Renting out your property at Hacienda del Álamo: what to know first
By Home Kare · 9 min read · Owner’s Guide
Renting out your property at Hacienda del Álamo is the plan most owners arrive with and the one fewest of them have costed properly. The idea is simple enough: the place sits empty for part of the year, so it may as well earn something. What that actually involves is less simple.
This guide covers the two kinds of letting, what each one demands of you, the registration you cannot skip, and the numbers people usually forget. It will not tell you whether to do it. It will tell you what you are signing up for.
Two very different businesses
People say “renting it out” as if it were one thing. At Hacienda del Álamo it is two, and they have almost nothing in common.
Holiday letting
Short stays, mostly golfers and families, booked through portals. Higher nightly rates, but also constant work: changeovers, laundry, keys, questions at ten at night. Demand is concentrated in spring and autumn, which are the good golf months here, not in August.
Long-term letting
Six months or more, usually to someone working or wintering in the area. Lower monthly income, far less management, and an occupied property year-round. Winter lets to northern Europeans are common on the resort.
Most owners assume holiday letting earns more. Once you subtract the empty weeks, the cleaning and the commissions, the gap narrows considerably.
The registration you cannot skip
This is the part that catches people out. In the Region of Murcia, properties let for tourist use must be registered in the regional tourism register before they are advertised, and the registration number has to appear in every listing.
Letting without it is not a grey area. Portals ask for the number, and operating without one carries penalties. You can check the current requirements through the Región de Murcia tourism authority.
The community of owners matters too. Some communities restrict or prohibit tourist letting through their statutes, so check what yours says before you commit to anything.
What it actually costs to run
The nightly rate is not the income. These are the deductions that turn a promising number into a realistic one.
Management. Unless you live nearby, someone has to handle arrivals, cleaning and problems. Agencies typically take a percentage of each booking.
Portal commission. The booking sites take their cut on top.
Cleaning and laundry. Per changeover, and it adds up quickly with short stays.
Utilities. On holiday lets you pay them, and guests use air conditioning without restraint in summer.
Wear. Furniture, linen and appliances age much faster with constant turnover.
Empty weeks. The biggest one, and the one spreadsheets forget. Occupancy here is seasonal.
What you have left after all that is the real figure, and it is worth calculating before buying anything specifically to let. The ownership costs themselves are a separate matter, covered in our guide to what it actually costs to own at Hacienda del Álamo.
Tax, briefly
Rental income from a Spanish property is taxed in Spain, whether or not you live here. Non-residents declare it, and the rules differ depending on whether you are an EU resident, particularly regarding which expenses you may deduct.
The official information is published by the Spanish Tax Agency. Do not rely on what another owner tells you at the bar: the rules changed after Brexit and a lot of received wisdom is now out of date.
Preparing the property
A property that lets well is not the same as a property you enjoy. The differences are small but they decide your reviews.
Air conditioning that works properly in every bedroom matters more than anything else here. Reliable wifi comes second, because half your guests will be working. Beyond that: enough crockery for a full house, a decent washing machine, blackout in the bedrooms, and storage you can lock for your own things.
Keep the furnishing simple and replaceable. Anything you would be upset to lose should not be in a property you let.
Who looks after it when you are not here
This is the question that decides whether letting works for you. The options are roughly three.
Full management. An agency handles everything and you receive a net figure. Most expensive, least work.
Key holding only. Someone local handles arrivals and emergencies while you manage the bookings yourself. A middle path that suits owners who visit often.
Doing it yourself. Viable only if you are here, or if you let long-term to a single tenant.
Our own view, for what it is worth: owners who try to manage short lets remotely from northern Europe usually last one season before changing approach.
Frequently asked questions
Can I let my property and still use it myself?
Yes, and most owners do. Block out your own dates well in advance, because the weeks you want are usually the weeks that let best. Remember the 90/180 day rule still governs how long you can personally stay.
Does the community have to approve it?
Not individually, but community statutes can restrict tourist letting. Check before you start.
How much can I expect to earn?
It depends on the property, the season and how it is managed, and anyone quoting you a figure without seeing it is guessing. We would rather look at your specific case.
Is long-term letting safer?
It is steadier, with less management and fewer empty weeks. In exchange you give up the use of the property for the duration.
Can I switch between the two?
Yes, and some owners do: long lets in winter, personal use in spring and autumn. It needs planning a season ahead.
Thinking about letting your property?
We live and work at Hacienda del Álamo and we manage properties here, so we know what lets and what sits empty. Tell us about yours and we will give you a realistic picture, including when the answer is that it is not worth it. Have a look at our holiday rentals or get in touch.
This guide is informative and does not constitute legal, tax or financial advice. Registration requirements, tax treatment and community rules change and vary by case. Confirm your situation with a qualified professional before letting your property.