It is funny how fact meets fiction in the world of property with a Spanish Game of Thrones themed castle on the market for just £690,000. Situated on Spain’s southern coastline no expense has been spared on this theme castle. This is actually a home although obviously it could be converted into some kind of commercial operation and become a major tourist attraction. A castle for just £690,000 what are the drawbacks?
Problems with the local authorities
Situated in the upmarket residential area of Estepona next to the popular beach resort of Marbella, initially planning permission was refused by the local authorities. Amid suggestions that it was not “in keeping with the style of the houses in the upmarket residential area” eventually the authorities changed their mind. It may have been the potential for a tourist attraction, the publicity it would create or the fact that no stone was left unturned and no expense spared with material sourced from far and wide.
Inside the castle
Aside from the fact the castle theme takes centre stage, it is worth noting that this luxury property has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, air conditioning, central heating, a fully fitted kitchen and a huge garage. Yes, this is an actual home as opposed to some kind of publicity stunt and also comes with a garden with a swimming pool, decorative fountain, barbecue area and shadow porch – all situated in a 1/3rd acre section of land.
As we touched on above, all of the materials used in the castle/house have been sourced from far and wide with prominent blue tiles over 200 years old as well as original gargoyles and other similar features. The large granite blocks used for the walls are from a local quarry so not only has this benefited the local business community but it has put the region back in the headlines.
Rental potential
When you consider that some of the enormous houses in the USA go for tens of millions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of dollars in monthly rent, what price a stay in a castle? While perhaps modestly priced at £690,000 there are already facilities available to house a relatively large party. If you were to add in some added extras such as ghost walks, mock battles and other similar unique features this would significantly bump up the potential rental value.
This is quite literally like sleeping in an old world castle, living in the dark ages except you have all of the mod cons and facilities you would expect to hand.
Non-negotiable asking price
At this moment in time the property is owned and lived in by just one elderly individual. According to the estate agent he is finding it more and more difficult to maintain the property amid suggestions the real value could be double the current asking price. Whether this is just sales patter or the real story it does look relatively cheap for an old world castle built in the modern era.
Surprisingly, castles do come up for sale on a regular basis with the UK boasting more than its fair share of old world accommodation. However, many of those which come up for sale in the UK tend to need significant investment in redevelopment and repair, unlike this particular asset in Spain which is literally old world/brand-new.