Understanding Cabañas

Very soon we will be making a full explainer video with a lawyer about the very misunderstood topic of cabañas – the mountain cabins which are availabe to buy in Spain – and especially in Asturias. Because these cabañas don’t really exist in many other parts of Europe, they are often misunderstood. We offer a variety of cabañas for sale and they often seem, especially from the outside, a very economic way to get a foothold in the Asturian property market and a good way to make the move to Spain.

However, it’s not quite as simple as that mainly for the reason that a cabaña is not a house. Legally there is a pretty clear distinction between a cabaña and house and thus the ‘rights’ that come with each are different so it is essential to understand what you are buying if you are thinking of buying a cabaña.

So here I am going to post a brief piece which is a simple summary of the basic information so that you can see if a cabaña is for you. Naturally there are caveats to this piece, in that across the various concejos of Asturias there are various ‘gradings’ to the land some much more restrictive than others, and there can be slightly different attitudes at different town halls – but overall very similar restrictions apply.

What is a cabaña?
As I stated above cabañas area kind of staple of Asturian life – they exist in high pasturelands where, in the past, shepherds looking after cows sheep or goats would stay while the cattle fed. These structures would normally be very basic with water from a spring, no electricity and a living space upstairs and barn downstairs. Naturally they were usually built with the local stone and wood and in general were pretty small – just two rooms. Another part of cabaña life is that they usually had a patch or ‘parcela’ of land attached to them which would usually be demarcated reasonably well with a fence or wall.

However, with the demise of this lifestyle, these now mainly abandoned structures have passed down to people who have started to use them for a more leisurely lifestyle. They create ‘second-homes’ in the hills where they would spend weekends and holidays in nature enjoying the land which their forefathers worked. As often as not these conversion have been ‘labours of love’ with people spending years turning what was essentially a shed into what can be reasonably well appointed structure – there are many examples of this on the market. More recently some cabañas have been converted specifically to sell and we are seeing more of a market in this type of cabaña – though this is not at all to denigrate this.

Finally most cabañas will have a ‘tricky’ access, almost never from a tarmacced road, usually from a track which can either be well or badly maintained and subject to changing state across the seasons.

This is a good example of a classic, renovated, two room cabaña with a plot of land:

What can I expect from a cabaña?
Structurally, most cabañas will be almost all stone built with wooden beams throughout which would have been all chestnut or oak in the past. However, though many cabañas will have retained these main beams as often as not the floors may well have been replaced with pine. A renovated structure will generally have been fully repointed and may well have new double glazed windows. They will generally have a had a modern toilet fitted and maybe a shower. The roof will be a traditional ‘pan tile’ construction which once renovated is very watertight and works very well – sometimes there will be a waterproof membrane ‘ondeline’ fitted beneath the tiles and very occasionally it will be insulated. As most people view cabañas as a summer destination the insulation is not usually done. Windows will generally be small and it is not generally permitted to expand the window size, sometimes there will be velux type windows in the roof but it is a moot point as to whether these are strictly allowed legally.

As I have already mentioned most cabañas will be a simple ‘one-up one-down’ layout and will be small – around 30m2 per floor. There are exceptions to this rule and some have multiple rooms and extra structures but in general they are not big. So when you are considering one please make sure you check out the meterage.

An old cabaña which has not been renovated will be unlikely to have cement in the walls and will be very likely to have a stone and mud construction and no toilet. To be honest renovating a cabaña is a subject in itself (exactly what you can and cannot do) and in this article really we are mainly talking about ready to go cabañas which are already done and the general ínformation surrounding that.

Can I change the status of my cabaña from a cabaña to a house?
This is  very, very unlikely and in the case that it may be possible this will usually be stated in any advert as it confers extra rights. The price will usually be higher as well.

Do I have rights to water and electicity in a cabaña?
Basically no! And this is one of the main differences between a cabaña and a house. Water will either be spring water off the mountain – ‘manantial’ or ‘fuente’ in Spanish – or very occasionally you would have to bring it in. Most cabañas have their own supply but many are shared. Electricity from the grid is almost never an option and nearly all the cabañas we have are with solar panels. It is importnat to check out how many each has and what power they supply for what you want to do. So for example many people with have a gas fridge and a gas hob and water heater instead of electric to keep the usage low.

Access to a cabaña / Situation
Access to a cabaña is very variable and this can be from just off a reasonable road to a track only manageable in a proper 4×4. It is important to consider the access and whether you would be happy driving it across all weathers and seasons – if you just want to use it occasionally will your ‘normal’ car get there ok? As mentioned before most cabañas are not in easily accessed spots so it can be a big effort to get to the nearest town and so shopping, going out to bar, taking children to school or getting to a health centre can be tiring and tricky journeys. All this should be borne in mind.

Can I live in a cabaña full time?
The big question! Essentially there is no 100% correct answer to this question save to say that people do and you can, but legally it is a little bit of a grey area.

Can I ’empadronar’ from a cabaña?
To ’empadronar’ is to register with the local council or ayuntamiento in Spanish to say that you are living in the area – this gives you certain rights. And yes normally you can empadronar from a cabaña, but again it is not 100% guaranteed.

Can I expand my cabaña?
Put pretty simply, generally no!! Once again a cabaña is not a house and so once again there are different rules. In many cases a house can be expanded up to 250m2 so a smaller house structure will usually be granted a permiso to be able to expand the footprint. This will almost certainly not happen with a cabaña. What you see is what you get.

Can I rent my cabaña?
Again no! You cannot rent out a cabaña on AirBnB or any other such site legally. You will not get a license. Without a licence you can be subject to a large fine.

Summary
Hopefully this should give a better understanding of what cabañas are, and orientate you a little on the most important fact, which is well worth repeating, a cabaña is not a house.
So if you want a house buy a house – it will generally cost you more but does come with the basic rights of electricity and water.

However, if you are set on a cabaña then we would not put you off, they are often in stunning places with a large patch of land and will offer a lifestyle that is ‘out of the ordinary’.

Click the cabaña option on the front page to see the cabañas we currently have.

Or here are a couple of those we currently have on offer are:

Unique opportunity to buy 2 idyllic cabañas, Piloña. €200,000 Ref 2359

Fully renovated, stone-built cabaña with stunning views, Piloña, Asturias. €75,000 Ref 1297

New Testimonial Video – Neil Abbott Uk Client Jan 2023

In this video Neil Abbott an English client of Spanish Property North gives a testimonial about working with Mary when he bought his property in Asturias.

We are so grateful for the recommendation and if anyone out there is looking for a house or simply needs help with the purchase process or other relocation services please do get in touch and we will offer you the same level of service that made Neil a very happy client.

The text of the video is below:
‘My name’s Neil, a client of Mary Ryan from Spanish Property North and i just wanted to recommend her if you are thinking of buying a place in Spain, to get away from it all and to live the dream!
I just wanted to say that Mary is a very, very good estate agent who knows how things work here. I couldn’t have got this place without her – she made the impossible happen! So i got this 265m2 house with 5 bedrooms – I’ve renovated the 5th bedroom into a yoga space so now I can offer meditation + yoga retreats breathwork, and cold water bathing. So thanks Mary, it was amazing how you managed to pull all that off during the lockdown.
So I’m really grateful for that, and if anyone’s having thoughts about using Mary, I’d say she’s your best bet, especially if Spanish is not your first language as she knows the system and keeps everything simple and very efficient. I couldn’t have done it without you Mary It was incredible how it all worked out and now I own this place! I have big plans for this place and everyday it’s a joy to get up and do things here!’

Latest testimonial – Assistance with property purchase in northern Spain

One of the services which Spanish Property North offers is a package to assist people, even though they may not have found the property through us, to complete a purchase of a property in Northern Spain. We can ‘hold your hand’ throughout the process – from initial view of the paper work to translating at the signing (and beyond) – to make sure this important, expensive and often tricky process runs as smoothly as possible.

For example, earlier this year we had the pleasure of assisting Frank and Safia from the Netherlands with the purchase of a property in Colunga, Asturias and later advising them on a second purchase that they were also considering. They found the properties via a local agent and they then employed us on a consultancy basis to guide them safely and easily through the whole process; from negotiations through obtaining NIEs, overseeing technical reports, attendance in Notaría and assistance with utiities and bank accounts.

Here you can read their experience in their own words:

Our story:
Mary was introduced to us by a young Dutch woman, who until recently lived in Asturias, somewhere high in the mountains, who had positive experiences with Mary when buying and selling her house in Spain. Mary is originally English, but has lived with her family in Asturias for almost 18 years and is therefore fluent in Spanish.  She knows professionally about all the in/outs/formalities and was willing to guide us through this purchasing process.  You need someone like that.  Point.  Only then can you continue in the purchasing process.

A buying process of a house in Spain requires specific knowledge and is not completed in 1 day.  To avoid surprises and traveling back and forth, we have authorized Mary to do business on our behalf, up to the signing of the purchase contract.  This is formally recorded with a Spanish notary, in Oviedo.  This means that it is not without obligation, and reliable.

There were some minor defects in the house we wanted to buy that needed to be resolved.  All this was neatly laid down in the preliminary purchase contract.  Under the watchful eye of Mary. Anyway, we finally came to a financial agreement with the seller, the required documents were approved by Mother Mary, and on the last day of our stay in Spain we were able to sign the preliminary purchase contract ourselves.

Back in NL we have transferred the deposit, 10% of the purchase amount, with which the ‘object’ is also off the market. Mary started in Spain with the application of the required NIE numbers.  This is a citizen service number for foreign residents  and is requested at a police station. Finally, a few months later, Mary signed the purchase contract in Spain, so we did not have to go to Spain, which saved us time and money!

At a later stage, Mary also helped us with some problems with the bills from the energy company there. Finally, she advised us on the inspection of another house in Asturias, by calling in an architect for an architectural report, as a result of which the purchase of that house (fortunately afterwards) did not go through.

In other words: Mary, thank you very much!
Frank and Safia, the Netherlands (and now Asturias).

A Notary's office

The Notary prepares the deed of purchase and publicly notarises before presenting it to the Land Registry

New Digital Nomad Visa

If you are a remote worker lucky enough to be able to work from anywhere then it just got a whole lot easier for you to move to Spain. Earlier this month Spain’s government passed the long-awaited Startup Law, aimed at attracting talent and investment into the country and making it generally more attractive to entrepreneurs. Within this legislation is the so-called digital nomad visa that will enable remote workers and their spouse/partner and dependent children to live in Spain for up to five years and potentially later providing a route to permanent residency. The law also has tax breaks within it which make it even more favorable.

two people work at laptops in country house

Photo by Manu Prats

While the legislation has been passed and is no longer just speculation  it is due to actually come into force in early 2023. We will let you know when the exact date is confirmed but now is the time to prime yourself with information so you can be ready to get your application in as soon as the gates open! So here are some of the basics that we know already.

The digital nomad visa is primarily aimed at non European Economic area nationals (including Brits of course) as these are the people who will really benefit from an easier route into a working visa. If you’re an EU passport holder living and working in Spain is very straightforward but if not then obtaining a visa that allows you to work here has historically been difficult and a rather arduous process. But no more! As long as you can fulfil certain requirements.

  • You must be a remote worker and you must have worked remotely for at least a year
  • If you are under contract to a company that permits remote working you must have had a professional relationship with them for at least three months
  • You need to be earning the majority of your income from outside Spain and you need to be able to demonstrate that.
  • Your work for Spanish companies must not exceed 20% of your total income
  • If you are freelance you must be able to provide the terms and conditions of your work with at least one company outside Spain

The visa will initially be granted for a year, with a two year extension allowed, followed by another two year extension which will bring it up to a total of five years. It is thought that there may be introduced a route into permanent residency after the five year period but this has yet to be confirmed.

It has not yet been confirmed where you will apply for this visa. In the case of the Non-Lucrative visa for example you must apply from your home country but it is looking more likely that you will be able to apply for the digital nomad visa within the 90 day period of the Schengen visitor allowance as one of the requirements will be to prove an address here.

As more details become known and dates are confirmed we will continue to keep you informed. And when the digital nomad visa is up and running we will be able to assist you with the process, so feel free to get in touch now to get the ball rolling.

The Spanish Golden Visa

The Spanish Golden Visa is currently a hotter topic than ever. Post-Brexit, British nationals have joined the ranks of non-EU citizens who have to concern themselves with visas for living and working in Spain and for spending unrestricted periods anywhere within the Schengen zone. The Golden Visa can be a great solution.

With the Spanish Golden Visa you get automatic residency, the right to live and work in Spain and the right to unlimited travel within the Schengen zone for you and your family. You are not even obliged to spend a minimum length of time per year within the country – other visas require proof that you spend at least 6 months a year, which is also the length of time that makes you a fiscal resident. 

A stunning property for sale close to the beach in Ribadesella, Asturias Northern Spain...

A stunning property close to the beach in Ribadesella…

In short, the golden visa gives you the most rights and freedoms with the least limitations and obligations and is well worth considering if you have the means to meet the investment criteria.

The simplest way to obtain the Golden visa is by investing a minimum of 500,000€ in property within Spain. This can be spread across a number of properties and a range of areas and there is no set time frame within which you must make the purchases.  So, if you already own a property in Spain that could count towards it. One important point to note is that the qualifying 500,000€ must be paid for out of your own pocket. You can take out a mortgage on anything above that amount if your purchase is more expensive.

Many non-EU citizens wishing to make the move to Spain are opting to buy their main family home at a more modest cost and making up the rest of the required Golden Visa spend with investment property. With a booming tourist rental sector if you invest wisely you could be looking at a healthy income from your investment as well as starting your new life in Spain in the home of your dreams.

At the present time the visa is shceduled to be discontinued but there has been no absolute date fixed

Full details of requirements are listed here on the Spanish government website

If you are interested in a Golden Visa some of the properties on our site that may interest you are:

Stunning five bedrooom modern villa just oustide Cangas de Onis

A lovely, large stone-built hotel in the countryside of Parres

This luxury villa with a pool next to the Sella river

This magnificnet detached villa next to the estuary in Villaviciosa

And if you are interested in learning more about the visa please get in touch….