Thread: Paul and Lin

Hi to everyone this is the first time i have used a forum of any kind so please be patient.
Me and my partner Lin are looking to move to spain.(Costa Blanca) hopefully early in the New Year we are looking to buy a property in Campoamor,Cabo Roig,La Zenia,Playa Flamenca, Villamartin etc we have an idea of what kind of property we would like and would be grateful for all of your input,help and suggestions we welcome negative as well as positive replies so who can start by giving some useful guidance
thanks Paul n Lin

Hello Paul and Lin, welcome to the Absolute Spain Forum, have a good look round the site we have lots of very helpful information. I see you also posted in the Costa Blanca forum, sensible idea

Welcome from Barcelona.

Valerie

welcome aboard, first thing I'll tell you is you will get better deals on property if you consider inland rather than on the coast. We have nice place which is only a 30/40 min drive from Gandia and gets you away from the"tourist areas" This also puts us about 45 min from Alicante airport and that is at a liesurely pace. Just go a little bit inland,fromthe coast and property prices can drop buy 15%.
The things to watch out for are : is the place you're buying legally built,(if more than 5 years old it will be) does it have mains water/electricity(NEVER RELY ON THE SELLER SAYING THAT MAINS WATER/ELECTRICTY WILL BE PROVIDED) the same goes for getting a telephone line.

On the good side, you will find the Spanish people very helpful and friendly and with a little effort to learn their language,even just a bit, makes all the difference. You gain friends and local knowledge that way. The differnce between being an absentee landlord, a tourist, and a stuck up Brit,withthe intention of being an expat in Spain, or wanting to be part of the local community, is huge.

For me (and this is only my opinion) to get the best out of Spain, don't be a Brit abroad.


Willie

Welcome also from La Alpujarra.

I agree with dunmovin, inland you get a far better deal, but it does depend on your circumstances, if you still have to work (unless from home), inland is maybe not such a good idea unless you are prepared to commute. Many young Brits bought near me just because it was cheap, they didn't think about income, and when the crunch came the few jobs that were around dried up and they were left destitute, and cannot sell, as a result, they have just locked up and returned to the UK.

You don't seem to have settled on a particular area yet, so I would recommend renting for 3-6 months, and take your time getting to know the area before making your choice.

Good Luck with your hunt

Phil

Hi and Welcome
We are as inland as you are likely to get in Southern Spain in the mountains of the Sierra Sur de Jaén. I echo the previous comments.

Property prices: We bought our house for 85k; five storeys including the patio, currently four/five bed, two bath and potential to put three more bedrooms and another bathroom on the top floor.

We have been here a year and feel that we have lived here much much longer. It is a village and all the locals have been very welcoming with many gifts of fruit and veg from their smallholdings, which we repay with cakes and biscuits etc.

Take your time and really plan ahead, in the current economic climate there is no room for mistakes so get it right first time.

Hi Paul n Lin, I live close to where you want to be but a bit further inland.
My advice is ; Don't buy on an urbanisation! Your life will never be your own. Dont buy a house for visitors, buy it for yourself. ( If you have visitors put them in a rental just down the road.Even your kid's
To make a further choice, I think you need to give more info. Do you both drive? Do you have kid's? If so how old? Any interests, Hobbies golf, boats etc. Whats your budget?

Campoamor is nice and the back of Villamartin. I dont like playa flamenca or La Zenia. (my opinion)

Hello Paul and Lin,

Welcome from the sunny, relaxed, side of Spain, Las Islas Canarias.

Try renting first, it is a buyers market, you are in the pound seats, take your time, and the best of luck,

Boseley

Originally Posted by Boseley

Hello Paul and Lin,

Welcome from the sunny, relaxed, side of Spain, Las Islas Canarias.

Try renting first, it is a buyers market, you are in the pound seats, take your time, and the best of luck,

Boseley

well said