The market has spoken: according to data published this very summer by the luxury residential sector, El Portet in Moraira and Benissa Costa now rank among the most expensive areas on the entire Costa Blanca, with homes reaching and exceeding 8,000 €/m², and foreign buyers —British, Dutch, German— account for more than 70% of transactions. What does this mean for the owner of a villa from the 80s or 90s in the area? That you are sitting on a very valuable asset… one that probably needs a renovation to be worth what it truly could be.
The hidden treasure: villas from the 80s and 90s
The Marina Alta filled up with villas between 1975 and 1995. Many of them have what can no longer be found: large plots, front-line locations, perfect orientations and views that would be impossible to obtain today. What they lack is what today’s buyer demands: thermal insulation, efficient climate control, open-plan spaces, modern kitchens and bathrooms. That distance between what the villa is and what it could be is precisely the opportunity.
What gets renovated today (and why)
The renovations that add the most value follow a clear pattern. First, the envelope: façade and roof insulation and new window frames, which transform comfort and boost the energy rating — and remember that many town halls offer significant ICIO tax rebates for works with certified energy improvements. Second, the installations: replacing old electric radiators or oil heating with aerothermal systems with underfloor heating or fan coils. Third, the layout: opening the kitchen to the living room, adding an en-suite bedroom, connecting the interior with the terrace and the pool. And fourth, the exteriors: a renovated pool, a covered porch and landscaping are the first things any buyer sees — and photographs.
And the numbers?
A well-planned full renovation costs a fraction of an equivalent new build, and in areas where the square metre commands record prices, every euro wisely invested in a renovation multiplies in the final value of the home. What is more, a renovated villa sells faster and better: the international buyer who dominates this market finds it hard to visualise renovations and prefers to pay for work already done.
Before and after: our speciality
At Marzal Promociones we have been building and renovating villas in Moraira, Jávea, Calpe and throughout the Marina Alta for more than 50 years — half a century, celebrated at our recent anniversary. We know these houses well, because many of them were built by our own crews decades ago, and we know exactly what their walls hide and what they are capable of.
Do you have a villa with potential? We will prepare a no-obligation renovation assessment for you: what we would do, what it would cost and how much value your home could gain.