Climate Change, it’s becoming more relevant.

I’ve often wondered about that phrase; should it be Sea Change or C-Change? It refers to a 180-degree change of direction so C-Change seems more appropriate. It’s the same as One of or One off?

Whatever the answer is to these conundrums, the other C-Change i.e. Climate Change it’s becoming more relevant to the expat residents and seasonal tourism. Temperatures and sea level are continuing to rise, with the latter likely to cause increasing problems for front line residences, marinas and the like.

Many of the mature expat residents are here for eight or nine months only, leaving the extreme heat and crowding of the summer to the tourists. It really is the worst time to be in the South of Spain, because the weather is too hot during the day and it’s extremely dry, using up water resources when they are not being replenished. Yes, the warm summer nights and pleasant sea temperatures compensate for those and for the bulk of the tourists, who don’t move more than a kilometre inland from the beach, is that all that they require?

The marketing for property should certainly be increasingly stressing the green Spain that we residents know, and the joy of clear blue skies and 20+ degree temperatures in mid-Winter. The predictions are that more extreme weather will occur, with greater winter storms in Northern Europe. However, they will be balanced by warmer drier Summers. There has been talk of some reduction in tourists this year, due to people experiencing a good summer in 2018 and wondering why they should be paying the thousands of pounds, euros or kroners to come here when they could stay home and enjoy pleasant weather. The meteorologists are forecasting at least 5 more years of that.

For the property market, the majority of seasonal tourist are not really the people who will buy, so a reduction in their numbers is not that important, apart from supporting the services and facilities that we year-round residents enjoy. One other trend that could have an effect on demand for property is that apparently there is an increasing social pressure for people to reduce the number of flights they take, as they are a significant cause of carbon pollution leading to climate change. That could reduce the number of people wanting a place to jet over to for a long weekend at any time of the year. Technological change will undoubtedly reduce the pollutants so we hope that will come soon.

Certainly, a property buyer has never had so much choice with plenty of resale properties fighting it out with the strong marketing of the increasing numbers of new builds. As building surveyors we see the need for snagging of these new properties, to ensure that the quality and specification is up to the level promised in the marketing. As registered valuers, we are also experiencing surprise at the level of difference between new build and equivalent resale properties. But they will all find their level in the market and are bringing more fresh occupiers, ready to enjoy the greatest place to live.