Is Now The Time to Buy or Sell ??

"As a woman ...................................... I am observing on this site though that some men just have to flog something to death and always try to have the last word. What does this stem from? Insecurity? Competitiveness? I have read in the psychological literature that some men never move out of child mode and make the transfer into adulthood, so this may be part of the explanation. I would welcome any psychological insights or opinions from women especially, who must have also observed this phenomenon."

Johnzx, nope, I don't read that post of Eggcup's as bullying. She is simply telling us her opinions and thoughts on what she has observed. Bullying to me, is when posters make personal insults. Or tell each other their posts are 'tosh' or 'nonsense' as they simply cannot accept that others have opposing views or opinions.

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Thank you Aly.  Yes, you're right, I didn't make a loss when I sold my cortijo; I about broke even, which is good going these days, and partly due to the fact that I bought in 2003 and sold in 2008.  Breaking even must be pretty impossible for others who bought nearer the peak of the market.  This is happening in the UK too.  Someone up the road from our house in the UK bought a large house in 2007 for about £450,000, spent at least £70,000 on improving and converting it; and with other costs I estimate he spent maybe £550,000 altogether.  He recently put it on the market for £350,000.  I don't know why he needs to sell; it would be far better if he could hang on, and wait for the elusive upward trend in prices, but he must have his reasons. 

In terms of helping property to sell, we also put a lot of work into the cortijo, extending the house, installing electricity, putting in hot water boilers, putting in a large pool, a new septic tank, including lots of extras, like an expensive generator for the pool and electricity in the house, leaving all the furniture, including an expensive gas fridge and so on, and making sure the house looked its best for viewings, which in the countryside requires a lot of maintenance work.  It started to look shabby at one point, through lack of use, so we got in and repainted it from top to botton.  My advice for anyone trying to sell now, is to make sure that you really keep on top of the property, make sure the price is reasonable, dress it for viewings (I know they must be few and far between) and so on. You need a bit of a wow factor; one of our wow factors was the view; others will have other features they can highlight.

On the other subject, regarding all the insults that have been levelled at tme on this site, these began when I started my first thread ever a couple of weeks ago; I got called all sorts of names and had people cast aspersions on my character.  The most I've ever done is when someone insults me or accuses me of something, suggest that it is 'projection.'  I assume most people know what this means, but in case they don't, I see it as the psychological phenomenon whereby someone either has a certain negative characteristic or fears they have it and then lashes out at others, 'projecting' this fault onto them, as they cannot cope with the knowledge or worry that they suffer from this failing.  'Gay-bashing' would be a classic example. 

I have offered this as a possible explanation a couple of times now, as it has genuinely occurred to me that this might be going on.  If anyone else has any intelligent explanations for the personal attacks made on me and on others and which lead to the deterioration of many of the threads, it would be interesting to hear them (as long as these, too, don't take the form of personally insulting others).

 I make my living buying and selling things , and   would never be insulted buy a low offer on anything, as an offer shows an interest to buy  !! its just the price you have to haggle over then  to complete the sale !!! 

Harry07 if you want to buy a property in Spain just go ahead and buy one , enjoy your new life in the sun, bid a price you feel happy to pay , if its the one you like best and is every thing you have been looking for  its worth more to you than anyone else !

that the trouble with money  worrying how to spend it !!!the more you have the worse it is ..................

ps i allways buy my things in sales, then resell them  for a proffit when i dont want them anymore, anyone interested in a leather laura Ashley £1,600 sofa used for 6 months for £600 ????????????ha ha

Eggcup bullying? Absolute pc rubbish, and accusations like this undermine the real problems of bullying that exist both in cyberspace and in the real world.

No worries my Friend  - I will certainly buy the right property at the right time & at the right price.

Having worked in commercial property in Asia for 20 years I feel qualified to suggest this is not a bad time for buyers in Spain ie the reality is that both sellers & buyers always want to achieve the best price !!!

Incidentally, where do people feel the best value is currently to be found in Spain ie  in terms of locations, developments etc ???

Regards,

Harry

@ antonio 1: My (limited) experience suggests that how well a community is run is what determines the level of debt. Our debt is lower than it was 4 years ago

Thanks David, I know in the UK a lot of developments are having problems collecting service charge arrears which quite often do not get paid off until the property is sold, my gut feeling at the moment is to buy an older apartment as am worried that the newer blocks might me more vulnerable if lots have been bought by investors.

johnzx, the comment you quote was a response to scooby2's problems with a neighbour. In would appear that scooby2 is a victim of thoughless neighbours who refuse to be reasonable, which whilst their behaviour may not consitute bullying it is certainly unpleasant, annoying and unreasonable. So no, I do not think eggcup's suggestions on that thread  are either bullying or unreasonable merely an idea to stop others unreasonable behaviour or should scooby2 just be submissive and accept this this intrusion by their neighbour? Of course this the wrong thread to be discussing this on, perhaps it should be posted on the thread in question..

well Harry  the best location is within commuting distance from Gibralter ,( allways easy to let  should you want to ) and the best , developments are within walking distance of  the beach, and the best apartments are 2 bed , 2 bath  penthouses with large terraces   ( no noisy neigbours above  chucking water down all over your roof  ! and they have the best views),  and of course  the best value right now is mine !! as I want to sell it fast , as have other fish to fry !so for this week only ......... and as i will be in Spain untill Friday with no agent fees to pay  am offering a discount !!! was 175 thousand euros  now just 145, thats 1/2 purchase price 5 yrs ago when it was  built bargain or what eh?

  feel free to make me an offer (it never offends !!) so IMHO  its the right property , at the right price at the right time !!!! 

pm me if your interested ............

Good question Harry.

Like many others, we have given some thought to the idea of buying another property in Spain, having sold ours in 2006 before the market took a huge nosedive.  Since we want to spend several months in Spain every year, it seems to make sense to buy a property, rather than rent one for 6 months.  We like the idea of being able to leave our own 'stuff' in a Spanish place where we can fly out at any time of the year to spend weeks or months at a time at our convenience.  Also, whilst we're not there, other members of the family could use the property. 

HOWEVER, we do have concerns about keeping a place in Spain.  We realise it could prove very difficult to sell should we feel the need to do so. Even though we wouldn't be buying with the idea of selling anytime soon, we know from our last experiece of owning a property in Spain....things happen in life that necessitate a change of plan.  Yes, I know, life changes happen wherever you are and this fact, alone, shouldn't stop us from doing what we want to do in life.  BUT...it's a whole lot easier to shift a property here in the UK than it is in Spain and it's a whole lot cheaper, too. 

As you can read, we usually end up talking ourselves OUT of buying a property in Spain even though we do love the idea of owning one.  It's one of those 'If we won the lottery' ideas!  We're going out to the Costa del Sol for three weeks next month and we'll finally make up our minds then.....buy or rent.

As far as buying is concerned, we realise we would have to think even more carefully about this than we did the first time around.  At the moment there are close to 1.7 million properties for sale in Spain and many of them are NOT good buys however cheap they can now be bought for.  Location is a huge factor...but build quality is equally as important.

Poppy

QUOTE

Of course this the wrong thread to be discussing this on, perhaps it should be posted on the thread in question..

No I was not off thread you were.

My questions was whether Eggcups suggestion amounted to  bully or just reasonable behaviour / comment ?

You answered that Q by saying that being unreasonable was an acceptable way of dealing with an unreasonable neighbour.

Thanks Poppyseed.  Yes, I've been called 'nasty' for helping a friend and now a bully for trying to give constructive suggestions to Scooby about how to deal with a very difficult situation.  Again, after people have tryied to bully me, by calling me names, that the word bully gets applied to me, with a tenuous argument, to say the least.  Some people are more interested in continually scoring points and trying to 'win' as though they were in a wrestling match.  Others of us are trying to be helpful and think our way around problems for the benefit of others.  I feel good about my day if I've helped someone.

With regard to eggcup I tried to help it but to no avail below is my offer and beneath is her reply.

Quite a resonable request especially as my first post did not call any one anything read that and then read its reply. who attacked me first and then claimed self defence.I posted them here as it dilutes your threat.

 'I know you wont want to hear this especially from me, but it's simply down to your own insecurity.

Dont flip out! something around you, could be partner, friend anything thats making you feel insecure ,but that is why you react in this way you are mis reading the projections as your judgement is clouded by the insecurity:), thats all we all suffer from it. 

I made no direct coments at all toward you in my first post it was as a direct result of your psot proceeding mine that I reacted? go check it out for your self, i have.It just simply coinsided with youre posting, you arent the only person in here with property to sell there are numourous coments made regarding the price of property and how people could have got this much back in the day etc. I was mearly referring to those coments made in general.If we were all in the same room there wouldnt have been the same reaction.You took it upon your self to assume that I was directing my comment toward you (there lies the insecurity) when I was not.

If I needed to vex any anger I would simply join a chat room.

I read your comments about being singled out and targeted for abuse but that simply isn't true not from this end anyway.

I have writen to you dircetly so you can answer directly without having to feel that people are gauging you by your responce.

thats it pure an simple.

I use the word simple quite a lot dont I ? No not a reference to you....:)

kind regrds

Person'

'Please don't send me private messages.  If you do I'll copy them for all to see.  You're starting again.  You have no right to call me insecure.  It's getting on my nerves and I don't want private little chats with you.  I'll let others know if you do this again.  I might let them know anyway.  And I have no worries about what people think about me; I don't know why you think I do.  I'm a highly-educated and successful person with a good family life; I repeat that people on this site do not know me and I want these constant judgements about me to stop.  Now.'

Appreciate the feedback Maddiemack.

Curious to know if you have a general location you are focusing on + property type & why ??

Cheers,

Harry

 johnzx

Just when I was thinking was it me to blame?

Thank you john I knew I was sane.You put that into context for me.

I have sisters who do the very same thing, 5 of the bloody things. God love em. 

Kind regards

Mmm.  There is a hefty lack of self-awareness in some people.  And a lack of empathy.  At the risk of repeating myself ad nauseum, I have not called anyone any names, but have been on the receiving end of name-calling and I consider this to be bullying and not an acceptable way of communicating.  An important aspect of some bullying is the 'ganging up' phenomenon, which is now also happening; this can be also be seen as male bonding, maybe to prop up individual fragile egos.  They think it is fine to call someone an idiot and insecure and they pat each other on the backs for it.  I'm sure they'd feel the same if they were called it; they'd particularly like to be called it by a woman. But I'm not sure if empathy is something that you can teach.

Of course, the idea that I can be psycho-analysed by these men is a bit of a joke.  BBB has tried to 'help it' (I don't know what 'it' refers to).  He thinks that by sending me a private message, calling me insecure and suggesting that I have private and family problems is going to 'help' 'it', after calling me an idiot as well.  And they wonder why I don't just roll over and take it.  Like Poppyseed said, maybe they want us all to be submissive.  I should be put in my place, wear a pretty dress and smile lots.  Like that's going to happen.

 Hello I'm new in here.

I have some interest in buying property in spain and wondered if this was good place to start looking?

I have read some of the threads so it seemed like a good place to start.

who will start the bidding?

I should be put in my place, wear a pretty dress and smile lots.  Like that's going to happen.

Well you give it a try or just give up, before you embarassed us all by your OTT sexist behaviour.  No one care whether you are a woman or a man, if you can't hack it thats your problem sis.

PS where can I get a sex change please ?