http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/ The Spain Forums, Costa Blanca British Expatriates community, Blogs, free classifieds, property, photo gallery,chat rooms, and news. en Mon, 08 Sep 2008 04:40:34 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.thespainforum.com/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/ http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/lee/my-own-reasons-leaving-country-i-once-so-proud-22/ Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:52:34 GMT For most of my life I have always been proud to be British. Flown the Union Jack when camping in Wales. Much to the disgust of the local villagers... For most of my life I have always been proud to be British. Flown the Union Jack when camping in Wales. Much to the disgust of the local villagers and even once being advised to remove it so we never found a camp fire :D

The greenies and hug a Hood types keep saying social integration is a good thing and multiculturalism is a good thing.

Having non natives move into the UK is nothing new. Many generations back on both sides of my own family, my routes can be traced back to Ireland. Are the Irish a bunch of free loaders, demanding laws to change to suit their own religions and faith or just sticking two fingers up at the very foundations that have made England so great and which I was once so proud. The answer is a simple no.

So if one group can do it why cant the others, that every one is meant to gladly receive with open arms.

Through out my employment and social activities in the UK, I worked and mixed with many types of people and ethnic majorities.

I had the race card played on more than one occasion. The most memorable being in the office one morning collecting spares for other jobs. I was chatting with another member of staff about a recall I had been to and the customer saying it was the coloured guy that had attended. Being the only Caucasian engineer, I had to try and find out which of the other had been in attendance. Simple description "big coloured, little coloured, Indian or Iraqi" was the method used. Needless to say one of the coloured engineers over heard what I was saying a tried to play the race card.

The same guy who openly admitted that he was after a council house so he could buy it at a cheap rate then sell it on at profit and buy one he liked.

On another occasion it might have been well deserved when I kindly offered to finance a one way trip back home for one guy. He faced the death squad for giving details of a secret chemical plant to the UN forces. He was also facing the death squad prior to that for knowing too much about it. And many of his fellow co workers had already gone missing.

At the time he had been moaning about the UK and how unfair we were to him.

So yes I do honestly believe there were chemical plants being used for war fare purposes prior to our invasion.

Several of the guys were Muslims. They expected their special days off plus moaned if they were asked to work on our own religious breaks.

One friend I had for many years. Got married through an arranged marriage. He met the girl for 24hrs, long enough to decide they were ready to be married. Then complained about the unmarried mothers in the UK being given council housing and he would have to wait his turn. Because his new wife was already bearing a child after only three months of living in the UK.

Thats just a few of the things that got to me, others being the true lack of respect being shown to women members of staff along with being told that an Indian prime minister would make Britain a whole lot better :tape22:

You can call me racist, but there is more than just racial integration that got my goat. And the invasion of free loaders who wanted nothing more than a free council house and the dole money to support it.

How can the country throw money and open their arms to these people when the charity and resources should go to our own people first. Look at the way pensioners get treated.

Lets face it, charity starts at home.
You have the feed the starving day.
You have the feed the starving persons children day.
Easy way to stop all the starving children, send them boxes of condoms or teach them birth control and how to farm the land rather than look at it with an out stretched hand waiting for more grants.

Why don't you get a help the old people day.
Lets face it, many of these people lived and fought through the war. The freedom everyone cherishes or takes for granted has come through their sacrifices. The old men who got called up to fight for our freedom, who now seem nothing more than a burden on society, the list goes on.

People say Spain is corrupt. Does Spain take a straight bit of road and bung a speed camera on it to gain more revenue, or place one at the bottom of a steep hill where a lot of motorists will be edging just over the speed limit. Or use the media to brain wash people into believing that speed is bad or every car thats a 4x4 is killing the ozone layer or just kills more people when you have an accident. Tax the 4x4 owners even more, they love paying extra tax.

As you can tell, I love cars that are real cars and not a shoe box with a poncy engine thats as much practical use as a chocolate tea pot.

Even the social values have changed in the very fabric of the UK. The nanny state has done away with respect. Head masters can no longer cane a student or teach them a lesson they would not forget. To often schools get blamed for poor learning or not producing grade a students. If a kid is playing up and distracting the lesson, send in the head master with a cane, not blame learning disabilities or some kind of attention disorder. If a kid has a disorder, teach them to cope with it and not how to make excuses or blame the state schooling for the rest of their lives.

Every one wants respect, but very few know its something that you earn rather than have a god given right to receive.

The days of "may I" or "please" have been replaced with "give" and "I want"

When was the last time you saw a person hold a door open for some one or if you did, hear those magic words "thank you" being uttered for doing so.

The UK has changed over the years, to the extent that I would never want to return or admit to being proud of it. ]]> Lee http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/lee/my-own-reasons-leaving-country-i-once-so-proud-22/ http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/lee/final-journey-home-21/ Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:34:05 GMT This has proven to be one of my less intelligent ideas about moving to Spain and that was the initial intention to keep my right hand drive UK... This has proven to be one of my less intelligent ideas about moving to Spain and that was the initial intention to keep my right hand drive UK registered car.

Right hand drive cars in Spain are as much use as a chocolate tea pot and have very little value second hand. If you decide to import your car, it ends up being a right hand drive car of very little value on Spanish plates.

The idea was good any way. Two seat, sports convertible with sports suspension. Ideal for Spain, not. Try driving the back roads and lanes here. My head was in constant contact with the roof.

OK, the plan was simple, drive through France quick so we did not have to see it for very long. Use the toll roads, nice and fast, plus plenty of fuel stops. I wont say plenty of places to eat, because I can only compare the food served in some service stations as disgusting.

A tip for doing the journey is to carry several credit cards.

About half way through France my credit card got rejected. The only one I knew the pin number for. No great problem, the navigator came to the rescue until his card ended up being rejected a couple of refills later.

A call to the bank after the first card rejection had shown no errors their end. Luckily my card was back up and working again.

Another trick is to carry a pocket full of Euros for journey across France and Spain.

When your in France they like to get one up on those travelling to Spain. If your looking for signs for Zaragoza, they spell it with an S. I knew there was a reason to hate them :D So we had a detour or two and a nice little chat with some French police who like pulling up English cars.

We crossed the mountains between France and Spain without any hitches. You could tell we were in Spain, there was nothing on the roads but the petrol stations were open well into the night.

At this stage sleeping in the car that night had seemed a good idea at the time of planning but turned out to be one of the worst ideas ever. Tall blokes and little cars don't mix when trying to get comfy.

Notice no comment about driving for five hours. In the lorry a stop for an hour put you back an hour, so your journey time constantly became longer. In the car, a stop for an hour was soon made up by playing with the accelerator.

Ever notice how the Spanish drive like the possessed on the lanes outside of towns and the motorways then become angels driving to the speed limits in the towns. They have no understanding of one way roads, double parking or general road sense in towns, but they do know the speed limits.

With in four hours of driving in Spain, I found out why. The police like hiding speed monitoring cameras and giving out speeding tickets in towns. For those of you who have not had the pleasure, once was enough for me. You get an instant on the spot fine at the officers discretion. In other words, you pay cash on the spot. Mine was reduced from 100 euro to 70 euro.

Hence the need for carrying cash with you :tape22:

The rest of the journey was uneventful apart from the gps deciding that we were in fact a bus or taxi and thus we could use the roads only designated for them through Zaragoza.

My earlier comment about English reg cars in Spain. In the UK my car at the time had a second hand retail of about £11k, in Spain we were lucky to sell it on for £6k.

I even tried one dealers, trading it in, in part exchange for a brand new Jeep Wrangler and the dealers told me to go away, sell the car and come back with the cash.

Plus there is the six month rule with English cars legally being in Spain and other bits like MOT and road tax. You can not register your car through the DVLA to a Spanish address, it has to be registered to a UK address> Another problem was my insurance. My UK insurer would only insure the car to a UK address and a limited time out the country. Which was of little use when your moving address from one country to another.

There are insurers in Spain who will insure English cars as long as they are legal, IE road tax and MOT ]]> Lee http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/lee/final-journey-home-21/ http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/lee/my-move-spain-20/ Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:35:37 GMT There are many ways of moving to Spain. Turning up with a suit case, getting a professional removals to move you life long possessions etc etc. ... There are many ways of moving to Spain. Turning up with a suit case, getting a professional removals to move you life long possessions etc etc.

On paper hiring a small lorry, loading it and driving down seems simple enough. This was the option I took, along with returning the lorry and driving back over in my prized toy, which seemed ideal for Spain, a hard top convertible Mercedes.

Some might be put of hiring a lorry and driving it over by the extra expense incurred with ferry crossings etc.

Believe it or not, a 7.5 ton lorry goes on a ferry classed as a van. Its worth checking with the ferry operators to confirm this. But this is what we found through our own experience. No need to join the lorry que at the ferry terminal either, just drive along the same route as the cars into the ferry terminal. Fuel wise 15 to 20mpg fully loaded.

The lorry we used is pictured below

Loading the lorry went from being laid back to a mad rush after an hour unloading it looking for the keys. My dog also decided to take himself for walk at one stage while every one thought someone else was keeping an eye on him. Someone else was also to blame for the keys to the truck going missing :D

Luck was on our side when we got to Dover for the ferry crossing. December 2006 was a time when the channel got shut to to bad weather conditions. We were on the first ferry over when they reopened it.

Several lessons were learnt within the first four hours in France. One don't trust the navigator, two teach the navigator to read a map and three beat the navigator when you go wrong and their re route gets you even more lost.

Also remember to learn to use your spare gps system, if its the only one with maps of France loaded into it.

We decided to drive through France at night, one being its full of French and two, its full of French. Oh and I also think its a shit hole.

A trick to driving through France, try and do it when its open. France shuts for large portions of the day and night. Petrol stations tend to open the same times as the rest of France.

So now you have probably guessed, we are using gps due to the navigator not being able to read road maps. We decided to try and stick to the a roads rather than the motorways and toll roads. The gps at this stage decided b roads were more suitable for a lorry to drive along. I am sure we went through the same villages about twenty times along with waking the silently sleeping occupants.

For several hours not seeing a petrol station seemed of no worry at all. By the time the red warning light came on, it was more of a worry. The gps suddenly decided it had a hidden secret and could find a petrol station if you beat it in the right order. Over the navigators head seemed a good idea at one point.

From this point in we decided to stick to the toll roads. Petrol stations plus big signs made navigation and fuel easy. A quick stop in a lay by for an hours sleep followed by chocky bars and red bull was sufficient for the next 24hrs.

The chocolate bars are used for energy and the red bull to keep you awake. This is a trick I would use when working long hours on call in the UK.

Being used to buying cigarettes in petrol stations in the UK, running low was not worry until I found you cant buy them in petrol stations in Spain. My revenge was had on the navigator, because I was now reduced to smoking cigars for the rest of the journey.

Barcelona is a very pretty city to get lost in. Even more so when you are going through some long tunnel, no gps reception and a navigator with no idea where you are.

By the time we eventually got to Catral, the drive 2 hours and have a break was well and truly out the window. We were driving until we needed fuel, food or a bog stop. This was about five hours between breaks.

My dog was curled up between me and the navigator for the whole trip. The odd sigh followed by a treat and he was good as gold.

The first lesson my dog taught himself on arrival in Spain. Cocker Spaniels do not walk on water, even if the water is covered with a pool cover. Needless to say, there was a rush to retrieve him as he went into frozen stand mode while sinking a few feet in from the edge.

A few days unloading and relaxing at my new home were followed by the return drive.



A new route was chosen being shorter and in theory quicker. We were getting better at not getting lost so much and all went well until we crossed the border into France.

Some nice French customs officials decided they better check the lorry and its contents. This included looking like they had a rubber glove fetish, luckily they never did any bodily examinations. The lorry being measured inside, out side, top to bottom and all our bag contents checked. An hour later and we were back on our way. The driving times went from 2 hours and a stop to driving until the tank was empty again.

Yet again the channel had been shut and had just reopened when we made it to Calais.

And we also had our second encounter with French customs officers. The poor guy was determined he had some English booze cruise types to play with.

His face was a picture when the back was opened to show him a whole four crates of lager, sitting in an empty void. I wish I could understand the swear words he was muttering as the poor guy walked away. They could just be heard over my laughter.

Driving the A2 and M2 up from Dover to the Medway towns was a real come down after driving the quiet Spanish and French motorways and it made it sink in even more why I was so glad to be saying good bye to Blighty. I still see the mass of headlights and bumper to bumper traffic in my mind. Something I would never intentionally return to.

With all the excitement and driving across three countries, we made the lorry depot with half an hour to spare, before they shut for the night. Just the return trip in my car left ]]> Lee http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/lee/my-move-spain-20/ http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/lee/present-future-spain-forum-18/ Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:49:33 GMT The Spain forum is still an ongoing project. After two years most would have given up and walked away when there are so many other forums to compete... The Spain forum is still an ongoing project. After two years most would have given up and walked away when there are so many other forums to compete against for such a small audience.

We will remain here for a long time to come.

At present we have just joined forces with an international jobs search engine as the sole forum in Spain displaying the jobs they have.

The traffic and hits I lost back in April 2007 is coming back. We now receive more than 6000 hits a month. And that is going to increase a lot more with the input of a lot more late nights and the magic ingredient called elbow grease.

We are now in a position thats stronger than ever.

The future of the forums?

Watch this space :thumb: ]]> Lee http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/lee/present-future-spain-forum-18/ http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/lee/evolution-spain-forum-17/ Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:40:18 GMT As my internet experience has evolved, so has the forum and its design, looks and features. Gone are all the standard features along with a... As my internet experience has evolved, so has the forum and its design, looks and features.

Gone are all the standard features along with a rather drab look.

Many are admittedly put off by an over complex look and feel.

We still have the same basics as all the other forums. But with a few extras thrown in for luck.

Late 2007 the classifieds were added.

By adding this it has enabled clear posting of sales and wanted adverts. It also gives the advertiser a one stop hit to be able to sell their goods.

No need to host pictures else where then link to them. Click on the post advert, add your words then your pictures job done.

To help your advert get noticed by the search engines and help others see the advert who are browsing the main forum, an advert is automatically generated and posted there.

This is to do with terminology called search engine optimisation.

Two years ago I would have given a blank look if this was mentioned, today we run a program in the back ground dedicated to this.

If your reading this, you are in the blogs section. Something that I have personally shied away from myself. Again this was added in late 2007 in case anyone wanted to use it.

The mini arcade was recently added. Several hundred games are there for people to use if they get bored or want to take on our resident games arcade lurker.

As people will notice there has been and still is a lot of trial and error going on in the progressive and on going development of the Spain forums ]]> Lee http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/lee/evolution-spain-forum-17/ http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/lee/begining-spain-forum-continued-16/ Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:21:34 GMT Several weeks later the weather station was broadcasting everything from the wind speed to the temperature of my pond to the internet. After all... Several weeks later the weather station was broadcasting everything from the wind speed to the temperature of my pond to the internet. After all everyone needs to know your pond temperature

A friend introduced me to internet forums.
Rather than just being a member of one, I was introduced to the designing and running and hosting side.

My internet experience was still very limited. Even more so on the full understanding of just how things worked.

Over the next twelve months, everything was going well. Hits were increasing, new members were joining every day.

I had changed the forum software from a free version to a more secure, better supported version along with changing web host to one could better cope with the new changes. The forum software is still in use today.

When I changed web hosting supplier, I gained yet another web site address. At the time I never though it would be used or have much need for it.

April 2007 was a bad month for the forum.

The guy I had originally purchased some web space from and the Catral Spain dot com address from was ignoring my emails to renew the address. Contacting the company that it was registered through ended up being a non runner.

I had been caught out by a scam artist.

Let a mug build up internet traffic. Ignore them after their year is up and place a web site that is nothing more than a page full of adverts in the web sites place.

So a years worth of work and internet traffic building was down the drain.

Luckily the web site was hosted in other web space and I had the other domain name to fall back on. So all was not lost.

The last twelve months have meant a lot of hard work rebuilding the traffic that was lost.

Falling back on the other domain name, The Spain Forum dot com, has worked in my favour. It gives the forums much more scope for growth and the ability to change with the members needs

Oh yea the the weather station that started all this off. Its still in daily use along with having its own web site where you can find the latest weather conditions for Catral.

Instead of monitoring a pond, we now monitor our pool temperature. No point in jumping in a swimming pool to see if its cold, I just glance at another computer monitor ]]> Lee http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/lee/begining-spain-forum-continued-16/ http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/lee/spain-forum-just-another-forum-about-spain-15/ Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:19:39 GMT The Spain forum as it is today has taken over two years to grow and develop from my early dabbling with web site design. Originally I had no... The Spain forum as it is today has taken over two years to grow and develop from my early dabbling with web site design.

Originally I had no intention or idea about developing an internet forum. Things have just progressed from a simple idea and grown with time.

In January 2003 I was involved in a car accident. Which left me with a damaged back and a career as a refrigeration and air con engineer in tatters.

After all no one wants to employ a guy in a trade that involves a lot of heavy lifting, if they are made of glass. At the height of my career I had been the static engineer for a well known hotel in London.

It not only killed off my job prospects but also my two main hobbies. One being shooting in national competitions and the other learning to fly radio control models.

In early 2006 I rang in sick one day that ended up being six months off work.

This was also the same period I was trying to sell my house for my own move over to Spain.

To keep my mind active and challenged, I looked to the internet for something to do.

My own interest in computers started 27 years ago. At the age of 13 I got a paper round and a milk round to purchase a Sinclare zx81 which was followed by a Dragon 32. The Dragon 32 still lives in a cupboard here.

A YTS course that got me a City And Guilds in computer programing. Which with most courses at the time lead to nothing much more than a piece of paper and no further career prospects. So I went into other trades and just dabbled with computers as a hobby.

I had a weather station that was capable of broadcasting to a web site. So from there it started.

My first web site and the beginning of my hobby of web site designing was coming.

I purchased some web space off a guy on ebay which came with a web site address of my own choice.

Catral Spain dot com was borne ]]> Lee http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/lee/spain-forum-just-another-forum-about-spain-15/ http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/mike-stansmore/security-home-boat-caravan-etc-14/ Wed, 28 May 2008 13:30:39 GMT When you're away from home, or you leave your boat moored in the Marina, or your touring Caravan is left in storage, how will you know if you have unwanted visitors?

We are currently testing, licencing and producing a revolutionary, state-of-the-art, hi-tech box of tricks that will tell you if the unwanted happens.

Depending on how you want to set it up, it will text you and tell you if someone is there that shouldn't be; or text you if it gets too hot 'cause your dog is at home; or text you if it is moved (as in your Caravan being towed away). You can put in 5 different mobile numbers for 5 different functions. You can put it on your coffee table at home, bookshelf, discreatley position it where it's not visible or sit it in the middle of your lounge floor. Re-charge it every 6 months and let it do it's thing.
All in a box 142 x 88 x 47mm.

Interested? Got any questions? Want to buy one (or more)?

We are awaiting the appropriate approval to distribute throughout Europe and are looking for response and comments about the 'interest in the market place' on this and would appreciate anyone reading this to comment please. When these are released (UK release at the same time) we are expecting to be inundated with puchase orders. We shall then be looking for sub-distributors on a regional basis so if you also think this is a marketable product, get in touch.

We are moving to Murcia Region soon and bringing this product with us. It's totally new and will take personal security to a new affordable level. As things progress further, we will update this Blog but please respond with any comments or questions you may have.

We look forward to hearing from you. ]]> mike stansmore http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/mike-stansmore/security-home-boat-caravan-etc-14/ http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/digby1968/hello-13/ Mon, 24 Mar 2008 11:08:33 GMT I have lived and worked in Spain for nearly 15 years and the changes I have seen are amazing. When I first came here you had to speak Spanish or... I have lived and worked in Spain for nearly 15 years and the changes I have seen are amazing.
When I first came here you had to speak Spanish or you would not have got jobs, friends etc. Now if you can't be bothered to learn it doesnt matter. I think this is a real shame. The Spanish as a nation are a bit too accomodating when it comes to foreigners. Do yourselves a favour and really try to learn Spanish. You would npt believe the excuses people have told me over the years for why they can't learn. If you want ot speak Spanish then you will learn, its as simple as that. ]]> digby1968 http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/digby1968/hello-13/ http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/gazza/my-property-in-albox-12/ Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:48:19 GMT We bought a Villa in Albox from what we believed was a reputable company - ##company names removed to save litigation##. We purchased the Villa 3... We bought a Villa in Albox from what we believed was a reputable company - ##company names removed to save litigation##.

We purchased the Villa 3 years ago and we were guaranteed by the solicitor and the Builder that it was 100% legal. It's a familiar story where the local authority have approved the building of property on Rustic land and then the State have deemed it illegal. On the development where our house resides there are over 40 Villas which have been bought by a whole raft of intelligent people including ex Chief Inspectors, Lawyers etc.

We are now in the situation where our life savings are tied up in a property that will likely
never be legal and we will never be able to sell or recoupe the money. ]]> gazza http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/gazza/my-property-in-albox-12/ http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/ssd/private-buyers-step-step-guide-buying-property-in-spain-11/ Fri, 04 Jan 2008 10:38:44 GMT *Where to start? * The first thing to do is establish what you can afford. Add up savings and what you can afford to borrow, you will soon find... Where to start?

The first thing to do is establish what you can afford. Add up savings and what you can afford to borrow, you will soon find out what budget you have to work to.

How much to borrow?

lenders will vary the amount that they will allow you to borrow depending on your circumstances.

Independent mortgage advisers can be used to assist you, but often charge an administration fee.

A good adviser will not only find you the right mortgage though, but can also provide tips on where to find a solicitor and guide you through the buying process.

A lender will need to carry out a valuation to ensure what they are lending you is reasonable.

Find a mortgage

A good, independent mortgage adviser has access to the whole mortgage market, and will help ensure the mortgage fits your needs.

Fixed Rate

The advantage of this is that it will not change during the specified term. Many people like the security of a fixed rate as they can manage their budget knowing their outgoing will remain constant. However, if interest rates fall, you might find yourself with an expensive mortgage.

Variable Rate

This rate moves according to changes in the European base rate. There are several types of variable deals, some which track the rate, and some that change with the lender’s policy. If interest rates look like they may fall, then it may pay to be on a variable rate.

Repayment Mortgage

This mortgage is an arrangement that is made with your lender based on the principal that you pay the full amount back plus interest over a number of years.

Interest Only Mortgage

This mortgage is appealing to some; because repayments per month are (in most cases) lower than that of repayment mortgages as you only pay the interest on the loan.

Looking for property

My advice to any potential buyer is to do your homework! Decide where you would like to live and whether you can afford to live there. Think about the type of property you are looking for so that you can narrow down your search.

Before you view any potential properties of interest, have a short drive or walk around the area. And maybe re-visit at different times of the day.

Make a list of what your needs are. But try to keep an open mind…often people buy what they were not expecting to!

Things to remember when viewing

The only way to make your mind up about a property is to look at it, but in the limited time a viewing lasts you need to gather as much information as you can. Always take someone with you if you can, it's safer, and a second pair of eyes may spot things you miss.

It's a safe bet that you'll make your mind up within the first couple of minutes after you walk through the door! But if it's love at first sight, don't let that cloud your judgement. Ask yourself:

Will my furniture fit?
Is there enough storage?
Is there enough natural light?
Do I need to renovate or redecorate, and can I afford to do so?
Look for cracks in walls and around windows, and pay attention to the outside.

The state of the roof and (if present) guttering are important, Are there any missing roof tiles?

Take note of nearby properties, how many are for sale? If there are a lot, take note of the agents and see how long they have been on the market for.


Are there any damp patches or potential signs of water leaks?
Is there evidence of any ground movement or subsidence?

Good questions to ask the seller when visiting their home....

What fixtures and fittings are included?
How old is the property & how long have you lived here?
What are the neighbours like?
How many people have viewed?
Has anyone put an offer in yet and if so, how much for?
Why are you looking to move?
How soon are you looking to move?

I want to put in an offer, what do I do?

If you have viewed a property advertised on-line and you would like to make an offer, then you must contact the seller directly to avoid them incurring agent fees (and passing that cost onto you!).

It is all about negotiating and agreeing a price, so don't be afraid to offer what you think the property is worth.

Ensure that both you, and the vendor are clear on the offer and that it is "subject to contract".

When in the process of closing the deal, don't forget that your position can prove more attractive to a seller for a number of reasons as listed below. If any of these apply to you, then use them to your advantage:

First time buyer

If yes, then you have an advantage over competitive bids because you have no chain and the sale can go through more quickly.

Large deposit

Don't worry if you haven't. But when it comes to borrowing money and getting mortgages approved, it may help. The more money you have to put down the more attractive a proposition you are!

Flexibility

Are you flexible about moving dates? The more flexible you can be to the seller's needs, the better.

Please note that an in-line publisher/advertiser cannot assist with the sale or purchase of a property; cannot field questions from a buyer or a seller, advise on the price nor get involved in any negotiations. This will mean an agent will claim their commission & the seller will have to bolster the price accordingly.

What a solicitor does

Once you have had an offer accepted you need to instruct a solicitor. The cost varies. Most charge a fixed fee, plus there are other things they may charge for. These are known as disbursements and include transfers, postage, taxes etc. Ideally, it is best to go to someone who is recommended to you independently.

This is the part where you have to, albeit reluctantly, start to part with your hard-saved cash! The last stage is completion, when the balance of the purchase price is paid to the vendor, and the keys to your new home are released.

Moving

If you're moving to your new home from a rental, make sure that you give notice to your landlord. You don't want have to pay rent for a property you're no longer in. And leave the rental in good condition. Not only is it common courtesy to do so, but it will also ensure you get your deposit back.

When you move:


Change services into you name.
Take meter readings on the day you move in.
Arrange building and contents insurance.
Get your post redirected.
Let your friends, family and service providers, such as your bank and mobile phone provider etc, know your new contact details.
Agree your moving day well in advance and sort out any removal transport. If you have pets or children, you may want to get someone to look after them.

Finally pack yourself a survival kit and keep it somewhere where it won't get muddled up with other boxes! Include all ingredients for making tea and coffee, and you may want to make a packed lunch. Also include toilet roll, toiletries, and towels in case you want a shower at the end of the day.

In summary, when buying privately in Spain use a reputable website like www.spanishsalesdirect.com and you will get these bonus benefits that those who use estate agents and more traditional methods will not;

Bonus 1

Transparency: One benefit of buying directly is that you don't have to worry about misinterpretation or hidden agendas that may arise with a third party.

Bonus 2

Huge savings: Without the burden of estate agent fees put upon the seller, buyers benefit from their savings by paying a much fairer price.

Bonus 3

See a wide selection of properties chosen by you…not what an estate agent wants to show/sell you, in order to earn the highest commissions.

Bonus 4

Find the very best value for money properties in your area of choice that agents may not even have on their books at all! ]]> ssd http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/ssd/private-buyers-step-step-guide-buying-property-in-spain-11/ http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/ssd/buying-dream-spanish-home-privately-10/ Fri, 04 Jan 2008 10:10:22 GMT *This is a list of the professional services that may come into play during your private purchase:* *Estate Agent* Hmmm, well actually do not... This is a list of the professional services that may come into play during your private purchase:

Estate Agent

Hmmm, well actually do not be put off of using a GOOD agent, their skills can still be invaluable, even when buying privately.

They can make you aware of details & nuances of the area, and the asking prices of homes on the market within your ‘target range’. Use their service to make sure you are getting the best deal that you possibly can privately.

BUT, be very aware that if they introduce you to a seller or a property, then their commission will become payable and the purchase price will be much higher as a consequence.

Solicitor (Abogado)

These are the ‘legal eagles’…..the ones that you need in order to deal with the red tape and help you to ‘jump through the hoops’ that you will need to.


#1. You must, if possible use a solicitor with good English. It is not enough for a secretary to be bilingual, the company will not be held liable if they misinterpret messages or legal documents. The lawyer must converse with you directly, in your own language, to minimise the risk of any misunderstanding - which could end up being expensive.


#2. It is advisable to use a legal firm that has more than one practising lawyer on hand to deal with your purchase. The property boom here in Spain has led many lawyers previously employed by firms to set up on their own. At the moment they are all so busy that it can be days before your emails or calls are answered.

Accountant (Gestor)

In Spain, you are best advised to use a Gestoria. The same applies for these people as for lawyers.

Gestorias settle accounts, deal with residency, car taxes and imports, re-registration of number plates from UK to Spanish, and all sorts of other things you will need when you own property here in Spain.

Surveyor

Again, the rules around buying a property here are very different than in the UK. A Surveyor is not automatically involved in a purchase. If you are buying an old property, we strongly advise using the services of a local Surveyor who can explain any possible issues with the structure of the property to you, so there are no nasty surprises to upset you’re budgeting and wreck your project through ill-conceived planning at the outset.

Architect

If you are hoping to buy some land privately, with a view to building on it, then these professionals come in to their own.

Depending on where and what you are building, you may want an Architect to visit the land you are buying to advise on land slippage, depth to rock and issues regarding insurance against problems with both. The type, size and style of house allowed in your zone may need to be considered. But most importantly, you must view his work before signing up to anything, since once he has started on the plans, it will be too late for you to pull out without losing substantial amounts of money.


Do not waste 10, 20 or even 30 thousand Euros on Estate agents commissions.


All of the above can be arranged very easily by you with just a few E-mails, telephone calls and meetings.


And do not forget that the Spanish people have been buying and selling privately for a very long time. And so all of the above are very well versed in the mechanics of the process. ]]> ssd http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/ssd/buying-dream-spanish-home-privately-10/ http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/ssd/private-spanish-property-sales-direct-owner-9/ Thu, 03 Jan 2008 21:50:14 GMT Estate agents have long made excessive profits from people buying and selling houses in Spain, but now things can change...You can do the agent's job of selling or finding a home in Spain yourself, making huge savings in the process.

Can I sell privately as well as through an estate agent?

Absolutely yes! But it is vital you understand the type of contract you have as this dictates the basis on when commission becomes payable.

Most people sign a 'Sole Agency' or 'Multiple Agency' agreement - check
your documents. These both permit you to sell privately - and if you do sell privately then you do not have to pay commission.

However in the unlikely event you have signed a 'Sole Selling' agreement (don't confuse this with ‘Sole Agency’) then you will owe commissions. Check the agreement.


The Legal Terms


The terms, "sole agency" and "sole selling rights" can be described as follows: -

Commission is payable in these situations.....

“Sole Agency"...if contracts are exchanged with a purchaser introduced by your estate agent during the period of sole agency or with whom your agent had negotiations about the property during that period or with a purchaser introduced by another agent during that period.

“Sole Selling Rights"...if contracts are exchanged in the period during which your agent have sole selling rights even if the purchaser was not found by your agent, but by another agent or by any person including the seller...."


What do these terms mean?


These terms, if used by an agent in a contract, must follow the exact wording of the definition. As you can see, "Sole Selling Rights" is quite specific - check your contract carefully and ensure that your agreement does NOT use these words.


The essential difference between the two types of contract is obvious - under ‘SOLE SELLING RIGHTS’, the agent can charge commission whoever the property is sold to, even if they do nothing to bring about the sale! But under ‘SOLE AGENCY’ they can only charge commission if they (your agent) sell the property - the agent cannot claim commission if the sale goes to a private buyer that they did not introduce.

Some estate agents may attempt to say that successful private sale websites such as www.spanishsalesdirect.com are also 'agents', to try and bring such websites within the scope of their sole agency terms, but this is legally NOT the case. Legal guidelines issued in December 2005 state that in order to be an ‘agent’, you must be ‘APPOINTED to REPRESENT’ the interests of one party (you the seller) against the interests of the other (the buyer) and NEGOTIATE the sale on behalf of one party.

Obviously, websites such as SSD are not 'appointed', nor do they participate in ‘negotiations’, nor do they ‘represent’ or act on your behalf in any way. They simply arrange your advertising and marketing within a fixed package service, and provide publishing in the same way as a local newspaper advert would - they are not your 'agent' either!

You as a private seller, deal with buyers direct and arrange your own viewings and discuss terms of sale. Websites you advertise with merely provide buyers with the means to contact you.

Other Clauses


Exclusion of private internet advertising:

Some Rogue agents are entering unfair & illegal restrictions into their contracts to try and exclude internet advertising by the vendor in order to protect their commission.

Note: If your agent has a phrase such as 'if you sell your property yourself via an internet advert the agents commission will still be payable'. This will effectively convert the contract to a form of "Sole Selling Rights" (see above) and the agent will be in breach of the law if they continue to refer to such an agreement as "Sole Agency". The 'Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999' enforces this, and is applicable across the EU.

"Ready, willing and able to buy...."

Be wary of any clause in an agent agreement that allows them to charge commission in the event that they introduce someone ‘ready, willing and able’ to buy the property. This does not even mean that the buyer has to complete the sale! But it does entitle the agent to their commission even if the property is not sold or if you sell to someone else!

This wording can be found in ANY form of agents agreement (not just sole agency), normally in a separate 'when our commission becomes payable' type paragraph. If you find this wording in your agreement, refer back to your agent and ask them to strike out the clause! The Spanish Consumers Association recommend that you do not sign contracts with this wording!

Legal responsibilities of private sales websites:


Online publishers are very conscious of all of the legal requirements for providing a property advertising service only. And not acting as an estate agent. They therefore fully comply with all necessary EU member legal requirements.
The Office of Fair Trading is also very clear on the types of service that can be deemed as estate agency. And they offer no such types of service. In fact, as recently as December 2006, because of the surge of FSBO (for sale by owner) activity in the real estate market across Europe, The Office of Fair Trading in conjunction with the EU and the Spanish National Consumers Institute, issued new guidance on how to determine whether a property internet site was in fact an Estate Agent or not. Suffice to say they all now comply 100% with the very latest guidance for both your and our protection.


So do not let existing agent put you off in a bid to 'save' their commission fees - See privately at a realistic price and join the FSBO (For sale by owner) revolution! ]]> ssd http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/ssd/private-spanish-property-sales-direct-owner-9/ http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/ssd/why-sell-your-spanish-property-privately-8/ Thu, 03 Jan 2008 21:45:19 GMT "The single most expensive asset for most people is their home. I believe that you should have the option to sell that asset privately. Many people just do not even realise that they can sell this way, with or without an Estate Agent."


Buying or selling privately does not conflict with any normal estate agency contracts. You do not have to give up an existing agent either, but you WILL save the commission if you find your buyer yourself.
You are in charge, and eliminate all estate agency selling fees... If you sell privately – you keep 100% of the sale funds.
My family and I have already been through the Spanish buying/selling process, and I beleive that using the private route provides you with a wonderful opportunity to take control of your move and save huge sums of money.

We remember when house prices in some parts of the UK averaged around £60,000 to £70,000. The average fee then payable to agents was only about £1,200 and £1,400...

But since then, values have rocketed in Spain, and so have the Agent fees.
(Now: €12,000-€28,000). That's up to TWENTY times the fee of less than a decade ago!

Are you getting TWENTY times the service??? .........The answer is probably not.

BUT WHAT IF I'M ALREADY WITH AN ESTATE AGENT?

No problem! Keep on using one or more agents, it doesn’t matter….. BUT, if you find a private buyer, then you will NOT have to pay any Estate Agents commission.


NO COMMISSION FEES…?


Estate Agents throughout Spain now charge anywhere up to 20% in commission fees to sell your property.

hundreds of thousands of properties are sold each year (That's millions of euro's worth of commission!), and recent surveys have shown that a large majority of these people would have considered selling themselves given the chance. And with the average property price now estimated to be around €300,000 and the Estate Agents commission at say 15% of that, you have the potential to save up-to an incredible €45,000 in commission fees by selling your home privately.

You take the enquiries – then you conduct the viewings, you negotiate the sale details and you keep 100% of the funds from that sale! ]]> ssd http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/ssd/why-sell-your-spanish-property-privately-8/ http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/ssd/why-sell-your-spanish-property-privately-internet-7/ Thu, 03 Jan 2008 21:42:39 GMT Huge numbers of people now wish to market their own property. And it's true, you are the best person to sell your own home on the internet...


Millions of Spanish properties are sold each year 'on-line'. But on average 88% of sellers paid agency commission fees!
Last year approximately 12% of all sellers saved by selling their properties privately on-line…and the numbers are growing.
There is no legal obligation to use an agent when selling, and you usually break no contractual agreement by selling privately even if you have an agent.
82% of people looking to move house within the next 12 months say they WILL use the Internet to search for properties.
Every month, thousands of home buyers are hunting for dream homes in Spain on the internet...They are hunting for homes like yours!
The Internet is now the easiest way for buyers to search for available properties in the areas of their choice.
Even estate agents have recognized that advertising their houses for sale on the Internet is a service expected by most vendors.
The key benefit to you is that there is No Commission.


MORE REASONS TO USE AN ON-LINE ADVERTISER.

Low Stress:-

Moving home is stressful. The key is to eliminate the causes. e.g. when an agent calls saying he has a "customer with him", and "can they pop round for a viewing now?"

By selling privately you eliminate this nonsense. You set your schedule, you decide who you're going to see, and when. It's all on your terms.

Whose house?

No one knows your home better than you. You know your views are fantastic, and your pool is the envy of your neighbours. You also know that the tarnished fittings in the Bathroom need to be played down. A home with a fair sale price will sell itself, but there is nobody better than you to talk up its strengths.

And, because you pay the bills and know the area, you're the best person to answer questions buyers have. And the more information you send them away with, the more informed and quick their decision will likely be.

You're in charge:-

We all like control. Selling privately means decisions like what type of people you want to vet more carefully, and what asking price you want to publish, are down to you alone. And if you decide to change any details, or cool off the viewings for a while that's up to you too, as you are not obligated to any contract. And you'll never feel frustrated that your agent isn't doing enough, because you are your agent!

It's cheap:-

If you employ an agent then you will lose LOTS of money. When your home is sold they'll get a BIG cut of your profits. And if you think about just how much, in return for showing a few people around your home and making some phone calls…did they really earn it? But for only around 100€ an on-line adveriser can help you keep 100% of the sale funds!

Save time:-

It's not unheard of for an estate agent to inflate an asking price. It's also not unheard of for the seller to go along with this in an effort to cover the inevitable commission costs. But then, because the price is too high, the property remains unsold. And that time spent sitting on the market harms the chances of selling at a fair price later on!

So sell privately...You can then ask for a fair price from the outset, because you don't have to take any commission into account.

Reach more buyers:-

Advertising on the World Wide Web exposes your property to millions of potential buyers. By advertising on-line you could reach an international audience. An advert in the agent's window could never do that, nor could any ‘enquire within’ board nailed to your garden gate! Advertising privately means your home will be seen by as wider an audience as is possible.

Transparency:-

If a buyer makes an offer, they make it to you directly. You can (and should) still take time to think about offers, then accept or reject them, but the process is quicker because there is no third party and no conflict of interests. Agreements between private sellers and buyers are always reached far more quickly and easily

Less uncertainty:-

Because you meet buyers, you get instant feedback. You can tell whether they're interested or not, whether they're serious or getting a feel for the market. And you'll find out what their situation is. If the purchase of your next home is riding on the sale of your present one, then this kind of direct contact with your potential buyers is invaluable.

Using an Estate Agent alone to sell your property?…here are some things to consider...

The traditional method to sell property is of course to use an estate agent, in fact many people do not even realise that you don’t have to use an estate agent at all.

There are some excellent agents out there – BUT ask yourself these questions:-

"How much will it cost?" ... "Is it value for money?"

"What advice do they provide on actually selling or buying a property?"

"How pro-active are they?" ... "How often do they keep in touch?"

"What guidelines do you receive on presentation or what to look for when viewing a property?"

And think about the last time you somebody you know used an Estate Agent...
What was the experience like?

What did they do to 'earn' their money?

How much did you trust them?

What aftercare and level of service did you receive?

And once you and a buyer have agreed a price, it is the solicitors who see the selling and buying process through to completion NOT an agent.

And if agent's are restricting you in any way from trying to sell your property privately, ask yourself..."Why?"

If you have answered the above questions honestly, you should already be as convinced as I am that the traditional method is not the best...... ]]> ssd http://www.thespainforum.com/blogs/ssd/why-sell-your-spanish-property-privately-internet-7/