BORN PROPERTY

2008. This guide to property in Barcelona is now out of date. I will try and update it sometime this year. However, I can tell you that Barcelona property prices have become significantly over-valued, and are starting to fall. I expect falls of 20% or more over the next 12 to 24 months.

Property in the Born District

• The Born area of The Old Town is centred on an attractive street know as El Paseo Del Born (Passeig Del Born in Catalan), not far from the famous church of Santa Maria Del Mar and in a district more generally know as the Ribera.
• Like Barceloneta, The Born is extremely well located within Barcelona from the point of view of proximity to Barcelona's most famous attractions. It is an easy walk from the main attractions of The Old Town, the city park, the old port and the beach.
• The Born was built as an extension to the old town, outside of the original city walls. Some of the Barcelona's richest families built palaces and other grand buildings in The Ribera, especially on streets such as Avenida Marques De L'Argentera and Calle Montcada (where the Picasso Museum is located). This means that there are some beautiful period buildings to be found in this district. Nevertheless the housing stock is old and many properties for sale in the Born need renovation.
• Over the last 10 years The Born has undergone a radical transformation, even by Barcelona's standards. It has become one of Barcelona's most edgy and fashionable districts, home to an enormous variety of restaurants and bars, not to mention anti high street fashion boutiques. At the same time it has become an extremely popular residential district, especially amongst younger foreigners with good budgets wishing to live in amongst the action. This has driven up prices considerably. The Born area now has one of the highest proportions of foreign property owners of all Barcelona's districts.
• Residents of The Born are a mixture of old-timers left over from the period before The Born became achingly cool, trendy Barcelona professionals such as designers and architects, and increasingly foreign buyers who use their properties for weekend breaks and rent them out the rest of the time.
• The Born is also one of the prime areas for short-term rental flats given its charm and proximity to prime tourist attractions.
  Due to the amount of bars and restaurants in the Born it can be very busy at night. Buyers who do not wish to be bothered by the sounds and smells that come with this should pay careful attention to the surroundings when deciding where to buy in The Born. Buyers would be well advised to visit the area they wish to buy in at night to determine how much noise they will have to put up with.
• The Born will continue to attract overseas buyers and trendy local professionals without children. However the high prices in the centre of The Born and the negative side effects of tourism, bars and restaurants are expected to drive people looking for 'Born without the noise' across Calle Princesa and up into the quieter streets of Sant Pere Mes Baix and Sant Pere Mes Alt. This area is at present dominated by wholesalers in the clothing trade and there are not many bars and restaurants in this area. It is nevertheless a very attractive part of the Ribera.

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Click on these links for more information on Barcelona property by district:

Barceloneta Property
Born Property
Barrio Gótico (Gothic Quarter), Old Town, Ciutat Vella Property
Raval Property
Ensanche (Eixample) Property
Gracia Property
Sarrià - Sant Gervasi Property
Pedralbes Property
Sant Martí & Poblenou Property
Poble Sec Property