19 Mar 2013 3:55 PM:

Hi Jo,

Marbella is still a sought after area and it is only in the last 18 months that the price drop has started to move to the area. Properties that dont sell within 6 months are normally over priced in the first place especially in todays market. If you like the place, make an offer and see what happens, if they dont accept you can move on to another, it is a buyers market.

Short term rentals - you will never be rich and dont expect to much, you will need to do lots of marketing which in many cases can be expensive though if you look around there are a few who will do a free listing and take a commission on every rental. We have done short term rentals with our apartment and normally can fill July and August without much problem though other times of year can be hard, expect about 10 weeks per year. Plus you will need someone you can trust to manage the place locally.

Long term rentals - these days long term rentals can be a good way to go, we get many enquiries for 11 month, 6 month and 3 month rentals, lots want June to October or November to March/April, but again you will need a local person to keep an eye on the place and do minor repairs. Again some sites will do a listing for free and charge a commission.

If you know the family then why use an agent, sorry agents, just use an independant solicitor and make sure everything is legal and all bills are settled as they will not be friends of the family if it goes wrong. You can make offers via your solicitor and they will do all the checks for you.

If you are thinking of buying the place, do like you would at home, go back and have a look around the area, go back in the evening, in the morning and at weekends, are there dogs barking, youngsters on motorbikes and not nice people next door. Do your research, if it takes a few months then why worry, you are in no rush, just make sure it is right for you.

You say about being on a golf course, we are next to a 5* golf course and Spa and in 6 years we have never had any golfers. We are just 10 minutes drive from a blue flag beach, but even that is to far for some people, they want to be front line and that is to far for some, so dont expect to much and then when you do get something, it is a bonus.

Good luck with it.

Dave

Thread: Buying in Cabopino, nr Marbella

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12 Dec 2012 10:33 AM:

What we have found is that you get a good deal for your first transfer, then they slowly drop off when you are looking to transfer small amounts, say every month.

So transfer £15000 and you will get a good deal when you transfer that amount or even your  interim and final amounts, but the regular transfers can be rubbish, but still better that the Banks. This is the question you need to ask when you set up the account. Dont be worried about registering with a number of providers and play one off against the other and check every few months to see if they are still giving you a good deal, if not MOVE.

Someone asked about signing up via a link on a site like eye on Spain. In most cases, there will be some sort of connection between the site owner and the service provider and the site owner will get a small fee for each person they sign up via the site link and they make a transfer, not big bucks, but it is still a fee.

Someone asked why not say who the company is, we most sites do not encourage this or allow it as it could affect any links they have with advertisers, you can always find out by sending a PM to the person who mentioned what ever it was.

Dave

Thread: transferring money

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11 Dec 2012 10:43 PM:

Hi all

I have just checked with our FX propviders and the best price I could get would have given you 18585€.

If you want details ofour provider then do email/PM me and I will pass on the contact.

Dave

Thread: transferring money

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01 Oct 2012 3:27 PM:

Not saying it is bullish, it all depends on location, size of development and price. A development close to the beach with easy access to the major airport and dirt cheap with 100% finance will sell quickly. There are a few of these around but most of them are on golf courses and inland.

Seek and ye shall find, but try making an offer first

Thread: Why go back to the Uk? Is Spain not cheap enough?

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01 Oct 2012 3:18 PM:

Hi Bobaol

It would not supprise me if it was not from the famous harry smith, he contacts us on a regular basis. If an enquiry gives a telephone number then put that telephone number into Google and see what comes up, many times it will link to some forum saying that it is a hoax.

You can do the same with the email address.

Thread: my properties for sale.

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