New Developments in Antequera

Antequera draws buyers looking for traditional Andalusian character away from the coastal resorts. The town itself holds most of the new supply, with homes built close to shops and daily amenities while keeping mountain pueblo surroundings within reach. New developments here run to three-bedroom villas, and the setting suits buyers after space and a slower pace without giving up convenience.

Buying off-plan means reserving a home before the builder finishes it. You pay in stages as construction progresses, not all at once. Spanish law requires the developer to secure every payment you make before completion with a bank guarantee or insurance policy. That guarantee protects your deposit if the developer cannot deliver, and you should see proof of it before transferring any money. The bank issuing the guarantee has checked the project's finances, which adds a layer of scrutiny beyond the developer's own promises.

Assessing who is building matters as much as the property itself. The company behind a scheme can be looked up at the land registry, and you should confirm it matches the name on your contract. A developer with completed projects you can visit has demonstrated they can see a build through, manage contractors and hand over homes that work. Ask for addresses of finished developments and drive past them. The bank guarantee is your fallback, but a solid track record means you are less likely to need it.

A new build bought from a developer is taxed differently from a resale home. You pay VAT on the purchase price and stamp duty on the deed. Transfer tax applies only to resale properties, not to new builds. The exact rate for both VAT and stamp duty depends on the region and should be confirmed with your lawyer, because Andalucía and Valencia set their own figures and those figures change. Budget for both when working out what the purchase will cost you.

Before the developer can hand over keys, the town hall has to sign the building off as fit to live in. No one else can issue that sign-off, and waiting for it is the most common reason a completion date moves. The developer cannot control how quickly the town hall works through its backlog, so treat any completion date as an estimate and keep some flexibility in your own plans. Once the sign-off is issued, you arrange a final inspection to check the home against the contract and to list any unfinished work. That list goes to the developer to fix before you complete.

Spanish law holds the builder liable for defects after you move in. Structural faults are covered for ten years, problems that affect living in the home such as damp or poor insulation for three years, and finishes for one year. Those periods run from the date the town hall signs the building off, not from the date you complete. The protection is automatic under Spanish building law and does not depend on the developer staying in business, because the liability passes with the property.

Off-plan buying locks in today's price for a home you will receive later, and it spreads the cost over the build period. The trade is certainty of timing. Resale homes complete faster because the property already exists and only the paperwork has to clear, usually within two to three months. With a new build you are waiting for construction to finish and for the town hall, and that wait can stretch beyond the date the contract names. If you need to move in by a fixed deadline, a resale home gives you more control. If you have time and want a home built to current standards with no prior owner, off-plan is the route.