New Developments in Marbesa, Marbella

Marbesa lies on the eastern edge of Cabopino, running down towards the shoreline with the A-7 coastal road marking its inland boundary. The neighbourhood is low-density residential, built mostly in the last two decades, and the streets are wide and quiet. Playa de Artola is 0.8 kilometres from most homes, about four minutes by car, and the beach itself is one of the less built-up stretches on this part of the coast. Puerto Cabopino marina is 2.1 kilometres away, about seven minutes by car, and Cabopino golf is 1.9 kilometres, about nine minutes. The nearest supermarket is 0.2 kilometres, about a minute by car, and the English International College is about seven minutes away.

Marbella town centre is 11 kilometres to the west, about 18 minutes by car, and Málaga Airport is 31 kilometres, about 47 minutes. The hospital at Urgencias Hospital Costa del Sol is 6.1 kilometres, about 11 minutes. The neighbourhood sits far enough east that it feels quieter than central Marbella, but close enough that the town is still the main shopping and dining destination.

The new-build stock in Marbesa is almost entirely villas, most of them four-bedroom properties sold off-plan. Almost all the developments here sit close to the beach, and the layout tends to be detached or semi-detached homes with private gardens and pools. The density is low compared with the apartment developments further west towards Marbella, and the plots are generous. Most schemes are small, between five and fifteen homes, rather than the larger complexes you find closer to the town centre.

Buyers here are usually looking for a villa within easy reach of the beach, without the higher density or the prices of central Marbella. The setting is quieter than the stretch between Elviria and Puerto Banús, and the road to Málaga is straightforward from here. The new developments are sold before completion, so the buying process involves staged payments and a bank guarantee, which is a legal requirement on the developer. Before handover, the town hall has to sign the building off as fit to live in, and waiting for that sign-off is the usual reason a completion date slips.