No moaning minnes allowed.

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    • #51873
      Anonymous
      Participant

      I´m pretty new on this forum and I have just been scanning back through a few of the older posts out of interest. All I can say is God, what a negative, poisonous and bitter bunch you are! You make me feel positively suicidal!

      Well, that’s not actually true. You see I live in a beautiful green corner of Spain where the weather is lovely, the food is great, my life is easy, it costs me less to go out more, I have great neighbours, I live in a great apartment, etc, etc (I could go on forever this way), and no amount of negativity on this forum is going to get me down.

      I thought I would start this thread and see if it is possible to maintain a positivity thread. So why can’t we hear a few success stories from happy people? (Presumable that excludes everyone down on the Costa del Sol).

      I’ll start – I bought off plan. Used an agent. Used the solicitor recommended by the agent. (Everything you people recommend against). My property has already gone up in value. I now meet up from time to time with my agent socially and we share a coffee, a chat and a giggle. My solicitor was an absolute gem and never failed to answer my annoying little emails within 24 hours. The whole experience has been smooth, trouble free and dare I even say it, fun! I’ve never been so happy as I have here in Spain.

      So lets have some more happy stories to try and counterbalance the bitter and twisted ones.

      I´ve called this thread “No moaning minnies allowed”, but I bet they won’t be able to resist! 😉 Either that or this thread is going to die a very sudden death and rapidly sink to the bottom of the pile. 😉

    • #62555
      Anonymous
      Participant

      As an estate agent, can I add almost all my clients are very happy with their full or part-time lives in Spain – and I often have coffee and a laugh with them when we meet in the street.

    • #62557
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Ah ha, so I see it’s beginning to work. My happiness thread has its first reply. The happy poison has started to filter through the bitter veins of this forum. But for how much longer?

      Let’s hear from some happy clients, or am I the only one here?

      (You can’t see me, but I’m counting the tumbleweed roll past.)

    • #62558
      Anonymous
      Participant

      So pleased for you.

      A bit of your good luck needs to rub off on a lot of us. Lets hope from now on positive thinking will prevail down here in Almeria.
      Certainly need a lot of luck at the moment.

      Have not been so successfull on the agent, solicitor side. But you have cheered me up anyway things are not all bad and I still love Spain with a passion.

    • #62562
      katy
      Blocked

      We have owned property on the costa del sol since the eighties. In 1995 when the property market had bust we bought 2 apartments which were bank foreclosures. 2 bed/2baths 42000 pounds each. Both of them have been on long lets all the time except for a few months. We sold one in 2000 (thought the market had reached its peak!) for 108,000 pounds. We have just sold the other one this year to the person who has been renting it for the last 3 years for 700 euros a month. We sold at 162000 pounds. So, all in all a very healthy profit, plus a good rental income over the years and outgoings have been very small.

      I live in a what would be termed “luxury villa” with a large pool and overlooks pine and cork forest and can walk to the sea, also bought for a snip and have a good lifestyle.

      BUT I do not think these stories are what this site is about. What is happening in the property market here now is appalling and I wouldn’t buy anything at the moment as its all overpriced or cheap for a reason. People come on this site because they want advice and information not some smug ******* posting about their lifestyle. I also know a lot of people personally who have lost a lot of money or are having legal problems.

    • #62566
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Yep, I’m happy as well! Nothing smug about it. It is a little depressing to hear all the bad news stories and none of the good ones.

      Our apartment gets us plenty of free holidays and the rental income (after all expenses and tax) pays more than a building society and enough for for all our flights and car hire.

      It’s quite simple – don’t buy unfinished properties, use an independent lawyer, don’t go on “free” inspection trips, and do thorough research on your area. Much the same as one would do here in England really.

      This board is good at advice on the problems and lessons to be learned, though.

    • #62567
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Hi – I also read this forum nearly every weekday. I work in the property market but not as an agent. I like to keep a breast of all aspects of buying property in Spain, I also research lifestyles, cost, general data regarding life in the UK.

      I agree that overall Spain has had a real bad deal lately in the press etc. But the simple facts are – you can still buy great property at reasonable price (especially away from the costas), have a good lifestyle, and nip back to the UK to see family and friends without breaking the bank.

      How many people listen to the ‘Valencia land grab’ stories – Marbella scandals and discount buying a property in Spain?? A few incidents fuelled with ‘over the bar property sales’ have totally distorted the facts.

      I my experience – If we use our brains, use a lawyer, SPEND TIME checking details, choose an area that ticks all our personal boxes then – we should get positive results.

      Although – I believe a new market is about to emerge – times are changing for the better and the infrastructure of Spain can only get better! 🙂

    • #62569
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Thanks ashtondav, but it’s too late. Katy has spoiled it. The chirpie bit at the beginning doesn’t cancel out the fact that at the end she MOANED. (but then she is from the Costa del Sol so perhaps I should make allowances.)

      Katy doesn’t think happy stories is what this site is about. There was me thinking that these forums were for free expression of opinion, not just for those on a one track mission to deter anyone from ever buying in Spain again, EVER! Happy people MUST BE SILENCED!

      Katy is like those English people who always say “England” when they actually mean “Britain”, and then piss everyone else off. You see, the Costa del Sol IS NOT Spain. Just one small part of it. I know that they are having problems there at the moment with overpricing, ruthless agents, corrupt solicitors, people losing money, etc, but the fact of the matter is that not all of Spain is like the Costa del Sol and it is unfair to tarnish the whole country with the Costa del Sol brush. Where I am there are not many good resale properties, the prices are much cheaper than the CDS, none of the the big boy agents have arrived in this area yet, etc, etc.

      The reason I started this thread is because I only started reading this forum a very short while ago, and as an outsider I thought it was very very VERY heavily weighted towards the negative and doesn’t accurately portray the real state of things. Yes, there are many people out there who have had bad experiences with agents, solicitors, et al but I’ll wager there are many more that have had good experiences. It’s the people with bad experiences that should the loudest and the others don’t get heard.

      A newby coming to this forum to seek advice doesn’t get a very fair feedback. It’s a pity because some of the articles by Mark are really good and impartial, but then you arrive at the forum and get completely negged out.

      Katy says people come to this site for advice and information. So, my message is this. Spain is a great place to live. Much better than the UK. I would never go back in a million years. Despite what you read here, there are many parts of Spain where you can still make an excellent investment on a property purchase and the prices are still rising. Most agents are good and honest and likewise with the solicitors. Not every town council is corrupt. Oh, and finally, for god’s sake don’t go down to that cesspit they call the Costa del Sol where everything I just said above would be completely the opposite.

      So peeps, let’s have some useful information. Where in Spain do you think the best investments are to be made at the moment? Where is the best place to live? We already know where the worst are.

    • #62570
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Sorry Sulley – Didn’t see your post because I was busy typing mine.

      Well said. 😀

    • #62572
      Anonymous
      Participant

      When you say best place to live – do you mean best place to invest – The two things are very different!

      From my personal experience – inland if your finances are limited – and also if you want REAL SPAIN. Coast if you want holiday homes or need to find basic work quite quickly.

      I live on the coast but have bought inland – best of both worlds.

      Yippppppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee for Spain

    • #62573
      Anonymous
      Participant

      I meant where is the best place to invest, and where is the best place to live – the two questions not necessarily being linked to each other.

      However, if there is one place that fits both bills then all the better.

    • #62574
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Yes sorry -I am guilty of reading far too quickly before my reply.

      I bought 3 properties in Nov last year in a town called Alcala la Real.

      Its inland in Jaen province but only 25 minutes drive from Granada city and airport. It is beautiful, very very friendly people (not like where i am living) – The properties are typically Spanish not many new developments. The population is over 22,000 – only 395 registered foreigners in town hall. It god dam hot in summer and lovely and cold in winter.
      Anyhow my first house is finished we bought for 27,000 euros – spent 10 on renovations. I have just had a few valuations and it comes in at around 120,000. 3 beds, 3 baths, garden.

      So i am happy with my investment.

    • #62575
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Best place to live….

      Well, I have lived in Lanzarote since 1996 – and I ain’t going nowhere else!
      I don’t know if that qualifies under the best place in “Spain” as you would probably start a very interesting and heated “conversation” in the local tapas bar if you called the locals “Spaniards”!!
      But have to agree and applaud your approach about moans – however, as you say, this forum is about free and open views and it is important not to have a forum which is totally negative equally as it is important not to have one which is all roses.
      Anyway, hats off to you njg1225 as I sit here in my office with 180 degree panoramic sea views, not a cloud in sight and the smell of bacon butties wafting up from the beach front which is about 20metres from me!
      Brekkie time!
      Keep up the positive attitude!

    • #62576
      Anonymous
      Participant

      My Dear njg, Did you say cesspit? a bit of a moan? Surley not! I live on the Costa del Sol and it is a wonderful place when you just go a few kilometres up the hill. I bought my villa from a local well established estate agent and has never had any problems what so ever and had help and support all the way.I also used the lawyer they reccommended, who has also been great. In short, I am very happy here and would not go back from where I came. I love the Spaniards who I think are extremely hospitable and tolerant, despite some foreigners unwillingness to learn Spanish and expect them to speak English. The problem is that people have been badly misled and lied to by the big agencies and the consequences of that has been that many has lost a lot. I am one of the lucky ones since I will be able to complete on my off plan, but others has not been so lucky! P.S That is not a moan by the way, it is a fact. Tallyhoo! 😀 😉

    • #62578
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Have a beautiful and well built 4 bed townhouse near Antequera inland from – CDS. 360o panoramic views from a large roof terrace. Love it!

      Used brilliant honest and client friendly lawyer from Marbella – couldn’t fault him. To be honest have had more problems buying new builds in UK!!

    • #62579
      katy
      Blocked

      🙄 Wow NJG I seem to have rattled your cage. So the CDS isn’t Spain, wonder what the 70% (official) of spanish living and working in marbella think. I sometimes wonder what peoples perceptions are as to the real spain. Most of my neighbours are upper to middle class spanish and just because they are professionals and drive a Merc. BMW doesn’t make it less spanish, Spain has moved on, they are better educated and prefer to work in an office to working in the fields. A lot of holiday homes in marbella are owned by madrileños including some of my relatives.

      I am in the fortunate position to buy in any area I choose and this is great for me. OK. much of the coast has been spoilt by indiscriminate building but I would like to know any coast that hasn’t. The costa blanca has its problems, the costa calida and any other fancy coast name the developers have named it. You slam negative posts and then post negatively yourself. Maybe its sour grapes as it was too expensive for you to buy here as (ending on a positive note) I think the views here are superb, where else can you walk to the sea and have wild boar coming to the river outside your garden. But everyones idea of paradise is different, you just need to learn a bit of spanish tolerance.

    • #62580
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Katy – you seem to have misread something I wrote. I said that the Costa del Sol wasn’t Spain, it’s just a small part of it. IE, the CDS only forms a small part of the country as a whole.

      You seemed to interpret this as the CDS isn’t the REAL Spain. Now that’s another issue.

      A coast that hasn’t been spoilt by indiscriminate building. Hmm. Costa de la Luz – the majority of the coast is protected, the beaches are backed by sand dunes and then building is capped at 4 storeys (I think). Can someone else name some others please?

      Was the CDS too expensive for me to buy there? I don’t know, I never bothered looking. And why would I after what you lot say about it?

    • #62581
      katy
      Blocked

      I love the costa de la luz, don’t know if I would like to live there because of the wind. It is unspoilt though. Seems to be a lot of very large developments advertised just now. Spent easter in Novo sancti petri and that is overdeveloped. Favourite places, ayamonte, cadiz, vejer area, puerto de santa maría (except the beach area)

    • #62582
      Anonymous
      Participant

      I bought my resale villa on rustic land in 1990 for the equivalent of 25.000 euros. It was then in the middle of nowhere and an hour’s drive from Valencia city.

      My property has since been reclassified as urban land and a new motorway has meant I can reach Valencia in 15 minutes. I have spent 70.000 euros adding an extension and new pool to my villa – which is now worth around 300.000 euros. Over these past 16 years I have raised a family in Spain and watched as the nation has economically and socially developed around me.

      My home purchase has proved an outstanding investment – in every respect. I know many others with similarly happy stories.

    • #62588
      mariadecastro
      Participant

      As a lawyer I also wish to give you a breath and a break!

      I have intervened in the forum before in favour of many of my colleagues who just want to do their best in favour of foreigners in Spain. We know Andalucia makes lots of euros out of tourism every year and residential tourism is a source of financial welfare for our Community, and a source of globalization and multiculturalism too…so… we try to keep the taste for Spain… up and rich. Just please take your time and invest time for a precise and dood option. That´s just what you all would do in any other country, in yours too, I am sure, and then make your decissions with sounded and professional advice in your folder.

      I don´t want to say that there are some unprofessional lawyers and agents out there too, that´s why, specially in a foreign country you need to go by hand with someone who knows the ” market”, the ” terreno” as we say here in Spain. It is just prudence. We need to wate some of that in almost every situation of our lives.

      Sorry if I get too preachy.

      Have a nice weekend.

    • #62593
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Hi there,

      Great to hear someone being positive. We went out to Costa Blanca last June on an inspection trip – there was no pressure, the buildings were well advanced – so we saw what we were buying. We took hold of apartment in October, have been using it ever since. Great for the kids, weather lovely, everything cheaper, security a bit of a downer but you can get that anywhere – apparently france has higher amount of breakins. Everything went according to plan, again used solicitor recommended from a list of solicitors by developer (who has been in business for 40 years). I’m holding my breath to see what’s going to go wrong but am delighted with this thread. I definetly think people need to hear the good stuff also to have a balanced view of things – needless to say we also have to hear the bad stuff – afterall we learn from everyone’s experience – it puts you on your guard.
      😀
      Hasta Luego!

    • #62597
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Sully

      Thanks for the information regarding Alcala la Real, I will bear that in mind when I am viewing property there in 2 weeks time, the enormous profit the vendors are making and make an offer accordingly 😉

      You never know, I may be viewing one of yours ❗

      Ambre

    • #62622
      Anonymous
      Participant

      well there are happy people after all, it does make such a different read i must say! 😛

    • #62655
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Hello everyone,

      After many months of travelling around Spain we finaly purchased our small village property with no problems whatsoever, our small one man band agent, and a great lawyer made the whole process so stress free.
      We visit around 5 full weeks a year and some long weekends, booking fares well in advance with low cost airlines. Our neighbours both English and Spanish keep an eye, and we always have access to E Mail, and sky TV so can keep in touch with whats happening at home whilst out there. We purposely kept away from Costa Del Sol as we feel it is over priced, too built up and the traffic is diabolical,[get enough of that at home] but we are only 50 mins inland Malaga airport, and can visit the coast as & when required, and can even see the sea from the terrace, but the sight of the mountains is even more outstanding. No regrets and plan on spending even more time there, and maybe buy some irrigated land to grow our own crops on one day…You won’t find out how good it is unless you try it. 😉

    • #62685
      Anonymous
      Participant

      …well it’s good to hear positive comments, though sad to see so many negative comments on CDS, we purchased off plan 4 years ago and the site is just about finished, though no habitatation licence as yet.

      Like most people i would think, we looked at different area’s in spain, but as we bought for investment/rental purposes, CDS was the advised area to buy back then.

      I don’t think most people ‘moan’ without good reason, if our site gets it’s habitation licence o.k and we can rent it out or sell it, then great, i will be another reasonably happy customer, but it’s hard to forget that the apartments are only 75% of plan size and only 1 pool instead of 2 has been built

      I have always been very fond of spain, having had several motorbike touring holidays north, south and central (including our honeymoon) and met some very friendly and nice spanish people, so our current state of affairs does make me sad. I just have to remind myself that this is just one area of spain that greed, lies, and bad dealing seem to be part of everyday life, when it comes to some of the building and associated trades people

      Ah well, fingers crossed for a happy ending

    • #62696
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Just to add to the happy tales, we live in Asturias, beautiful, green and presently very sunny and warm enough for us!

      We brought our 200 yr old house through a smallish independant estate agent, used a great surveyor and laywer for the purchase (both independant of the estate agent, they weren’t too sure about what to do with the surveyor!) and then had the fun of trying to find a builder.

      Everyone says don’t go with anyone the estate agent recommends, but we did with our builder and are very glad to have done as we have a very hard working builder who is incredibaly honest about what he charges us – has reduced a few of our quotes when its come to us actually paying as we wanted less tiling/no kitchen cupboards fitted or something else and WILL NOT go over a quote or charge us extra even if it was something he couldn’t have predicted that went wrong.

      We have really lovely neighbours, one who saw my husband struggling cutting our shoulder height grass and came out a seithed it for us…he’s nearly 80, we have a 1400 m finca…

      Asturians are all very proud of their area of Spain, love it and want everyone else too as well, at least thats what I’ve been told! And I’m Cesar would agree!

      Heather

    • #62698
      Anonymous
      Participant

      heather

      sounds really nice, our idea was to buy a good place for renting, then one day sell it, and buy in an area of spain that we like, maybe we can still do that, one day? Feeling a bit raw about it all at the moment, though at least our development is in quite a nice area (miraflores)

    • #62723
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Like most of the posters on this thread, I too am more than happpy with our new life in Spain. Ok sometimes there are problems and issues but no more or no less than in the UK, regretfully bad problems are allways grasped on by the media and blown out of proportion, whereas good news pretty well goes unreported. This is not meant to discredit the small percentage of people that do have problem, merely to put things into perspective.

      Sadely those that most bemoan their lot in Spain have probably done everything they can to buck the system, avoiding taxes, earning black money, driving illegal cars, underdeclaring property prices etc etc and have made little effort to treat spain as anything other than an extended holiday.

      Viva Espana

    • #62724
      Anonymous
      Participant

      jiminspain

      good to hear nice things, and i still live in hope that justice will prevail one day, though while basking in your good fortune, please spare a thought for the growing army of honest people, that have done there homework, gone in to it with eyes open and are still being, well and truly ‘ripped off ‘ and any trust, shot pieces by crap agents and building companies!

      We would all like to be in your position, that’s all,

      David.

    • #62727
      Anonymous
      Participant

      David

      No offence intended, hope none was taken, just trying to say that it is not all bad, I have seen several programs recently where poeple in the UK have experienced bad problems with UK agents and builders, obviously the situation in Spain or anywhere abroad is made worse by our lack of language, and knowledge of local laws, customs, and practices.

      Sicerely hope it all works out for you.

      Jim

    • #62747
      Fuengi (Andrew)
      Participant

      Bought my property 4 months ago.
      Great location (for me), great price, great agency, great lawyers.
      If anyone knows the area Myramar in Fuengirola. Full a spanish plus some foreigners.

      oh and njg1225
      for most people
      marbella = CDS = spain

    • #62751
      Anonymous
      Participant

      We bought 2 properties off plan 4 years ago on the Costa Blanca, near Moraira and Denia. A beatiful and unspoiled area.

      El Portet is a stunning bay and Moraira is chique. Denia has a mix of the old Spain feel, miles of impeccable beach, great restaurants and shops like Hermes and Gucci.

      The dramatic scenery of mountains, valleys, beaches and unspoiled villages are the reasons for purchasing in the area. Oh, and also the cheap flights to Valencia and Alicante.

      We did have delays with the occupation licence, but we obtained a 10 year interest only mortgage and we completed without it. One apartment has been rented for a year, the other has sold for a tidy profit.

      Our properties increased in value since completion more than any investment in a building society could offer us.

      We have travelled all round the Med but all things considered we love this part of Spain the best.

      Even though soon after paying the deposit we realised that the sales pitch was BS just to get us to sign on the line and even though we needed to change lawyers during the purchase process (the original one was recommended by OE)
      Would we go anywhere else…… ? NO!

      VIVA ESPANA ! 😆

    • #62763
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Njg great thread cheered me up but you fell in to your own trap having a little moan. at others. Glad all things in spain ant bad and i agree its good to put up some good news well done, and bad luck to those that lost there dream including the two props bought from the bank cheap {someone elses loss your gain}
      Adios 😉

    • #62764
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Just to say thanks to whoever made the first post on here about these people moaning. As usual i think it’s the English mentality to always look on the negative side ref. Holidays From Hell, homes from hell, builders from hell, little pieces of paper from hell etc etc etc.

      we only ever hear of the bad side from these people. Doesn’t make good TV does it for everyone to be positive. Like others on here, we purchased from an agent, bought more or less off plan, waited 12 months for our property and everything was perfect. we’ve got a great house on the Costa Blanca and love it.

      the name of the company ??? IBERIAN !!!!

      Keep up the good work all you positive people out there and don’t let em drag you down ! 😀

    • #62765
      Anonymous
      Participant

      JOHNNYJAPESTER

      GODD TO HEAR MORE HAPPY ENDINGS, GIVES HOPE TO THOSE OF US LIVING A NIGHTMARE!

    • #62809
      Anonymous
      Participant

      It is fantastic to hear from people who are actually happy on this forum and not slating everything and everyone in Spain. Although I work for OE as most of you well know, I bought my property through another agent, it now has problems with damp and some of the rendering is coming away from around my bathroom window so potential damp problems there also, I do not hold this against the agent I dealt with, I do not come onto this forum complaining, it is one of those things, unfortunately it is not standard procedure to have surveys done over in Spain and I didnt feel it necessary. The problem lies with the developer not the agent (shame not everyone else understands that) and our president is pursuing denuncias against the developer which may take forever but I am happy to wait as I love my job, I love the country I now class as my own and I love my home. The only reason I did not buy through OE is because I only wanted one specific development and unfortunately we had nothing for sale there. Well done. Concerned 😀

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