Spanish Property Press and TV

14 January 2007 â€�€� Sunday Express

Meet the Flintstones

…...Actually, they´re the Lees and they live in a cave.   Richard Webber investigates the growing attraction of going underground in the rocky hills of Andalucia

It´s hard to believe that in the 21^st century people still live in caves.   The fact they want to is even more puzzling â€�€� until you reliase we´re not talking damp and dingy hovels.   These are much sought-after properties in southern Spain, valued anywhere between Â�£15,500 and a whopping Â�£460,000.

Les Edwards, marketing director of Spanish Inland Properties, a cave house developer and agent in Andalucia, extols the virtues of owning one.   “Most modern cave homes have several rooms, often bedrooms, excavated from the surrounding hillside, with a conventional part of the house built onto the front.   Cave homes are cheaper to build and each is unique in design and appearance”.

Caves have lower running costs too.   “Because of the thermal properties of the rock, they´re cool during the hot summers of southern Spain and warmer in winter than conventional homes.   They´re also very dry.   It´s rare to find any form of dampness.”

Spanish Inland Properties is currently marketing 180 cave homes, concentrating primarily on Galera and the surrounding area of central Andalucia which are served by five airports within a three hour drive.  

For investors looking for something completely different, Spanish Inland Properties is even selling a cave hotel.

The six bedroom Lavandra is one of only two cave hotels in Spain.   Situated in the village of Fuente Nueva, in the province of Granada, it´s selling for Â�£251,000 and all rooms are en-suite with modern amenities, includng mains water, electricity and satellite broadband access.

Les Edwards says “The hotel is likely to be a fantastic investment opportunity.   Each year the number of tourists coming to the area increases and the novelty of staying in a cave seems to be a big pulling point.”

Interest in cave homes is constantly growing and inquiries come from all parts of the world, particularly Brits looking for a bolthole in the sun with a difference.   Until now, securing mortgages for cave homes has proved difficult, especially one that has been recently renovated.

However, the situation is changing with more lenders appreciating the potential of cave homes, including SJB Brokers which has offices in Britain and Spain.   Several lenders now consider 70 per cent mortgages providing caves have mains services, a road leading to them and proper ownership documentation available.

One British family enjoying life in a dug-out are the Lees from Luton, who bought a three-bedroom holiday cave home in 2004 for Â�£46,000.   The idea for buying it was planted in their minds while visiting friends in Spain who owned a cave in the village of Los Olivos.

As soon as Mick, who´s 52 and works in the car industry, and Irene, 48, who´s employed in local government, stepped inside their friends´cave, they were smitten by the idea of owning their own.   They spotted one in nearby Galera, a farming community largely unknown outside Spain.   With sweeping mountain views, it seemed ideal except it lacked enough rooms â€�€� but that was easily remedied when Spanish Inland Properties asked builders to dig out an extra bedroom.  

Mick isn´t the only member of the Lee family to have invested in this corner of the country.   He says “When my brother was on holiday he came over to see the cave.   He liked what he saw so much that he bought the cave below the next day.”

Mick and Irene, who have two children, Ryan, 16 and Melissa, 12, like their Spanish retreat so much they are making plans to retire to the Andalucian hills.   They have placed their cave on the market for Â�£61,000 through Spanish Inland Properties.   And they have their eye on something larger in the village of Galera.

“Our current cave was already renovated when we bought it, but this one is only partly completed, giving us scope to design and decorate it the way we want,” says Mick.  

The cave is priced at Â�£35,000 and the Lees plan to spend an additional Â�£20,000.   Mick says “It has four double bedrooms with the potential to convert a smaller cave into a studio apartment and construct a terrace as well.   It also has fantastic views.”   He adds with a smile: “Caves are not as dark as you might think.   The renovated ones near us have windows, because local builders think Brits are afraid of the dark.”

Mick loves life in underground Spain.   “The village is lovely and there´s no McDonald´s which is great.   The locals are friendly, polite and helpful.   It´s the kind of place you can leave your door unlocked without any problems, so what more can you ask for?”.