Food for thought

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Julie
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Food for thought

Postby Julie » Thu Apr 05, 2007 10:27 am

Have just copied...ohhhhh ...this from another site.
Author unknown it is written with humour it is sound advice for anyone buying abroad.

Lessons from Spain
--------------------
I'd like to post here my experiences with Spain and share them with you. I make no apologies for the length of this post, and nor for the distinct lack of Political Correctness. So, here goes...

What's my involvement with Spain?
------------------------------------

Since Mar 2003, I have been involved in the purchase and
sale/disposal/rejection of 4 properties there – 2 in Costa del Sol, and
1 in Costa Blanca, and 1 in Murcia. I don't own anything now.
Why Spain? Well, I fell in love with it in 2002 and I've been having
this love affair with it ever since, and if I don't go there every 2-3
months, I develop a nervous twitch. I had a dream of owning a property
in Spain. But, you know, some dreams are better if they remain
un-fulfilled. The difference between going to Spain regularly without
owning a property, and actually having a house there is a bit
like...<sexist comment ahead> going out with a beautiful girl and
enjoying the fruits of nature… and actually marrying said girl, and
then realising that thru domestic chores, and harsh realities, that the
fruit doesn't quite taste the same anymore <end of sexist comment>.

Sometimes, we're busy chasing Dream A, and en-route, we trip over an
un-known Dream B and we think “Hey, I didn't see that there. But it
looks nice, and I'll have a bit of that, thank you.”

That's what's happened to me. I have embraced the Spanish culture, I've
embraced the great food, the hot weather, the language (am doing GCSE
this summer) and I've embraced a couple of the local women, and got
slapped in return. I will buy and live in Spain when I semi-retire.

I am familiar with the 100 mile stretch from Aliante airport down to
Mazarron; and the 50 mile stretch from Malaga airport down to Puerto
Banus.

Spain, as a country, is fantastic. But, when it comes to property
purchase, there's a few lessons I've learnt.

Real Estate Agents
---------------------
If you thought that the agents in the UK are un-trustworthy, then just
checkout the ones operating in CDS. There, you will find the biggest
collection of wide-boys, barrow-boys and thugs outside of Romford. If
any wide-boys or barrow-boys are reading this, and are offended, then I
can assure you that it was all totally intended. (I did say I
don't 'do' political correctness.) Some of these guys are like Jade
Goody – but without her intelligence or social graces.

The best way to deal with an agent in Spain is to ignore 90% of what
they say. When they open their mouths, look for 'facts', rather
than 'opinions'. When they say “property prices are due to rise 20%
this year”, then that's an opinion. So ignore. When they say “this
apartment has 2 bedrooms” then that should be a fact, although
sometimes that's an opinion too.

Many words can be used to describe estate agents, but I've coined the
phrase “professional deceivers” because that is what their job title
should really be. This may sound bitter, but it really isn't. It's a
dog-eat-dog world we live in, and everyone has to make a living. Some
by being honest, and others by being dis-honest. We just have to be
aware of that. They're doing what they do best, and we just need to be
on our guard.

Remember the motto : Believe nothing, question everything.

Lawyers
-----------
Many lawyers in Spain are very helpful, caring and competent. Honestly,
they are. But here's the problem – when they see a British buyer walk
thru the door, a little switch in their heads flicks to 'Incompetent
Mode'. I'm sure they have a checklist for ensuring that service levels
remain low when dealing with British clients.... and this list goes
something like this...

“Have I ignored the clients emails/phone calls?” Tick
“Have I refused to clarify the legal points in the contract
to client?” Tick.
“Have I acted in the interests of the agent/developer and ignored the
clients interests?” Tick.
etc

The common rule is that you should never use a lawyer recommended by
the agent/developer – since the lawyer will be their mate and look
after their needs and not yours. I believe it's worse than that. Even
if you pick an independent lawyer, then if you are using an
agent/developer, then the lawyer will quickly form a bond these two and
build a relationship with them – why? Because he wants to impress the
agent/developer as they can supply him another 100 potential customers.
And you are just using him for 1 purchase.

What's the way around this? Well there isn't one if you are using an
agent/developer. But if you buy direct from the owner, then the lawyer
has no reason to suck up to the vendor.

So, why do lawyers give such bad service to us Brits? Well, my guess is
because of the following reasons...

- we don't speak the language, so are totally at their mercy

- we know nothing about the legal/administrative process involved

- we physically live so far away

- we don't know who to complain to, if we are not happy with their
service.

Location
------------
CDS is much more 'posher', or cleaner, or maturer, or advanced than
Costa Blanca, which, in turm, is more than Costa Calida (Murcia). CDS
is more lively thoughtout the year – esp. in winter when a lot of the
facilities are still open. Costa Banca/Murcia is dead in the winter.

Weather-wise, I prefer Costa Blanca (south of Torrevieja), as the dry
heat there is incredibly healthy. In fact, some people I speak to say
they moved there due to their arthritis problem in the UK, and their
condition has got better as a result.

But remember that, out of the peak season most of the 'urbanisations'
are like ghost towns. Occupancies levels in CB are less than 10%
outside of peak months. The whole place has a desserted, sorry, feel
about it.

Off-plan or re-sale?
-----------------------
When an agent in Spain mentions the phrase “off-plan” to you, look over
your shoulder and spit.

Do NOT even think of buying an off-plan. For reasons stated in a
previous post, an off-plan sale is based on selling you assumptions, on
false promises, on ridiculous price increase projections by agents, on
selling you things that don't exist and may never do so.

They're selling you a dream, and not a property.

Again as mentioned on a previous post, buy a physical property that you
can see, touch, feel, sit in, break wind in (if you so choose), and
walk away from. Buy it in an urbanisation that actually exists – ie.
where there are roads, there are electricity and water supplies, and
there are telephone connections, there are bars and shops nearby. Buy a
re-sale. There are hundreds of 'Se Vende' ('For Sale') signs all over
the Costas. Ring the owners direct. This way, you are in control as no
one will pressurise you. And remember prices are not rising – so take
your time in buying. And you can make an offer way below the asking
price.

So, when should one buy
---------------------------
I believe one should only buy when one is actually ready to LIVE in
Spain. Don't buy an investment – because what you buy won't BE an
investment. With this in mind, I think one should get to know Spain
really, really well, before one decides to live there. And you will
know Spain well, when....

- you've lived there for at least 6 months, preferably in
different areas
- can say more than “dos cervezas” in the language, and are able to
compose sentences like “Doctor, my bowel movements aren't what they
used to be”
- you have accepted that, in terms of getting things done, or in terms
of corruption, back-handers etc, that Spain is somewhere in between
Asian countries and Northern European countries
- you have a social network that extends to more than just meeting up
with June and Ted down the 'Union Jack' bar in Torremolenous
- you know your local area so well, that you know where the neighbours
dog urinates every morning on his daily walk (Give yourself an extra
point if you also know where the dogs owner urinates every evening on
his way home from the Union Jack bar.)

Other titbits
-----------------
If you find yourself....
- standing in open field with an agent and he's pointing a finger in
the distance and saying “Over there will be a new commercial centre,
over there will be a horse riding school….” then run as fast as you
can;
- having a problem paying the mortgage and bills in the UK, and your
partner is saying (whilst in an agents office) “lets buy it love, I'm
sure we'll find the money from somewhere”, then run away from both
the agent and your partner;
- listening to an agent saying “the bank valuation is for 280,000Euros,
and you're getting it for 220,000Euros – so you've already made
60,000 from the day you buy it”, then tell the agent that you know a
very useful Spanish word – which is 'cohones'*
- enjoying the entertainment laid out by the agent during an
all-inclusive £80 'inspection trip', then enjoy the wine, the food,
make polite conversation, but don't sign anything, and thank the poor
mug, sorry I mean an 'investor', who's already bought on the previous
trip and who's money is being used to subsidise these inspection
trips.

Summary
----------
Basically , don't buy an off-plan; buy when you can live there; live there before you actually buy; be on your guard.

What I have said above probably applies equally well to Romania,
Bulgaria, Dubai, Morocco or any other world 'hotspot' where the deadly
combination of the following two things exist...

- property is sold off-plan
- property is sold mostly to overseas buyers as opposed to the locals.

These are just my opinions, of course, and I have purposely emphasised the negative, and painted a realistic-if-dim picture, in a bid to alert newbies. I apologise if this sounded like lecturing, or moralising, or
I-know-more-than-you, because none of these were intended.

I'm sure there are many success stories, and I'm sure many people have
made money. Please take this post in the spirit in which it is
intended, and I welcome all comments/insults/abuse etc.

swerve
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Postby swerve » Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:32 pm

Have we not seen this on a.com before :lol: :lol: But thanks olive
It always seems imposible until its done. Nelson Mandela

Alan-LaCala
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Posts: 1103
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2004 8:36 am
Location: La Cala de Mijas

Postby Alan-LaCala » Thu Apr 05, 2007 5:43 pm

Of course, this one was even better.

Alan :oops:

http://www.andalucia.com/forums/viewtopic-t8596.htm
Remember that everything that Fred Astaire did, Ginger Rogers did too; except she did it backwards and wearing high heels!

katie
Andalucia.com Amigo
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2006 12:24 am

Postby katie » Thu Apr 05, 2007 11:34 pm

Both great posts, I remember reading yours before Alan :D We are going to visit La Cala later on in the year, but I know you wouldn't recommend that we move there :o


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