Updated in part January 2008
Developments
Urbanicazions, holiday villages and other developments
A few words of clarification: Most new houses and all new apartments in Spain are built in an urbanizacion - which is a legal entity jointly owned by the owners of all the properties in the urbanizacion. The Community provides communal services such as swimming pools, communal grounds and facilities, gardens and grounds maintenance, TV aerial systems, facilities such as sports pitches and infrastructure such as roads, paths, fences and gates. Each property owner has to pay a fee to the Community for these services. Communities are democratic bodies regulated by a special Spanish law. Most (but not all) the urbanizacions in the Vera Playa naturist zone are constituted as naturist communities. This allows people to live a naturist lifestyle (but doesn't force them to - except for provisions such as banning the wearing of swimming costumes in pools). Some of the naturist urbanizacions have taken steps to try and ensure that it would be difficult or impossible for the naturist character of the urbanizacion to be changed to textile - others haven't and potential buyers need to be aware of this and have their lawyer check carefully if the naturist lifestyle is important to them.
There is currently a boom in construction along the whole of the Costa Almeria and certainly in the Vera - Mojácar area. Just a few years ago new beach apartments were cheap aschips - but no more! Prices now start at about 110,000 Euros (about £75,000), one bedroom apartments are 130,000 Euros + and two bedroomed apartments are 140,000 Euros +. Don't forget that you must add about 10% to all these prices to cover IVA/VAT and legal fees etc. Quality of construction and finishes are generally good and some new apartments are sold furnished, as are many resales. There seem to be two weaknesses in construction standards - 1. Noise insulation between apartments seems to be unheard of - indeed the use of hollow bricks for infill of walls creates a sounding board for transmitted noise. 2. Amazingly enough - given that the area is basically desert - damp penetration is often a problem. This seems to be partly because the damproof membranes used are below Northern European standards and partly because poor construction supervision means that often even the local standards are not observed.
Most sales are now to Spanish buyers rather than to foreigners and it
is likely that the Spanish market is less vulnerable to any wobbles due
to international factors.
Nearly all the properties are apartments, mostly in two or three storey
buildings or blocks. Some apartments are very small whilst others are
very spacious. Given the superb climate at Vera Playa, outside space is
perhaps even more important than inside space, as that is where you will
be most of the time. There are some single storey bungalows and a handful
of larger detached houses.
Just about all of the land within the presently defined naturist area has now been developed - only one or two small infill sites remain. Several sites which were originally expected to be developed as naturist urbanizacions have in fact been developed as textile. At present there seems to be no real price premium for naturist zone properties, but the fact is that the whole Vera Playa/Garrucha & Mojacar Playa area has become a property hotspot. Given that it is unlikely there will be any more naturist developments a price premium may develop over time.
Index of communities/developments
Click on name to go to full entries| Name | Location | Access | Clothing | No. of units | Season | Facilities |
| Armoni Natura - (completed) | Opposite Nat-Sun shop (between Natura World and Natsun) | Enclosed | Naturist | 36 no. 1 & 2 bedroom apts | All year | Pool |
|
(completed) |
Behind Vera Natura | Enclosed | Naturist |
3 detached houses. |
All Year |
2 pools (1 indoor heated), Tennis, netball, boules court. |
| La Menara (completed) |
Behind Vera Natura | Enclosed | Naturist | ? | All year | Pool |
|
Parque Vera - phase I & II (completed) |
Behind NatSun / Vera Luz | part enclosed | Naturist | ? | All Year | 2 Pools |
| Parque Vera - phase III - (completed) | Behind NatSun / Vera Luz | Enclosed | Naturist | ? | All Year | Pool |
| Parque Vera - phase
IV - construction (completed) |
Behind Parque Vera I, II, III |
Enclosed | Naturist | ? | All Year | ? |
| NatSun (completed) |
Central beach- front | Open | Naturist |
El Cano I ? El Cano II ? El Cano III ? Bungalows |
All year |
Pool |
| Natura World (part completed) |
Beach-front, between Hotel & NatSun | enclosed | Naturist | Approx 570 units | All Year |
4 pools Commercial centre |
| Torremar Natura (completed) |
Behind Bahia de Vera | enclosed | Naturist | Phase 1 - 83 April 2002 Phase 2 - 24 July 2002 |
All Year | Facilities: 2 Pools (1 heated) |
| Vera Luz (completed) |
Behind Nat-Sun | Facilities gated | Naturist | ? | All year | Pool |
| Vera Natura (completed) |
Central beach-front | Enclosed | Naturist |
25 blocks of 8 apartments (studios, 1 & 2 bed apartments and
2 bed duplexes)
|
All Year | 2 pools (1 indoor heated), Laundry, Spa, Gym Available from street:- Shop, Cash Point |
| Marina Natura (completed) |
Beach front (first line) between Nat-Sun & Vera Natura | Probably enclosed | Naturist | 45 apartments on two levels | All Year | Pool , garages/private parking |
Developments (urbanizacions):
See photogallery for more photos of the various urbanizacionsArmoni Natura
Small
development of approx 34 luxury apartments, immediately north of Natsun
Elcano III. 2nd line to the beach. This development was marketed as particularly
luxurious and exclusive with prices to match. Small pool. Completed
Bahia de Vera
2nd line to the beach. Urbanisation with around 180 properties - 2 storey flat-roofed modernist looking buildings .Well finished and equipped (all kitchens have full hobs and ovens). There are studios, 1 & 2 bedroom apartments, 3 bedroom duplexes, 3 individual houses and a 4 storey apartment building with studios and 1 & 2 bedroomed apartments. Videophone entry system. Communal facilities include large open air pool and smaller covered heated pool (now fully heated with solar panels by day and heatpump at night).With 180 units in total there are usually a few resales available - check out the property for sale pages on this website or visit the local estate agents . This development has a more residential ambience than Vera Natura (due to no on-site holiday facilities such as manned reception or restaurant) but even in winter has plenty of residents - it has become popular with long term renters in winter, many of them British.
La Menara
2nd
line to the beach. Small moorish style development. 3 storey blocks, some
apartments have multiple terraces. High quality, fancy ornamentation.
Small communal pool. Locked gate access. Construction completed in 2002
- some buyers experienced considerable delay in completion of their apartments.
Some units still available. This development was undertaken by the promoters
who developed Vera Natura and then went bust.
There
are also a handful of detached houses which seem, technically, to be part
of the La Menara urbanizacion though they are fenced off from it and front
the main road into the naturist zone, opposite Parque Vera. Each property
is individual. Plot sizes seem to be around 500 sq. metres and the houses
are 140 square metres up to about 350 square metres, with prices to match.
All have been sold.
Natsun - Elcano I & II & Bungalows
The first developments at Vera Playa. First line to the beach - east facing units have excellent sea views but few units have good all day sun . Mainly studios and 1 bed apartments.
Smaller and less luxurious than most of the units currently under construction. Resales occasionally available.
2nd line to the beach, La Medina - behind Natsun's Elcano I & II there is a pleasant moorish style development of small bungalows with gardens and parking spaces. No sea views but well sheltered from wind. Spar supermarket. Resales rare.
Top of this pageParque Vera
2nd/3rd
line to the beach. Phased development. The earliest phases comprised terraces
of good looking 2 storey townhouses, which could have been in any suburban
housing development - and just happened to be in a naturist one. Since
then things seem to have gone downhill: subsequent blocks have been longer,
taller and more massive - almost barracks-like. 
Three
storey blocks have continuous balconies with dividing walls between individual
studios/apartments. Even ground floor apartments seem only to have a sort
of horse box patio with quite tall walls and no private gardens. Currently,
further phases of Parque Vera 
on
a very large site stretching back to the main Villaricos-Garrucha road
are progressing at a truly impressive rate of progress.
It is not known how many units there will be when all phases have been built, but it must be into several hundred and Parque Vera may be level-pegging with Natura World for the title of biggest development at Vera Playa.
Later phases of Parque Vera progressing at fast rate of progress. Earlier phases now completed & occupied.
Vera Luz - 2 Storey townhouse style apartments
Small development around 2 sides of a garden area with swimming pool. Most apartments face east, a few face south. Some of the upper level apartments have ladders to roof terraces (and thus all day sun). Shaded parking for cars.
Vera Natura
First line to the beach. Urbanisation with around 200 properties in 25 3
storey pitched-roof buildings with hint of traditional architectural styles
and nice detailing, especially decorative tiling. Mainly 1 bedroomed but
also studios and 2 bedroomed duplexes. Most apartments have de-luxe bathrooms
with large circular baths but, somewhat oddly, this opulence doesn't extend
to the kitchens which (except where retro-fitted by their owners) have only
2 ring hobs and no ovens. Good facilities include very large open-air pool,
large indoor heated pool, gymnasium, turkish and jacuzzi baths. On-site
restaurant. Manned reception, locked gates access for residents. Private
parking on-site, some shaded - for purchase or rent. No free parking within
perimeter (but parking available on nearby streets - with some risk of theft/damage)
The Vera Natura development was completed in the year 2000 and is now looking quite mature and is greatly enhanced by its beautiful, well-tended gardens. Normally there are some resale apartments available. Vera Natura has a very cosmopolitan ownership and several package tour operators use apartments at the site.
Marina Natura
Small
development (45 apartments in two phases), 5000 m2 plot. Front line to
the beach, between Natsun (El Cano 1) and Vera Natura.Two storey terrace
style construction. Garages. Apartments are 1.5 bedrooms (I double, one
single).
This development is now completed.
Natsun Elcano III
First line to the beach. First phase of Elcano III completed in 2001.
Second phase completed 2005
3 storey apartment building. Some of the penthouse apartments have large
terraces. Sea views. A new large outdoor swimming pool has been built
serving the whole NatSun development.
Natura World
First
line to the beach. Very large development of 495 studios and apartments
- and an apart-hotel with around 75 rooms and a commercial centre - the
largest single development at Vera Playa. 4 large swimming pools and commercial
centre. Beachfront bocks completed in Autumn 2005, much of the remainder
appears to have been completed during 2007 but apart hotel and commercial
centre and some residential blocks nearby still under construction as
at Janurary 2008. It is not clear how many of these apartments have been
sold to individual owners, but those which have are currently mired in
problems - see below.
Caution: It appears there are multiple
problems at the Natura World development. So far, it appears, no purchasers
have been able to complete their purchases due to the promoters/developers
inability to demonstrate to the Notary that they have good title to the
land to hand on to purchasers. There are also problems with water supply
and it appears that the promoters may have been selling and renting apartments
to textiles which could endanger the naturist status of this development.
Buyers have grouped together to take legal action against the promoters
to get the problems solved. If you are are thinking of buying a property
in this development it is more than usually necessary to ensure you get
the advice of a truly independent solicitor (i.e. not one recommended
by or working for the promoters/developers or other vendor) before signing
anything or parting with any money. 3 January 2008
Top of this page
Torremar Natura
2nd/3rd line to the beach. Outdoor and covered/heated pool. Completed
Take care! - Not all developments at Vera Playa are naturist!
There are textile (non-naturist) developments to the north and south of
the naturist zone and there is one development seemingly within the naturist
zone which is, in fact, textile - Vera Mar 6 (The other
5 phases are 2 kms down the road at Puerto Rey). There is also one development
which started life as naturist and changed halfway through - Playa
de Baria 1, immediately south of Vera Natura - (though this seems
to be swinging back towards tolerating naturism, even if not being 100%
naturist). It goes without saying that this is a bit of a mess!
What, exactly, is in the naturist zone and what is not is also very unclear - at least to this website. There seems to be no definitive map or plan yet. But see our Site Plan for an indication of the relative locations of the various developments
There are several new and large developments which have have been built or are under construction north and south of the naturist zone (e.g. El Paraiso de Vera Playa, Cala Marques, Mirador de Vera, Vera 2, Nuevo Vera, Playa de Baria 2, Vera Garden). These developments may be attractive to people who like naturist swimming and sun-bathing on the beach but do not wish to be naturist at their accommodation or within its urbanicazion. It is most unlikely that anyone could accidentally buy one of these thinking it is naturist, but some estate agents seem to be a bit ambiguous in their advertising, so if you are looking for a property within the naturist zone and which permits the naturist lifestyle, just make sure you buy one of those listed as naturist on this page.
The information on this page is believed to be accurate but is obviously
incomplete and, inevitably, out of date as soon as we put it on this page.
We would welcome further and better information from promoters, builders,
agents, or anyone else who knows what's happening in this frenetic environment!
Latest update - January 2008
See photogallery for more photos
of the various urbanizacions
Additional material and/or corrections to this information about developments at Playa will be welcomed - please see our homepage for contact details.
© 2002-8 www.VeraPlaya.info
Home | Top of this page | Property
Advice page