EU Property Solutions- Experts in all Spanish property issues

How to overcome the loss of your holiday home

When you are forced to sell your home abroad, it can feel like letting go of a dream, and moving back home can be a challenge.While it’s easy to bury your head in the sand, it’s important to try and remain positive, so check out our tips on how to overcome the loss of your holiday home.

Keep busy

There’s no point in dwelling on things that can’t be changed, so when it comes to the loss of your home abroad, try not to spend too much time obsessing over what you’re missing out on and instead keep busy with things that you enjoy and make you feel happy. This could be meeting friends or going to the gym, but whatever it is, try to keep your mind from running away with you.

Get on top of your finances

If you’ve been forced to sell your home abroad because of financial complications, one of the best ways that you can make yourself feel better is to make a financial plan and stick to it. Whether this is to save some money each month or contribute to paying off loans, having an idea mapped out of what you need to do is going to make you feel much more proactive.

Do things that remind you of good times

Just because you have lost your home abroad, that doesn’t mean that you have to let go of all the good times you had and the fun things that you got up to. If you had traditions or things that you would do frequently in your holiday home, why not continue doing them back in your UK residence? Of course, some things won’t be possible, but if it was having a cooked breakfast every Sunday, eating outside a few times a week or having a games nights on the weekend with your friends, these things can easily be continued wherever you are.

Go on holiday

The attraction of purchasing a holiday home was being able to relax and enjoy a warmer climate, so why not continue doing this by going away every once in a while? It doesn’t have to be a big, expensive holiday, even just a long weekend in a sunnier part of the UK will perk you up.

Despite their being levels of uncertainty in the property markets abroad, it seems that people are still keen to make their dreams of living in sunnier countries a reality, with popular spots like Spain and France seeing growth in both sales and prices.

When you buy a property abroad, you need to remember that it is a big step, so always approach the situation in a cautious and informed way.Before you sign any paperwork or start packing your bags, check out this guide to ensure that you avoid these common mistakes overseas buyers often make.

Never sign a contract you don’t understand

Of course, one of the biggest challenges that you will face when you buy a property abroad is the language barrier. When it comes to contracts, never sign something that you don’t understand. You should receive two copies of contracts, one in English, the other in the native language of the country that you are purchasing in. Have your translator look at them both to be sure that what is said is the same in each of the two before you put pen to paper.

Seek specialist advice

While you may think you have it all sussed out when it comes to purchasing property, things can vary greatly when you buy a property abroad, so to avoid landing yourself in a troublesome situation you should always seek out the help of professionals. Consult solicitors, surveyors, and architects who will be able to give you thorough advice and answer all of your questions. In Spain for example, it’s customary for some debts to be passed to the homeowner so a special search will need to be done to verify you aren’t buying someone else’s unpaid bills.

Ask the right questions when it comes to new builds

If you are buying from a developer, it’s crucial that you find out about their track record and how long they have been trading for before you go on with a purchase. It may also be useful to see some references from previous buyers, so ask if these are available. Obtaining all of this information will give you a clear indication of how reliable this developer is and whether or not you should invest in their property.

Consider the location

It’s true what they say, location is the most important factor when it comes to choosing a property, so make sure you give it a lot of thought before you decide where you’re going to move. If you’re planning on having visitors, you might want to think about how far the nearest airport it. You’ll also need to consider how close schools and other local facilities are if you have children.