Re: Where to start?
 

True and who can say how much rents will be in 5 or 10 or 15 years time.
They certainly won't stay at their present levels for ever.

Re: Where to start?
 

just a line but you can rent a lovely house with a garden for a lot less than £10,000 a year, more like £6,000, I have been looking myself for next year:thumbup:

Re: Where to start?
 

The danger I suppose is if we have a spell of high inflation, there's no reason why you couldn't be paying 2000 a month in rent in 5 years time. I'm not saying that it's inevitable, but when you look at all the financial turmoil that's been going on (QE, bank bail-outs, oil price rises etc) I certainly wouldn't bet against it.

Re: Where to start?
 

Definitely rent first and then buy as the property market will not recover quickly and you will have a chance to see what the place is like before you commit. Too many people rush in and then regret their own decision and then find someone else to blame. Make a list of your current priorities and then see how they are in a year...all the best to you and good luck. Spain is a beautiful place to live and despite the economic situation its still better to walk down the paseo on a bright sunny December morning than wandering around a shopping centre on a grey cold day in England!

Re: Where to start?
 

Nobody can predict house or rental values in the years to come, but it seems likely that both will fall for the next year or so. Renting in Spain or elsewhere in Europe is entirely different to the UK, it’s safe, respectable and the best solution for most people.

Actual figures can easily become meaningless, but if you buy with a mortgage you will be better off renting, in Spain. And if you pay cash at 150K, taking subsequent costs into account, you could rent the equivalent for something like 30 years at least.

Your inheritors would suffer after that time, so it’s between you and your feelings towards them, but there will come a time when it no longer matters to you.

(I bought my current home 13 years ago, if I had left the money in my UK bank it would have allowed me to rent an equivalent home for a much longer time than I have left, and I would have moved when various nasty things happened over the years, the seventh burglary being one of them). (And my kids will sell the gaff in a heartbeat when I die, or just leave it to rot, which is even more likely).

Re: Where to start?
 

Thank you HGB that was my point.

If inflation goes up so does the cost of a mortgage, cost of living and so should the interest you get on any savings etc as they seem to use interest as a way of controlling inflation.

We also rent a 4 bedroomed house with 6000m2 of fruit trees for 500e a month, ok it is not perfect as previous posts will show but we have the freedom to up and leave should our requests not be dealt with and at the moment many need you to be renting their homes. I fancy trying a different part of Spain and we have the freedom to do that as well but having been here for a year now we have learned so much of what is important to us and what is not with regards to looking for a property and if we ever need to return to the UK the funds are there to buy a house out right, might not be the same as we had, where we were living but we can at least buy. If you purchased in Spain you have to compete with about a 5,000 empty homes within the area, yours would have to be pretty special to others as it is to you.

Re: Where to start?
 

Hi, I have an apartment in Los Altos and this is very near to all the areas you mention and I have visited all of them. Entre Naranjos was quite remote but quiet but I believe they have built new shops and a golf course. Quesada was very nice and had a lovely little town centre with good bars and restaurants, I really liked San Miguel, it is a typical working Spanish town with quite a lot of building work going on (well that was a year ago), it has a wide array of restaurants and bars. Most places are close to the coast where there are loads of bars and restaurants, these areas are very cheap to eat and drink because they are surrounded by housing urbanizations so they tend to keep their prices low. I would also advise you to rent before you buy because its good to get a good feel for a place. I also have friends who have an apartmentin Entre Naranjos. If you need or would like any further information please send me a PM and I could give you some handy hints.

Re: Where to start?
 

We rented for 12 months and had a good look around, settling in Pinar de Campoverde, it is just outside Pilar de la Horadada. It is a lovely village, with a mix of mostly British and Spanish. We have everything here, shops, bars, library (lots of English books), opticians, pharmacies, doctors, dentist, and a golf course Lo Romero a few minutes away. There is a bus service down into Pilar and along the coast. The beach is about 12 mins by car. The properties are reasonable to both rent and to buy. We agree with others about renting when you first move out for at least 12 months, and then you can decide if the area is for you and decide whether to continue renting or to buy.

Re: Where to start?
 

Thanks so much for the information Margaret, judging by the majority of opinions to my question, renting first seems to be the answer so I think we'll be taking your advice also!

Re: Where to start?
 

Good morning, thanks for your response and details of where you live - Pinar de Campoverde does indeed sound lovely, going to check it out online now!

Re: Where to start?
 

This does unfortunately happen more often than people realise. We rent out long term properties, but have seen people so distraught when owners decide they wont their properties back, after only one or two years.

With prices so low at the moment I am often amazed that people do not concentrate on picking up one of the many vastly reduced in price properties on the market at the moment.

Regards

Ian

Re: Where to start?
 

4 or five days is not enough time. Why the rush, take 4 or 5 weeks.

Some of the places you mention are much nicer than others, but it depends on your requirements/priorities :unsure:
If you are looking for a typically spanish small village/town, you might be better considering Rojales, Formentera, Sant Fulgencio.

Re: Where to start?
 

I would most definitely rent first if not always, prices and rents can only fall, when you rent no tax to pay, you do not own a property that will always require maintenance and up-keep, the owner has that cost. The money you would of spent buying can be put to better use. Also when you rent you have more freedom and more choices, when you buy you are fixed whether you like it or not. There will always be plenty of property to rent in the area you want to be, a bigger supply than demand.

No, prices are not low at the moment.

Re: Where to start?
 

He`s an estate agent. ;);) :D

Re: Where to start?
 

That explains it:lol: