advice & help moving to fuengirola spain

Rambi said:
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 @ 2:34 PM

Hi xgembeanx,
The only advice I feel you need is if you are planning to buy a property in Spain be very cautious and trust no one. This includes agents, lawyers and anyone who you would normally trust back in the UK. Things here are very, very different. If you are considering buying 'off plan' insist on getting your bank guarantee which is a legal requirement not always forthcoming. Get a lawyer and insist that it is his/her responsibility to get it BEFORE you part with your deposit money. Get it in writing. Don't worry about appearing rude or difficult. It's your money and don't be pressured or intimidated by claims that this is the largest, most honest, well respected and most loved bank in Spain. Many banks have never issued this legally required guarantee and even some of those that have issued them are now refusing to honour them, and don't think it is easy to take them to court. IT IS NOT.
This guarantee is crucial if your developer goes bust or does not complete on time. Should you not have this guarantee you will lose your money or get involved in lengthy and expensive litigation, and I mean lengthy and expensive.
Have a look at the following website
www.bankguaranteesinspain.com
or look at some of the threads on this site regarding bank guarantees.
I sincerely hope you make the transition easily and safely, but be warned, as I said, things here are very different and corruption is rife. Your own politicians have been discovered to have been corrupt regarding their expenses, making national headlines. Here that would be considered as trivial as stealing a pencil from your employer.
Good Luck

Sue said:
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 @ 4:02 PM

Further to the comments from Rambi, my advice would be to rent first of all in the area where you want to live, to make sure that living there is as good as you expect. If you have only visited the area on holidays, you will find that living there full-time is totally different. Hopefully you will find it better! In the current economic climate, you would be better buying an existing property rather than off-plan ,and making an offer, as people are finding it difficult to sell. Just make sure that you have a good solicitor and that they will carry out important checks such as seeing whether there are any debts attached to the property that you are interested in. Good luck from me too!

Ruth said:
Thursday, June 23, 2011 @ 12:14 PM

You muyst be mad!!!!!!!!!!!! just read the messages on this website. Spain's legal system, banks, agents, lawyers, builders, developers etc etc are all corrupt and dishonest. Take advise from all the people who have lost all their life savings. Me for one after waiting over 5 years. And don't think we are all silly, starry eyed people, who bought with the hearts and not their heads. Nor are we all money grabbers who thought we could make a fast buck. We were down to earth, honest, hard working people who's only sillyness was to trust people.

Cesar said:
Thursday, June 23, 2011 @ 5:43 PM

Rambi writes "If you are considering buying 'off plan' ...."

Jesus, Rambi, why would anyone want to buy off-plan when there are about two million unoccupied completed or semi-completed houses & apartments all over Spain?

xgembeanx said:
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:08 PM

hi all, thanks for advice but my intention was to rent for a LONG time, at least for a good few years anyway, never even thought about buying to be honest as i want to get used to the ways of doing things in spain ect before i even consider buying as that would be a lifetime commitment and as you say i might not like it once i get there. thank you all for your honest comments, it is exactly what i need to help me, people being honest and not afriad to put me off ect... :o) without your comments i could do something i should not of done. xx