Renting villas and apartments for vacation (as opposed to going abroad) is a relatively new direction in the real estate and tourism business. Not everyone can afford to live with their family in a five-star hotel for several weeks or months, but no hotel will offer a private pool, a cozy fireplace, and a quiet flowering garden. Renting a home abroad is especially relevant for families with children, when it is difficult to fit into a regular room, and a two-bedroom or two adjacent rooms are significantly more expensive. In addition, the ability to prepare children's menu dishes yourself is also a plus of such a vacation spot. And if you are planning a vacation with your family, children and a nanny or grandmother, or a large and friendly company, then it is worth thinking about how to make the vacation pleasant, comfortable, and at the same time relatively inexpensive.
Better early than expensive
“Searching for a property should start as early as March, because as summer approaches, rental rates rise. When choosing housing abroad for a summer vacation, it is better to contact domestic real estate companies that can offer the best option taking into account the client's wishes and financial capabilities,” says Yulia Titova, head of the foreign real estate department at the BEST-nedvizhimost corporation.
Before choosing a specific option, of course, you should decide on a budget. The cost is influenced by many factors: the country of residence, the location of the house directly on the coast or at some distance from the beach, the size of the territory, house and garden, the number of bedrooms and showers, one or several pools, the presence of a garage, tennis court, proximity to commercial and entertainment points, plastic windows, and even the view that opens from them... If solitude is not to your taste, and funds are relatively limited, choose apartments.
According to Marina Markarova, managing director of Blackwood, the best time to search and sign a lease agreement is from January to March. Later, the selection will be significantly smaller and prices higher. In addition, when renting a villa in advance, you pay only 30% of the cost as an advance. Currently, there is a stable demand for specific destinations: Cyprus, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Bulgaria, Montenegro. When choosing, buyers are increasingly guided by the price-quality criterion.
Golfe-Juan awaits
The French Riviera has long been considered an elite vacation destination. “The cost of renting a villa for a day on the French Riviera is comparable to staying in a double room in a good hotel, only for this money you will get a house with many bedrooms, a living room, a well-equipped kitchen, a garden, and a pool,” says Marina Markarova. The average cost of a villa on the French Riviera is about €5-15 thousand per week, but this is not the limit. There are options for ?30-50 thousand per week and more. You can rent an apartment for an average of €10-20 thousand per month. However, apartments also come in very different levels. The rental period for villas and apartments in France is from two weeks.
Particularly popular are the universally adored sandy beaches in Saint-Tropez, the fashionable Cap Ferrat, one of the most prestigious and expensive resorts between Nice and Monaco. Cap d'Antibes combines tranquility with lively evening life.
If you are interested in a quiet and less expensive vacation, Yulia Titova recommends three towns to choose from: Juan-les-Pins, Antibes, and Golfe-Juan. If you choose a villa on the hills in Cannes, you can peacefully contemplate the panorama of the entire Riviera coast. Those seeking complete privacy and silence on their own territory at a lower price compared to coastal estates will like the hill towns (Mougins, Grasse, Mandelieu) – 5-7 km from the beaches, wonderful views and complete unity with nature. At the same time, it is worth renting a car.
Russian Limassol
Cyprus has long been popular among our tourists. The most popular are Limassol and Paphos. For example, in the Paphos area, villas with three or four bedrooms, a private pool, a garden, and a sea view are offered, but, as a rule, without a fenced area, and a garden is called one or two palm trees and lawn grass. Limassol is closest in spirit to clients from the former Soviet Union; it is here that the market is focused on Russian speakers. Although many choose Limassol for other reasons – proximity to the airport in Larnaca, a developed, compactly located infrastructure.
Prices in Cyprus depend on the period and duration of the rental, as well as on the features of the villa. On average, a house with three bedrooms in the summer months costs €2.100-3.500 per week. An economical alternative for a summer vacation in Cyprus is apartments of various categories by size (from a studio designed for two adults to an apartment with three bedrooms), distance from the sea, availability of infrastructure, and so on. According to Yulia Titova, prices per month: €700-1.500 for a studio, €1.000-2.300 for a one-bedroom, €1.500-3.000 for a two-bedroom, €2.000-3.500 for a three-bedroom. The rental period is from one week.
On the Spanish coasts
On the Spanish coast, the most in-demand areas among Russian-speaking clients are Costa Brava, Costa Dorada, and Costa del Sol. There are beautiful sandy beaches, a clean sea, and a diverse entertainment infrastructure. For example, Benidorm is considered the tourist center of Spain – in addition to an abundance of various discos and restaurants, it is home to the largest water park in the country.
The choice of rental property here is very large – from inexpensive cozy studios to luxury villas. "As on Cyprus, in Spain it is possible to rent for a period of one week. At the same time, the cost of rent increases proportionally to the rental period, and usually no discount is provided for an increased period," says Marina Markarova. Thus, the cost of apartments with two or three bedrooms ranges from €1.500 to €2.500 per week. A villa with three bedrooms will cost €2.500-5.000 per week, but can reach €17.000 in expensive elite areas, for example in Marbella (one of the most fashionable resorts in Spain). The cheapest option is to rent an apartment in the city. For example, the cost of a 3-room apartment in Benidorm, two hundred meters from the beach, is about €3.000 per month.
View of the Balkans
In Bulgaria and Montenegro, the real estate market is less developed than in other European countries. If you prefer a comfortable holiday, you should go a different way, booking apartments at home through an agency. There are not many modern buildings, but they exist. True, prices for them are naturally significantly higher.
"As in other European countries, short-term rental is possible here, although not all property owners agree to it. And if you plan to vacation in Bulgaria or Montenegro for a week or two, it is easier to contact a travel agency and stay in a hotel. If a longer period is expected, it makes sense to consider rental options," emphasizes Yulia Titova.
The most worthy places, optimal in terms of price-quality ratio, are Sveti Vlas and Sozopol. Both resorts are located on the southern Black Sea coast, which is currently more developed and Europeanized. The nearest airport is in Burgas, but you can also fly via Varna. Less noisy than Sunny Beach and Golden Sands, they are famous for their clean beaches, developed infrastructure, and lower prices than at large resorts. Apartments near the sea will be more expensive in July and August, while prices for May, June, and September are lower. The cost of one-bedroom apartments in Bulgaria is from €750 to €1.500, and two-bedroom from €900 to €2.000 per month.
"In Montenegro, villas are practically not rented out, so the supply mainly consists of apartments of various types and quality. The main advantage is prices, which are significantly lower than in other European countries," notes Marina Markarova. Short-term rental is also possible here, although not all property owners agree to it. Renting apartments in Montenegro is approximately €1.000-2.000 per month.
Turkey for dessert
The rental market in Turkey is less developed compared to the Cypriot or Spanish one. Active construction of villas and apartment complexes began relatively recently, so there are few quality options for summer holidays – owners prefer to rent out housing on a long-term basis, for a year or more. This is mainly due to low prices, which is why owners do not want to deal with short-term rentals. However, for those who want to send their children to Turkey for the summer, it is still possible to find options, though the rental period will be from three months.
The Mediterranean coast is traditionally most popular among our tourists in Turkey, with preference given to Antalya and Kemer. Western tourists (British, Dutch, Germans) prefer Fethiye, Bodrum, and Marmaris. According to experts, you can rent two-bedroom apartments for the whole summer in Turkey for €3-8 thousand, and villas for €6-15 thousand. Despite the relatively small number of offers, you can find a villa or apartments not far from the sea, at a distance of 200-400 meters, in a tourist zone or in areas with developed infrastructure. Information about the availability of air conditioners and household appliances should be clarified individually.