In a post-covid world full of opportunity, more and more tech entrepreneurs, digital nomads and young families are seeking the ideal luxury environment to live and work. The enchanting mix of culture, beauty and amenities of Marbella and the Costa del Sol is the perfect location, and the market is responding with a smorgasboard of new luxury developments.
A wave of new off-plan luxury developments in Marbella, Costa del Sol and Málaga is responding to buyer demand with an incredible selection of off-plan developments that offer the best of luxury living and sustainable community facilities perfect for the changing needs of a digital world.
In today’s fast-evolving digital world, the lines between where we live and where we work are increasingly blurred. The rise of remote work, fuelled by technology and global flexibility, has transformed traditional lifestyle expectations. Nowhere is this shift more evident than in the luxury real estate market of Marbella, Benahavís, and Estepona, aka the Golden Triangle, where a new generation of high-end developments are redefining what it means to live and work in style – in more sustainable lifestyle-driven communities than ever before.
New developments planned in Marbella, Benahavís and Estepona are increasingly offering an alluring mixture of luxury living, incredible views, and high-end communal facilities, catering just as much to business requirements as families, professionals, retirees and holidayers. These properties offer large sunny terraces enjoying the stunning views of the surrounding Mediterranean sea, coastal cities and Sierra Blanca mountain ranges, accompanied by beautiful finishes, bright open-plan living spaces, and even sometimes with private pools, spas or jacuzzis.
In addition to that, these new properties take resort-style living in the area to a whole new level. While developments in the region traditionally offered landscaped gardens, swimming pools, and padel or tennis courts, this new wave of off-plan developments take the community facilities to the next level – offering co-working spaces, meeting rooms, full spas, gyms, saunas, playground facilities and even retail and restaurants, to create almost a little town on it´s own. With an estimated investment of somewhere around 800 million in development planned in the area in 2025, and solid growth in prices of around 10% pa for the last few years, you can imagine the choice, revitalisation and investment opportunities that the Marbella area presents.
From a eco-footprint perspective, it is more sustainable to live in apartment or townhouse communities than in detached housing or villas. Villas take up more space per person, require more energy and resources to maintain per person, and also result in sprawling cities where people are travelling further to get work and schools and amenities. As more and more apartment developments emerge in satelite areas, local hubs with amenities could emerge in that zone ultimately requiring less travel for day to day needs. Further, all community amenities are more sustainable to run than if all of those individual homes were to run individually- eg. a lot less resources are used to run shared swimming pools, spas, gyms, gardens, co-working spaces etc than if each home was to have their own.
From a social perspective, apartments and urbanisations with communal facilities also allow people to live more locally – since more dense surroundings mean there is more demand for nearby amenities, and thereby shorter trips to access them. Another very important and sometimes overlooked aspect is that communal facilities such as these also allow people to connect with likeminded neighbours within their community, creating a healthy sense of place that is also incredible for social health and wellbeing. This all contributes to more sustainable, healthy and happy communities.
To add to this, more and more developers are responding by integrating technology and sustainability into their projects — solar panels, aerothermic design, thermal insulation, energy-efficient appliances, and EV charging points are becoming the norm. These features not only reduce environmental impact but also increase the desirability of these properties among younger and eco-conscious buyers – further reducing residents eco-footprints and running costs. Some communities are also offer renewable energy production through solar panels, such as Sira Homes in Elviria and Marbella Lake in Nueva Andalucía.
It is well documented that post-covid, the prevalance of remote work has fundamentally altered how people choose where and how they live. As a result, there’s a growing emphasis on multi-functional, smartly designed homes that serve both residential and professional purposes, and in locations that might not be physically close to their colleagues or clients. This opens up the world to choose their home and investment locations based on the location that most appeals to them, resulting in a lifestyle-driven generation of buyers. This means, more and more people are looking internationally to find their favourite place to buy, and/or live. Parallel to this worldwide trend, residential tourism hotspots such as Marbella, Benahavís, Estepona and the Costa del Sol are experiencing growing demand and the market is responding by providing more and more off-plan opportunities.
Tech startups, digital entrepreneurs, and forward-thinking professionals are seeking more than just stunning sea views and elegant finishes. They are lifestyle-driven, seeking functionality and community: spaces where they can work efficiently, meet clients, network with like-minded individuals, and enjoy an exceptional lifestyle in a world-class location that also provides the opportunity to go out and enjoy excellent dining, natural beauty and cultural amenities in their spare time.
Often belonging to the Millennial, and Gen Z generations, these buyers are often also highly community-minded and wellness-focused, drawn to shared lifestyle amenities like outdoor gyms, social lounges, rooftop terraces, and wellness centres. They require homes with high-speed internet infrastructure, soundproofed and ergonomic home office setups, on-site co-working spaces and meeting rooms, smart home automation, and proximity to vibrant, walkable communities and leisure amenities – all within a short drive of bigger hubs that offer them quality amenities to live their lives.
These are exactly the facilities that most new developments in the Marbella and Costa del Sol are incorporating into their designs. Whether it´s The View in Marbella, Origin in Los Monteros or Marine Hills New Golden Mile in Estepona, more and more developments are offering business spaces in communal areas across a variety of price-points. When combined with resort-style facilities including landscaped gardens, stunning swimming pools, saunas and wellness areas, padel courts and fitness zones, accompanied by concierge and security services to help them feel safe and manage the property when they are not there – there is no surprise that this model is becoming the benchmark for the norm.
These characteristics are attractive to professionals from nontraditional markets like Scandinavia, Poland, the Czech Republic, and North America—regions where growing interest in the Costa del Sol is rapidly reshaping market demand and influencing design preferences. Buyers from these areas favour smart homes, wellness amenities, and sustainable features, pushing developers to innovate and some new developments like Aruna in Cabopino Marbella East that offer solar panels, aerothermic design, smart home and other sustainable elements, combined with shared co-working and business facilites.
Co-working spaces offer better shared facilities aimed at community-minded lifestyle-driven users, offering more choices for residents and a better investment for buyers. In particular, shared co-working spaces allow residents to conduct business professionally without leaving the comfort of their communities, but still keeping a separation of their professional lives and home spaces. Practically, this means that they can keep their homes for their personal lives, without the need to travel to meet clients or work in a more professional environment.
These co-working environments also promote social interaction, collaboration, and a sense of belonging among residents — all important qualities for remote professionals. These shared amenities also allow for the creation of like-minded communities, knowledge sharing and the creation of localised tech hubs. Of course, the facilities are much more appealing when they are located in central parts of the urbanisation that offer easy access to other amenities and views- offering value to all owners.
For individuals looking to purchase their home, it´s the perfect balance between apartment living, communal living and business living. Since they are coupled with resort-like facilities, these communities offer the benefits of hotels, but that can be purchased and rented out when not needed, offering both individual and business buyers and investors better value for their money, an opportunity to buy hotel rights somewhat freehold. Responding to this demand, most modern residential developments in Marbella now offer dedicated co-working lounges, business centres, and private meeting rooms.
Spain’s digital nomad visa and Startup Law 028/2022 have had a notable impact on the luxury property landscape. These initiatives allow non-EU professionals to live and legally work in Spain when a minimum income is met, while being entitled to health care and favourable tax conditions. As a result, a significant influx of international talent has begun to transform coastal hubs like Málaga, Marbella and Estepona.
into digital entrepreneurship magnets, with digital nomads or tech entrepreneurs estimated to have represented around 30% of buyers of luxury Costa del Sol properties in 2024. These policies are attractive to professionals from non EU & EEA nationals such as the United States, a region where growing interest in the Costa del Sol is rapidly reshaping market demand and influencing design preferences.
The digital nomad trend is a long-term economic driver for the Marbella and Málaga-Costa del Sol regions, as it is in many other parts of Spain. Year-round residents boost local spending, support service industries, and diversify the economy beyond tourism. Their presence also promotes knowledge exchange and the growth of co-working hubs, incubators, and professional communities – but also enhances the quality and economy of surrounding businesses.
While the growing presence of international buyers in Marbella and the Golden Triangle has also been putting pressure on the local housing market, the new wave of development responding to this demand is revitalising the area by providing opportunities for enhanced amenities, local businesses and infrastructure to grow and improve – resulting in improvement of the area.
With all this in mind, it is important that local governments to direct increased funds and development into improving local infrastructure, including road quality and connections, encouraging investment in local amenity hubs, supporting businesses in upcoming areas, and safeguarding green zones and natural amenities so that the upcoming development enhances local amenity rather than place unsustainable strain on existing areas.
From an investment perspective, buying off-plan properties in these modern developments presents a strong ROI potential and some of the best opportunities in the property market. Marbella´s market continues to experience a supply shortage, resulting in consistently rising prices of an average of around 10% a year across the region, according to Idealista. This means that most buyers can make an excellent return just by selling the property upon completion, if they choose.
With prices continuing to rise and a strong demand for rental properties, investors are spoilt for choice at how they cash in on their investment. Buying off-plan also allows you to take advantage of favourable payment plans, meaning you do not need to front the majority of the property cost until completion- making it even more attractive as an investment.
The luxury buyer of today is globally mobile, entrepreneurial, and experience-focused. Marbella, Benahavís, Estepona and Málaga in general are rising to meet this demand, offering developments that combine the best of lifestyle and business, sustainability and innovation.
Whether you’re a business investor looking for high-yield opportunities, a startup founder seeking inspiration in the sun, or an individual wanting to balance productivity with pleasure, these new luxury co-working developments on the Costa del Sol deliver. They represent more than just a home — they embody the future of a more sustainable, connected, and community-driven living.
Now is the time to invest in a smart lifestyle that works — sustainably and stylishly. Contact MPDunne today to discover the off-plan opportunity that best suits you.
Melinda Rendina Content Writer & Marketing Creator
Melinda is an experienced writer specialising in real estate, urban planning, lifestyle, architecture and design. A seasoned Marbella resident, she holds an Undergraduate Degree in Social Science with Honours in Politics, and a Masters degree in Urban Planning.
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