Our services for investors
Cottage Properties is the estate agency with the largest portfolio of country houses, castles and rural heritage in Catalonia – over 250 unique properties, with exclusive access to off-market opportunities. With three decades of specialisation, our team provides comprehensive advisory services for private investors, family offices and international buyers seeking assets with heritage, tourism or residential potential.
What does our investor service include?
Everything you need to know before investing in rural heritage in Catalonia – from how we work and what investment models exist, to why Catalonia is the right place.
Real results from our clients
The success stories below highlight our expertise in advising investors, finding the perfect asset, and facilitating the buying and selling process.
-
Music industry investors purchase a country house for a recording studio and accommodation
A success story from an investor service in the Alt Empordà, Girona.
A group of investors from the music industry were looking for a large, secluded property for an ambitious project: a top-tier recording studio where their artists could come to record. The isolated location was not a drawback, but part of the appeal.
We proposed this 16th-century country house in Maçanet de Cabrenys: two floors of 470 m² each, a covered area of 450 m², and three annexes set within 10 hectares. Ample space for the studio and everything that would follow.
As the studio was far from airports and cities, the project expanded: converting the annexe buildings into apartments where musicians can stay. On the outside, the stonework remains intact; on the inside, we have designed a modern interior that contrasts with the rustic character of the country house.
Here our role went beyond the sale. As an agency specialising in country houses for renovation in the Alt Empordà that also carries out the works, we managed project approvals and planning permissions, and are overseeing a renovation that is still under way. An example of how we support an investor from purchase through to the completion of a complex project
-
We had the rural tourism country house that was missing in a highly sought-after area
A couple wanted to invest in a country house for rural tourism in the Pla de l'Estany, around the Estany de Banyoles. The area was a clear choice: very popular with hikers and cyclists, with the combination of nature, sport and tranquillity that their project needed.
The problem was the supply. Available country houses in that specific area were scarce, and what they found on property portals was either too far away or lacked the potential they were looking for. After weeks of unsuccessful searching, they contacted our director, Àngels Sabater.
We had exactly what was missing: an off-market country house in the precise location they wanted, the kind that rarely makes it to public listings. It was the first one they visited, they bought it, and today they are developing their rural tourism project there.
It is an example of how our portfolio of country houses in the Pla de l'Estany, including off-market properties that other agencies do not have, places an investor in the area they are looking for when supply is limited.
We found the country house of our dreams with them! The treatment and professionalism of both Pere and Àngels are extraordinary. 200% recommended.
-
From Ruined country house to Luxury Estate: An Investment That Multiplied Its Value
A few years ago we sold an 18th-century country house in Cornellà del Terri to a couple of investors. At the time it was practically a ruin: no swimming pool, no garden, and outbuildings in a state of abandonment. But it was a clear buying opportunity, and that is exactly how we presented it to them.
Before closing the deal, we prepared a rehabilitation proposal for them: how to approach the renovation, what potential the property had, and with what indicative budget. That vision was key to them purchasing with a clear plan in hand, not just a property.
The buyers carried out a spectacular full-scale renovation, in which we also participated, respecting traditional Catalan architecture: original chestnut beams, lime-washed walls, a bespoke oak kitchen, aerothermal heating, underfloor heating, and 27 solar panels with batteries. Today the estate has 574 m² of built space set on 10.8 hectares, a 20 x 5 metre swimming pool, and potential for an equestrian project.
The property is now back on the market, this time as a luxury estate in the Pla de l'Estany valued at €2,300,000 in our portfolio of country houses for sale in Pla de l'Estany.
Exceptional results for investors in Catalonia
Cottage Properties is the leading estate agency in rural heritage in Catalonia for private investors, family offices and international buyers. With over 700 completed transactions since 2003 and a portfolio of more than 250 unique properties, the agency combines three decades of specialisation with exclusive access to off-market opportunities in farmhouses, castles, rural hotels and country estates.
Recognition in national and international media
Àngels Sabater has become a leading voice in the rural heritage sector in Catalonia. TV3, Catalonia's main television channel, invited her to feature in a report on the buying, selling and restoration of farmhouses – including a farmhouse on the shores of Lake Banyoles, in the Pla de l'Estany, sold by Cottage Properties to an investor intending to convert it into rural accommodation.
Canal Decasa dedicated another report to the restoration of Mas dels Arbres, an 18th-century farmhouse in the Cap de Creus Natural Park, on the outskirts of Cadaqués. Àngels Sabater was the central figure in telling the story of the farmhouse that became rural accommodation for tourists and a retreat space for artists.
What properties do we offer as investments in Catalonia?
Cottage Properties works with rural properties in Catalonia that already operate as a profitable business – rural hotels, event venues, tourist accommodation – or that have genuine potential to become one. Each property type has distinct planning, heritage and operational characteristics, and not all of them suit every investment profile.
-
Country houses.
Cottage Properties' main category. We manage one of the largest portfolios of country houses for sale in Catalonia – catalogued, verified properties with all documentation in order.
-
Country houses for renovation
country houses with full renovation potential. The Cottage Architecture team supports investors from the initial visit with a indicative estimate of costs, timelines and viability.
-
Castles and palaces
Historic heritage with specific heritage protection. The possible uses – residential, tourism, events – depend on the level of listed status and local planning regulations.
-
Rural hotels
Country houses and estates with an active tourist licence, or with the potential to obtain one. For investors seeking a rural hotel for sale as an investment or business in the rural tourism, cycle tourism and/or retreat sector.
-
Boutique hotels
Rural properties for sale with a full hotel licence. Greater capacity, different regulatory and fiscal obligations. Cottage Properties distinguishes between both property types – rural tourism and hotel – in each transaction.
-
Estates with agricultural or equestrian activity.
Properties with vineyards, agricultural operating licences or equestrian facilities. These are not a separate category in our portfolio – they are farmhouses and rural estates with added value. Request a consultation to find out about properties with specific activities.
-
Event venues and wedding venues
Properties with a licence or licence potential for private celebrations and events. Growing demand in regions such as the Empordà, the Penedès and the Maresme.
Looking for advice on investing in rural heritage in Catalonia?
Whether you are a private investor with a specific project, a family office exploring unique assets, or an international buyer looking to understand the market, the first step is always the same: a personal consultation with Àngels Sabater to define what you are looking for, where, and with what objective. From there, we shortlist properties from our portfolio and our off-market list, with viability analysis, cost estimates and full support through to completion.