Published: 11 April 2007
Barcelona is an attractive city for expats
"Were I to get the hell out of England today, I'd probably go to Barcelona - it has all the good things, a good way of life, reasonable weather." So says the diminutive Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone - although, unlike many Britons, he hasn't yet made the move.
There are now 4,721 British households, from singletons to families, living permanently in Barcelona. That's up from 1,094 a decade ago - and the number is rising all the time. The classic expat's property route is to rent in the old town - familiar territory for tourists who throng the city, but also close to areas most sought-after by Britons - and then buy after two or three months sussing out the local market.
Barcelona's estate agents say that most Britons go for a flat around the old town in the Born, Gotico, or newly regenerated Raval areas, or on the beachfront. Those who know Barcelona well and have a slightly larger budget want a flat or house in the more expensive and elegant Eixample or Zona Alta areas.
Prices are not low in any part of the market - this city is, after all, the most expensive in Spain. The average Barcelona home costs €624,000 (£425,000), some 56 per cent above the figure for Spain generally. Kyero.com, a sales website that measures asking prices, says that a typical one-bedroom flat within the city is €327,500 (£223,000), and a two-bedroom flat €500,000 (£340,000). You'll need €613,000 (£417,000) for the average three-bedroom home. Move on to a four-bedroom house and you must pay €916,050 (£624,000), while a five-bedroom property will set you back a cool €1.2m (£817,000). continue...
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