Moving to Villamartin from UK - Page 3

Also make it a priority to  get a South facing property  as North  facing  will be like sitting  in a cave in winter  months 

We are learning so much from you all on this forum. We will be looking at other areas around due to advice so thank you. Would you have to use Spanish banks or keep UK ones?. We are planning on coming over in September to spend a few days viewing properties. Could these be arranged on the day or would we have to pre arrange. 

Hope we're not being a pain..

How well do you know the area.?

Don’t bother looking at properties on the internet - you are wasting so much time, unless you know the area really well and have already decided which part of Villamartin you want to live in.

The most important thing is looking and finding for the right location, it makes searching for a property so much easier.  Once you’ve found the location you like, go and chat to  the locals in one of the bars, they’ll tell you the pros and cons of that area. Once you find an estate agent who understands your requirements rather than trying to sell you any property, then that agent can show you any property you want that’s up for sale. Things work differently here and any agent can collect the keys and show you round. As others have said, properties can be listed multiple time. Years ago I spotted one house being advertised with 17 different agents. 

APITS  quite regularly showcase a property and the then show the nearest bars - but sometimes the bars they show aren’t necessarily the nearest bars  - they could be 10km away. OK that might not be a problem, but it’s just a warning as to how false the programme can be. For instance they will say that you can walk to the beach from Villamartin - Really???  It’s a long walk, but even longer if you’re doing it in the heat of August and carrying everything you need for a day on the beach- including your loungers because the council have granted the licence for the sun beds on the beach.  Also be aware that property prices are increasing quite quickly at the moment and any property so anything you watch on Tv the prices will be inaccurate. 
Having attended a couple of APITS exhibitions they can be quite a useful tool into collecting  information that you can peruse at your leisure. It will give you a much better understanding of what you need to get your visa to enable you to get your residencia. As well as telling you the associated costs .

Lynn

Banks -   You’ve probably asked an innocent question which is another minefield !
Once you are a resident, the charges are minimal compared to a non resident account. 

You can open a money transfer account, and/or an online bank, there are lots of them, but WISE Is popular, but your vendor may ask for a bankers draft for the purpose of your property and not all of the online banks offer this facility. In which case you would need to open an account and negotiate a rate for raising the bank draft. You may also be restricted on the value of cash withdrawals associated with that account. 

You will need an account with a EU IBAN number for your solicitor to set up the direct debits when he transfers the utilities in to your name. 

As you’ve probably guessed - this is Spain nothing is easy at first, but it is all more than worth it eventually! 

Lynn

Lyn

Thank you so much for taking the time to advise. We are going to spend some time on selecting a location as you say. A good one with transport links, shop bars etc and, the usual doctors dentist and the other obvious things. My wife would like a location where she could find work for expats. 

To reiterate, if you are moving on an NLV, neither you nor your wife may legally work, be it ‘work for expats’ or employment is a Spanish firm.

Thank you again. We are still getting our heads around the different visas so all advice is greatly appreciated 

TBH I would wait until you're retired before purchasing a property in Spain. 

I would first visit a number of areas and rent for a minimum of 1 month in each, just to get a feel of what is right for you both. Once you have picked an area then I would rent for at least 3 months in summer & winter. This could be done while non resident and would cement your decision that the area is right for you. Also, during this time you are far more likely to find your perfect property while staying in the area. Take your time, any doubts then move to another area. If you buy and make a mistake it can cost you around 30% to buy, sell and buy again in another area.

What do you intend to do with your property in the UK? Do consider CGT and whether you want to commit fully to moving to Spain or whether you need an exit plan.

Good luck

Don't touch Spanish banks as a non resident, there are far better options. Santander UK accounts allow you to access cash from Santander ATMs in mainland Spain, fee free and at the Visa bank rate.

More great advice. I retired last year but am employed in a national position with 12 month contract so no issue for me. My wife will be 50 when we hope to move..2026.... I will be 66. Is it easy to rent furnished properties?.  We will definitely have to visit to view. It is our intention to sell up and make the move permanent.

Tony Chrissy 

Nearly  all rented properties  come furnished  but what standard  is another  topic 🤔