INLAND PROPERTY  - OR BEACH PROPERTY?

Most peoples' first thought when they decide to buy a property in Spain is to look on or near the sea.

This is natural, particularly as they may have taken holidays by the Spanish sea-side and also there are so many British people there that they think it will be easier to settle in. The downside is that it is not very "Spanish" - you often hear more people speaking English than Spanish and a lot of the bars and other businesses are British owned. In the summer months, the beaches are packed and the roads are clogged. However, the climate is milder than inland - a few degrees warmer in winter and a little cooler in summer - and you get the sea breezes and, presumably, there is a bit of ozone around which is supposed to be a good thing. You can go out on a boat or stand on the beach with a fishing line, feeling like Earnest Hemingway as you "catch"  passing seaweed, the odd Coca Cola bottle and even occasionally a fish, a very little one.

The beach area where we operate in is not yet a concrete jungle. In places, fields still go down to the sea - though most of them are already ear-marked for development. Mojacar, the best known resort town in the area, is picturesque. A couple of kilometres inland, perched on a hill, it sparkles white and its narrow streets and quaint squares resound to the happy sounds of British people having a good time.

Garrucha nearby and also on the sea is much more Spanish and, if this is not enough, it also has some good fish restaurants. Then, there is Aguilas the largest resort town in the area. Almost no British tourists go there, possibly because they think it is too foreign. I have only been twice, each time in summer and I couldn't find anywhere to park - so I left.

What originally sent a lot of people inland to find their holiday home was the prices of properties on or near the beach. They are high, some people say as high as England, though I doubt whether that is possible. For the cost of a flat near the sea, you can often buy a detached house with a bit of land if you go 100 km. inland. Inland, you can still buy village houses from about € 35.000, which near the coast really would not get you much more than a telephone kiosk. On the other hand, in the unlikely event that you decide to sell up and leave, it is easier to sell something on the beach.

Over the last year or two, many people have been buying inland out of preference, which has pushed prices up. The things they seek are the "real" Spain, more peace and quiet than on the coast, maybe a bit of land with some almond and olive trees -  better ways to spend their time than in bars with fellow Brits..  A large part of the area we cover is National Park, so the scenery is usually stunning and the towns and villages are entertaining and picturesque. There are British people scattered around all over and you soon meet them and because it is not like the beach, there are not so many of you, you feel a pioneering spirit. "Mr Jones, I presume?" The motorway system in Spain is excellent, so you can generally get to the beach in an hour or two on a sudden whim or when the family come. It's a "day out" and you soon find your favorite place to stop midway for a drink and some tapas.

There is a large choice of properties inland.  There are village houses and cortijos (farm houses) which need modernizing.  Often they are remarkably primitive, frequently without electricity and water and often with collapsing roofs, no bathrooms but the previous owner may leave you a spade. The cost of all the work that has to be done is usually surprisingly low, but must be taken into account.  Then, of course, there are many houses which have already been wholly or partially modernized - or you can buy a brand new house or have one built.

This was intended to be an impartial look at sea-side versus inland - but my prejudices have shown through. After all, I live inland. I often go down to the sea shore, but I don't want to live there. To state the obvious, if you are unsure which you prefer, you should have a look at both - always remembering that living here is not the same as coming on holiday.