Hello my name is Simon. Nice to meet you all.

I am 25 an a senior support worker for a care home. I have a girlfriend and 9 month old son. We are currently deciding what do to about our future.

I have recently come into a small bit of money and i was looking up properties in the UK to put a deposit down on. Then i started looking at some of these beautiful Spanish 2 bedroom apartments with a communal pool, mountian views and balcony for only ?60,000. I could buy that out right. It seems almost too good to be true and probably is.

So i just wondered if there was a catch is? as i really dont want to have to spend half my life paying off a mortgage when i can just buy a house out right.

I dont speak any Spanish but i am willing to learn (especially since ive always wanted to learn a language).

(Hello my name is Simon. Nice to meet you all.
I am 25 an a senior support worker for a care home. I have a girlfriend and 9 month old son. We are currently deciding what do to about our future.
I have recently come into a small bit of money and i was looking up properties in the UK to put a deposit down on. Then i started looking at some of these beautiful Spanish 2 bedroom apartments with a communal pool, mountian views and balcony for only ?60,000. I could buy that out right. It seems almost too good to be true and probably is.
So i just wondered if there was a catch is? as i really dont want to have to spend half my life paying off a mortgage when i can just buy a house out right.
I dont speak any Spanish but i am willing to learn (especially since ive always wanted to learn a language)

HI AND WELCOME SIMON, there ‘probably’ isn’t any catch as there is a housing market slump in Spain, far worse than in the UK. A lot of apartment developments are in the hands of the banks, with the developers having run out of money.

There will be purchase fees and taxes to pay, so add on another 12% at least to the asking price, and I would look closely at the community charges asked for the upkeep of the communal areas and the pool - also whether there is a full habitation license on the development so that you have electric and water connected.  Get a good lawyer to look into all of this before you dive in and buy.  (also whether you would be able to put up a Sat. dish to get English TV 😊

The only other important thing to consider is keeping up your standard of living, paying the bills etc.
Would you be able to get work out here as there is also a lack of jobs, and yes I think its important to learn Spanish. I’ve been here sometime and can speak at a medium level but still struggle at times.
I’m not an estate agent, just seen a few mishaps for others while living here,so hope this helps, and yes its a good idea to have a home thats paid for outright! best wishes, ruth

Thank you. That was great help. I love being thrown iin the deep end when it comes to learning so that will suit me fine! Anyway i dont plan to move just yet so i could start learning now.

English tv is a must. Though im sure the internet can help me with that if things get too bad. Im glad to hear there is no catch and its just the recession which is making these prices so low. I was expecting to turn up and find it a building site or something (lol).

I was hoping to find any old job. My girlfriend has lots of bar work experience and im sure there are people with disabilities out there who need caring for. Work wouldnt be such a worry as i wouldnt have any rent or a mortgage to pay for.

A solicitor would be a great idea for peace of mind. Would their costs come under the 12% you mentioned?

One in 5 people unemployed in Spain. In your age group this rises to 40%. Careworkers in the private sector work long hours and get paid very little - at least the ladies I know who work in residencias get paid very little - around 700,00? per month.

Hi again, the solicitors costs would be additional to the taxes etc.

If you don’t already own property an idea would be to move out here and rent for 6 to 11 months, so you can get a look at what jobs there are, and the area you would most like to live in.

There are some care agencies offering temp. posts in Southern England so you could work a few weeks in England and return to Spain for a few weeks.  Some ex care staff (semi-retired) are now funding their life in Spain this way as the exchange rate isn’t as good as it was for pensioners. 

Estate agents are a mixed bunch, so proceed with caution and please get a solicitor to look over any sales offers etc. it will save you money in the long run. Not all is at it seems so you are right to wonder if something is too good to be true.eg. the cheapest apartments are often only one bedroom, etc.
best wishes, ruth

Yeah moving out there would need some practise first. It might be difficult with my son and all. I just pray that house prices stay so low for a few years.

Ive seen some lovely 2-3 bedroom places for under 80,000.

Hi, Simon.

I have read your posts and I can offer you some help with your doubts.

The apartment prices depends on the city/zone you search. Also work. It’s true that there are a lot of unemployed people on your age group, but you have more possibilities to find work in a big city, not going to rural zones.

You can check our website where you can find some information about the moves to take coming to Spain and I also can try to help you.

But my advice is: why not to do? You two are young, your son is a baby and he will get adapted so quickly. It’s time to change. But taking some spanish lessons before coming would be a great idea and very useful in the job research.

Take care!

sy2pie…

Hi and welcome to the forum; hope you find all the information you require here. Read all of the information contained in the ‘Home pages’ and then check the validity of the information.

My response is shooting from the hip but I’d rather be blunt than to come up with some airy fairy nonsense for any newcomers chances here…

Definitely consider renting out here for at least six months before making any decision regarding purchase.

Couple of points…

I was expecting to turn up and find it a building site or something (lol).

Sad but true, but in an awful lot of cases this could well be true; hundreds if not thousands of apartments are indeed just building sites, abandoned when the developer or builder went bust. Be very careful… make sure that any photographs you see are of the property as it is and not some developers artists impression. Forget about offplan developments, go for resales of established properties. Also apartments on urbanisations normally carry monthly community administration charges for the upkeep and maintenance of lifts, roads, swimming pools etc.

You need to be aware too of health costs out here; at your age you do not qualify for free healthcare; unless you find employment with a contract where the employer pays a percentage of the Social Security payments, you will find yourself having to register as self employed in which case you will be paying out in the region of 250 euros per month.

Beware too of utility charges; electricity over here now costs more than in the UK.

It has to be said…watch out for Brit tradesmen; there are an awful lot of rogues out here… if a guy turns up in a tatty Brit reg van with no UK tax disc on display,
send him away; the simple fact is that if he is prepared to play fast and loose with the Guardia Civil (or Mossas d Esquadra in Catalonia) then you as an individual will have no recourse to justice when it all goes pearshaped. Believe me on this, I speak from experience.

Finally, I have to agree with Riazor’s comment regarding the high unemployment situation over here. The high profile public demonstrations in Madrid, Barcelona and other major cities throughout Spain are a social commentary on the way things are out here.

Good Luck with whatever you decide to do… and will the last person to leave the sinking ship formerly called the UK please turn out the lights…

fb

POST HAS BEEN REMOVED 08/06/2011

A scam is basically a means used by certain unscrupulous people who advertise a product or service in return for an investment or payment in advance and then fail to produce the goods.

SPAM however is something totally different; it is the unwanted advertising of irrelevant products, such as is included in your signature link.

fb

It almost sounds like the housing situation, is almost as bad as it is in the U.S. , housing prices dropped a lot, but you need to really check them out well, some are missing all the plumbing.

Many good points have been made on this thread - in my area (Costa blanca - Alicante) there are indeed many many properties for sale. Most of which must seem like bargain prices compared to the UK. Yes you can get a good deal if you are careful but the problem for youngsters is work and healthcare. Because without legal work and a contract you will have to pay for healthcare which is not cheap. Also many British business’s do not comply with the law and provide contracts. So do your research and take qualified legal advice.