Buying a second home on the Costa del Sol: what to know

The first question is not "which area" but "how much time, and when". A buyer coming for three to four weeks in summer, spread across July and August, has different constraints from a retiree spending the whole winter (November to March) on the Costa del Sol, or a remote worker alternating ten-day stays throughout the year.

For short summer use, proximity to the beach and to social life matters more than distance from the airport, since the journey is only made once or twice. For a long winter stay, the thermal comfort of the house (orientation, double glazing, underfloor heating) and access to healthcare and off-season local life become priorities: some very lively summer areas are almost empty in January, which suits some buyers and not others. For repeated remote working, internet quality, proximity to an airport with frequent flights to the home country, and ease of coming and going without long stays take precedence.

This first choice then naturally shapes the decision between Marbella, Estepona, Sotogrande, Mijas or Benahavís, each with a distinct seasonal profile.

The Costa del Sol enjoys a mild climate year-round, but with real nuances. From June to September, daytime temperatures regularly exceed 28-30°C, the sea is warm and local life, restaurants and beaches included, runs at full capacity, with heavy footfall in July and August. From October to December, temperatures remain pleasant (18-23°C by day) but showers become more frequent, particularly in November.

From January to March is the coolest period, with days around 16-18°C and colder nights inland or at altitude (Benahavís, La Zagaleta) than on the seafront. It is also when many seasonal businesses close in the most tourist-driven areas, whereas central Marbella, San Pedro de Alcántara or Estepona keep year-round activity thanks to their resident population. From April to June, the climate turns pleasant again with moderate footfall, often considered the best period to view properties ahead of the high season.

This cycle has a concrete consequence: a home bought purely for summer use will sit closed for seven to eight months a year, which directly affects its maintenance, covered further below.

Málaga airport (AGP) remains the reference point for almost all foreign buyers, with numerous direct links to Northern Europe year-round and a notable increase in summer. The table below gives off-peak travel times; these can easily double on a Friday evening in summer on the AP-7/A-7 motorway.

For a home used intermittently, the type of property fundamentally changes the mental and financial load. An apartment or villa within a gated community ("urbanización") benefits from shared security, maintenance of common areas by the owners' association, and often a shared pool and garden that require no individual management. Community fees cover part of these costs, which simplifies remote living, at the cost of some loss of autonomy over decisions (works voted at general meetings, internal rules).

A standalone villa on its own plot offers more privacy and space, but shifts the entire maintenance burden onto the owner: private pool, garden, alarm system, automatic gate, sometimes a well or irrigation system. Left closed for months, it is also more exposed to silent damage (an undetected leak, water ingress, pests) without regular visits. This choice has a direct, quantifiable impact on the annual maintenance budget.

An unoccupied house is not a cost-free house. The garden keeps growing, the pool must be treated continuously to avoid green water and a costly imbalance to correct, and damp sets in quickly in a house closed over winter if it is not aired regularly. The figures below are indicative for a mid-sized villa (3-4 bedrooms, private garden and pool) in the Marbella-Estepona-Benahavís area in 2025-2026; they vary with plot size, provider and chosen frequency.

The central question with a second home is not purely financial: it is one of coordination. Three roles need to be clearly assigned, ideally in writing through a concierge or local management contract. Who holds the keys and can open the house in an emergency (a leak reported by a neighbour, an alarm alert)? Who carries out regular checks, including off-season, and reports back with photos or a written note? Who receives tradespeople (plumber, electrician, gardener), checks the work done and approves invoices before payment?

On the Costa del Sol, several models coexist: a concierge agency specialising in managing private homes, an independent manager recommended by neighbours or the estate agency, or, for high-end gated communities, a service built into the community itself. In every case, a single, accountable local contact avoids scattered interventions and unpleasant surprises on arrival. It is advisable to trial a provider over one season before granting a broader management mandate.

Two distinct rules apply to non-resident owners, and it is important not to conflate them. For nationals of a country outside the Schengen area (the United Kingdom, post-Brexit, for example), the Schengen rule limits stays to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, not just Spain. Exceeding this limit can lead to administrative penalties and complicate future visa applications.

Separately from this travel rule, Spain applies a tax criterion: an individual is treated as a Spanish tax resident if they spend more than 183 days in the country during a calendar year, or if their main centre of economic interests is located there. Tax residency has significant consequences (notably worldwide income taxation in Spain) and does not depend solely on the day count: it can apply even below that threshold depending on individual circumstances. These rules evolve and involve subtleties (bilateral tax treaties, the concept of centre of vital interests) that should be checked with a tax adviser before any extended stay.