Reliable lawyer needed Costa Blanca North

Hi everyone,

We are new to this site.  We are interested in purchasing a Brisas Del Mar apartment, any advice, photos, details on the area, beaches etc.. would be much appreciated.

We have never visited this part of Spain before so information on the surrounding area would be helpful,  any info on what the future plans for the area would also be welcome.

Advice on the financial side, lawyers, banks etc..

We would initially be looking to have this as a holiday home, is the property ideally situated for this.

We look forward to hearing from you

 

Chris & Chris

 

 

 

 

Welcome to the Two Chris's

We have an apartment in Mar Y Sol - the yellow finished block behind Brisas del Mar. I can't think of anything bad to say about the apartment or the area. Do have a look at the Mar Y Sol forum and you'll find out a lot about the area.

There are quite a few really good tapas bars/restaurants in Formentera and Rojales - all in walking distance.

Guardamar is lovely. It has an absolutely beautiful beach and it will take you about 10 minutes to drive there. You can, if you feel energetic, walk along the River Segura into Guardamar, or if you have a bike, then it's a lovely cycle ride.

We are close to lots of great places - Alicante is about 25 minutes away and has lots to see and do. Torrevieja, although very English, still has a lot to offer - great shops, lots of restaurants that are open out of season when lots of other places are closed (mainly because of the resident ex-pat population). There's Elche. Not only does it have many interesting buildings to see, there are lovely palm gardens and it has, allegedly, the biggest shoe factory in Europe. As it's the only factory I've visited, I can't say whether it's the biggest, but it certainly has lots of lovely shoes which are very reasonably priced.

There are so many lovely beaches between Alicante and the Mar Menor that you are spoilt for choice.

Banks: well, it depends what you're looking for. I can only tell you of our own experience. We bank with Halifax Espana because we can transfer money from our English account for free. OK, we don't necessarily get top whack on the exchange rate, but it is easy. Our lawyer has been absolutely great, from the time we took the draft contract to him, to when we collected the certificate of habitation. He is based in Los Alcazares, which is close to San Javier airport. His e-mail address is deluna@lex-marbella.com. His name is Jan Pablo de Luna Munoz.

All the owners of Mar Y Sol, and the few Brisas ones that we've met are lovely people and we've made some great friends.

We were very fortunate in that we had to look long and hard to find anything to put on a snagging list and the same builders are working on Brisas.

There are plans for a cinema complex, Carrefour and restaurants in Benijofar which is very close. I can't remember when it's due to start.

We're told that once all the building work has been completed, we're going to get some tennis courts and football facilities on some of the land.

The beer's good, the wine is excellent (and cheap), tapas is the best way to eat food... what more can I tell you???

Good luck and do keep us informed each step of the way.

Regards

Irene & Alan

 

Hello and welcome Chris and Chris,

We have bought on the Brisas Del Mar and are in phase 3 of the development.  We have been very pleased with all the communication we have received so far.  We have visited several times and tried out the various bars and drove around the surrounding area and I think we are in a very nice village and not too far from most facities - bit of everything, for everyone.  Even better were very close to the bars and restaurants which are all within walking distance and are very friendly.

There are some lovely people on this forum and the Mar y Sol - everyone is friendly and were really looking forward to when the development has completed and all of us being able to meet up.

Hope you find the right apartment for yourselves, good luck with your decision and as Irene and Alan have said keep us all posted.

Regards

Sharron

Hello Chris and Chris

We have bought an apartment in phase 1 Brisa Del Mar. All I can say is that we are waiting to go over and officially get our hands on the place. We cant wait to go. All I would like to say is that everybody on this forum and site are very helpful and we should have a nice little community when its all finished.

I think its in a great location , just back from the coast and slap bang in the middle of two busy airports , Alicante and Murcia.

Loz & Kath Elliott

 

 

 

 HI Chris and Chris welcome to the Brisas site as lrene and Allen have said nothing bad to say about the area lovely village close to lots of other towns and golf and Guardamar beach just 10mins away and idealy positioned between Murcia and Alacante airports so take your pick for the cheap flights.As Sharron said we are right by the bars. supermarkets,a nice little park and when the construction is finished we should have a sports complex with tennis courts and football pitches etc. Loz and Kath l am also on phase 1 (no 35) where about is yours judging by the last photo update they wont be to long in finishing that phase Cant wait for the next update or to get out there again in March.We are all going to try and meet up for a drink when they are complete or before if anyone is out there at the same time so you are welcome to join in.Pat.  

Hi Patpur, We have bought on Brias Del Mar 2 , Block 1 , 2nd floor , apartment C.  The buying process is slow but better late than never. It looks like we will be going out in March so keep us posted about this meeting for a bit of a knees up , me and Kath all up for that. We havent been back to the area since October 2006. I think we will be in for a shock at the change by all the things we have read. See you all out there.

Hi

we just waiting to complete ,we also will be out in March so please keep us up dated on the meeting as we would like to get to know some more people out there ,the people are really friendly and helpful that we have already met so hope to meet somemore as all our friends live further down the coast they keep going to the area for us to keep us up dated on the area as it seems a life time ago that we decided to buy . Look forward to meeting up .

amanda and nick

Hi Amanda and Nick welcome it wont be to long now until they are ready.Loz and Kath you must be in the block over the bars and supermarket, it has changed a lot since oct 06.The Mar y sol residents have been great at keeping us up to date.l will be out there March 16th-27th, what dates will everyone else be out. Pat.

Hi Everyone

I have mentioned this previously, but not in this thread, so I thought it worth repeating.

when we bought our apartment in Mar Y Sol, we were entitled to the ARCA package. However, we didn't like any of it, so we went to ARCA and they allowed us to choose items up to the value of the furniture package. OK we didn't get nearly as much, but at least we got decent stuff. So if you'd rather choose your own furniture, talk to your builders and ask them if you can choose up to the value.

We're planning to move out to Spain to our lovely apartment mid-year, if we can sell our house. We're out in late Feb and will take some photos and put them on the site when we get back. If anyone wants us to look at anything in particular, please let me know.

Bye

Irene

Hi lrene and Alan thanks for the tip on the ARCA  pack, good luck with your house sale and move to Spain, which Mar y sol apartment are you in (better to pm that for safety) so we can visit when you are settled in,look forward to the updates in feb,the builders seem to be getting a real move on. Pat.

Hi everyone.

We are going out 17th-21st Feb, so we will miss you again Pat! Hope to meet up with Mike and Gloria from Mar Y Sol.  Interesting to hear about Arca, we might sort that when we come over, do'nt think it's too early? Wonder if the withdrawl of Self Certification mortgages will affect anyone?  Will post some pics if there have been changes since the last ones were taken.

Been for long weekend saw a chap in sales office says all will be finished in May. 

Hi Christine And Geoff yes will miss you again, we will meet for that drink,yes for those that have a furniture pack it would be ideal to find out now before they start moving stuff in.look forward to the pics.Pat

Any body any advise on mortgage lenders, we do'nt want to take on the builders mortgage.

We counted 9 only left to plaster at weekend.Pool ready to tile external render wont take much doing sales said builder is ahead of schedule said ready for may but realistically I think key ready money to pay August

Chris and Liz

Mirfield West Yorkshire

Hi Chris and Geoff who is the builders mortgage with? l havent checked yet, you could try Halifax as they heve a branch in Gurdamar, as you wil need a Spanish bank account t o pay your water and electric by direct  debt also your taxes and usually your community charges. l had he builders motgage on the Almoradi apartment which was with Cam. Chris and liz thanks for the update, cant wait to get there in March.Pat.

Hi Pat

 

 Do'nt know who the builders morgage is with, we are going to see about it this time,  we have been advised not to take it as it could be inflexible.  We are going this time to open our Bank account and to see Halifax re mortgage.  Have tried several brokers, its all a bit confusing.  They say that you cannot have a mortgage until you have a valuation, and that you ca'nt have a valuation untill you have had the habitation licence.  How does that work cos the Mar Y Sol buyers did not get their habitation licence untill after they had got the keys?

Hi yes it is confusing they used to grant the mortgage with out the habitation licence saying or thinking it will be granted later, l think they insist on the habitation licence because they have been left with some illegal properties they cant get there money back from well not all of it and there used to be a lot of over valueing going on which they didnt mind as it suited them to have people paying bigger mortgages but now they are all clamping down on this with the so called credit crunch (bloody yanks). The apartments in Almoradi were all signed for before the habitation licence was granted and the water and eletcric  was connected so we all took a gamble really,but with all the illegal builds which they turned a blind eye to for years and have now decided to act on belatedly (stable doors and horses etc) its not worth the gamble anymore.Yes the builders mortgage can be inflexable but the set up costs are a lot cheaper it depends what degree of flexability you need.let us know who the builders mortgage is with and how you get on with the halifax etc the Cam bank one l had was eurobar + 1% (l think it varies from 0.75% to 1.5%) depending which bank you go with. Good luck and have a good trip.Pat.