Costa Brava and Maresme villas for sale

Costa Brava or the Maresme: which coast fits you

Both coasts are north of Barcelona, and that is where the similarity ends. The Maresme is 20–50 minutes from the city, depending on the town: Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, Sant Vicenç de Montalt and the Supermaresme estates are commuter towns with international schools nearby, a train line into Barcelona and a golf club at Llavaneres. Houses here are spacious, with sea views from the hill rather than a beach at the gate. Prices cover a wide range: villas under €1 million, many at €1–2 million, and over €3 million on the best streets. Many buyers here live all year.

The Costa Brava begins past Blanes and runs to the French border. Lloret de Mar and Tossa de Mar are about an hour away; Sant Feliu de Guíxols and Begur, with the coves around them, up to two hours. The houses stand in pine woods above rocky coves, many of them summer homes. Prices tend to be lower: houses in Begur and Lloret de Mar start under €1 million, while sea-view villas in Tossa de Mar start higher.

What to check in a coastal house

• Coastal law. Spain's Coastal Law (Ley de Costas) restricts building and rebuilding near the shoreline. For a house close to the water I flag whether it may fall within the coastal zone; your lawyer confirms the exact restrictions.
• Licences. Pools, terraces and extensions built without a licence are common in older residential estates. They can lower the price and make mortgage lending harder.
• The community. Most villas sit in an estate with its own fees and rules: gate, roads, water. I ask for the community minutes before you sign.
• Winter. Some towns are very quiet from October to May. If you plan to live here all year, Llavaneres, Sant Feliu and Lloret keep their shops and restaurants open; the smaller coves do not.

Two ways to buy with me

Choose from what is available now. If nothing fits, tell me what you are looking for: I send options from the office listings and my own contacts. On the coast some houses change hands without a portal listing, so this is often where the search starts. If you are travelling to see them, I arrange the viewings around one trip. Before any viewing I tell you where a property comes from: for one from the office listings you pay no agency fee, because the seller pays the commission, and for anything else I explain up front how my work is paid.

Or commission a dedicated search. A paid service in which I work on your brief continuously, across the portals, other agencies and my contacts. The fee is agreed in writing before we start and depends on the property and the scope of the service. In Spain this is called a personal shopper inmobiliario: an agent who works for the buyer, not the seller.

Questions buyers ask

What do villas cost on the Costa Brava compared with the Maresme?

Houses in Begur and Lloret de Mar start under €1 million; sea-view villas in Tossa de Mar start higher. The Maresme has villas under €1 million as well as €1–2 million budgets, with the best streets above €3 million. These are market ranges, not offers; ask me for the current picture.

Can I find a villa under €1 million on the Costa Brava?

Such houses come up from time to time in Begur and Lloret de Mar: three- or four-bedroom houses, usually a short drive from the beach rather than on it.

Which coast is better for a family living there all year?

The Maresme. Schools, the train to Barcelona and year-round towns tip it in the Maresme's favour. The Costa Brava suits a second home or a quiet retirement.

Are there houses that are not listed here?

On the coast some houses change hands by word of mouth. Tell me the town and your budget, and I will ask my contacts and tell you if a suitable house comes up.