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Costa Blanca property search
Property for sale in Costa Blanca
The northern Costa Blanca is not one market but half a dozen, and they behave very differently. Browse property across Altea, Altea Hills, Mascarat, Calpe, Finestrat and Sierra Cortina — and read how the areas actually compare before you narrow the search.
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Local insight
How the areas differ
Between Benidorm and Calpe the coast changes character every few kilometres. Altea is a working town with an old quarter on the hill and restaurants open in January. Altea Hills, directly above it, is a gated hillside of villas and apartments with 24-hour security. Mascarat is the cliff and cove stretch between Altea and Calpe, private and boat-oriented. Calpe is larger and better value, organised around the Peñón de Ifach with two beaches and proper year-round infrastructure. Finestrat and Sierra Cortina, inland of Benidorm, hold most of the modern construction and the shortest airport run. Choosing between these is the decision that matters.
Quick FAQ
- Which part of the Costa Blanca is best to buy in?
- It depends on how you want to live rather than what you want to spend. Altea and Calpe for town life, Altea Hills for privacy and security, Finestrat for new build.
- Where is the best value on this coast?
- Finestrat and Sierra Cortina generally give the most house per euro, and Calpe the best value for a sea view because of the volume of seafront apartments.
- How much are the buying costs in Spain?
- Budget around 10 to 14 per cent on top of the price for taxes, notary, registry and legal fees. New build is taxed differently from resale.
- Do I need a car on the Costa Blanca?
- On any hillside, yes. In the centres of Altea, Calpe and Benidorm you can manage without one, helped by the coastal tram line.
- Which airport should I use?
- Alicante for almost everywhere here, 40 to 55 minutes depending on the area. From Calpe northwards, Valencia becomes competitive for some routes.
- What is the most common mistake buyers make?
- Shortlisting properties across four areas at once. The areas differ far more than the houses do, so it is worth choosing the place first.
Where value sits across the coast
Prices vary more by area than by property type, which surprises buyers who arrive with a budget and no geography. Finestrat and Sierra Cortina generally give the most house per euro, because the stock is newer and the areas less established. Calpe is next, and offers the best value for a sea view anywhere on this coast thanks to the volume of seafront apartments. Altea carries a premium for its town life and walkability. Altea Hills prices on security, views and plot. Mascarat is the narrowest and most expensive market, simply because there is very little of it. Moving fifteen minutes along the coast can change what your budget buys more than moving up a property category.
Matching the area to the life
The most useful question is not what you want to buy but how you intend to live. If you want to walk to dinner and shop at a market, Altea or Calpe. If you want privacy, security and a view, Altea Hills. If you want seclusion and a boat, Mascarat. If you want new construction, low running costs and a short airport transfer, Finestrat or Sierra Cortina. If you want a city that functions twelve months a year, Benidorm's upper floors. Buyers who skip this step tend to shortlist across four areas at once and struggle to compare anything, because they are comparing places rather than properties.
Getting around the northern Costa Blanca
The N-332 runs the length of this coast and the AP-7 motorway parallels it inland, with exits at Calpe, Benissa and Altea. Alicante–Elche airport serves the whole area: roughly 40 to 45 minutes from Finestrat, 50 from Altea, 55 from Calpe. Valencia is around an hour and a half from Calpe and becomes the more sensible airport for some routes as you move north. A coastal tram line links Alicante, Benidorm, Altea and Calpe, which is genuinely useful and unusual in Spain. Everywhere on the hillsides requires a car; the town centres of Altea, Calpe and Benidorm do not.
Buying here as a foreign resident
The mechanics are the same across every area. You will need an NIE number, a Spanish bank account and an independent lawyer — independent meaning not introduced by the seller or the developer. Budget roughly 10 to 14 per cent on top of the purchase price for transfer tax, notary, registry and legal fees, with new build taxed differently from resale. Two checks matter more here than most places: that the Land Registry and catastral descriptions match what is physically on the plot, since unregistered pools and terraces are common; and, on anything close to the shoreline, the property's position relative to the Ley de Costas coastal boundary.