Throughout the region summers are hot and dry, but in winter conditions can vary from very mild on the coast to snowy mountains inland.  For example, in 2006 the ski resort near Granada was the very first to open for the season in the whole of Europe and that should be a good clue to the winter climate in the part of Andalucía influenced by the Sierra Nevada.   So if you intend spending some of the winter months in Andalucía you need to choose your location and your property with care.  Many are those who have bought a property in July only to find that the winter climate in that particular area is not what they were expecting.

But there are micro-climates within the region that give this part of Spain the best climate on the mainland of Europe and we can give you the facts you need to make an informed choice so you can be sure that your search for property in Andalucía will result in a purchase that is right for you.

Property buyers now understand that Andalucía is so much more than beach and golf.  Over the last decade Andalucía has been one of the main beneficiaries in Spain of E.U. and regional government funding to improve infrastructure and this is having a real impact on the property market; as access to an area improves, property prices always rise.

Changes in property markets are driven by multiple factors and in Andalucía these would include: Property prices and density levels in the prime coastal areas of the Costa del Sol; this is encouraging those who want a coastal property to consider other options, e.g., the Costa de la Luz and Costa Tropical.  However, future property development on the Costa del Sol looks likely to slow dramatically with the fall-out from the Marbella Town Hall investigation and although parts of this coast are ruined the best bits are still very good indeed.  If you know where to look it is still possible to find quiet, sandy beaches within 5kms of Marbella and San Pedro. The Costa de la Luz, between Tarifa and the Portuguese border is a coastal option growing in popularity although property buyers should be aware that the winter climate is not as favourable as the Mediterranean coasts of Andalucía.  And as many Spaniards own holiday homes on this coast which they only use in the high-season summer months, many resorts are very quiet and empty for the rest of the year.  However, with the coast road currently being upgraded to motorway and agreement between the U.K. and Spain on the status of Gibraltar airport the Costa de la Luz looks set attract more property buyers. Andalucía has excellent regional airports; Seville, Jerez, Granada and Almería and low-cost airlines are increasing flight frequency from a number of U.K. and Irish regional airports, e.g. Liverpool – Jerez or East Midlands - Granada.   Expansion is underway at Málaga airport, which already has daily flights from almost every regional airport in the U.K., and a second runway will be operational by 2010.  As access improves, property prices always rise. As well as continuing improvements to the road network, major investment in high-speed rail services (AVE) is underway.  The Madrid-Malaga route opened in December 2007 and work has now started between Antequera and Ronda for completion in 2010; this line will then be extended to Algeciras.  By 2013 there will be around 1,100 kms of AVE rail services in Andalucía, linking all the provincial capitals Regeneration of Andalucía’s historic cities – E.U. and regional government money is helping to revitalise stunning cities such as Seville and Granada.  They are both superb locations for the property buyer looking for a weekend destination, excellent rental returns and capital growth, plus some of the best street life in Europe.  Both Málaga and Seville are constructing brand new metro systems, Granada looks set to benefit from Canadian investment in a cable-car connection from the city to the ski slopes and a feasibility study is examining the potential for a Málaga to San Pedro rail link.