08 Jul 2011 12:51 PM:
Horses for courses I´d say when it comes to deciding where you want to live. Inland- cheaper, beautiful, stinking hot in the summer and much colder than the coast in the winter, at least in high lying areas. The coast, well the attractions are obvious but it is pricier and busier in summer and English is widely spoken(is that good or bad- you decide).
Having been through the experience, I´d say to you:
Yes, rent before you buy. With The Bank of Spain forecasting house prices to fall still further it is likely to prove a wise investement for once.
It´s a buyers´ market right now as well, bear this in mind. There are bargains to be had esp. if you are willing to shop around and bargain.
GET A GOOD LAWYER, either recommended by one you trust or found independently. If nothing else, do this.
Set aside some of your hard earned to contract a Gestor- the angel who will take care of the nightmare of "life administration" for you- and don´t underestimate how much hassle this is. These people exist precisely for this purpose.
Beware of unscrupulous people in any walk of life who will try and rip you off.
I hope the above does not put you off. It certainly is not meant to. Living in Spain is a wonderful experience but it pays to be vogilant.
Thread:
We are going to take early retirement to Sunny Spain
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