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The term Villa covers a wide range of properties. As well as detached homes standing in their own gardens, villa is also used to refer to properties that would be called terraced houses in the UK and cluster homes (locally known as quads as they usually come in groups of 4). The terms bungalow and chalet are also used to decribe properties that would be called villas in the UK.

Apartments are very common in Spain. They are the typical residential dwelling in Spanish towns. The build quality on apartments varies considerably, but in general they fall into two categories; apartments constructed as holiday homes and those constructed as permanent residential homes. Apartments built as holiday homes are those most often found in holiday resorts such as Torrevieja. Residential apartments are more likely to be found in traditional Spanish towns and cities such as Alicante and Elche. The spanish term 'piso' generally refers to this type of apartment. They are also often described as 'residencial'.

A finca is a house in the countryside, usually on a reasonable sized plot of land. The houses themselves come in all shapes and sizes from mansions to buildings that bear close resemblance to cowsheds. This type of property is often in high demand as it can offer privacy, good value for money and opportunities for improvement.

Penthouses are widely available along the coast and are much sought after. They are frequently built to a higher than normal specification with extra terraces and balconies. They also tend to have the best views. Penthouses are often referred to locally as 'atticos'. Although the term penthouse tends to suggest an apartment at the top of a tall building (and there are many that fit this description), the term is often used on the Costa Blanca to refer simply to apartments on the top floor of a building.

Studios refer locally both to apartments with one bedroom and apartments with one living space (i.e., no bedrooms). This type of property can be quite cheap and can form a good purchase if you are looking for a holiday home or somewhere for long week-ends.