Hi there

Has anyone had experience of buying a second hand mobile home in Spain, I have been looking at a couple of sites and they seem to be very cheap, is it too good to be true? Would value any feedback please.

Check out the site fees. Thats the killer for a lot of people. I know of one site that charges €6.000 per year.
tuk-tuk.

thanks tuk, that does sound bad, will have to do careful research, do you know of any mobile home sites that rent out rather than sell?

Watch out with mobile home sites as many are not open the whole year, a lot can only be used for 11 months a year.

What ares are looking in?

Thankyou mike, I didnt realise that

Not sure yet maisy, an area where we can be within walking distance of amenities and that is low cost and safe and we can easily get to UK or Holland to visit family and friends

Hi we are also thinking about buying a mobile home so any info you have would be helpful. Thanks

Hi

My suggestion would be to pick the area by the airport that supports the flights you require, remembering that flights / companies can change. Then narrow down by selecting easy transport from the airport to a city near the chosen airport. Finally look for caravan parks in that city.

I would suggest that it is not normal to have a static caravan park in a city, at least withing walking distance of the centre.

Davexf

Can you not find static caravans on most larger campsites near the popular resorts? Reus, Malaga, LLoret, come to mind, all within easy reach of an airport. These are usually on bus routes, accessable by public transport if that is necessary. Inland may be a problem.
Pete

I have friends who live on a large mobile home site, inland, in the Malaga province. The site has everything for their needs and is an established British expat community.

But, since the recession started, the resale value of their home has plummeted by more than 75%, while the rents have kept rising every year. now averaging at some £4,000 per annum.

But if you like living in close proximity to fellow Brits, with social activities available on a daily basis, and a large indoor heated swimming pool, and an Olympic sized outdoor one, surrounded by giant fields of olive trees, it might be for you.

I have friends who live there to and they love it.

I too know some people that lived on one of these sites and were happy initially. However due to the annual site fees and the fact that just about anything you buy has to come via the site owners at a premium, i.e. gas bottles TV etc. A lot are selling their mobile homes and moving into the nearby village where they now rent much larger apartments than their mobile homes for less than the site fees alone were costing per month. Also you have to consider if it's second hand how long before site owner says it's too old to be on the site then what?

Cazzy that is obviously a very valid point, they will suit some people perfectly but not others but better to know the pitfalls beforehand. For instance has the OP tried living long term in a mobile home with restricted space etc? not just for holiday but longer periods. Yes in the summer you can obviously capitalize on using outside space awnings etc but winter?
It obviously comes down to horses for courses but at least with a little house freehold you only have to worry about basic running costs and of course IBI etc but not the often heavy site fees.

The site fees are expensive, but pay for a multitude of things you would have to pay for as well if you lived in an ordinary house. Security and ambience come to mind. People who have moved to a nearby, small Spanish town have suddenly found themselves without either, and can be found most days back at the English site which they regret having left.

Bingo, quiz evenings, line dancing, social dances, Spanish lessons, outings to places of interest - visits to Gibraltar are always fully booked, the list is endless, and you won't have any of those if you live in what people call 'real' Spain, like the small town only a few miles away.

And these mobile homes are not caravans, most don't have wheels and have three bedrooms, water, electricity, telephone and everything else connected, along with hot and cold air conditioning and at least 200 metres of private garden all around.

But it's not for everyone.