[GarySFBCN]

The pisos that meet my specifications that I’m looking at in central neighborhoods of Barcelona are all about 350k-400k euros. Relatively speaking (compared to others listed in the area), they seem to be reasonably priced. I hope to make an offer later this week. A couple of questions:

1. Do buyers get insulted and refuse to negotiate if I offer too little? My gut tells me that the 40% discounts seen elsewhere in Spain may not apply in Barcelona if the price has not been ridiculously inflated.

I’m thinking about offering 20% less than asking. I will be needing a mortgage, if that is a factor in my offer. Also, I will be using the proposal to buy (whatever it is called) to register for my numero extranjero.

2. One of the pisos I’m interested in is in a 1970s building that had ‘bad cement’ or something. It was completely upgraded and some of that upgrade can be seen by the attached structural support that also allowed for balconies to be added (which actually enhance the appearance of the building). All of this work is certified, registered, etc. and all papers are in order. It there much risk with this? The building appears to be in better shape and better cared for than many newer buildings and is in a wonderful neighborhood, quiet but withing walking distance of some great, but very loud, neighborhoods.

3. I’m also struggling with a ‘size vs location’ issue. Any ideas how to approach this?

Thoughts? Thanks, Gary

[Anonymous]

mmmmm, the best way is to look for repossesions from a bank as they have huge pressure to sell and are more open about discounts.

regards

[Anonymous]

mmmmm, the best way is to look for repossesions from a bank as they have huge pressure to sell and are more open about discounts.

regards

[Anonymous]

Hi Garry,

Make an offer you think is reasonable. Don’t worry about the vendor’s feelings. But yes, it is true, Barcelona does no suffer from the same glut and stress as many other parts of Spain. That said, prices in the boom got out of hand just like anywhere else.

Cement diseas is called aluminosis. I wouldn’t buy without an expert opinion such as a survey.

Size vs location is all about trade-offs. Very subjective.

Doubt you will find any good bank repos in the best bits of Barcelona.

[Anonymous]

Hi Garry,

Make an offer you think is reasonable. Don’t worry about the vendor’s feelings. But yes, it is true, Barcelona does no suffer from the same glut and stress as many other parts of Spain. That said, prices in the boom got out of hand just like anywhere else.

Cement diseas is called aluminosis. I wouldn’t buy without an expert opinion such as a survey.

Size vs location is all about trade-offs. Very subjective.

Doubt you will find any good bank repos in the best bits of Barcelona.

[Inez]

@mark wrote:

Hi Garry,
Cement diseas is called aluminosis. I wouldn’t buy without an expert opinion such as a survey.

Why isnt it called cementosis?? lol

[Inez]

@mark wrote:

Hi Garry,
Cement diseas is called aluminosis. I wouldn’t buy without an expert opinion such as a survey.

Why isnt it called cementosis?? lol

[GarySFBCN]

Thanks all. I’ll will let you know the outcome of this – hoping to make an offer on Thursday.

[GarySFBCN]

Thanks all. I’ll will let you know the outcome of this – hoping to make an offer on Thursday.

[Anonymous]

I think Mark just mixed it up.

Aluminosis means aluminium poisoning but mostly it deals with small particles of aluminium getting stuck in your lungs. People that work with pyrotechnics without breathing protection runs the risk of it because aluminium and potassium perchlorate make quite a nice boom.

Hehe weird in spain they also use it for this cement diseases.

http://www.google.se/search?q=aluminosis&hl=sv&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=wTTATcKLBsrJhAfbkYm3BQ&ved=0CEgQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=679

[Anonymous]

I think Mark just mixed it up.

Aluminosis means aluminium poisoning but mostly it deals with small particles of aluminium getting stuck in your lungs. People that work with pyrotechnics without breathing protection runs the risk of it because aluminium and potassium perchlorate make quite a nice boom.

Hehe weird in spain they also use it for this cement diseases.

http://www.google.se/search?q=aluminosis&hl=sv&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=wTTATcKLBsrJhAfbkYm3BQ&ved=0CEgQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=679

[Anonymous]

Would you trust the so called expert’s survey ??? What is your come back ????

[Anonymous]

Would you trust the so called expert’s survey ??? What is your come back ????

[Chopera]

@Gary – I went through the buying (and selling) process in Madrid last year and my main tactics were simply to ask whether the price was (very) negotiable or not. Often the way they answer will give clues as to how much they’ll knock off. You can also say you have found a similar flat that is on the market for “x” euros so would the seller be interested in an offer for a similar amount? Remember this is a buyers market so you have every right to pull the same tricks and play sellers off against each other, just as they did when the market was in their favour. Also if you can find the properties advertised on Idealista or Fotocasa you can get an idea of how long they have been on the market for. You may find that some of the properties you are after have been on the market at those prices for years.

Also remember that a big fiscal incentive for buying a house was removed at the beginning of this year. Home owners can no longer claim tax back on mortgage repayments for new house purchases. I estimate that this tax rebate was worth up to €2000/year for a working couple sharing a flat. Now that rebate is not there it “should” be reflected in the asking prices. Same goes for the increase in IVA last year.

[Chopera]

@Gary – I went through the buying (and selling) process in Madrid last year and my main tactics were simply to ask whether the price was (very) negotiable or not. Often the way they answer will give clues as to how much they’ll knock off. You can also say you have found a similar flat that is on the market for “x” euros so would the seller be interested in an offer for a similar amount? Remember this is a buyers market so you have every right to pull the same tricks and play sellers off against each other, just as they did when the market was in their favour. Also if you can find the properties advertised on Idealista or Fotocasa you can get an idea of how long they have been on the market for. You may find that some of the properties you are after have been on the market at those prices for years.

Also remember that a big fiscal incentive for buying a house was removed at the beginning of this year. Home owners can no longer claim tax back on mortgage repayments for new house purchases. I estimate that this tax rebate was worth up to €2000/year for a working couple sharing a flat. Now that rebate is not there it “should” be reflected in the asking prices. Same goes for the increase in IVA last year.

[Chopera]

@Gary I forgot to add that for the flat which has had cement problems, you should get the phone number of the Administrador and ask them about it (they should have no interest in telling you anything but the truth). Also you can often tell if there have been problems if the community fees seem higher than normal – they may have to pay for regular building maintenance.

[Chopera]

@Gary I forgot to add that for the flat which has had cement problems, you should get the phone number of the Administrador and ask them about it (they should have no interest in telling you anything but the truth). Also you can often tell if there have been problems if the community fees seem higher than normal – they may have to pay for regular building maintenance.

[Anonymous]

@Chopera wrote:

Also remember that a big fiscal incentive for buying a house was removed at the beginning of this year. Home owners can no longer claim tax back on mortgage repayments for new house purchases. I estimate that this tax rebate was worth up to €2000/year for a working couple sharing a flat. Now that rebate is not there it “should” be reflected in the asking prices. Same goes for the increase in IVA last year.

So what you are saying is that the person who is selling the property should be expected to pay for a buyers loss of potential tax rebate that previously existed and also the IVA increase???

Now I have heard it all 😮

[Anonymous]

@Chopera wrote:

Also remember that a big fiscal incentive for buying a house was removed at the beginning of this year. Home owners can no longer claim tax back on mortgage repayments for new house purchases. I estimate that this tax rebate was worth up to €2000/year for a working couple sharing a flat. Now that rebate is not there it “should” be reflected in the asking prices. Same goes for the increase in IVA last year.

So what you are saying is that the person who is selling the property should be expected to pay for a buyers loss of potential tax rebate that previously existed and also the IVA increase???

Now I have heard it all 😮

[Chopera]

@jonas wrote:

@Chopera wrote:

Also remember that a big fiscal incentive for buying a house was removed at the beginning of this year. Home owners can no longer claim tax back on mortgage repayments for new house purchases. I estimate that this tax rebate was worth up to €2000/year for a working couple sharing a flat. Now that rebate is not there it “should” be reflected in the asking prices. Same goes for the increase in IVA last year.

So what you are saying is that the person who is selling the property should be expected to pay for a buyers loss of potential tax rebate that previously existed and also the IVA increase???

Now I have heard it all 😮

Since the vast majority of Spanish buyers will be up to €2000 pa worse off this year than last then, all other things being equal, they will simply not be able to afford last year’s prices. Which generally means that sellers will have to drop their asking prices. More a case of basic economics than “expecting the seller to pay for it”. Just as Spanish property owners benefited from an ever loosening money supply over the last few decades (as well as rebates funded by the tax payer) now buyers should expect to benefit from tighter control of the money supply.

[Chopera]

@jonas wrote:

@Chopera wrote:

Also remember that a big fiscal incentive for buying a house was removed at the beginning of this year. Home owners can no longer claim tax back on mortgage repayments for new house purchases. I estimate that this tax rebate was worth up to €2000/year for a working couple sharing a flat. Now that rebate is not there it “should” be reflected in the asking prices. Same goes for the increase in IVA last year.

So what you are saying is that the person who is selling the property should be expected to pay for a buyers loss of potential tax rebate that previously existed and also the IVA increase???

Now I have heard it all 😮

Since the vast majority of Spanish buyers will be up to €2000 pa worse off this year than last then, all other things being equal, they will simply not be able to afford last year’s prices. Which generally means that sellers will have to drop their asking prices. More a case of basic economics than “expecting the seller to pay for it”. Just as Spanish property owners benefited from an ever loosening money supply over the last few decades (as well as rebates funded by the tax payer) now buyers should expect to benefit from tighter control of the money supply.

[GarySFBCN]

@Chopera wrote:

@Gary I forgot to add that for the flat which has had cement problems, you should get the phone number of the Administrador and ask them about it (they should have no interest in telling you anything but the truth). Also you can often tell if there have been problems if the community fees seem higher than normal – they may have to pay for regular building maintenance.

Thanks for he advice on this and negotiable pricing.

The agent disclosed (after my friend asked) that the 1970s building did indeed have aluminosis, and that it was ‘repaired’, inspected, given a clear bill of health and all this is documented and registered with city hall. They have copies of the documents. When doing the repairs, they added an exterior support structure to the front of the building, on the chaflan, that allowed for the addition of large balconies that are quite attractive. (BTW, when observing this from the street, this is how my friend knew to ask about aluminosis).

What I don’t know is how effective repairing aluminosis is in general, and then how good the job was done on this building. After reading so many horror stories here and elsewhere, it’s difficult to have any trust at all. That said, the building is very well maintained – the best I’ve seen, maintenance-wise in Barcelona – and is in one of the better neighborhoods. For me the question comes down to this: Is the aluminosis problem abated?

I have to say that this is the best flat I’ve seen in my price range, with a nice floor plan and fantastic view and in a great neighborhood, and I’m guessing that the aluminosis has nothing to do with the price listed as it seems that information is only being disclosed to those who ask. But, I’m not going to buy anything risky, no matter how smitten I may be.

Anyway, thanks again. Gary

[GarySFBCN]

@Chopera wrote:

@Gary I forgot to add that for the flat which has had cement problems, you should get the phone number of the Administrador and ask them about it (they should have no interest in telling you anything but the truth). Also you can often tell if there have been problems if the community fees seem higher than normal – they may have to pay for regular building maintenance.

Thanks for he advice on this and negotiable pricing.

The agent disclosed (after my friend asked) that the 1970s building did indeed have aluminosis, and that it was ‘repaired’, inspected, given a clear bill of health and all this is documented and registered with city hall. They have copies of the documents. When doing the repairs, they added an exterior support structure to the front of the building, on the chaflan, that allowed for the addition of large balconies that are quite attractive. (BTW, when observing this from the street, this is how my friend knew to ask about aluminosis).

What I don’t know is how effective repairing aluminosis is in general, and then how good the job was done on this building. After reading so many horror stories here and elsewhere, it’s difficult to have any trust at all. That said, the building is very well maintained – the best I’ve seen, maintenance-wise in Barcelona – and is in one of the better neighborhoods. For me the question comes down to this: Is the aluminosis problem abated?

I have to say that this is the best flat I’ve seen in my price range, with a nice floor plan and fantastic view and in a great neighborhood, and I’m guessing that the aluminosis has nothing to do with the price listed as it seems that information is only being disclosed to those who ask. But, I’m not going to buy anything risky, no matter how smitten I may be.

Anyway, thanks again. Gary

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