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Hi everyone,
we have just returned from sunny, warm Spain. Everyday was clear blue skies and the temperature during the day was warm enough for the kids to go in the hotel swimming pool, although at night it did get quite chilly.

It was great for us all to see the development and our apartment again, the views are still as spectacular as the first time I saw them. There are plenty of photos for you all to mull over, the first set are of Cox, we did visit during siesta time so the
' High street ' looks pretty quiet,  but we did find a bar to have a coffee and a coke. People are very friendly, but don't expect to much English to be spoken, an investment in a phrase book and dictionary would be worthwhile.

Anyway regarding the build which seems to be moving on quite steadily, especially the row on Calle Jaboneros where we have apartment no. 36. The rendering on the outside of the build has been finished with s slight glassy finish, giving it quite a shimmering look.
Looking at the photos you will be able to envisage the finished article, the swimming pool and the pathways. There is still a lot of building material around so it looks a bit cramped, but once it is all cleared and the landscaping is finished I'm sure we will all be quite pleased.
When you look at the photos of the apartment interior you will notice that all the tiles have been layed and the kitchen cabinet carcasses have been installed. We got the feeling that all was been very well fitted, there were no grumbles at all just smiles all around.

We did plenty of measuring up, just to make sure we got the right size of furniture, and make sure you count the lights, you'll be surprised as to how many you will need, especially if you have purchased an apartment with the solarium.

I spoke to the site manager, who escorted us around, and he thinks that it maybe late March early April before we can complete, I think he was playing safe and maybe we will complete before then, we will have to wait and see.

The agent we are going through, Pure Property, made all the arrangements for us to get the NI number, which without you cannot do anything in Spain, then it was onto the Notary to give power of attorney to our solicitor, then finally to the bank to open an account. We opened an account, with the help of our solicitor with BBK who have the lowest bank charges, at the moment anyhow.

Come mid February we are hoping to visit Cox again, and take a trip to Murcia and Ikea to order our furniture. I'm sure we will see huge steps have been made at Mirador by then, and we will be taking our first sips of wine on the terrace very soon.

adios

Ian, Jill and the girls

HI IAN.

GREAT TO SEE PROGRESS AT SITE,LOOKS LIKE STILL LOADS TO BE DONE FOR COMPLETION IN MARCH?.WEATHER LOOKS FAB ,WE ARE OUT IN JAN. FOR 2 WEEKS WILL SEE HOW FAR THEY PROGRESS BY THEN.POST PHOTOS THEN.

CHEERS

BILLY

Hi everyone again.  Returned last night from a lovely sunny Espana.  It's our first experience of December in Spain and we can well recommend it.  The days were cloudless blue skies and warm enough for shorts and t-shirts, but once the sun went down, it was very chilly.  We were staying with friends who live in Fortuna and they have a lovely log fire which is great until you hit the bedrooms!  Brrrrrrrr !!  Us townies must have got far too soft!

Yes the development is coming on.  At least most of it is - ours at the front is well behind.  We were quite disturbed though as to how close together some of the properties were.  I think it's a case of the spanish builders getting too greedy, or else us brits expecting too much for our money, but I think the development as a whole is spoiled by putting in the extra inside row of apartments.  I also worry whether they are legal from EC fire regulations.    If a fire broke out in one of those inside apartments, it's the Fire of London all over again it seems to me.   Perhaps I'm just a worrier but I still think the development would have looked much nicer without at least one of the inside rows.  Oh well it's back to 'Buyer Beware' I suppose and the obvious danger of buying off-plan.  Once we're sitting on the solarium sipping our vino tinto, I'm sure all will be well.

I'll add some pics, but they won't be much different to what is already there I'm afraid.

I remember that some of you were Celtic fans and saw an ad in a local paper which may be of interest to you.  I took a picture which I'll also download.

Our friends took us on a trip to Guardamar de Segura - what a lovely place.  Well worth a trip and I reckon it will be the obvious local choice of beach for us living in Cox.  It's much nicer than Torrevieja I think.  We also went to La Zenia which was another little cracker and had a lovely meal in a restaurant overlooking the sea.

Hope you're all well out there and have a lovely Christmas.  I wonder if we'll all be out there for Christmas 2008?

Happy Christmas

Dil & Alan (18)

 

Is anyone else having problems uploading pics?  I've tried about half dozen times tonight and although they at first appear to be uploading, I then get an error message.  I'll try again tomorrow.

Cheers

Dil

Welcome Home Dil & Alan....Ian , JIll & family...

So pleased  that you all had such a good time.... and great to see some more photos and hear the latest news. Especially about the weather. The last 2 times I was in Spain ....late Sept. in Almoradi...and just 2 weeks ago at Mirador.....we had terrible storms..pouring rain..and Last month. I was wearing a  a jacket . It was very cold day & night. I was beginning to worry if the sunshine were as good as they say. I am relieved to know it can be.  

The area looks really good....a lot more has been completed in the past couple weeks. I can't see the crane in your photos..it was outside the pool area when we were there in November.. Right. next to No 50 which we are buying.  I think I can see glimpses of our apt in your photos.We couldn't walk around to see the front of ours... As it was too blocked off.  I was really pleased to see your kitchen with the wall cut out. As we wanted to do the same.. but were unsure if it were worth the cost.. Our wall was already in place. But we hope it can be adjusted. We still have these issues of extras to settle...as we were asked to wait to discuss them until we were contacted on return home. We have received our contract this week..and have  to return it..along with the list of extras. I am hoping they can still adjust the wall..as it does open up the kitchen tremendously. It felt very closed in & narrow with the full wall. In the photo it looks much more spacious.

As a matter of interest, we have been given a completion date of April 30th. Printed in the contract we received...and this was confirmed by our masa  rep over the phone a couple of days ago. As June was mentioned on some paperwork we received detailing the building standards...and level of the development. so I called to check on this.

btw..I was planning to put the washing machine in the solarium annex as suggested by others... but was concerned for how steep the stairs are to lug the clothes up & down.There was a small gap left in the wall of the kitchen....at the end where I assume the washer  would normally be located. From the photo..it seems there is still enough room for a  small cupboard...& maybe some drawers..even with the washer in place.. Do you recall if that space is large enough ?  Also how large is the annex area to the solarium..(taking into account the stairs passing through). Do you think it Is it big enough for an extra seating area?

Dil,

I agree with what you say about the nearness of the buildings. I tried to keep positive..as a lot of rubble.. the large crane....and building materials.. were All in the way. I hoped it would be a larger space than meets the eye..when it was landscaped etc. As NO 50 is in the inner row...and our front balcony looks right into the back of the apts in front. It was the ONLY disappointment. EVen the fact we were quite surrounded ..didn't bother me..as there is still a view. But being so close was a little of a worry.  They are such lovely little apts..and the area is so nice. We have to hope that we will all be safe & happy...and FIRE!..will not be an issue. There are alarms fitted in the apt.. It mentions 3 sensors in the details.  I assumed they are for Fire.? We will just all need to be careful. I was mainly concerned with seeing too much of my neighbours..& they of me. Being in such close proximity. But as we are front balconies....looking to the back....it should work out Ok. The solariums, hopefully, are large enough for us to find a private space not overlooked.

Best Wishes, Carol

Managed to get a few pics on site but it was torture.  Each one is taking about qtr hour so have given up.  If anyone wants more pics send a private reply to me giving me your personal email address and I will attach them that way.  The Celts club pic has appeared twice for some reason - I def. only uploaded it once!

By the way, the alarm which Carol mentions is a burglar alarm and not a fire alarm and I understand that the contractor pays for the service for a short while (a few months I think) and then we have to pay a service charge - don't know what that is though.  Anyone out there with further info?

Dil

hi

think you are mixing up the house insurance with the alarm system,as this is free for the first three months.the alarm system is seperate to each house as i am led to believe and there was no mention of any contracts for alarm system when i purchased the property and i am not expecting to be paying any charges for it.

cheers

Hi - well that's interesting and I hope you're right, but we were definitely told that it was only for a limited period and then we had to pay a service charge.  Maybe it was only for an annual check up though, I don't really know.  Anyone else out there heard anything?

Thank you to all concerned for the new piccies......it looks like things are really moving out there now.

When we went in November ours (no.2) was still in a basic state...but it looks like it has been rendered and painted now.....

Is anyone using Moneycorp for the currency change. They keep phoning us with news saying that the £ is falling against the Euro....anyone else experiencing this?

Finally......A very Merry Christmas to everyone and their families....and a happy and healthy new year and hopefully we will all be there next for the party of parties.....

Barry & Sandra

hi barry.

i am using moneycorp and have a large transfer next week to my spanish account for final payment,you should not be concerned with the euro rate if you did a forward contract with them for later date transfer as you would have agreed your euro rate then,i recieved email from them yesterday to pay my sterling payment to them for my forward contract in euros next week.

due to the delay in the completion of mirador my forward contract amount will have to just lie in my spanish account until i do complete,might do something in january at bank when i am over in spain

regarding getting interest on my euros?.euro rate is terrible at moment and i am glad i tied in at a fair rate when i did back in april.

cheers

billy

Hi Barry & Billy,

We are also set up with Money Corp...due to transfer in early January our first major installment. We were told  to check back with them 2 weeks before and start  negotiating a set rate for the euro. (which is any time now !!!  ) Sadly the euro has not improved as we hoped it would. I am still not clear how any of these transfers work. I am negotiating at the moment with the builder... the 75 L water tank mentioned on here. And have to transfer those costs. So we will soon find out. 

We really loved Mirador  when we saw it in November.  And just a few weeks later... The new photos certainly show a Big Step Forward. Things are really moving along and  looking good. It is going to be a lovely community.

Here's Wishing everyone A very merry Christmas..and the Happiest of New Years!  May 2008 see us all Happy in our new Spanish homes!!

From......Carol & Danny No 50