Property in Islas Menores and Mar de Cristal
Older frontline properties and more modern apartment complexes on the shore of the Mar Menor
The first view of Islas Menores approaching from the south-west is of the large five-floor apartment blocks which dominate the skyline, but although these represent a substantial proportion of the homes in the town they are not necessarily typical of the property in the area as a whole.
Nearer the marina and the centre of the town the fact that Islas Menores, like other Mar Menor resorts, grew in popularity during the second half of the 20th century as a destination for beach tourists is reflected in the age and style of most of the property. Single- and two-storey houses are the most characteristic kinds of residential property near the beach, many of them 
beginning to show their age, and it is only further inland, where development is more recent, that there is an abundance of apartment complexes with communal swimming pools. These are mainly located around half a kilometre from the shore, and slightly nearer the small shops and eating establishments in the centre of Islas Menores and Mar de Cristal, which is the residential area in the eastern end of the town.
In Mar de Cristal the situation is very similar. The beach front is lined mainly by older low-rise properties, while taller apartment blocks cater for much of the large influx of 
population in summer. Most non-Spanish buyers will be attracted either by the front-line properties on the attractive beach or these more modern buildings set back from the Mar Menor.
As the built-up area peters out at the eastern end of Mar de Cristal there is a curious area of small chalets in a quiet location which will also catch the eye of many potential buyers, although unusually these houses have been built on rather small plots of land. This means that garden space is limited and swimming pools are a rarity: no doubt the presence of the Mar Menor a hundred metres away makes up for this in the eyes of the owners!
For further information regarding property in the Region of Murcia visit the Murcia Property Page.
