Hi All
I’ve spent time on this great website a few times over the last year but this is my first post and hopefully it will get some views, opinions and advice. 

I’m a 37 year old guy, single and leaving London for Madrid next Sunday with a plan to base myself there until Feb/March in order to master my Spanish, which is currently intermediate. (Am just starting to use more subjunctives!). I spent 2.5 months in Spain this year, with 6 weeks at a school in Salamanca and 1 month last year in BCN.  I don’t have a job to go to in Madrid nor will I be looking for one as but rather I want to look for opportunities, mainly with property.

I’ve read some really negative posts on here about living in Spain etc as well as positive and I’d love to hear from anyone who has experience or knowledge of:

Buy property (large or small), renovate, sell/rent
Buy to let in urban areas
Set up a guesthouse or run one
Sought planning permission to develop land

I’ve project managed a build of 8 new homes near London and run a letting/property management business so have some experience here but none in Spain!!  But I just think there must be some opportunities to be had right now and I’m looking to put to use ?125k for capital return. For the right project I could get financing.

I need capital return as my long term aim is to find a place in Spain where I’m happy to live; close to a city and mountains eg areas near to Valencia, Palma de Mallorca or BCN (I know Catalan speaking areas but I want to master Castellano first); to find a rural property with land and potential to develop/improve; either buy existing guest house or holiday accom or turn a suitable property into a guest house/self catering units.  I love climbing and hiking hence need to be somewhere near mountains but I’d want my property to have potential for development as a type of pension.

I’m very open minded and look forward to any thoughts or advice.

Cheers!
Craig

sorry I wrote so much..

No experience with property here, but looking at your long term aims for where to live, I’d suggest Granada as well. You didn’t mention beach (though it’s less than an hour away) and it’s right there on the Sierra Nevadas - great for hiking and climbing.

You can still get plenty of practice in Castellano living in BCN and Valencia. The Catalans speak better Castellano than the Anadalucians (IMHO) and I found them very accepting of extranjeros who only speak Spanish.

Thanks for the speedy reply!  I spent a week in Granada and the Sierra Nevada this year and I’d like to check out more.  I’m heading to El Chorro for a week in the last week of October for climbing and checking out the area.  I have to say wasn’t totally taken by Granada and preferred the mountains in Mallorca where it is warmer in winter! I like winter climbing but prefer to live in less extreme climate and travel to the snow and ice.
I love Catalunya (visited 5 times) but it’s pricey and I’m not sure if I’d ever be accepted and had a couple of negative experiences in BCN, though love the city.