TeamSpirit

Thank you, I wasn't clear enough. I meant a gestor to do the running around and gathering info, in addition to a lawyer. I am new to posting on forums and wasn't sure if it's okay to bluntly say words like incompetent!
I agree entirely, there is a very high proficiency in incompetence here. My husband is a German builder and he is still shocked daily when he sees what is passed as acceptable here. It's hard to find someone competent (=knowledgeable+honest), which is why I meant Emma needs to be here and in control. It can be a nightmare trying to get to the truth, trying to be safe, circumnavigating all the fraternity deals. And lawyers are also not necessarily worth their bills - not even expat lawyers, as I've discovered.

amideislas

Around here, it's the architects that seem to possess the most competence.

In the case of one local architect we know, her business is about 95% sorting out legalities of existing and new constructions, rather than traditional architectural work. She has a lot of expertise in property law, and the variations from community to community, researching the status of properties, assessing if the property is legally suitable for whatever the client intends, assessing costs of legalising existing illegal structures or building new ones, and identifies tax issues and loopholes. To get through these minefields, she leverages her relationships with competent property lawyers, gestors, notarys, the property registry office, and all the official players involved. She's more of a "project manager" than an architect.

If you can find an architect who's primary business is this, it might be your best shot. Property registrations and restrictions can be extremely complex, the land mines hidden, and the costs can all fall on you "after the fact". So it's best to have someone get all the facts before laying your money down.

The estate agents all claim to be competent, but few really have a clue about the law, its complexities, and how it varies from community to community. They're only interested in their commission, with the least amount of work. The rest is your problem. Just sign here and it's yours!

bubble1970

Hi Everyone

Thank you very much for your advice it is well received and appreciated.

I am aware of the downfalls and great risks. I have been researching the prefab homes and since the post I have become aware that, that company is extremely cheap compared to the others I have heard from, Which instantly made me wary and nervous.

I am at present only pricing up options, as I am also looking at purchasing buy to let as well, as there seems to be so much property available,{lots of cheap bank owned repossession as well} and then just building my own dream villa in a rural area.
I know I have to use Solicitors etc. from out of the area I was thinking of using someone from Valencia or Madrid and of course I would make sure I was in Spain to deal with everything.

To be honest I have not even settled on Spain and am also looking and pricing for France and Italy or even Portugal.

My Husband and I run a Small Plumbing and Heating Company and we just want to in the next two to four years retire to somewhere warm, we have no children or anything to tie us to England.

We will probably need to top up our income from the rentals. I have been cautionary in my estimate for the income from the rental, in only allow for 20 weeks rental per villa per year.

What is a good allowance per year to live comfortably in Spain? Allowing for health ins two s car and the endless bills? We always have 3 weeks holiday in Spain a year so I know roughly the cost of a monthly food bill.

Would it be easy for my husband to find a couple of days a week work, as I know he wont be able to retire completely, for a while, {it will drive him crazy not doing anything}
or will there be loads of hoops to jump through as a plumbing and gas engineer, or Air Con

Many thanks

Emma

mikelincs

Loads of hoops for gas or plumbing as the Spanish systems are completely different from the UK system. Air con not so much, but make sure that he is insured as the engineer who fitted our aircon drilled straight through a water pipe, which in his words 'had no right to be there', he went to turn the water off at the meter, but he turned the wrong house off, so even more to clear up

lurchio

Firstly, chuffed that you have got your cautious head on, just don't want to see another Ex pat sinking. Please have a look at the 'Autonomo' threads in the forum regarding self employment/ monthly payments / healthcare before you rely on setting up a business....... and this applies to both of you here.


Dependant on where you settle, local Spanish Plumbers are usually in abundance, work for cash and are almost exclusively used by all requiring a plumber. Language differences, perhaps unfamiliar systems, complaints (with venom like you NEVER seen before), INSTANT service upon request (again with said Venom) and other things may also be a problem. The rural Spanish mentality is to tinker with a defective part for HOURS in an effort to get it to work (even though its plain worn out) rather than just change it straight away, and its this mindset / culture that your OH will also find challenging.


Ex pats normally use the most reasonable priced person, again back to cash in hand!


I am not being negative, just realistic about what I have found / seen whilst living here and trying to possibly prepare you, that's all. Having said that, I live in Granada Province!


Who said it ?, "The best way to have a million euros in Spain in the first year is to come here with two million!!!!!


I wish you all the luck in the World and admire your tenacity, its just that Spain is so unlike the UK in so many ways, and with your particular plans, those ways are likely to directly affect you both as well.


If it looks like sh*t, it normally IS sh*t.