Hi Hoping to buy property in Torrevieja or surrounding area this year - Page 2

That’s good to know. I watched a Place in the Sun webinar last month and someone from My Lawyer was giving advice so it is one I had heard of through them.

I have to say as daunting as it may seem, your lawyer will do most of the work for you, and of course they work in a different way, once you agree to buy, you’ll need to leave a deposit. Speak to your lawyer about the whole process thou.

From memory you will need an NIE and a bank account (spanish) which you’re lawyer can do (fees apply). You need to find a company to exchange pounds to euros again your lawyer can advise who they use, but I did a little research on this to make sure my money didn’t disappear . My only advise when it comes to exchanging pounds to euros is make sure that you get an exchange rate that works for you, it’s a bit up and down at the moment and you may find one week you can afford it the next your short.

To give you an idea of the fees involved we sent over 155000 euro on a 140000 euro price. All in...

You will get lots of different opinions on here most of them helpful, but listen to your lawyer...

Regards

Terry n Katia..

Again good luck 

Thanks again for your advice. I’m planning building in 13% for fees. I’ve already got currency company in place as I had impulsively put a deposit down on a property recently. Big mistake but fortunately got deposit returned and now taking time and doing research first.

Hi Linda, welcome to the forum.
Your budget is feasible and the area around Habaneras, La Siesta, the Torretas etc will come within your budget and have plenty of facilities. There are public pools and many communities have their own pools but these obviously come with community rules and fees which will reflect the facilities available and the standard of upkeep.
Expense wise, there will be also be standing charges for water and  electric, plus basura (rubbish), IBI (council tax), holiday home insurance and non-residents tax and a key-holder is advisable for unforeseen problems.
If at all possible I would advise taking a seasonal let for 2 or 3 months or visiting at the times of year you would envisage using your holiday home before committing.
We have two dogs and in summer they almost become nocturnal, it is just so hot and pavements can burn their paws. Make sure your dog is covered for leishmaniasis and read up on Processionary caterpillars and post Brexit regulations.
Dogs being allowed on beaches is a contentious issue and there is now only one dog beach in Torrevieja. That said I have always found my two dogs to be welcome at bars and restaurants and  they are happy to provide water for them but I wouldn't take them to tourist areas in high season, its just too busy and hot.
If you plan to visit between October and March you will need heating once the sun goes down and in the mornings because with thin walls and windows it feels very cold, so don't be surprised to see an awful energy rating report. Noise also travels freely between adjoining walls and floors. If a neighbouring dog barks excessively when viewing the property, its not going to stop when you buy.
Flash flooding can be a problem in built up areas so have a read about Gota Frias.  Flat roofs can leak and damp can be a problem all over the area especially when properties are left empty so invest in those trays of crystals or salt.
Spanish banking is not free so consider online accounts.
Never use the abogado (solicitor) recommended by the estate agent, find an independent one to avoid a conflict of interest. A gestor will be cheaper if you need someone to get your NIE, change utilities to your name (you will need a Habitacion Certificate),  tax and generally help out with the unexpected. I have someone  I can personally recommend if you wish.
Do your own homework and do not rely on assurances from estate agents.
I wish you luck but be aware that properties can take ages to sell even before Covid,  it is a very expensive process and it can be very difficult to make sure your head rules your heart in the excitement.
Feel free to ask questions on here but most of all my advice would be to wait until next Spring. Only time will tell what will happen to house prices, there is potential for a second wave of Covid over the winter and the repercussions of Brexit are still largely unknown.
Keep reading the forum because you can learn so much, visit as often as you can and I hope you end up loving your holiday home as much as I do my permanent one.

Thanks Cheryl, lots of very helpful advice. I would appreciate your personal recommendation regarding a gestor as I had thought I would need the solicitor to be my Power of Attorney if doing most of work from over here. I have a solicitor in mind. I intend for property to be holiday home to start with and workwise wont get opportunity to rent short term but I will come out when I can and stay where I think I would like to buy. Your advice to wait til spring given all the unknowns makes sense and I will give it serious thought to plan holidays instead before then. However I think if I come over on holiday and fall in love with a particular area then my heart will overrule my head!! So much useful information for me to read on this forum.

I use Uma at getlegalinspain.com, have a look at her website. She has a facebook page and keeps us updated, reminds us of taxes when due and can cut through all the bull. She helped me out recently when I received an unexpected tax bill for underpaying import tax on my car (thank you Replatemate....not) and deals with my daughter's non-residents tax, helped us with our wills and basically holds our hands when we need it. She is based in Torrevieja but usually works out of a lovely little restaurant in Ciudad Quesada!

If you look at her site you will see there is a solicitor within the business and her husband is an estate agent so you can pick and choose which services you want to use.

Thanks Cheryl, I will have a look.

Thank you for the warning. I will make sure i use an abogado(a) and interesting t hear you had a bad experience with Place in the Sun. Realising I need to do lots of researching and not jump in!!

Yes I am realising I will need to do this. Hopefully late summer will be my first visit. I’ve noticed some properties have been on the market for a long time.

I've seen one online today that's been for sale for nearly 6 years!! Maybe it is one of the ones that does not exist. Put's me off when I see a long date cos makes me think something must be wrong with it.