There was a time when ruins were especially sought after by anyone planning to build a new home! In the good old days you looked for a pile of stones in the corner of as field and declared that you were going to do a reform and you built pretty well what you looked where you liked on the plot! The ruin was effectively a carte blanche to build what you liked. Those happy (?) days are long gone. As the Spanish authorities set about closing all the stable doors now all the horses have gone the rules on reforming have become extremely tight as they set about trying to "protect" the countryside.

The first thing to bear in mind is that there is no such thing as outline planning permission in Spain so a seller who indicates he has permission to develop must have a formally approved proyecto. Anything else including "promises" by the town hall or favourable comments by the mayor are simply worthless. You either have it or you don't!

The basic rule of thumb these days is that town halls don't want to approve of building in the campo so what they will accept as a reformable ruin is much more restricted. It will be expected to look like a building and have a roof for starters! In addition you will only be able to work within the existing footprint of the building; no fancy extensions and no moving the building to a spot with a better view!

Our advice these days therefore is to look at the type of property we call a "camper". Good enough to provide shelter, undeniably a house but in need to full reform and modernization.

For those of you asking why buy a ruin or a camper  the answer is simple. It is an opportunity to create your own special home with your personal stamp well and truly on it! It is a chance to put in the amenities you want and use the finishes you like and ultimately if you do it right it is a sound investment.

If you are looking to create something personal get in touch. We always enjoy talking projects!