Spain has been the most popular destinations for UK tourists for nearly a decade now. But when the global recession hit, trips to Catalonia predictably declined. Another thing that predictably declined was the Spanish housing market, which had been growing at a record pace since 1995. Much of this success was due to foreign investment.
Today, the Spanish real estate market is struggling to achieve stability. Home prices are off by a staggering forty-five percent and most regions remain under pressure. One bright spot is that foreign investors are slowly starting to return to the market.
Of particular interest to shoppers are low-price homes and luxury Spanish villas. Many of these properties require renovations, which is one of the reasons why the prices are presently so attractive. Another is that new homeowners want finished homes. But perhaps their preference would change if they knew how much they could save.
The truth is that most old homes can be refurbished and renovated without investing tens of thousands of pounds. With just a few weekends of hard work and a coat of paint or two, an old home can shine like a new penny. Let us take a moment to discuss a few simple projects that any homeowner can complete.
For starters, do not dump too much into one room. Many homeowners stubbornly insist on replacing the kitchen immediately, which inevitably decimates their budget. What should they have done? New wallpaper, a few coats of paint, stained cabinets, new appliances and a simple, affordable linoleum floor. Those minor additions can save a new homeowner tens of thousands of pounds. Sure, you might not receive the kitchen of your dreams, but you get to devote more of your budget to sprucing up the rest of the home.
