You book a holiday on a small island in the Mediterranean. 3 days after you arrive, you are thinking to yourself - "I love this place. Would love to have a place here" while checking out the latest properties for sale in Malta. It's a typical story you will hear from many expats who came for some winter Sun and ended up living on the island shorty after.
But, hold on! Not so fast. Before buying a place in the Sun, more specifically on the island of Malta, there are a few things you should be know about.
Most properties sold on the island are apartments, maisonettes and penthouses. Houses are hard to find and cost an arm and a leg. In the last 15 years there has been a tremendous property boom in the country and block of flats have been rising faster than mushrooms after rain.
The first thing you should look out for is heating. "What, heating on an exotic island that gets over 300 days of Sun a year?" I hear you say. Yes, that's right heating. For 3-4 months in winter the weather is quite unpleasant and temperatures inside can be often a lot lower than outside. Properties with central heating are extremely rare to find, with air conditioning and gas heaters being the popular choice to keep warm during the cold months.
Secondly, look out for mould! It's a common knowledge in Malta that most properties suffer from damp and mould. There is not much you can do about the humidity on the island, but you can try and choose a sunny apartments that is easy to air. Also consider buying a dehumidifier. It really makes a huge difference.
And lastly, do pay particular attention to the windows. It is not common to see double glazing even on new properties, but you should definitely consider investing in good doors and windows. It helps a lot with the noise, the humidity and keeping the place cold or warm.
Malta is a fantastic place and living on the island is a wonderful experience, so these little quirks are quite easy to forgive. Also, investing into real estate in this small country has been historically a very wise decision.
Prepare yourself for a slower pace of life and try not to stress if things don't go to plan all the time.
