Because it is one of the most desirable coastal areas of Spain, with its magnificent and diverse coastline, its good climate, and its unique location between the Pyrenees, the Mediterranean sea, the south of France, and Barcelona.

Long one of the richest regions in Spain, the housing stock here is better than the poorer south, and offers a bigger choice of variety and quality to home buyers with good budgets. It’s an upmarket destination, with great access by road, rail, and air.

Is it easy to buy and sell property on the Costa Brava?

There are a lot of estate agents on the Costa Brava, so it is not difficult to find a channel to market, and the typical commission is 5% or less. Most estate agents are run by locals, though they normally have staff who can at least get buy in English. There are some English or Dutch run estate agents, but don’t assume just because they are foreign they are any more trustworthy. Fortunately, the Costa Brava has never attracted the big British and Irish estate agents that emerged from and dominated the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca;  the lack of new developments offering high commissions on the Costa Brava put them off. The absence of big agents is good for the business, and good for buyers and sellers. Most Costa Brava estate agents make a living from brokering property deals between individual buyers and sellers, whilst big agents down south (and now in ‘emerging markets’) focus on selling off-plan ‘investments’ to sucker investors, and don’t like getting their hands dirty with normal property transactions.

Unlike the south of Spain, there isn’t a massive glut of any particular type of property on the Costa Brava, so pretty tends to sell reasonably well (if the price is right). Strong local demand from Barcelona and Girona also keeps the market liquid, making life easier for buyers and sellers.