New Developments in Ojén

Ojén draws buyers who want mountain views and cooler air without leaving the coast behind. The town and La Mairena hold the new stock, much of it frontline golf or perched high enough for sea views. Developers sell nearly everything off-plan here, so you reserve early and pay in stages as the building rises.

Staged payments are standard in Spain. You put down a reservation deposit, pay a larger sum when contracts exchange, then hand over the rest in instalments tied to the build schedule. Spanish law requires the developer to secure every payment made before completion with a bank guarantee or insurance policy. That guarantee protects your money if the developer cannot finish. Ask for proof of the guarantee before you transfer any deposit, and keep it with your paperwork.

You pay VAT on a new development bought from a developer, not the transfer tax a resale buyer owes. Stamp duty falls on the purchase deed itself, regardless of whether you borrow. The rates for both depend on the region and should be confirmed with your lawyer before you commit.

Before the developer can hand over keys, the town hall has to sign the building off as fit to live in. That sign-off covers structure, services and safe occupation. Developers aim for a completion date, but waiting for the town hall is the usual reason it slips. Build a few months of flex into your own plans.

Most buyers arrange a final inspection shortly before handover. The inspection produces a list of unfinished work or faults that need fixing. The developer corrects them, you walk through again, and completion goes ahead once both sides agree the home is ready. Spanish law covers defects for one year on finishes, three years on things that affect living in the home such as damp or insulation, and ten years on structural faults.

Ojén has no household names among its developers, but a big brand is not a substitute for checking the company behind the scheme. Look up the entity on the land registry record and search for other projects it has completed. A developer with handed-over buildings nearby gives you something to visit and owners to speak to. The bank guarantee matters more than the name: it is your fallback if the company folds, and the law says you must have one.

Off-plan means you choose your plot, your floor, sometimes your finishes. You also wait longer than a resale buyer, but you enter at a lower price and the home is untouched when you collect the keys. Resale gives you a quicker move and a neighbourhood you can walk now, though you pay more and inherit someone else's choices. Which suits you depends on how soon you need to be in and whether the premium for immediate access is worth it.