poollounger

Following on from Harley's thread about the upside of Chiclana, and my jousting with Mitzipurr which many of you have followed for better or for worse, would those of you who have been successful at purchasing problem free property in Chiclana care to consider posting their experiences to counteract the purchasers with problems ?? My own experiences have been rather copiously aired, so come on, there must be some more out there, or does this forum tend to attract moaners and groaners to a greater degree ??

Mourinho

I would say the majority of people i know buying in Chiclana have done trouble free , but you don't as a rule come on such forums airing news or experiences you consider the norm , how many people have come on with their problems , i'm guessing but probably the equivilant of 1 to every 500 who have bought in the area .

My purchase 30 months ago was not only trouble free and straightforward , with extra bonus of an unexpected 1500 euro rebate on my notary costs but also the best thing i ever did .

I looked for two years along the coastline of spain , costa brava , costa blanca , costa calida , costa tropical , costa del sol etc , but arriving at our Hotel in Conil and walking out and seeing the beach was an experience i will never forget .

I could not understand why there was relatively no one here and that a 3 bed villa with pool and 1/3 acre was cheaper than a 2 bed apt on the CDS with all the surroundings resembling Birmingham on Sea .

1/2 an hour with the lawyer , 1 hour at the notary, a big bag of cash it was all done , electricity account set up , bank account opened and president of the street welcomed us as part of the community from day one .

Arco-Iris

We spent 3 months searching from the Costa Blanca down and had begun to despair that our available money would buy only a ruin in an isolated area or a tiny terrace in an Anglicized urbanisation. It was with delight that we drove from Arcos de la Frontera, through Medina Sidonia and across fields and fields of sunflowers to this corner of Spain.

We'd been used to the relatively straightforward way of buying property in Portugal so were green and naive about Spanish customs - all we knew was that it was important to see a "nota simple".

A newly-established British/Spanish estate agent guided us through everything. Against all advice we've all read and I've actually advised against since, we used the solicitor and bank they recommended and our trust was not misplaced. We were firmly against the A and B money system but realised we would never get anyone to sell to us unless we agreed. The paying out of the B money was a memorable experience and I can still recall my trembling hysteria whenever I think of it!

When the ferocious Levante wind rips through here and most people feel enraged or suicidal when it hangs around for days, we wonder what we're doing here, but this is short-lived. Sitting in the garden, eating our own apricots, figs, plums, watching the storks giving us a balletic display and listening to the birds, more than makes up for the windy times.

We have lived here permanently for 3 years and have few regrets about our choice. I think we've reached an age of realising that the grass is not greener but that we carry our strengths and weaknesses wherever we go in the world.

poollounger

[QUOTE=Arco-Iris]We spent 3 months searching from the Costa Blanca down and had begun to despair that our available money would buy only a ruin in an isolated area or a tiny terrace in an Anglicized urbanisation. It was with delight that we drove from Arcos de la Frontera, through Medina Sidonia and across fields and fields of sunflowers to this corner of Spain.

We'd been used to the relatively straightforward way of buying property in Portugal so were green and naive about Spanish customs - all we knew was that it was important to see a "nota simple".

A newly-established British/Spanish estate agent guided us through everything. Against all advice we've all read and I've actually advised against since, we used the solicitor and bank they recommended and our trust was not misplaced. We were firmly against the A and B money system but realised we would never get anyone to sell to us unless we agreed. The paying out of the B money was a memorable experience and I can still recall my trembling hysteria whenever I think of it!

When the ferocious Levante wind rips through here and most people feel enraged or suicidal when it hangs around for days, we wonder what we're doing here, but this is short-lived. Sitting in the garden, eating our own apricots, figs, plums, watching the storks giving us a balletic display and listening to the birds, more than makes up for the windy times.

We have lived here permanently for 3 years and have few regrets about our choice. I think we've reached an age of realising that the grass is not greener but that we carry our strengths and weaknesses wherever we go in the world.[/QUOTE
Iris what a wonderful post..our experience of buying is almost a mirror of yours.
Yes the Levante can be furious at times, but my Spanish friends believe it is Chiclanas salvation from overdevelopment. I hope this proves true.

Chiclanagir

I am sorry Poollounger but these forums are here to help people when they have problems and are extremely useful, so you really shouldn't put people down all the time. They are just as entitled to their views as you are. I love chiclana and don't regret one bit moving but there are problems and it helps to find solutions on this forum. FREEDOM OF SPEECH FOR ALL.

jjh

Good on you Glynis

poollounger

Now hang on Glynis and JJH. I posted on here for the first time in good faith a while ago and was immediately set upon by a certain feline poster who attacked the agent I used, the lawyer I used and my positive attitude. I have never decried anyone for posting their problems and opinions, quite the contrary, I think it is extremely healthy that people do not go in to buying property abroad be it Chiclana or anywhere else in Spain or indeed the world without knowing the possible pitfalls. However whenever I attempted to depict the other side of the coin ie that it is possible to purchase reasonably trouble free and with a positive outcome, I was told that I viewed the world through rose tinted glasses, and was not qualified to comment on the experience!!! This thread was started to assauage the doubts of many who are still in the process of buying that it doesn't have to end in disaster. Everyone is entitled to their thoughts but as a poster who privated me today said 'there is enough negativity on this forum already ' and then asked me for my advice.
As Dorothy Parker once said ' Life's a bitch and then you die!' This thread is here to try and lift us all and remind us of why we wanted to live in Chiclana in the first place. Like when a relationship is going through tough times and you have to remind yourself what made you fall in love with the person way back when everything seemed rosy and life felt so good.
My intention was to have a thread that attracts more posts like Arcos Iris, full of practical advice, but a joyousness that warmed my heart on todays very cold and frosty morning here in Britain.

PS Behave or I shall have to come and confiscate that rocking chair that you bought from a shop that I recommended !

NicCol

I think we should draw a line under all the disputes. At the end of the day, opinions are usually based on your own experiences and if you have had a bad experience then you are going to be far more cynical than someone with the opposite experience.

I have been scolded, and for all I know am setting myself up for another, but there is something so magical about the area its worth chasing the dream.

BBQ's in February, breakfast in the sun (alright not every day), no threat of hose pipe bans, the most beautiful beaches, rolling green hills, blossom appearing, slow pace of life..what more could you want? (OK apart from electricity!!)

jjh

You deride 'a certain feline poster' who lives here permanently, unlike yourself and, I believe you have said in earlier post that you never would. I do think that as residents in this place we do have a right to post our negative and positive aspects of what has happened to us. If you feel that you have to be derisory then post on andalucia.com as they seem to like this sort of thing. Please let this really be your last post on this subject as I'm sure we're all getting bored with it.

poollounger

I started this thread to hopefully get positive posts and leave the negative ones to other threads !! When I posted along the lines of Nicol and Arcos Iris I was told off for being too idealistic and painting too rosy a picture!!
JJ perhaps rather than just slagging me off you could post your impressions of livng out there permanently ?? Are you struggling with an illegal house, meter etc ?? Are the simple pleasures which those of us who visit and enjoy harder to find when one lives there permanently ?? I have often wondered what it might be like, but have no illusions that it would be like a permanent holiday. I use again the allegory of sailing. I remember being deeply disillusioned at my first long cruise at the constant repairs and problems, but realised that this is part and parcel of the experience, even with a brand new super yacht (not mine I hasten to add). There are sailing forums to help solve these issues, usually in a constructive manner. I have never derided people who post their probelms in the search for help and advice, or others who seek to advise them. I am entitled to my opinion too, and while happy to offer advice based on my limited experience, do not believe in scaremongering.
The crux of the matter is that I am essentially an optimist and hate moaners. You know the sort of people one meets outside Britain who rather than pointing out the pleasures and downsides of the country they have chosen to live in, spend all their time telling you why they would never live in Britain, or finding fault with the locals.
Come on let's hear about your experiences... are you glad you are there ?? is it what you expected?? or would you rather be over here ?? As to whether I will stop posting....I am afraid the simple answer is NO!

Arco-Iris

Quote Poolounger....As to whether I will stop posting....I am afraid the simple answer is NO![/QUOTE]

and why should you?! You started this thread and if some people find it irrelevant or uninteresting , they don't have to follow it. This, and other fora, exist to discuss whatever we like about living in Spain.

To my mind there is no hierarchy of whose contribution is worthy to post, based on whether a member lives here permanently. We all have our different life experiences, interests and views. Look at the wealth of information, advice, stories on this website - marvellous . I, for one, wouldn't like to see people putting pressure on thread posters to "button it" because they find the topic boring. Just bypass the topic, or start your own.
So, congrats. Poolounger for not giving in, although I always smile when you say "this is my last post on the topic" and I know it won't be! and I'm glad!

I agree that there's a nucleus of people on andalucia.com who like to have a banter and dig at one another. Sometimes it's sarcastic, at others very comical and those indulging have their own set of rules and seem enjoy themselves. It's probably good therapy for them! But there's some real gold nuggets on that website too - travel, food, books, some very sound, professional information. And as for the dross, "walk on by" if you find it uninteresting.

Chiclanagir

Absolutely at the end of the day there are good days and bad days. Things go right but things do go wrong and if you can ask for advice when this happens and not be accused of being a pessimist great. Today I went for a walk down the Drovers Road with the dog. The sun was shining, the swallows were flying overhead. I met a herd of sheep and goats with three gorgeous tiny kids and was followed home by a sweet dog (no I am not keeping him, although I would if I had permission from the other half!). So a good day but tomorrow if our lekky gets cut off, it will be a bad one! And no poollounger you can't have my rocking chair - the cat's got it!

NicCol

Hear Hear Arco-Iris.

I have found this site extremely useful, everyones opinion is valuable. No one should be shouted down, and I hope no one is discouraged from posting. Sometimes when you hear all the terrible stories it is good to know it can work out.

jjh

Slagging off is not my style. I do live here, permanently, and have done for two years. I love it. We are not struggling with an illegal house or illegal electricity. We pay IBI, basura, electricity and even get our post delivered to our house. That's a thumbnail sketch of me and that's all you need to know.

If you're not going to stop posting then don't say it. This is my final post on this subject as I really do feel it's not going anywhere.

poollounger