stevesainty

We are constantly trawling the net for property, not that we are looking specifically to buy at the moment as we are going to rent for a while. We like to look because a) we are excited about our rapidly approaching move and b) to keep our eye on what is available, what the prices are and how soon they disappear.
As I have only ever lived in a semi, or end terraced house since I was an adult, I do not know what it is like to live in an apartment or a quad house. For those of you who live in this type of property what is it like? Can you hear the neighbors very much, what sort of outside space do you have? Do you find it odd to have no back door? Does it feel claustrophobic?
I only ask because these types of property are more readily available than say villas and bungalows and would like to get a handle on what they are like to live in.

jdr

We lived in an apartment block of 14, only three were full time and some of the rest were just used in July and August, but it was still noisy at times.
At least with a house you don`t get people dragging furniture about during the night, or banging the rejas shut.

Val W

We rented for 12 months when we first came out here in two different apartment blocks. Having been used to living in a detached house in the UK, we found it awful. For the first 6 mths we rented a ground floor apartment, and even though a lot of the properties above us were empty, we could hear every little noise from anyone above us, even to toilets flushing, then there were women walking round in high heels on tiled floors. We couldn't stand that any longer so moved to a penthouse apartment, thinking it would be quieter. It was no better, we could still hear the noise from underneath us. Then there was the problem of coming in with the shopping and having to cart it all up in the lift, and don't forget if it breaks down and your four or five floors up you have the stairs to walk up. I don't think quads would be any quieter, you have people all round you. When the holidaymakers come out in July and August, they don't care about making a noise, most of them leave their brains behind at the airport. For us, it was a detached villa, definitely.

stevesainty

Hi Val, we have only experienced the apartment horrors with moving furniture on holiday. I had thought that permanent residents would have been more considerate, knowing the problems themselves. BTW have you checked your PM's lately?

regards

Steve

jackytoo

Definately a detached even if it's more modest. We had a holiday home end one of 4 townhouses, loved it although we never visited July and August. When we moved out we intended to live in it and keep our London house. Only been there 2 months when the owner next door (from madrid) let it out to a family from uruguay. Was hell on earth day and night. Luckily you could sell quick then. We could even hear snoring the walls were so thin, not to mention someone having a pee in the bathroom!

Fredbargate

Spain is noisy

House or flat, street or cafe it is a very noisy country.

johnnyone

Spain is noisy and you have to recognise that, however you can limit noise when in your own home.
You only have to look at the construction of most apartments and houses to realise their sound insulating qualities are none too clever.
If you are looking at modern properties go detached. I have an very old reformed terraced town house that is fine as the walls are thick and built of stone. I hear little or no noise from the neighbours.
The same cannot be said of street noise, but I knew and accepted that as part of having a place in Spain in a town.

Lynn R

I agree - I have an old reformed town house with thick walls, although not attached to anything on either side, only the rear wall of our patio adjoins the house behind.

But we get the noise from 3 streets (1 in front and 1 at either side) instead!

Although we don't have any car traffic, there are the motos although thankfully not too many and they have to go quite slowly. Then there are the children playing, people sitting outside their houses socialising until quite late at night (by our standards) in the summer. Some people in the area still keep chickens and cockerels in their patios or on the roof terrace, although thank goodness none of our closest neighbours are amongst them. It is quiet during the night, though, people are considerate about observing a cut off point of about midnight for noise.

I had been thinking that when we are ready to move from this house, an atico apartment sounded quite attractive as we would be away from the street, but reading some of the comments here I may have to reconsider!

johnnyone

This is slightly off topic. We have just been over to our house and we both noticed there was either fewer of the small screaming motor cycles around or they are making less noise.
Is any Poster aware if the laws have changed? Or is it the recession (affordability) or some other reason (teen fads)?

Fredbargate

They are all stuck at the Gibraltar frontier

http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=22655

johnnyone

QUOTE=Fredbargate;9613190]They are all stuck at the Gibraltar frontier

http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=22655

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...bike-queue.jpg[/QUOTE]

lets hope they stay there!

lynnxa

I have lived in a quad house - it was just like living in a semi tbh, but with no back door, which I have to admit was very odd

it was modern, but the walls were reasonably thick so noise from neighbours wasn't an issue..............except the phone ringing - they must have had the volume really high

I have lived in ground floor & middle floor apartments - mostly have had considerate immediate neighbours noise-wise......but always hated the sound of the loo upstairs flushing

I'm in an attico duplex now - if you're going for an apartment at all, go for that...no noise at all from neighbours above, barely detectable noise from below - & usually a completely private roof terrace

mikelincs

We lived in a quad house, terrace house and apartments when we were in Spain. all properties in Spain are noisier, because they don't have carpeted floors, usually just the tiles, and so they echo and footprints are loud, but we didn't really notice any of that, we rarely heard our neighbours. On an urbanisation, as long as you are not on the edge, then traffic noise isn't a problem as there is usually not a lot of traffic using the roads.

Dick Dasterdly

There are many disadvantages of living in apartments, lots of them having already been mentioned.

However one big advantage Apts. do have is in Winter time when it can be a nightmare trying to keep the badly designed Spanish houses warm and cosy.

I had a few spells renting Apts in Benidorm in winter.
No problem keeping warm and cosy, as in addition to the electric heater provided I always brought another one with me and left both switched on 24/7 if need be.

I often wondered if the rent I paid would even cover their electric bill.

Lynn R

I was under the impression that if you are renting long term, the landlord usually pays the IBI and community fees (if applicable) and the tenant is responsible for electricity and water bills. Is this not so?

I wouldn't be leaving an electric heater on 24/7 if I was paying the bill!