He spent 250,000 euros to renovate a penthouse in Barcelona. This is what it looks like

Within 5 years of moving to Europe, businessman Douglas Loewe "fell successful love" with Barcelona, helium said.

He decided to bargain a location there, spending astir 500,000 euros ($545,000) to acquisition an flat successful the city's celebrated Eixample vicinity successful 1999, the elder operating spouse astatine Macquarie said.

But by 2017, Loewe felt the two-bedroom penthouse needed an overhaul.

Loewe had renovated the flat erstwhile before, but "it needed refreshing connected a batch of levels" aft astir 20 years, helium said.

He hired Matthew Coe, laminitis of the spot concern steadfast VistaFutura Associates, to renovate the full apartment.

In total, Loewe said helium spent astir 250,000 euros connected the renovation. "It was an unthinkable instrumentality connected my concern due to the fact that [Coe] was capable to assistance bring my imaginativeness to life," helium said.

It took little than a twelvemonth to renovate and "every signifier was close connected schedule," helium added.

The brace tapped a excavation of resources to coordinate the renovation, buying furnishings from boutique stores and engaging a plan steadfast to conception the kitchen, Loewe said.

Coe said 1 of the biggest challenges his clients look is imagination, particularly erstwhile it comes to aged apartments.

"Building that assurance that … we tin extremity up with thing that they're going to emotion … takes a large leap of faith," helium said.

The flat features an unfastened program with a microcement level and wood on 1 wall, Loewe said. His favourite diagnostic successful the location is simply a Leon Rosen table that is his "prized possession."

He had purchased the lacquered table successful Manhattan from Rosen's high-end furnishings institution The Pace Collection, which sold good modern pieces, according to Incollect magazine. "The Leon Rosen is virtually scratch impervious and h2o repellent ... it is some gorgeous and highly applicable astatine the aforesaid time," helium said.

Loewe besides added furnishings that was affordable yet comfortable, "so you didn't consciousness similar each clip you sat down connected the sofa you were disquieted astir depreciating the assets," helium quipped.

In searching for his perfect property, Loewe said, helium had successful caput a harmless vicinity similar Eixample and proximity to "excellent amenities" similar a farmer's market, a good-quality gym and restaurants.

Located "around the corner" of the flat is tapas edifice Paco Meralgo, which is "a Barcelona institution," Loewe said.

The penthouse's 2 terraces connection "spectacular 360-degree views," which see the towering La Sagrada Familia, the elevation of Tibidabo and the ocean, helium said.

"The existent property marketplace successful Spain is unfastened to buyers from astir the world," Coe said.

Pricing "compares favorably to astir U.S. cities, adjacent midsize cities" specified arsenic Denver, Chicago and Miami, helium said. Foreigners tin bargain spot successful Barcelona's metropolis halfway for "less than fractional of what they would pay" successful those cities, helium added.

Those considering buying a spot successful Barcelona should archetypal effort retired abbreviated word rentals and get to cognize the neighborhoods, Coe said.

For Loewe, the astir important happening aft doing your probe is relying connected section expertise.

He recommends uncovering idiosyncratic with "experience successful that section marketplace ... but much importantly, frankly, truly bully sensation and connection skills."