in many cases of the downward offers of individuals and, above all, banks and savings banks, overwhelmed when it comes to cleaning up their balance sheets and income statement .

These operations accounted for a not insignificant movement of 1,180 million, 98 million more than in 2010. And that, as Jesualdo Ros, secretary of the provincial and autonomous promoters employers, the average price of apartments fell from 120,153.23 to 113,942.30 euros on the Costa Blanca. "The investment in housing is very important when compared to the spending of tourists for a year, because it does not take into account, in addition, the drag that the purchase of housing has in the rest of the sectors of the province," he explains. Ros, when referring to furniture, plumbers, decorators, gardeners and a long etcetera.

For a chalet or bungalow, the foreign buyer paid on average, despite the crisis and the mortgage restriction of the bank, 245,599.47 euros in Alicante, compared to 337,962.96 in Castellón or 285,000 in Valencia. For one floor, the foreigner paid an average of 143,199.33 euros. That in the case of new housing, because if it is used average prices go down to 196,788 and 65,331, respectively, in Alicante.

After Alicante, the provinces with the most real estate movement of 'non-economic' foreigners are Málaga (4,600 flats sold) and Islas Baleares (2,700 flats). On the Costa Blanca, the 9,200 sales reflected by the Housing Observatory of the Generalitat, Provia and the Notarial College were concentrated in Alicante, Altea, Benidorm, Calpe, El Campello, Dénia, Guardamar del Segura, Xàbia, Santa Pola, Torrevieja and Villajoyosa

In addition to Russians, English, Norwegians and Swedes, last year they bought second homes on the Costa Blanca citizens of France (7%), Holland (5.4%), Belgium (5.2%), Germany (4, 4%), Algeria (3.4%), Italy (2.7%), Finland (2%), Romania (1.9%), China (1.6%), Ukraine (1.5%), Switzerland (1.5%), Denmark (1.5%) and Ireland (1.1%).