Age
 

Hi All
Just registered as I am heading to Murcia in May to view properties.

As an introduction, I am 62 year old from Fife in Scotland and work offshore overseas. I love watching my local football team [east Fife] home and away when on my 24 days off. Reason I mention the footie is because that's the only thing I would miss!

I Own a caravan in Perthshire and use it most of my time off, had it for many years. This was our get away. We would have preferred a property in Spain but my wife was terrified to travel, hence the caravan.

I stopped asking her years ago about moving as it stressed her out as she thought she was letting me down, our son and daughter tried to coax her as well but to no avail. I brought the subject up recently and at last she has decided to try and overcome her fears and go for it.

She has really taken to the idea now and has regretted not moving years ago. She says we have missed out and quite sorry actually.

We would live in Murcia during my time off and she would go home while I go back to work. This would be the routine until I retire at 65. She hit me with a question last night!! Do you think at 62 we are too old to live in Spain now??? 62 years old now and we are both healthy but 10 years down the line?? 72?? WOMEN! What a thought to put in a mans mind! I only feel 62 when I look in the mirror:D

Personally, im really looking forward to moving and living in Spain and I guess when the novelty period passes the real life style change will start.

Are we too old to start now??

Have a nice day all.

Re: Age
 

Some people at 62 have 3 years left, others have 30. You can say the same about people at 40. Who knows?

Regardless, i think you should spend them living where you want to live.

Re: Age
 

There are loads of 62 year olds who come to Spain, and older.

If the day ever comes when you do feel that Spain is not right for you, for whatever reason, just go back to Fife.

It's not so complicated, at least you will be able to understand the locals there, where as I would have to do a language course, ouch aye the noo.....

Re: Age
 

As Concierge for the Spanish section of BE I would like to say hello and welcome.

BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

Re: Age
 

It is perfectly normal to come up with all sorts of weird and wonderful questions when you are making such a huge life change.

My husband was like you regarding wanting to live in Spain and I was the person who definitely did not want to leave the UK. One evening I surprised him by saying that I wanted to give it a try on the understanding that if it did not work for me we would return.

I took to it so well that I think that most people here thought that I was the one who was keen and that my husband was the reluctant one.

We bought our house in 2004, moved here permanently in 2006 and started the renovating of our house which finished in late 2008 or early 2009. Graham was a very strong and extremely healthy man but he became ill in November 2009, operations, hospital admittances and never well again, he died in July 2012 (one month before his 67th birthday). During his illness he kept on saying that all he wanted was to get me back to the UK until I pointed out to him that I was happy here and that my support network was here.

The reason that I am telling you this is really to say that if we had known what the future held we would not have moved here and that would have meant that we did not fulfill my husbands dream. One of the things that has comforted me since he died is that by me changing my mind about moving he had done something that he had always wanted to do, by moving here we had followed his dream and that is still important to me.

Almost 2 years later I am still here, not happy without him but still content with the life that we made here, I do not know what the future holds for me but I do not regret what we did at all.

You cannot predict the future so live the life that you want to because then there are no regrets.

Rosemary

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:)
Welcome fifer1952!
Ye'll ken yer way aroon the forum nae bother an' soon like, neebur!

33+ years and still learning!

Re: Age
 

Hi, I'm also 62, the OH is 60 and we are moving out there in a couple of months :thumbup:

Don't think you are to old at any age if you want to do it.

Good luck and go for it :thumbsup:

Re: Age
 

If the age of 62 was officially declared as too old for expats living in Spain, something like 700,000 British expats would have to return home tomorrow.

The provinces of Malaga and Alicante would revert back to farmland and Murcia would be returned to the desert.

(If you are going to buy in Murcia have a look in today's Costa Blanca News, the expat's bible)

Re: Age
 

It is a question that concerns us and no doubt many others.
The reality of what could happen was bought home to us only a few months ago.
We were having a drink one afternoon and there were two women sat behing us. One was obviously very distressed. Later were found out that she and her husband had moved to Portugal some years before. Both healthy retirees they had enjoyed the lifestyle bought a boat and life was good.
Now the husband has alzheimers, the PT health service offers little or no help and there are very few if any other support groups. Would it be any different in Spain?
She has become a virtual 7 day. 24 hour carer with the only break coming when a friend or visiting family member takes over for a few hours.
She faces a very uncertain future as all their savings are tied up in a home that they bought at the height of the property boom and if they could sell would not allow them to purchase a decent home suitable for their needs in that part of the UK they came from.
None of us know what the future holds but this case and others we know of has made us decide to if we can retain some form of UK property and our UK connections.

Re: Age
 

By sheer weight of numbers and many caring expats among them, we now have help available for most problems encountered by expats as they get older and their health fades. That help is available in busy expatland only and sadly not in the rest of Spain - unless the expat is able to live just like a local Spaniard, starting with expert language skills.

But how many expats consider their later life health provisions when arriving in the perpetual sunshine and Sangria?

Re: Age
 

Hola

Most Expats think they can return "when the time comes". Indeed many have already done so - with varying rates of success.

As has been said, "you cannot predict the future" so if you think it is worth it then do it without regret. If you don´t do it then you will never know.

So I would advise "Yes go for it - but don´t put all your eggs into the basket" leave a little for that rainy day

Davexf

Re: Age
 

Good advice. The trouble is most expats sell up totally in the UK and have nothing to return to if it goes wrong in Spain. Unless they impose on family and that hurts your pride.

It know it sounds dull and unexciting, but if you're in an expat area you can find help not available if you're in a remote finca or real Spain where nobody knows what you're saying to them.

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Hi Fifer1952, Don't let anybody put you off your dream. You ain't going to get Alzheimer's or anything like that so enjoy years of sunshine and all the pleasures of Spain :D

Thousands of people go every year and live a very healthy life and enjoy life for many years. Sell your house if you want and live well off the money :thumbup:

Good luck to you and your OH.

Re: Age
 

I stand corrected. I don't know what came over me with all that cautious nonsense.

I arrived in Estepona with suitcase in the late eighties and I've been in Spain ever since.

I don't know how to measure a happiness level, but I'm still as content as can be. I could be wrong, but I don't think I would be any happier in Kirkcaldy, Edinburgh, Bromley or Bude. I'm too embarrassed to mention 30 years in Hackney.

I'm on the outskirts of Torrevieja, it's a bit rough at times, and seeing it's minutes away from midnight, I'm going to brag that I used to box for Leith.

I wasn't any good.

Re: Age
 

I too would recommend keeping somewhere in UK, even a mobile home would do, just somewhere to come back to if it goes pear-shaped.

Other than that, of course you are not too old! Come and enjoy it, but be wise as well as enthusiastic.

Enjoy your new life. :)

Re: Age
 

I really don't think that you need to keep somewhere 'to come back to'

If things do go pear shaped then come back to UK and rent somewhere. Why have the hassle of paying extra bills to keep somewhere in UK when you are putting all efforts to make a new life for yourself in Spain:D

When you get in your later years you want less things to have to consider.

There are hundreds of houses for rental in England/Scotland if needed later:cool:

Re: Age
 

There are many who goes at 65 and over. Have seen some really sprightly 70+ year olds. however, have also seen some go downhill fast.

I agree with EMR. good sensible post.

Keep a UK house, rent it out and rent in Spain. You would also have some pin money from the difference in rental prices. It could take years to sell in Spain if wanting to leave. Why burden yourself with all the complications, then there is inheritence tax. I know some who are stuck. Some are housebound and have to pay or rely on others to do their shopping.

There was a news item some years ago. A woman had dumped her OH at Malaga airport. He had Alzheimers and the consulate was called in. There was this big outrage of how horrible she was. I could understand it having seen my cousins Husband, he had alzheimers and was frequently violent. She was probably at the end of her tether.

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We kept a small flat in the UK to come back to if Spain went wrong for us, and we've had it for some 30 years. I don't want to change the topic of this thread, but things in the UK have altered to such an extent that we couldn't return to it should we want to, it would be impossible for us to live there.

We would rent elsewhere if we had to, but are pretty certain that we will stay in Spain for the final furlong. Once you know the Spanish system thoroughly, and it's not easy, it's much the same as the UK.

(And if you're unlucky enough to end up in one of those dodgy care homes where you get slapped about, you might as well get slapped about in a place where the sun shines).

Re: Age
 

I agree, but there seems to be far to much emphasis put on keeping homes going in each country.:confused:

A mate of mine lives in Cyprus and rents his place out in UK but finds it a total bind. He is looking to sell that on to loose the hassle of it all. After all he can't use it when in the UK because its got tenants in it.:blink:

He has to rent when he comes back!!

Re: Age
 

He will be getting a good rental income plus good capital gain.

You can still have a good life if you rent, infact you would be able to rent a house in Spain that you probably could not afford to buy.

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I might be wrong, but aren't you still in UK? Lots have gone out to Spain/France etc thinking much the same as you, that it can't fail, I ain't never going back to UK. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way for everyone, friends and ex neighbours of mine are ruing the day they ever sold their UK property. They are coming home, (well, that's the intention) their property price has fallen through the floor, it's been on the market for about 2 years, and even if they were to sell it, they couldn't afford the price of their old property or anything similar in UK. I would agree that if you had been living abroad for several years and still were in love with the place, it might be an idea to offload your UK property, but life can be cruel, it doesn't always pan out as you'd like it to. Keeping a place in UK is not only about "something to come back to", it's a rental machine that in most cases will provide more rental than you need to pay out on a similar property in Spain.

Re: Age
 

Hola

Wise money says come out and rent in Spain for a year - then make your decision on what you want to do

Davexf

Re: Age
 

Agree, even possibly a bit longer. Lots of things can happen in 12 months, and it might not all be positive. I've heard the argument for selling up lock stock and barrel in UK, it shows your total commitment to emigrating etc, personally I think burning your boats too early can prove to be a bad choice.

Re: Age
 

Well we sold up lock stock and barrel and after 10 years in spain, no regrets whatsoever. You need to come with the right attitude that you are going to make it work and that spain is home not the UK

Re: Age
 

We sold up completely, not because we were committed to living here but because if we had returned to the UK even if after only a short time we would not have returned to the same area there.

Rosemary

Re: Age
 

Yes I am still in the UK but that doesn't mean I cant have an opinion. I have stayed many, many times in Spain around the Villamartin area with family.:)

My Sister has lived there for over 15 years and my mother moved there about 12 years ago. Most of my annual holidays have been up the Costa Blanca end. So I can qualify my opinion a little.

When you get to 65 (ish) then quality of life is more important than making a little capital gain on a property, which can be more problem than not sometimes. Proceeds from the sale along with pensions, private or state, can also afford you a nicer place to rent in Spain.

My family are very settled in Spain as no doubt you are:blink:

Taxes and healthcare are more or less the same as in the UK. Great Britain is certainly not what it used to be and is less attractive to return to.

Re: Age
 

We kept our house in UK (rented it) so that when we came back we could just move back into it.

However, we never intended our move to Spain to be permanent.

I have seen far too many people come to Spain and then have to go back to the UK for financial, health or family reasons, and then can't sell their house in Spain and have to live with relatives in the UK.

Just best to be aware that things don't always pan out as we expect. For example, would the remaining person want to stay if one of you died? Or how would you manage if you became too frail? Would you want to be in a place where you were a foreigner? How would you manage? These things need to be addressed.

Of course if you rent in Spain that won't apply, you can just return. And of course , you may just decide to stay whatever happens.

Re: Age
 

I would agree with you. If it were me I would keep a little bolt hole in the UK that family can look after and long-term rental in Spain.

Just do it. Nobody knows what the future holds, live for today with the health and energy you have now and look forward to great new experiences change will bring. No risk no reward.

Re: Age
 

Nobody said you couldn't have an opinion, it's childish to think otherwise, it's just that you haven't lived there full time. Everyone moving to Spain shares your optimism initially, for some it continues, for many it doesn't. I see there is a forum about expats returning to UK, I've never read it, but looking at the numbers viewing it, it seems a very busy forum. I wish you luck, personally I'm from the scampicat camp.
Las opiniones son como los culos, cada uno tiene el suyo.

Re: Age
 

I think the first two years you are on holiday. Then you spend a few years making excuses for the place, that's why some can never admit things aren't going well. They are treat rotten by Funcionarios etc. but they just laugh it off and say "that's Spain for you" when actually they should be complaining. Very similar to battered wives:lol:

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Very profound........:rofl:

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If everything is that bad it beats me why you are all still living there :huh:

Maybe it's a good job you all kept your 'Boltholes' :rofl:

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Having a bolthole has nothing to do with being bad, it does not make financial sense to sell a UK property, to stick the money in the bank, earning very little interest.

Getting a rental income from a UK property makes much more sense.

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Plus cgt has to be paid in Spain on the sale of a UK house
Tebo56- taxes are very different from the UK and not in a good way!

Re: Age
 

Yes thanks for that. I did understand that I would have to pay CGT & other taxes. I have already paid quite a bit of tax already because of a non-res bank account I have with Sabadell.

Even so, my OH and I still think it will be well worth paying our do's just to get out of the money grabbing, miserable UK :(

You only have to pay CGT once so its a case of getting over it and getting on with your life :cool:

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If you think the UK is money grabbing, wait till you are in haciendas clutches.:eek:

Re: Age
 

I can't really understand people on this site. Everything I read is about how everyone is unhappy about nearly everything that's going off in Spain. Loads of suggestions about why everybody would need to go back to UK, and that's why they keep a 'bolthole' :confused:

Can you tell me anything that most expats might be happy about? :(

Re: Age
 

Take note of who is saying what and I think that you will answer your own question. The vast majority of the posters who live here in Spain are not complaining and are fairly content with their lives here. There are a sellect few who have a lot to say about why people need to return to the UK.

Personally I have never had any problems with officialdom, yes it is hassle setting things up when you first move here but this is tedious rather than a problem if you go to the offices well prepared. Making sure that you do things such as gaining licences for work being done in the house is easy. I have found people to be very helpful and friendly.

As far as I am concerned the best part about living in Spain is being with Spanish people.

Rosemary

Re: Age
 

Thank you so much for that Rosemary :D

You have lifted my mood by a mile :thumbup:

We are well prepared for everything that will be required of us and happy to stand in queues if required. After all, it only needs to be done now and then.

Re: Age
 

Remember when going to any of the offices to have every piece of paperwork that may (or may not) be relevant and take a couple of copies of these too and you will be dealt with efficiently. Most things only have to be dealt with once so that is good too.

Anyone moving to another country must expect to spend time dealing with officials in order to make sure that their paperwork is correct. One thing that you will find is that the officials love their rubber stamps and their large important signatures.

Rosemary