You have six basic types of property in Spain.

Apartments are usually in a purpose-built block, most commonly with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, perhaps with some communal gardens and facilities such as a swimming pool. Owners pay a community charge to cover maintenance fees for the block.

A Townhouse (also known in Costa Blanca as a Bungalow) is usually a two or three-storey building which is part of a terrace, possibly with a small garden or outside space. They may be new-build townhouses, often painted a uniform white on a plot of land outside of a town. Or it might be an existing house in the centre of a town or village.

A Villa is a detached or semi-detached house, found both on the coast and inland, with a private garden and perhaps a swimming pool. It may also belong to a development which shares a pool and other facilities.

A Finca Rústicas a traditional rural house, possibly a former farmhouse, and often in need of renovation or conversion. It usually has some land or at least a garden. It may be harder to arrange for certain facilities such as a telephone line or mains gas in a rural finca.

Quads Quad villas are unique to the Costa Blanca and far less common than townhouses, apartments or villas. They consist of four semi-detached houses on one plot of land, with a communal garden and a shared pool (if one has been installed). They offer a reasonably-priced product, cheaper than a detached villa with its own land, with more space than the standard apartment, for example, but the land belongs to the group not to the individual owner.

Off Plan/New Development These are developments which have yet to be built or are in the process of being built, and in which buyers invest on the basis of seeing the plot of land and the architect's plans. The price and all specifications are set before building commences. This takes 18-24 months on average. Such properties are usually apartments or bungalows in complexes with good shared facilities such as large communal swimming pools, tennis courts and well-maintained gardens.

If you do not intend to live in the property full-time, an apartment that you can lock up and leave - particularly on a managed estate which guarantees security and maintenance of the common areas - is a wise option. You may not feel so secure leaving a villa or finca empty for long periods.