Originally Posted by Yvonne King

I would just like to say that despite all these ongoing concerns and problems, we personally have no regrets about buying on CE. Pretty much most of the world is experiencing a downturn at the moment and it's the middle of winter so a lot of the development will be quiet.

CE and Ayamonte are in a lovely part of Spain. I'm sitting here in the damp, dark, cold UK, looking at photos scattered around my office of my family in the sun, on the beach, having fun and enjoying themselves. You can't put a price on that. The thought of our next trip out there, especially in the summer, keeps me going on dull days such as this.

I agree with the risks concerned with renting out but, as has been pointed out, that goes with the territory. We also own an apartment in Egypt and rent that out from time to time so know the potential probems; it's something you have to be prepared for. We only rent Spain out to family and friends as it's more like a second home to us and they've all loved it there too.

I fully agree with everyone's concerns about the extra costs and the general way things are at the moment, but we have to remain positive and remember why we bought there in the first place. In the long term it should be super and we WILL get there in the end!

Here's to a healthy and happy new year to you all!

Originally Posted by Tricia

Actually the IBI is around 600 and the bin service is separately listed, 70 odd euros I think. I am happy with the IBI, it's a darn sight more reasonable than UK council tax

Originally Posted by DrakeS

I have a variable rate Spanish mortgage on our property at Marina Esuri and far from our mortgage decreasing the December and January payments have increased by Euro 50+. Our mortgage is with Cajasur and my previous contact there, Juan Rafael Ruiz, seems to no longer be there and I have not received replies to any of the emails or fax messages I have sent querying this. In addition, I have a debit on my account for an electricity bill from Endesa at the end of November for Euro 111 and a further one in December for Euro 56, and we have not visited Esuri since September and all utilities are switched off.
Does anyone have a contact at Cajasur who speaks English.

Originally Posted by mark donna

my mortgage also increased in decmber (solbank) went to bank over holiday and the reason is most spanish mortgages are calculated once a year normally the 11th month after taking the mortgage on and relates to the euribor last year the euribor went up gradually until 3rd nov when the ecb dropped interest rates by 2% so anyone whose mortgages is calculated before this date (mine was 31/10/ lucky mark) will have an increase in their mortgage any calculated after this date should see it start coming down hope this helps

Originally Posted by DrakeS

Thanks for your reply. Still don't quite understand though - does this mean our mortgage will stay at the increased rate for the remainder of the year. We originally took our mortgage out in May 2006.

Originally Posted by Tricia

Depends on your mortgage terms, ours is Caja Madrid and re set every 6 months. Also depends on what euribor rate they use, I have no idea and can still not work out mine from going through past rates and trying to marry them up with each of our 'sets', all I know is it is supposedly set at 1% above euribor for the life of the mortgage.

However on checking the euribor there are differing rates for ' 1 day/1 week/1 month/ etc up to 1 year. I have read that some banks use the 1 month or 3 month, see here http://www.euribor-rates.eu/euribor-mortgage.asp However, here it says most use the 12 month rate http://www.spanishpropertyinsight.co...es/euribor.htm

Originally Posted by AndyS

I've had the same issue trying to work out how Caja calculated my current rate. Same as you mine is reset every six months but, when I looked at historical rates for the date the last one was set, I couldn't come up with the exact %. I tried both 6mth and 12 mth Euribor and although the 6 month was very close I just wasn't exact enough. Anyway, all I do know is that it will come down with a bump at the next reset which will help offset the crummy exchange rate. Whatever, I've no regrets about buying in this lovely part of Spain and will be over next week for a golf break with the lads. Decided to splash out on Monte Rei, for the experience and want to see how many balls we lose at Quinta do Vale and Esuri East!!!

Originally Posted by Manzana Man

Hi All

Although a keen reader of the Esuri thread(s) over the last two or three years I have only just got around to registering, lo siento!
Can anyone help with some advice? I am thinking of driving to Ayamonte from the UK in the summer & whilst I can follow the sat nav & plan the journey using the internet I wondered if anyone can recommend a route thats tried & tested. I would be looking for a hotel stopover somewhere near the French/Spanish border & from what I have read previously, avoid driving around Madrid.

Mucho gracias!