Finca/Country House for sale in Montoro, Córdoba

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A truly stunning off-grid, recently built eco, low-energy, low-carbon property with a separate annex totaling 430 m². Built within its own productive olive grove of 8.5 hectares, located on the border of the Natural Park of Sierra de Montoro and Cardeña, and approximately 5 kilometers from the historic town of Montoro in the province of Córdoba.

House running costs are minimal due to the property being off grid. Estimated annual cost between €500 and €800, including diesel cost for the generator (if and when required) and local property tax.

Olive grove production varies with rainfall and market value of olive oil at the time of sale. The weight of olives harvested does not necessarily correlate with oil yield. An historic average harvest would be 20,000 kilos. Oil yield depends on the time of harvest: later harvests can produce higher oil yield but lower quality oil. Olive oil prices vary throughout the year, and producers sell when market prices are high.

An average income of approximately €16,000 minus production costs would yield roughly €10,000 per year.

The main house is south-facing and consists of 4 bedrooms, an open-plan dining, kitchen and living area with a wood burner, a mezzanine level plus storage area, and two bathrooms on the ground floor. To the rear, there is a walled garden with a large sun canopy and integral seating, facing an easily maintained 6 m x 3 m swimming pool. At the front, there is an extensive south-facing terrace with views of the Guadalquivir river and surrounding countryside. There is also a large integral garage for two cars and a workshop. The main house was professionally designed and built in 2014. In 2017, a separate annex was added below the terrace area of the main building, consisting of a combined living/dining area, two bedrooms and a bathroom. All rooms are centrally heated, with a wood burner in the living room. The annex also has an enclosed garden with access from the living room.

Both properties have independent 3 kW solar power systems, with two 10-panel fixed arrays and batteries. Each property has a battery monitor showing charging rate and battery percentage. Domestic hot water for the main house is provided via a roof-mounted solar panel heating a 300-litre storage tank. The annex has a butane gas boiler for central heating and domestic hot water supply. There is also an 8 kW diesel generator located in the garage if backup power is needed.

Fresh water is supplied via a borehole, pumped to a 2,000-litre storage tank, then filtered and treated to supply both properties. There are also two separate 2,000-litre below-ground septic tanks.

Reliable WiFi is supplied by a local provider in Montoro.

The construction materials are designed for very high insulation: exterior walls using Beco wallform (W m²/0.14), warm roof construction using 2 layers of 50 mm Kingspan insulation boards and a condensation barrier, and internal floors and the terrace with 1 layer of 50 mm Kingspan insulation board. Windows are double glazed with heat reflective glass, with the main terrace window triple glazed. Due to the off-grid nature and construction materials used, operating costs are extremely low and can be offset by income from the olives.

The olive grove has 1,200 well-maintained olive trees capable of yielding approximately 20,000 kilos of olives (providing income to help offset the property’s operating costs). The trees are currently maintained by a local farmer; this arrangement (firewood provided free) can be continued or maintained by the new owners. There are also a small number of fruit trees in the vegetable garden. The boundary is securely fenced and gated.

Montoro has typical Spanish bars and restaurants, a full range of shops, and numerous festivals throughout the year. The town offers an outdoor Olympic-size swimming pool and an indoor pool for cooler months, plus rural walks and nature trails. There is a 24/7 medical center, a range of good schools and banks, and frequent local bus services with hourly connections to Córdoba.

Córdoba is 38 kilometers away, home to the Great Mosque and other heritage sites, with beautiful restaurants and a vibrant nightlife. It has a national bus and train station and frequent train services to Seville, Granada and Málaga (approximately a 1-hour train journey).