New Developments in The Golden Mile, Marbella

The Golden Mile runs west from Marbella town centre towards Puerto Banús, bordered inland by the AP-7 motorway and seaward by the N-340 coast road and the beach. The setting is low-density residential, with gated communities and avenues lined with palms rather than apartment blocks or commercial frontage. Playa de Nagüeles lies about 5 minutes by car, Marbella centre about 9 minutes, and Puerto Deportivo José Banus about 9 minutes in the opposite direction.

New-build stock here is large villas, typically 6 or 7 bedrooms, sold off-plan on private plots within urbanisations. Many sites command sea views, and some stand close enough to the beach that the walk is shorter than the drive. The Golden Mile suits buyers looking for space, privacy and an address between two of the coast's busiest centres without living in either.

Real Club de Golf Las Brisas lies about 10 minutes by car, and several other courses sit nearby. Schools, supermarkets and a hospital are all within about 5 minutes. Málaga Airport is about 52 minutes by car, the journey longer than from eastern Marbella because the route west adds distance before turning inland.

Buyers pay VAT and stamp duty rather than transfer tax when purchasing a new build from a developer. The VAT rate and the stamp duty rate both depend on the region, and the figures should be confirmed before reserving. Stage payments made before completion must be secured by a bank guarantee or insurance policy, which is a legal requirement on the developer. Before keys are handed over, 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. Spanish law holds the builder liable for one year on finishes, three years on things such as damp and insulation, and ten years on structural defects.