BUYING A CAVE

There are many things to consider when buying a property abroad and caves are no different. A viewing trip can usually be arranged through your chosen estate agent and spending time looking at as many properties as possible is the best thing to do. Stay in a cave whilst you are looking in the area and become accustomed to how different the caves are from conventional houses.

Location, location, location! Village life or campo life? Cave villages in themselves tend to be quite rural, the nearest airport will be at least 1 hours drive away but each village will boast a whole host of facilities, these will include: butchers, supermarkets, fishmongers, banks, post office, hardware stores, restaurants and many bars and no parking meters! It is fair to say that some of these little villages have many more facilities than a village of comparable size in the UK. Outdoor swimming pools can be found either in or on the outskirts of towns and villages and are a favourite in the summer months with the locals.

Village communities are very friendly and also very close - don't expect to keep any secrets! Access is something to consider as steep single track roads will often be the only way to your cave. Salt is rarely used on the roads in Spain during winter so some of these little roads can, at times be a little tricky.

Choosing a hamlet or cave in the countryside: The more rural locations can be very quiet (ideal if that is what you are searching for) and transport will be a priority. There will be few shops (if any at all) so shopping will involve a daily or weekly drive to stock up. There will be a very small community and you may have no neighbours for many months of the year. Again, access can be tricky and many estate agents will recommend a 4x4 - this may even be essential after heavy rain or snow.

The locations and views are simply breath taking, gardens tend to be slightly bigger and you may even have the opportunity of purchasing acres of land or even olive groves with your cave. Step outside the front door and you are straight into the campo. There is also more wildlife, eagles and buzzards can be seen almost daily as can vultures. The more timid species to be found in the campo are the wild boar and the fox.

A good time of year to view caves is in February/March and then again in August/September. There may well be a 40 degree difference in temperature and the area can be seen from both ends of the spectrum.

The caves themselves present a huge choice and variety, each one is different in its own way and although some caves may share the same location it would be impossible to find any two that are exactly the same. Some caves have a broad front with up to three doors and many more windows but may not go back very far into the rock; others may look like nothing from the front but have been dug out 40 metres back and have many more rooms. To buy already reformed eliminates the renovation side of things, this appeals to many buyers as the intended home is immediately habitable and completely finished. Part reformed caves are also an option giving one the choice of living on site while reforming any remaining rooms or extending the property with out buildings. The unreformed cave is a challenge but has the benefit of being a blank canvas; you can decide what room goes where and can design the property to your own personal specification. This is also possible by buying an unreformed cave and getting the builders to do the work for you, if you can see the potential of your future home when finished a good building team or organisation through an estate agent can design the cave to your personal preference without you having to do the work yourself.

So there are quite a few buying options, the days of picking up a cave for less than the price of a second hand car have long gone but buyers can raise finance from the bank if required to aid the purchase of your dream home. Some banks now recognise that caves are increasing in popularity (as well as their value) and are prepared to lend. A good estate agent will be able to explain the mortgage procedure and criteria required, mortgage rates at the time of writing are much lower than that of the UK.