Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Facing the Axe

The Las Alpujarras region’s moment of glory has passed as the spotlight shifts to Axarquía, next door. Josephine Quintero investigates

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Thanks to Chris Stewart’s best-selling book Driving Over Lemons, the region of Las Alpujarras in the province of Granada is no longer a well-kept secret. However, adjacent and equally stunning, Axarquía is much less well known, although even more difficult to pronounce (think of taking a chopper to one of those infuriating Scandinavian flat-packs: Axe-Ikea.)

That said, discerning northern Europeans have been investing in rundown fincas (small rural properties), farmhouses and townhouses in and around the pretty hilltop village of Cómpeta for some years now.

It’s hard to believe that the wild beauty of the Axarquía is just half an hour from Malaga’s Costa Oriental, a coastal strip crowned by the pretty, yet touristy, resort of Nerja. And there’s little comparison with the better known pueblos blancos (the white towns of Andalusia) to the west, with their glitzy Costa del Sol gateway of San Pedro de Alcántara and Marbella.

“Despite the increase in rural tourism, coach-loads of tourists are still a rarity here,” says Sally Harrison, who runs the successful Axarquía Properties estate agency (www.axarquiaproperties.com). “Most of my buyers have discovered the area by word of mouth or by taking a drive inland from the coast – and getting lost!” This is understandable in these parts, where the roads twist and turn between almond and vine-planted hillsides scattered with white farmhouses that resemble tossed dice.

Unlike the Alpujárras, which have been overrun by New Age visitors in search of aura readings and a spot of reiki, you still need to speak a few words of Spanish to order a beer in most of the Axarquían village bars and, in some of the smaller hamlets, there are more goats than people. The total population of the Axarquía is only about 125,000, with 85,000 living in coastal municipalities and just 40,000 inland.

This is serious picture-book stuff – donkeys are still used for transporting sacks of grain, bullocks can be seen ploughing the fields, while shepherds lead their flocks through hills and valleys that are ablaze with wild flowers at this time of year.

Another bonus is that, in stark contrast to some of the property deals struck on the Costa del Sol, honest, old-fashioned values tend to prevail – the only backhander given round here is a tricky move in a game of dominoes.

Of course, buying rural property is a complex business that requires the help of genuine experts. “The most important factor in buying a country property is ensuring that the paperwork is in order,” says Harrison. “Up to 10 years ago, it was perfectly normal for people to buy a plot of land zoned as rústico [land on which it’s legal to build, but is subject to strict stipulations], build a house and then pay a relatively modest fine. It’s not so easy these days and you can even run the risk of having your home bulldozed or, at the very least, having to pay a hefty fine.”

On a cheerier note, Harrison explains that this is a superb time to invest in a “legal” property, as prices have tumbled over the past two years due to the credit crunch and to falling investor confidence in the Spanish costas. “There are some magnificent country fincas in need of renovatation from as little as €45,000,” she says. “Or, if you prefer to live in a community and renovate a traditional pueblo cottage, you might only pay €50,000. Given that building costs are as little as €600 per square metre, renovating really is a viable option.”

British photographer and Axarquía resident Robin Chapman recently renovated a small village house in Comares, one of the highest pueblos blancos in Andalucia. “The joy of life here is that it has remained essentially unchanged for generations,” he says. “There is that real sense of community and family values which is becoming increasingly hard to find elsewhere in western Europe.”

Sitting like a snowdrift atop a lofty mountain, Comares has breathtaking views. To the south, rolling hills of olive and almond trees reach towards the sea, while to the north, dramatic mountains rise up on the far side of a magnificent valley, creating a luminous landscape that shifts and changes according to the light.

The village remains typically Moorish in its layout, with narrow, cobbled streets spanned by arches – two of which are thought to date back to medieval times – and flanked by simple whitewashed houses. The parish church dates from the 16th century, with an impressive ceiling. There are also four bars, two plazas, one supermarket, two banks and a post office. And, at the time of writing, you still couldn’t buy an I Love Comares T-shirt here, so you’ll have to settle for a souvenir bottle of local wine instead.

“It was the view that sold me the house,” comments Chapman. “I bought it for 6.5m pesetas [€39,000] in 2001, when property prices were peaking throughout the coastal resorts but hadn’t really reached the Axarquía.

“I’ve recently carried out a reforma [renovation] – which would have cost less had I done it when I bought the house – resulting in a total spend of €69,000 for a spectacular property which has retained its pueblo character. I used a local builder, José Merida, who has a great aesthetic eye and all the right contacts for sourcing quality, low-price materials.”

According to Merida, restoring properties rather than knocking them down and rebuilding is generally the cheaper option. “You have to be realistic about the resale value when the market is as volatile as it is today,” he says.

Chapman agrees: “As well as being your dream house, it’s also an investment, so you have to consider carefully the costs as well as the aesthetic values of the local lifestyle. Construction costs in the Axarquía are still relatively low and the local architecture is what helps make the area so spectacular.

“The lesson is: do a reforma instead of a rebuild, and retain as much of the original building as you can. Costs will be low, providing you with a visually stunning and potentially profitable investment.”

FR Exquise Axarquía

La région de Las Alpujárras a connu son heure de gloire. Désormais, les projecteurs se tournent vers l’Axarquía, juste à côté. Un reportage de Josephine Quintero

Grâce au ‘best-seller’ de Chris Stewart Driving Over Lemons, la région de Las Alpujárras, dans la province de Grenade dans le Sud de l’Espagne, n’a plus de secrets pour personne. Par contre, la région voisine d’Axarquía, tout aussi extraordinaire, est bien moins connue. Ces dernières années, une poignée de Nord Européens avisés y a toutefois acheté de vétustes fincas (petites propriétés rurales) et des fermes, notamment dans le charmant village de Cómpeta et ses environs.

La population totale de l’Axarquía ne compte que 125 000 personnes, dont 85 000 vivent dans les municipalités côtières et quelque 40 000 à l’intérieur des terres. Contrairement à certaines affaires immobilières habituellement conclues sur la Costa del Sol, l’honnêteté semble encore avoir cours ici.

Bien entendu, l’achat d’une propriété en zone rurale n’est pas une chose facile, et plus que jamais l’aide de personnes expertes s’impose. Mais on reconnaîtra que le moment est idéal pour investir ; les prix ont chuté au cours des deux dernières années sous l’effet de la crise financière et de la perte de confiance des investisseurs dans les costas espagnoles. On trouve de magnifiques fincas à rénover dans le pays pour un prix aussi dérisoire que 45 000€. Cela peut grimper jusqu’à 50 000€ pour une bâtisse dans un village traditionnel.

Rénover des biens immobiliers plutôt que de les raser et de les reconstruire, s’avère bien souvent l’option la moins chère. Vous devez cependant rester réaliste en matière de valeur de revente à l’heure où le marché est particulièrement volatil.

Les coûts de construction dans l’Axarquía restent relativement bas et l’architecture locale contribue à faire de cette région un endroit tout à fait spectaculaire. Principale leçon à tirer : faites une reforma plutôt que de reconstruire et gardez le plus possible d’éléments du bâtiment d’origine. Les coûts seront réduits, et vous vous retrouverez avec un investissement stylé, avec une rentabilité potentielle de surcroît.

NL Gluren bij de (knappe) buren

De streek Las Alpujárras heeft zijn plaats in de schijnwerpers al gehad. De spotlight wordt nu volledig gericht op het nabijgelegen Axarquía. Josephine Quintero gaat op onderzoek

De regio van Las Alpujárras in de provincie Granada is dankzij de bestseller van Chris Stewart, Driving Over Lemons, niet langer een goedbewaard geheim. De naburige streek Axarquía, vlakbij en even betoverend mooi, is echter veel minder gekend. Scherpzinnige Europeanen hebben er de voorbije jaren heel wat geïnvesteerd in oude, vervallen fincas (kleine landelijke boerderijen) en hoeves in en rond het schilderachtige dorpje Cómpeta, gelegen op een heuveltop.

Axarquía telt in totaal slechts zo’n 125.000 inwoners. 85.000 onder hen wonen in de kustgemeentes en amper 40.000 mensen wonen in het binnenland. De levenswijze staat hier in schril contrast met sommige vermogendeals aan de Costa del Sol. Eerlijke, ouderwetse waarden hebben de tand des tijds overleefd.

Uiteraard is landelijk onroerend goed kopen een complexe zaak waar de hulp van echte experts voor nodig is. Maar het is een fantastische tijd om te investeren in vastgoed; de prijzen hebben de voorbije twee jaar een duik genomen als gevolg van de kredietcrisis en het tanende vertrouwen van investeerders aan de Spaanse costas. Je vindt een aantal prachtige landelijke fincas om op te knappen voor amper om en bij de € 45.000. Of als je liever door wat meer dorpsbewoners omringd wordt, kan je een traditionele pueblo renoveren. Die zijn te koop voor zo’n 50.000 euro.

Huisjes opknappen in plaats van met de grond gelijkmaken en opnieuw bouwen, is over het algemeen de goedkoopste oplossing. Maar je moet een realistische kijk behouden op de herverkoopprijs wanneer de markt zo wispelturig en onstabiel is als nu.

Bouwen en verbouwen kost in Axarquía relatief weinig en de plaatselijke architectuur maakt de streek zo prachtig. De stelregel is: kies voor een reforma in plaats van een standaard verbouwing en behoud zo veel mogelijk van het origineel. Dat drukt de kosten en levert een oogstrelend resultaat en tegelijk een mogelijk winstgevende investering op.

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