Property Types in Spain

When starting to search for real estate in Spain, it is worth familiarizing yourself with its existing types, since each type of housing has a certain set of opportunities and resources that affect its value. So let’s look at what kind of housing, or as the Spaniards say – vivienda – is available on the market.

Estudio

Or a studio is a budget property, with an area, as a rule, up to 40 sq.m, where the bedroom and the hall are the same room. The kitchen here is equipped according to the American and European type. A small corner with built-in kitchen furniture and a stove is usually fenced off from the rest of the space by a bar or shelving. The studio must have a bathroom, maybe a balcony or terrace. Such housing is located in apartment buildings.

Apartamento or Piso

Applies to apartments. Piso is a room of more than 90 square meters, apartments are usually smaller. Both types of apartments are located in residential complexes with parking lots and swimming pools. The main characteristic of the apartments is the number of bedrooms, from one or more. There must be one or more common rooms – a dining room or a living room, as well as one or more bathrooms. The kitchen in the apartment can be separate or shared with the hall. Many apartments have a gallery, while elite apartments have a gym, solarium and private pool. Apartamentos are simpler, but also very comfortable, have a relatively low price and are the most popular in the rental market.

Atico

These are apartments on the top floors of buildings. Ático can be either a luxurious two-story penthouse that allows you to arrange your own garden, swimming pool or solarium on the roof, or it can imply an apartment similar to the others, only on the top floor.

Bungalow

What we call a townhouse. The houses are connected in blocks, have a common infrastructure, which includes common swimming pools, parking lots, children’s and sports grounds, security. Such housing is usually 2-3 floors high, it has several bedrooms and common rooms. Each owner of the “section” owns his own small plot of land, where he arranges gardens and lawns. Bungalows are mostly located in the suburbs, in the green zone, and are considered very prestigious.

Duplex
This is the name of a two-level bungalow, and when it is located at the end of a common block (duplex esqina), it is usually more expensive, as it has a lot of advantages: a more comfortable layout, some neighbors, a larger plot of land and a private garage.
There are also adjacent houses or the so-called Casa Pareada, for one or more families, built according to standard projects, with separate entrances for each part and their own land plots. Duplexes can occupy the entire street and are usually located in urbanizations (suburbs). In such houses, as a rule, from 1 to 3 bedrooms, common parking, swimming pool, recreation areas, sports and playgrounds

Casa
This is a detached house, including many types.

Casa adosada is actually half a house, as there is a common wall with a neighbor. But everything else is their own: own land, swimming pool, garage.

Casa independiente is an individual building located on its own land. This type includes cottages, chalets and villas. The level of comfort can be very different: cottages are equipped as standard, while villas and chalets have luxurious swimming pools, gyms, tennis courts and are surrounded by their own large gardens. This luxury real estate in the country is the most expensive.
Casa de campo is a country house that can be a modest adobe building or a modern cottage equipped with all the comforts of civilization, with many bedrooms, a private pool, satellite TV, a court and a gym.

Among the houses in the countryside, the type of chalet (chalet) stands out. This is a small country house, built in a typical Swiss style. Outwardly, it resembles a simple village house, but is equipped with all the benefits of civilization. It has a garden plot, sometimes its own swimming pool.
Wealthy citizens prefer masia – old houses made of natural stone, completely renovated and equipped with modern comfort. These are entire estates, standing in the forest or in the mountains on large plots of land, often near natural reservoirs.

Spanish real estate terminology
Vivienda de planta baja – one-story housing, “duplex” – two-story house, “triplex” – three-story housing. It can be both apartments and bungalows, as well as detached houses with a high level of comfort.
Potential buyers of residential or commercial real estate in Spain will be much easier to navigate in its selection and evaluation if you remember a few simple terms without knowing the Spanish language.

Terreno, Finca or Solar – land. Urbano status means that construction is allowed on it, rustico is agricultural land or a natural area.

Finca, Finca rústica – a piece of land outside the city, which can be planted with cultivated plants.

Finca con casa – land with a house.
Finca con agua y luz is an undeveloped land plot with connected communications (electricity, water).

Parcela is a piece of land located in a city, town (urbanization) or countryside.

Edificio is a term that means a building for any purpose. This word refers to multi-apartment residential buildings.

Local or Local Comercial – commercial real estate, not intended for the organization of production.

Local centrico is a commercial facility located in a convenient location: either in the center of the village or at the intersection of roads.