The Market Looks Good

Some properties are hard to describe. This one isn't.

Stand on any of the nine balconies and you're looking directly over the Mercado de Ruzafa (You may need to crane your neck to one side on three of them). The building is a classic corner plot with an arrowhead shape, an ornate cream facade, you know, the kind of architecture Valencia does better than almost anywhere. The light comes at you from two directions all day long. New floor-to-ceiling windows make sure none of it gets wasted.

The apartment was originally two separate units. Someone had the sense to combine them, which is where the generous proportions come from. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a washroom, 110 square metres. Large living room. Decent kitchen. Fully furnished and ready to go. Air conditioning throughout. Two rear balconies that the current owners use for storage and they are handy to have.

Go up one more floor and there's a huge semi private terrace. The apartments below don't use it, so in practice it's yours. There's a storeroom up there too.

Third floor, no lift. That's the only real negative part. But the IBI and community fees are so low that the carrying costs are almost embarrassing.

If you're buying in one of Europe's most talked-about urban neighbourhoods, directly opposite the market, in the middle of everything that makes Ruzafa what it is then the maths works in your favour but more importantly the lifestyle does too.