buying an apartment in spain
Discussion
Deposit down. No backing out now (or not without forfeiting a large sum!).
Completion agreed for post April so I can extract the lump sums from my business over two tax years and only get half ass ducked by HMRC.
Now I just need to look behind the sofa and find £XXXXXX to bridge the gap
I did consider a mortgage but the fees there put me off the idea. What started as a plan to buy a cheap small terraced pad in the sun led to considerable budget creep and it’s now both vastly bigger and vastly more expensive than I had originally planned. Time will tell if that was a wise move.
Shame in some ways that completion is beyond winter as I have no plans to be there over the summer period but it makes more sense for me financially and will just have to take a few holidays in the sun over winter to avoid the old SAD from kicking in. Not sure that fits with squirelling away enough to buy the sodding house mind.
Survey and legal checks going on now. Need to get NIE sorted and another account opened. (My Cater Allen euro account doesn’t allow for direct debits sadly).
Need to get some insurance quotes sorted.
Once in, need to get broadband and office furniture ASAP to enable me to work. Looking at VOIP systems too for calls but being technologically useless is showing deficiencies in my research on these matters.
Completion agreed for post April so I can extract the lump sums from my business over two tax years and only get half ass ducked by HMRC.
Now I just need to look behind the sofa and find £XXXXXX to bridge the gap
I did consider a mortgage but the fees there put me off the idea. What started as a plan to buy a cheap small terraced pad in the sun led to considerable budget creep and it’s now both vastly bigger and vastly more expensive than I had originally planned. Time will tell if that was a wise move. Shame in some ways that completion is beyond winter as I have no plans to be there over the summer period but it makes more sense for me financially and will just have to take a few holidays in the sun over winter to avoid the old SAD from kicking in. Not sure that fits with squirelling away enough to buy the sodding house mind.
Survey and legal checks going on now. Need to get NIE sorted and another account opened. (My Cater Allen euro account doesn’t allow for direct debits sadly).
Need to get some insurance quotes sorted.
Once in, need to get broadband and office furniture ASAP to enable me to work. Looking at VOIP systems too for calls but being technologically useless is showing deficiencies in my research on these matters.
Shnozz said:
Deposit down. No backing out now (or not without forfeiting a large sum!).
Completion agreed for post April so I can extract the lump sums from my business over two tax years and only get half ass ducked by HMRC.
Now I just need to look behind the sofa and find £XXXXXX to bridge the gap I did consider a mortgage but the fees there put me off the idea. What started as a plan to buy a cheap small terraced pad in the sun led to considerable budget creep and it’s now both vastly bigger and vastly more expensive than I had originally planned. Time will tell if that was a wise move.
Shame in some ways that completion is beyond winter as I have no plans to be there over the summer period but it makes more sense for me financially and will just have to take a few holidays in the sun over winter to avoid the old SAD from kicking in. Not sure that fits with squirelling away enough to buy the sodding house mind.
Survey and legal checks going on now. Need to get NIE sorted and another account opened. (My Cater Allen euro account doesn’t allow for direct debits sadly).
Need to get some insurance quotes sorted.
Once in, need to get broadband and office furniture ASAP to enable me to work. Looking at VOIP systems too for calls but being technologically useless is showing deficiencies in my research on these matters.
Great post and following with keen interest!Completion agreed for post April so I can extract the lump sums from my business over two tax years and only get half ass ducked by HMRC.
Now I just need to look behind the sofa and find £XXXXXX to bridge the gap
I did consider a mortgage but the fees there put me off the idea. What started as a plan to buy a cheap small terraced pad in the sun led to considerable budget creep and it’s now both vastly bigger and vastly more expensive than I had originally planned. Time will tell if that was a wise move. Shame in some ways that completion is beyond winter as I have no plans to be there over the summer period but it makes more sense for me financially and will just have to take a few holidays in the sun over winter to avoid the old SAD from kicking in. Not sure that fits with squirelling away enough to buy the sodding house mind.
Survey and legal checks going on now. Need to get NIE sorted and another account opened. (My Cater Allen euro account doesn’t allow for direct debits sadly).
Need to get some insurance quotes sorted.
Once in, need to get broadband and office furniture ASAP to enable me to work. Looking at VOIP systems too for calls but being technologically useless is showing deficiencies in my research on these matters.
Love the bit about how a small getaway idea gets the old budget/mission creep bug
I wouldn’t worry about when you’ll be there - knowing it’s yours and having access to quick and cheap flights means you’ll be more than happy to buzz off as and when you feel like it. Sometimes we just enjoy flying to other parts, like Madrid, seeing close friends, them jumping on the trains (which are just wondrous compared to what there is in the UK, with impressive changing scenery to match) and heading to our region.
Best of luck with the rest. Don’t know if this helps but my missus handles all our Euro exchanges through Revolut. Swift and best prices she says. The NIE should be easy enough too.
Keep updating, please...
Well I am "in". Let's hope its a dream that becomes reality and not a nightmare!
Big thanks to Tigerkoi for his help and encouragement, which genuinely spurred me to follow up my plan.
From now on, I plan to split my time between the UK city centre apartment and my home in the sun. And this being PH, I am lining up suitable cars to take spots in the 6+ car garage built beneath the house!
Big thanks to Tigerkoi for his help and encouragement, which genuinely spurred me to follow up my plan.
From now on, I plan to split my time between the UK city centre apartment and my home in the sun. And this being PH, I am lining up suitable cars to take spots in the 6+ car garage built beneath the house!
Chris Stott said:
Congratulations Shnozz!
I'm on a late flight to Malaga tonight to go spend 10 days at our place... 22/23*, sunny, great (and cheap) food and wine... what's not to like!
Thanks Chris. Apologies, I should have extended thanks to you as well as the other contributors in addition to tigerkoi too! I'm on a late flight to Malaga tonight to go spend 10 days at our place... 22/23*, sunny, great (and cheap) food and wine... what's not to like!
Indeed, cheap and superb food, mid-20s in exchange for the low single digits here right now. A lot of balcony painting, solarium grouting and reja painting awaits (and palm tree pruning!) so will be a bit of work outside but bearable in the sun with a beer. Inside its in good order so a few plans for later down the line with a bar in the upstairs stair turret and a few other odds and sods but only indoor priority is to have my home office up and running swiftly to enable me to work continuously. Quick trip to ikea should sort a desk, office chair and bookshelves to get that in order at least as a temporary stop gap.
Shnozz said:
Thanks Chris. Apologies, I should have extended thanks to you as well as the other contributors in addition to tigerkoi too!
Indeed, cheap and superb food, mid-20s in exchange for the low single digits here right now. A lot of balcony painting, solarium grouting and reja painting awaits (and palm tree pruning!) so will be a bit of work outside but bearable in the sun with a beer. Inside its in good order so a few plans for later down the line with a bar in the upstairs stair turret and a few other odds and sods but only indoor priority is to have my home office up and running swiftly to enable me to work continuously. Quick trip to ikea should sort a desk, office chair and bookshelves to get that in order at least as a temporary stop gap.
All the outside stuff is covered by our resort fees, so nothing to do other than to sweep the terrace for me... turned up last February and found they'd repainted the whole resort over the winter.Indeed, cheap and superb food, mid-20s in exchange for the low single digits here right now. A lot of balcony painting, solarium grouting and reja painting awaits (and palm tree pruning!) so will be a bit of work outside but bearable in the sun with a beer. Inside its in good order so a few plans for later down the line with a bar in the upstairs stair turret and a few other odds and sods but only indoor priority is to have my home office up and running swiftly to enable me to work continuously. Quick trip to ikea should sort a desk, office chair and bookshelves to get that in order at least as a temporary stop gap.
Nothing to do but put a pair of shorts on and relax
Shnozz said:
Well I am "in". Let's hope its a dream that becomes reality and not a nightmare!
Big thanks to Tigerkoi for his help and encouragement, which genuinely spurred me to follow up my plan.
From now on, I plan to split my time between the UK city centre apartment and my home in the sun. And this being PH, I am lining up suitable cars to take spots in the 6+ car garage built beneath the house!
Honestly, it’s an absolute pleasure and glad I was of use! Big thanks to Tigerkoi for his help and encouragement, which genuinely spurred me to follow up my plan.
From now on, I plan to split my time between the UK city centre apartment and my home in the sun. And this being PH, I am lining up suitable cars to take spots in the 6+ car garage built beneath the house!
Genuinely, it’s great to hear these stories and see things happen and plans come off.
We fly back and forth, sometimes a week on and week off, and it’s been such a fillip for our lives and family. Life is short and you’ve just got to enjoy it!
I’m glad like a true petrolhead you’re looking at how to fill up that garage: my current goal is trying to find a fairly pristine LHD E46 M3 convertible. Had one ages ago and I think it’s a future classic. It’s something I can spend my hours on rather than the missus’ runaround
Shnozz said:
Very, very nice indeed. Lord of all you survey Good news on the management of your compound (Chris), the painting etc. It really gives one a feeling that the community has a standard and all neighbours live to fairly reasonable social ways.
One day we’ll all have to pile around for a BBQ and beer
Funnily enough I have my eye on an E46 M3 for there too! Albeit a hard top example.
So far the list (to try and have a car for each purpose and for a variety.
BMW X5/RR Sport/Jeep Cherokee - Daily 4x4 workhorse for road parking, bump parking and airport dumping.
The garage wise
Renault 19 16v mark 1 (boyhood dream that I could never insure)
Corvette c6 targa for the Spanish proper sports car, touring car for Spain and south of France etc.
Merc 500SL 1990s flavour - for being Danny Dyer in the Business and general lazy cabrio evenings
Possibly a Lotus of some sort for weekend.
I don’t want anything too unreliable that needs constant fettling when I’m not there for a few months so a nice balance of reliability and parts availability has been factored in.
The space to fill..
So far the list (to try and have a car for each purpose and for a variety.
BMW X5/RR Sport/Jeep Cherokee - Daily 4x4 workhorse for road parking, bump parking and airport dumping.
The garage wise
Renault 19 16v mark 1 (boyhood dream that I could never insure)
Corvette c6 targa for the Spanish proper sports car, touring car for Spain and south of France etc.
Merc 500SL 1990s flavour - for being Danny Dyer in the Business and general lazy cabrio evenings
Possibly a Lotus of some sort for weekend.
I don’t want anything too unreliable that needs constant fettling when I’m not there for a few months so a nice balance of reliability and parts availability has been factored in.
The space to fill..
Shnozz said:
Funnily enough I have my eye on an E46 M3 for there too! Albeit a hard top example.
So far the list (to try and have a car for each purpose and for a variety.
BMW X5/RR Sport/Jeep Cherokee - Daily 4x4 workhorse for road parking, bump parking and airport dumping.
The garage wise
Renault 19 16v mark 1 (boyhood dream that I could never insure)
Corvette c6 targa for the Spanish proper sports car, touring car for Spain and south of France etc.
Merc 500SL 1990s flavour - for being Danny Dyer in the Business and general lazy cabrio evenings
Possibly a Lotus of some sort for weekend.
I don’t want anything too unreliable that needs constant fettling when I’m not there for a few months so a nice balance of reliability and parts availability has been factored in.
The space to fill..
Ha! That’s some shopping list. I highly recommend the X5 of course...So far the list (to try and have a car for each purpose and for a variety.
BMW X5/RR Sport/Jeep Cherokee - Daily 4x4 workhorse for road parking, bump parking and airport dumping.
The garage wise
Renault 19 16v mark 1 (boyhood dream that I could never insure)
Corvette c6 targa for the Spanish proper sports car, touring car for Spain and south of France etc.
Merc 500SL 1990s flavour - for being Danny Dyer in the Business and general lazy cabrio evenings
Possibly a Lotus of some sort for weekend.
I don’t want anything too unreliable that needs constant fettling when I’m not there for a few months so a nice balance of reliability and parts availability has been factored in.
The space to fill..
I recently did see a yellow C6 near the windsurfing place at Playa Cabopino. Great cars.
It’s an important factor, leaving the cars for a few weeks on end and then coming back to a myriad of electrical glitches when you start up the battery. That’s why an M3 is sort of my ideal pitching point - still great performance, but old school enough not to be a pain in the backside.
My missus is working on a dastardly financial plan, and we’ve started to look around at another place. I’m not totally sold on a move, but you have to listen to the boss.
It’s closer to Estepona, on a plot of land sandwiched between the A-7 and the beach. It’s got a fab spec, but I’m not enamoured with living too close to the main road (100yds to be fair) nor the sea funnily enough. I prefer to be away from the wind. But she’s a seaside town person and well we’ll see. Just off Hacienda Beach.
tigerkoi said:
Ha! That’s some shopping list. I highly recommend the X5 of course...
I recently did see a yellow C6 near the windsurfing place at Playa Cabopino. Great cars.
It’s an important factor, leaving the cars for a few weeks on end and then coming back to a myriad of electrical glitches when you start up the battery. That’s why an M3 is sort of my ideal pitching point - still great performance, but old school enough not to be a pain in the backside.
My missus is working on a dastardly financial plan, and we’ve started to look around at another place. I’m not totally sold on a move, but you have to listen to the boss.
It’s closer to Estepona, on a plot of land sandwiched between the A-7 and the beach. It’s got a fab spec, but I’m not enamoured with living too close to the main road (100yds to be fair) nor the sea funnily enough. I prefer to be away from the wind. But she’s a seaside town person and well we’ll see. Just off Hacienda Beach.
That looks utterly epic mate! Keep us posted on here whether the move happens. Thankfully my missus doesn't have the same expectations in terms of postcodes and build size! Stunning. You definitely need a white 944 or such like for that neck of the woods I recently did see a yellow C6 near the windsurfing place at Playa Cabopino. Great cars.
It’s an important factor, leaving the cars for a few weeks on end and then coming back to a myriad of electrical glitches when you start up the battery. That’s why an M3 is sort of my ideal pitching point - still great performance, but old school enough not to be a pain in the backside.
My missus is working on a dastardly financial plan, and we’ve started to look around at another place. I’m not totally sold on a move, but you have to listen to the boss.
It’s closer to Estepona, on a plot of land sandwiched between the A-7 and the beach. It’s got a fab spec, but I’m not enamoured with living too close to the main road (100yds to be fair) nor the sea funnily enough. I prefer to be away from the wind. But she’s a seaside town person and well we’ll see. Just off Hacienda Beach.
Shnozz said:
That looks utterly epic mate! Keep us posted on here whether the move happens. Thankfully my missus doesn't have the same expectations in terms of postcodes and build size! Stunning. You definitely need a white 944 or such like for that neck of the woods
I will indeed! This has been a great thread and I love the updates, so I’ll be sure to do the same.You’d be surprised at the prices though; I was. I’m also betting on a slight oversupply issue where developers will look to deal.
944? Well whatever suits the Crockett & Tubbs sensibilities: big open shirt, dark glasses, a tumbler of Disaronno clinking against the glass balcony...
While I’m at it, check out La Cala golf resort, if you’re looking for lazy mornings. Missus uses the gym, while I kill time having a coffee on their huge lawn terrace. Really nice place, not busy, beautifully manicured and great food. Huge recommend.
Ah, La Carla, the venue for my 1st round of golf, nearly 20 years ago... I guess the foot deep divots have been filled in by now.
You’re more than welcome to come round for a beer guys. My terrace acquired a beer and wine fridge last year, so I don’t have to walk all the way to the kitchen to fetch a cold one anymore.
You’re more than welcome to come round for a beer guys. My terrace acquired a beer and wine fridge last year, so I don’t have to walk all the way to the kitchen to fetch a cold one anymore.
Yetski said:
I'm heading down there next week, we live just up the road in Duquesa, hope that sun is shining.
Excellent. I think you should be ok? Maybe the odd rainy day but I bet most days will be blistering. By the way, do you fly into Gibraltar or Malaga? Asking as I guess you’re Puerto and Gib is much closer, right?
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