Established in 2000.

When considering purchasing a property in Spain the choices in terms of property style and location are often

overwhelming and beginning the search will often result in far more questions than answers.

Looking for a property and coming to view, for many, will be the start of a life changing experience.

At Calida Homes, over the last 15 years, we have successfully been sourcing both holiday and full time homes in

Almeria, Andalucía an extremely beautiful region of Southern Spain.

During this period there are very few questions we haven’t been asked and have lost count of the numerous

issues raised.

Over the next few pages we have put together a summary of the most commonly raised questions along with

some useful area information which we hope will both encourage a visit and ensure, should you discover the

property of your dreams, the discovery and purchase will be a smooth/trouble free experience.

It is by no means an extensive guide, simply enough to cover the most raised questions/issues.

INDEX.

A) Our area an overview.

B) How can I find the right property?

C) Legalities.

D) Property running costs

E) When should I start viewing properties?.

F) Planning viewings.

G) When should I make and offer and what level of offer should I make?

H) Why do I have to pay a holding deposit?

I) The purchase process and associated buying costs.

J) Mortgage finance.

K) The rental market and rental potential.

L) Renting to buy.

M) Cars.

N) U.K. Television.

O) Furniture/Electrical Goods.

P) Pets.

A) Our area an overview.

Almeria, Andalucía. Situated at the southernmost tip of Spain and with the countries warmest climate.

Neighbouring both Malaga and Murcia regions. The capitol Almeria city is a smaller yet very historic city perched

on the edge of the Mediterranean. It has all you’d expect from a city great shopping, airport, international rail and

coach station, many great bars/restaurants and a wealth of historic building and monuments. Skirted by some

truly beautiful beaches it offers the rare opportunity to partake in the city buzz and on the same day hit the beach

for some well-earned relax time. Very few overseas buyers though opt to buy property in the city instead opting

to settle some 35 mins to an hour away.

Almeria regions most beautiful beach areas such as Mojacar, Vera, Villaricos, San Juan de Los Terreros and

Garrucha have for years proved most popular with those wanting a charming and unspoilt seaside location, All of

these locations are as popular with the Spanish as they are with ex-pats and provide a wonderful slice of real

Spain that these days is tough to find elsewhere. Of course you have a number of top flight golf courses, swanky

beach bars and nightclubs but these blend in perfectly with the more historic and long established areas. You

won’t find pretentious Marbella but you will discover an extremely beautiful laid back and welcoming community.

Coming inland from these beach areas by 25 to 40 mins you’ll find a cluster of small, pretty and popular market

towns the most popular of which are Arboleas, Zurgena, Albox, Cantoria and the county town of Huercal Overa..

Then if even further inland and perhaps a more mountainous setting is more to your liking towns such as Oria,

Chirivel, Velez Rubio and Velez Blanco won’t disappoint. From for example, Arboleas, Murcia city a sprawling

hugely cultural very friendly city can be reached within the hour and Lorca another beautiful city within 25 mins.

Both these cities have huge shopping malls, great eating places, all night long entertainment essentially all you’d

expect from a Spanish city and Murcia again has an international rail terminal and an airport.

Villaricos and then San Juan de Los Terreros are the last beach towns before Almeria region joins Murcia region

and between them you have the small yet exceptionally beautiful beach areas of El Calon and Pozo de Esparto.

Two other locations which maybe worthy of note are Los Gallardos and Turre. Both reasonably sized towns with

all amenities and a lively atmosphere which have become popular over recent years as they are situated just 10

to 12 mins from some of the regions nicest beach areas yet have property available at prices well below similar

properties on the beach.

Coastal video 1

Coastal Video 2

Inland Video 1

A little more info on each location with area maps.

Mojacar Playa.

Click to view location.

Arguably the jewel in Almeria’s beach crown. Miles of sandy beaches along which are literally hundreds of great

beach bars/chiringuitos, restaurants and craft shops. Mojacar has been a long established beach area and is

renowned for its beauty and non spoilt environment. It is an all year round location with many homes here being

full time residences. Because it’s been established for so many years it has a great and always improving

infrastructure including two great golf courses, public transport, tennis, lawn green bowling and much more. Atop

of the beach area you have the picture postcard Mojacar Pueblo, birth place of Walt Disney (supposedly) and an

ex Moorish stronghold. The pueblo provides a myriad of small cobbled streets that teem with bars, cafes,

restaurants and many artisan shops. The main plaza is an ideal place for a leisurely lunch/dinner and affords

amazing views. A visit to Mojacar will quickly reveal why so many have decided to make it their new home.

Vera playa/Pueblo.

Click to view location.

Vera playa, over past years, has undoubtedly become one of the most desirable of Almeria’s beach areas in

which to own a 2nd home. Its beautiful sandy beach that boasts a 2kmtr long pedestrian promenade connecting to

the next town of Garrucha has no doubt played a big part in this but Vera has so much more to offer. The pueblo

has a coach depot with routes over Spain, it will soon play host to the new high speed bullet train connecting

Almeria in less than 3 hours to Madrid, the extremely popular aqua park, bustling Saturday street market etc.

Prices in Vera for apartments especially those set around 1-2 kmtrs back from beach are amongst the lowest in

Almeria yet many of the complexes here are the best established and offer the best on site facilities. The

pueblo/town though, unlike Mojacar and Villaricos, sits some 7 kmtrs back from the beach area and although this

has all year round life you’ll find that outside of the summer high season the beach area is exceptionally quiet

with lots of the bars and restaurants closed over the entire winter. In the summer months though boy does it

spring back to life. A much raised issue concerning Vera is the nudist beach and community which makes up

only a small percentage of Vera beach and is situated at the far end of Vera playa where it joins Palomares. In

this area you have a large and well established naturist community who wish to keep themselves to themsleves

just as many who enquire about property in Vera wish not to be confronted with Naturists. If a property is on or

overlooks the naturist area this will be highlighted in the property details.

Villaricos.

Click to view location

A small yet exceptionally beautiful town which, centuries ago, grew on the back of a rich silver and tin mining

industry. It was here Hannibal landed with his elephants and army, took some respite before beginning his epic

crossing over the Alps. The remnants of the old mines are protected and can be viewed scattered around as you

approach the town. It is a residential town with a small fishing port, two marinas and two beautiful beaches one

sand and one stone. It remains a wealthy town due to the fact much of the property within it is owned by people

from Barcelona who keep a second home here. Some exceptional properties come on to the market here but

only ever in dribs and drabs simply as the town is so small in the first instance. The properties which do come on

to the market will often be priced higher than those in neighbouring beach areas and will most likely be

apartments or duplexes as there are hardly any villas in the town. Despite its small size it has a wealth of great

places to eat out or enjoy a night on the town and has a fantastic market each Sunday which runs the whole

length of the beach. Get there early as people travel for miles for this one and parking spaces though free are at

a real premium.

Garrucha.

Click to view location.

A good sized town which neighbours Mojacar and as well as its popular beach has a large and picturesque

Marina, working fishing harbour and a wonderful promenade. Hugely popular with the Spanish, both residents

and holiday makers, due to its lively and extremely friendly atmosphere. A real magnet to sea food lovers from all

over Almeria ( Garrucha Red Prawns are to be found on the menu of many a fancy Madrid restaurant at equally

fancy prices) who are able to visit and take advantage of the many great seafood restaurants situated up and

down the sea front. Perhaps part of the towns appeal is that this is a real lived in working town which just

happens to be right on the sea. It’s not been designed for the tourists though these days it attracts plenty who

pour in over the summer months to enjoy the nightly street market and great entertainment on offer. Over the

high season, especially overlooking the marina, loads of bars, ranging from sophisticated cocktail joints to good

old basic beer tents, spring up and stay open from the evening to the very early hours. Whilst a hugely popular

area with visitors it’s has surprisingly few non Spanish residents purely due to the style of property sought by ex-

pat buyers is not widely available here. Lots of the apartment complexes, for example, have no communal pools

or lifts as the Spanish owners who keep as a holiday home don’t want to pay community fees for the up keep

and if wish to swim will use the sea.

Arboleas.

Click to view location.

A small but very pretty town covering a radius of some 70 kmtrs. and situated between 25-30 mins. Inland from

Almeria’s best beach areas. The main town is surrounded by beautiful citrus groves (this, citrus growing, has

been the backbone of the community for many years) and has a range of stunning hills as its back drop.

Surrounding the town, which is pre dominantly Spanish, you have a number of smaller hamlets each with their

own character and charm. A very popular choice of destination with property buyers due to the abundance of

attractive, high quality homes at very affordable prices. Its popularity over many years came as a big surprise to

the Spanish residents but they have been most welcoming to the ex pat buyers and to this day Arboleas remains

a very friendly community. The town offers easy access to the beaches, 3 airports, and the large cities of

Almeria/Murcia (both within an hour), All facilities required for day to day living bars, cafes, supermarkets, banks,

school etc are on the doorstep and having an English speaking G.P. Pharmacy, town hall has proved very useful

to those non Spanish speakers starting a new life here. Every Saturday there is a large weekly street market that

draws the crowds and sells everything from fresh local produce to a frying pan. Arboleas even has a ten pin

bowling alley and offers free Spanish lessons via the town hall. Broadband internet is supplied by the town hall

and cost just 12 Euros per month for a 6 Meg unlimited package.

Zurgena.

Click to view location.

A small yet pretty village (20-25 mins inland from Vera beach) which in the last 10 years has become popular

with the ex-pat community. It has an extremely welcoming Spanish community, a newly refurbished hotel. a

sprinkling of great Spanish owned bars, cafes and a few small shops, An Indian restaurant has recently opened

and everybody knows the tobacconist come café, come village shop owned by the friendly family who you speak

to in Spanish and they answer you in English. You also have a couple of banks, a small supermarket, pharmacy

etc. Very few ex- pats actually live in or within walking distance of the village. Popular settlements, which come

under Zurgena, but are approx. 3 to 4 kmtrs, away from the village centre are Palaces and Cucador. In these you

often find some very well priced, yet high quality detached villa style properties with terrific views and with good

sized gardens.

Albox.

Click to view location

One of Almeria’s most significant towns which has gained notoriety over the last 12 years and often not for the

best reasons. Think illegal builds and sadly the name Albox will often crop up. It is certainly fair to say a very

large number of properties, primarily sold to ex-pats, were built without proper permissions and still today many

of these remain un- saleable as the situation has not been rectified. Much of the publicity has, as per normal on

line and in the UK press, has been blown hugely out of proportion. Articles abound re the 100’s of properties

which have been demolished yet in 15 years there hasn’t been one property actually located in Albox which has

been. There are a good number of fully legal properties around Albox main town (barely any though within

walking distance) and these will often have the much desired larger gardens. Many lawyers, over the length of

Almeria and outside of the region, because of past events have an ongoing issue with Albox property which

results in them being far more stringent with checks and paperwork than they are with properties situated in other

locations. The town hall in Albox also has only one English speaker so are far less approachable directly than

many of the other local town halls. First impressions of Albox are often not favourable as essentially it is a

working hub town where you can purchase everything from a donkey to a Mercedes. The more time you spend

in the town, walking the streets, sampling the huge Tuesday market, or one of the many great eating places, the

more attractive it becomes and it doesn’t take long to override the negative first impression. All the surrounding

smaller towns rely heavily on Albox as here you’ll find the large 24 hour medical centre, 3 large super markets,

Excellent sports facilities gyms, tennis club etc., many super shops and all the facilities you’d expect from a large

town. Public transport though is sadly not available and work for non-Spaniards is thin on the ground. If you wish

to rub shoulders with the Spanish community here the numerous bars, street cafes and odd nightclub spring to

life every night from 10pm onwards. Don’t be complaining it’s quiet and there’s nothing to do if you’re tucked at

home by 9 pm. The Spanish clock applies here.

Huercal Overa.

Click to view location

The county town of Almeria, so the next largest town, in the region, after the capital and located approx. 1 hour

from Almeria and Murcia cities. Huercal Overa is a wonderful historic town with a vibrant and friendly Spanish

community. Lively yet relaxing, busy yet calm. It has many fantastic stores, a huge market every Monday and

numerous great places to eat and grab a decent bottle of plonk. In amongst the beautiful plazas, park and

traditional small streets you find all the facilities associated with a large town. An award winning public hospital,

sports centre, theatre, cultural centre a coach station with routes over Spain there’s even a small cinema. The

city of Lorca is just a 15 min drive and Aguilas 35 mins in both of these you’ll find large retail parks. Whilst

Huercal town is fantastic, similar to Albox, very few sales properties, other than flats or townhouses, are available

in the town or within walking distance. Most are situated in small hamlets such as Urcal or Sta Maria Nieve

approx. 10 mins drive north of the town. Not that it’s a problem, for many, but these locations, as opposed to

Arboleas, Zurgena, Albox which are fruit farming areas, have many working animal farms. Other locations such

as El Saltador and the area leaving Sta Maria Nieve in the direction of Velez Rubio are virtually free of the animal

farm and quite simply beautiful. They provide a very good variety of high quality well priced properties. It’s a

great location to discover, for example, very large, beautifully reformed cortijos or perhaps the one of build

stunning villa.

B) How can I find the right property?

We appreciate that when you start considering a property purchase here in Spain, that the first port of call will

usually be the internet where you will instantly be hit with what appears to be a mind bogglingly huge selection of

properties that can fast become overwhelming. Take a breath, perhaps pour a big glass of vino and start over.

Some things to be considered.

Would you walk in to a hair dressers/barbers and tell them to cut your hair anyway they want and to inspire you?

This is only your hair and if turns out to be a total disaster you are only a little out of pocket and in a short time

will be back to normal. Despite this very few would give the hair dresser/barber such a free range so why when it

comes to finding a property in Spain, a life changing and far more costly experience, do they give the

agent/agents they’ve chosen to work with a time slot that’s often less time than they spend having a restaurant

dinner and no clear criteria to work with. This turns the experience in to a low yield guessing game for the agent

and at best non-productive time consuming experience for you the buyer,

The person/company you’ve asked for help will only be as good as the information you’ve provided for them and

the time you’ve allotted them to do the job. Bear in mind most buyers have never met the person/agent they’ve

decided to work with and that often they’ve never previously set foot in this part of Spain A good agent will need

to familiarise him or herself with you face to face, look at some workable options then have the time to identify

and visit properties which will work. Could you do this in 4 hours? Often the time spot viewers give to an agent

before rushing off to their next appointment.

With those thoughts taken on board the process can be started and don’t worry there is a property here that will

meet your expectations and much more.

So how do you narrow down the field so you can start focusing on properties and areas that will suit?

Firstly you must ask yourselves what you will need from an area, the style of property you will require and the

genuine budget you have to achieve this.

Let’s get the worst one out of the way. Budget and tailoring this to expectation. Similar to all other parts of

Europe its location, location, location and the most popular of these is Spain will command significantly higher

prices. Malaga, Barcelona etc. are known to be exceptionally expensive. They are not necessarily nicer but a

large element of the purchase price in these locations is for the snob, value, kudos as opposed to bigger or

higher quality properties. Let’s face it a sea view property in Mojacar and a sea view property in Marbella both

look over the Med yet the same size/quality property in Mojacar will be priced some 150% below its Marbella

counterpart. Similar to both the UK and for example Belgium a property located on the beach will command a

price some 100 to 200% above its inland counterpart. Taking a 3 bed detached villa with private pool situated 25

mins inland from the coast in Almeria. The average price would be 150 to 180,000 Euros. If the same property

was right on Vera beach Almeria it would be priced between 300 and 350,000 Euros. So whilst you may want to

be in Malaga or living on the beach if the budget doesn’t run to this concentrate your efforts on locations where

you will be able to afford a fantastic property.

Be very wary of the two good to be true property scenario. If you see for an example a 3 bed detached villa with

pool priced at 100,000 Euros. It makes no sense. There could be a number of things wrong with this scenario.

The property doesn’t have the correct paperwork being the worst but equally it could be in an awful location,

have terrible access or better still not even exist. There are many disreputable agents who leave properties

which they know have sold years ago or worse still were never for sale posted up on the internet. You’d be

amazed at how many people are drawn in by these and make appointments with the agent that’s promoting. Of

course when they meet they’re told sorry it sold yesterday but don’t worry you’ve come a long way let’s look at

these other options…….

There are of course exceptions. Usually due to a death or a family crisis owners will ask us to list a property

some 30% below current market value. Also banks will often release repossessions far below the price a private

seller would expect. These will primarily be apartment or duplex style properties as contrary to popular belief the

Spanish banks are not sitting on 1.000’s of beach front villas or well-presented inland villas that they will sell at

giveaway prices.

Look at what you can realistically afford and ensure to budget for that regions buying costs and legal fees that

will usually not be included in the list price of a property.

The style of property you require/need. A closer look at the different regions in Spain will highlight that certain

styles of property are only available in particular places. Granada as an example is a very beautiful region but the

vast majority of property on sale there will be terraced, village houses or detached farmhouses. If you want a

detached villa with large garden and pool they hardly built any there so not a good region to look. The Costa

Blanca, though it does what is say on the tin, was predominantly built with the tourist market in trade so the style

of property there, apartments/duplexes on condensed urbanisations, small chalet style bungalows on very small

gardens- reflect this, If you are looking for a beautifully reformed farmhouse or again a larger detached villa with

large private garden then you’ll find little here. Beach areas in this region and over all of Spain are made up of

predominantly apartments or duplex style properties on communities with shared community pools so whilst you

can find larger detached villas their scarcity means they can command a far higher price tag then their inland

counterparts. Look at the price difference between a house on Brighton beach and one 20 mins inland. It’s the

same concept here.

Key requirements. It’s perhaps beyond belief yet surprisingly common to be pulling up at a property with clients,

the first on their viewing itinerary, and then to be told one of them doesn’t drive, has a medical condition that

facilitates they can be no further than 10 mins from a hospital, or that a relative will be moving over with them so

need a separate guest apartment. Over numerous e mails or phone conversations these, what we believe to be

key requirements, have never been mentioned and hearts sink as it’s realised that all the properties booked to

view will be unsuitable. Better still rarely has any time been allocated to re jig the viewings and show properties

which would work.

To ensure, when you to view, that you’ll be shown suitable properties it’s essential to have worked out well in

advance any essentials a property/location must have and to have informed the agent/s you are working with of

these. Proximity to airports, facilities, health centres, educational institutes, beaches etc. Are you happy with a

remote location? What if there are very few English speakers in the location you have chosen? All of these are

important factors which an agent needs to know about before they can identify suitable properties.

It takes 10 to 30 mins to prepare a wish list that can detail all the above and enclose this as part of your

initial enquiry or attach to an e mail.

C) Legalities.

Probably the most raised issue via clients considering a purchase in Spain.

Has the property been legally built? Does it have full title deeds and will I own the property out right? Will the

property be demolished?

The list of questions we have been asked on this topic, over many years, is a long one so will try and allay some

of the fears and separate fact from fiction. In addition will provide a few simple tips for ensuring a hassle free

purchase.

Legality of property in Spain is a complex issue and one made even more complicated by the fact paperwork

required, permissions needed etc. can vary from area to area and region to region.

We are well aware of the constant press and television coverage which draws attention to the 1,000s of homes

being demolished in Spain. In our region, which covers an area of some 400 Kmtrs, in the last 15 years there

have been 3 demolitions of property (one in Vera and two in La Hoya Cantoria). It could be argued that 3 is to

many but as a percentage of the number of homes in the area it doesn’t even register and a comparison to a

similar size area in the UK over the same period will reveal that significantly more properties have been fully or

partially demolished for planning breeches. To say there have been 1000’s of demolitions in Spain is quite simply

scaremongering.

For a property to be legal it must have

An escritura – title deeds for the property and any land attached.

Nota Simple. A land registry document detailing that the property and land are recorded in the land registry and

that any debts against the property e.g. a mortgage.

Note there are two registries in Spain the local land registry and the overall land registry (known as the Catastro)

the property and land must be recorded on both.

Habitation certificate – a certificate that shows the property is fit for habitation.

Energy certificate- a certificate which details a properties energy efficiency rating.

Depending on location, type of property and for example if it has a swimming pool or garage then there will be

other paperwork that the sellers will need to provide but the key documents are detailed above.

By using a reputable and established estate agent plus by ensuring you use a good independent lawyer to vet

the purchase then you will avoid any risk of paying out money on a property which has been built illegally or has

insufficient paperwork.

Potential buyers never waiver from wanting the same thing. To purchase a property which has been legally built,

has full and transferable title, is free of debt and will not be taken away or demolished.

To establish a reputable agent and yes they are out there.

Check if they are office based and if at all possible meet with them at their office to ensure this isn’t really a deck

chair or their front room.

Verify they are licensed to trade- again f they have an office in a prominent street level location this will go

without saying.

Verify how long they have been trading. Would you rather deal with a company who has been operational for two

weeks or one that has a long track record and has been established for years?

Only work with an agent who is happy to provide references/testimonials from clients who have already used

their services.

If during the course of an appointment the agent you are with starts criticising his or her competitors ask is this a

professional approach or an attempt to muddy the waters and to keep you in hand.

To establish a good independent lawyer.

Personal recommendation, perhaps via family or friends who have already purchased a Spanish property, is by

far the best way.

Check the company/person you intend to use is a lawyer. In Spain you have what is known as Gestors they are

not lawyers but for comparison are legal clerks and in Spain it’s perfectly legal for them to be employed and

undertake property conveyancing-legal checks.

A good agent will be able to provide you with a panel of established lawyers (not one lawyer) and we suggest

you contact a few before deciding on which you wish to use.

Perhaps use a local lawyer but not one in the town/village you are intending to purchase.

D) Property running costs.

It goes without saying that the cost of keeping/running a property in Spain is considerably lower than in the U.K.

or Belgium. Close to the top of our most asked questions will be ones concerning this area. Below we have given

current examples for annual expenditure based on the two most popular property types we sell e.g.

apartments/duplex on a community and detached 3 bed villas which are not on a community. Both illustrations

are for a property which will be lived in full time so if being used as a holiday home many of the costs will be

lower.

Worth noting that whilst we have prepared a detailed list it relates purely to the running of a property. Once you

own and have moved in life continues and incurs additional expense which often clients don’t budget for. Of

course you have your weekly shopping bill and car running costs (which incidentally are a lot lower than in the

U.K.) but what about things like vets bills, car servicing, mobile phones or perhaps you’ll want to use a private

doctor. Luckily all of these, other than mobiles, cost around a quarter of what they do in the UK or Belgium but

please do consider when putting together the living expenses you’ll need to budget for.

Yearly costs of keeping/running a 2 bed 2 bath apartment/duplex occupied

full time

Electric........................................................................................................... 724.00 Euros

Water............................................................................................................. 168.00 Euros

Gas................................................................................................................. 280.00 Euros

Building & contents insurance....................................................................... 460.00 Euros

IBI/Rates......................................................................................................... 380.00 Euros

Basura/Rubbish............................................................................................... 92.00 Euros

Internet........................................................................................................... 160.00 Euros

Community fees average ……………………………………………..576.00 Euros

Total yearly costs....................................................................................... 2,840.00 Euros

Yearly costs of running/keeping a 3 bed 2 bath villa 25-30 min. inland from

beach occupied full time

Electric........................................................................................................... 896.00 Euros

Water............................................................................................................. 168.00Euros

Gas................................................................................................................. 296.00 Euros

Pool maintenance (8x4)................................................................................. 720.00 Euros

Building & contents insurance....................................................................... 495.00 Euros

IBI/Rates......................................................................................................... 380.00 Euros

Basura/Rubbish............................................................................................... 92.00 Euros

Internet........................................................................................................... 134.00 Euros

Total yearly costs....................................................................................... 3,181.00 Euros

E) When should I start viewing properties?

In essence. When you are in a position to buy.

If you have funds in place then you are in a position to buy.

If you need to sell your property at home before you can buy then you are not yet in a position to buy somewhere

else. How many times do you think sellers and agents hear I have just put my property at home on the market

but have been told it will sell very quickly? Six months to a year after one or more property viewing trips your

property remains UN sold and many of the properties you have viewed elsewhere have been.

A question. If you start looking at houses a long time in advance of when you can buy and when the day comes

that you are ready to go one of the properties you saw 5 to 6 months earlier is still available. Would you still want

to buy it? Or would you then ask why it is still on the market and why hasn’t somebody else purchased it

If time and budget permits it’s a very good idea to get over and visit the areas of Spain that are of interest to you

and where you are considering purchasing a property. An area/location visit like this, whilst invaluable, is

essentially a fact finding tour and one that should be undertaken at your own pace and expense. It is possible

during such a trip to explore and get a good feel for particular areas and also to see the styles of property

available in these areas but if you are not in a position to buy or are undecided on location this is not the time to

arrange property viewings.

We always ask our potential buyers who request viewings, sometimes as much as a year in advance of when

they will be able to purchase, to reverse the situation and picture themselves as the seller.

Sellers here, in the main, once have decided to market their property, will work hard at ensuring it is well

presented for viewings. This entails clearing gardens, ensuring pools look tip top, cleaning the house from top to

bottom. Often the sellers will be working and have to take time out of work to accommodate a viewing or perhaps

the reason for sale is ill health so will be a hard struggle to get property prepared and ready to be viewed by

potential buyers. If then an agent does 3 or more viewings all with clients who aren’t in a position to buy is this

reasonable? And how would you feel if it was you on the other end of this?

Often sellers of properties, mainly due to health reasons, have already vacated their property leaving keys with

friends who will need to drive, often long distances, to open a property and prepare for viewings. Again it is at

best unfair to put key holders through this when you are viewing simply to satisfy curiosity as opposed to being in

a position to buy if you like the property.

A good agent, as well as buyers, needs a regular supply of good properties to sell. A sure fire way for an agent to

loose good properties, that they have fought hard to get, is for them to book regular viewings with clients who

aren’t in a position to buy.

An agent’s job in short is to introduce clients who are in a position to buy to properties which match the criteria

given.

F) Planning viewings.

Often the build up, research and planning of property viewings will have been going on for many months prior to

the time of a visit. So after many hours of trawling the internet the time of your visit is fast approaching and often

the excitement levels are building. The understandable urge, as the time drawers near, is to leave no stone

unturned and maximise your visit time by viewing as many properties as possible each day via different agents.

If you genuinely wish to find a property and one that suits your requirements, rarely does this approach work.

For example if you will be visiting for a week it will be far more productive to meet with a maximum of 2-3 local

agents. Ensure you’ve given these an accurate spec and give each of them the time to get to know you and

identify which properties they have that will be suitable. Usually to the point of viewing you’ve only communicated

with agents over e mail or telephone but this doesn’t come close in value to the time spent face to face.

Many local agents, including ourselves, cover a very large area and have, because of this, an equally large

portfolio of properties. This is rarely appreciated by clients visiting for the first time who believe viewings here will

be similar to the U.K. Visits to one house then a two min drive in car or short walk to next one. Arboleas for

example (one small red dot on Google maps) has the main town and then goes on to cover an area of some 70

kmtrs incorporating 250 plus small hamlets. A property shown on the internet as in Arboleas could be anywhere

within this radius.

Time we appreciate, for all our clients, is at a premium and when visiting you’ll want to make the most productive

use of it. More times than not it’s a property selected by the agent which clients like the best and go on to

purchase as opposed to the one clients have been watching on the internet for months. The agent, when putting

together a viewing trip with a selection of properties will base most appointment on a client’s selections then

incorporate a few of their own selections to provide a balance.

Realistically, depending on the style of property you’ve chosen to view and location, it’s comfortable to view

between 5 to 8 properties per day but allow for how hot it can be here during the summer months. The agents

will be used to working under these conditions but will you? Ensure you set a schedule in advance that will be

achievable.

Something we often hear from clients who have been here viewing over a few days is that each property is

merging in to the next and that they are confused. A further symptom of trying to cram too many viewings in to a

small time period.

A useful tip when viewing is to ensure as soon as you’ve visited a property get the detail sheet from the agent

and record accurate notes or perhaps a score out of 10. This way, back at hotel in the evening, you can whittle

your shortlist down easily.

Rarely will one visit to a property you like be sufficient to know if you wish to purchase so allow time during your

visit to 2nd view the properties that have ended up at the top of your shortlist.

If you’ve made an appointment to meet with an agent. KEEP IT. Sadly many agents will use every trick in the

book to sabotage a client’s further viewings. You won’t be seeing that property it’s already sold- why bother

viewing anymore when you’ve found one you love and if you like it you better move quickly as has a 2nd viewing

tomorrow. The list is endless and we suppose if you have found something perfect the temptation to cancel

further appointments is strong. If you’ve built up a good relationship with your chosen agents prior to a visit and

given them your list of requirements undoubtedly they would have put together a selection of very good options.

It would be much better to keep all of your appointments and view all of the options before making a final

decision as in virtually every instance each property you like will still be available if you wish to make an offer.

G) When should I make and offer and what level of offer should I make?

A quick read through the purchase process on a Spanish property will reveal that if an owner is given and

accepts an offer then they will expect that an official reservation contract is raised, a holding deposit paid and the

property taken off of the market. An offer, therefore, should not be made unless you are prepared and able to

proceed with the purchase if accepted. Wishing to identify the lowest price a seller will accept on a property

before adding it to your potentials list or making an appointment to view is both a common and sensible request

and one the advertising agent will happily advise you on.

Actual offers are quite commonly made over the phone or via email but these in these in their entirety will be

made by clients who know a location well and have been waiting for the right property to become available or

have visited a property gone away to think and decided they want to purchase. Just as common place though

are phone/e mail offers from clients who, once spoken to, reveal they will not be able to visit/view until a time

often months down the line and just wanted to see what a seller would accept. An agent is obliged to inform a

seller of an offer and submitting offers which can’t be followed up at best cause sellers unwarranted stress and at

worst result in properties being withdrawn from sale.

A worrying trend we have observed over recent months is buyers coming for viewings who will be utilising funds

from a UK property sale to fund a purchase in Spain. Acting totally in good faith and on the basis they’ve been

told they have a sale agreed on their UK property with exchange due imminently they have made an offer on a

property in Spain which has been accepted. Lawyers are appointed, costs for both buyers and sellers are being

incurred, reservation contracts have been prepared and dispatched and the seller or their lawyer awaits the

holding deposit. This is not forthcoming as exchange on the UK sale is delayed or worse still collapses. End

result a lot of costly work, an expensive viewing trip and a group of bitterly disappointed people. Once you walk

across the threshold of the Spanish property which ticks all the boxes and more it’s incredibly tough to not make

an offer but to do so before you are sure you can proceed to completion and pay the holding deposit rarely ends

well.

What level of offer will be acceptable?

Buyers and seller are often entrenched with vastly differing views as to what constitutes an acceptable offer.

Ultimately, though, a property will only be sold if an offer is made which is acceptable to the sellers.

Both buyers and sellers regularly attempt to draw agents in to a dialogue on what constitutes a reasonable offer

but on the basis of a market as they would want it be as opposed to how the market actually is or by relating to a

vastly different market which existed 2-3 years ago.

Let’s simplify matters by looking at how the market stands at present and if forced to give an average or a rule of

thumb then would be as follows. Sellers are accepting offers, after a degree of back and forth, some 2 to 4%

below a properties listed price. There are though exceptions that go either side of this. At present with bank

release/repossession properties. The banks are fully aware the Euro has collapsed against sterling and that

when they issue a property to be listed it will be at a price some 30% below an equivalent property, in same

location being privately sold. Subsequently, since start of year, banks have been holding out for and achieving

list price. On the other end of the scale we have seen private owners occasionally accepting offers as 15% below

list.

Every property and every owner, similar to every buyer, is individual. A good agent will know each of their

properties and the owners well. How long has the property been on the market? How much does it stand current

owners in? Have any offers been made and rejected? Where are owners going when they sell? All of these have

a bearing on what level of offer can/will be accepted and your agent will be able to advise you on any relevant

details before you submit and offer.

H) Why do I have to pay a holding deposit?

Something very unfamiliar to buyers in Spain who hail from England and Wales though, when explained. a

system which most wish would be adopted. In Scotland and over the rest of Europe when an offer is made and

accepted on a property a reservation/holding contract is immediately raised and signed by both sellers/buyers. At

time of signing either a monetary sum (in Spain usually between 3-6,000 Euros) or a legally binding promissory

note is handed over to the sellers or their appointed representative.

This reservation/fee holding deposit and contract offers much valued protection to both the buying and selling

parties. The buyers agree to take property off of the market, suspend further viewings and if decide to breech this

and sell to another party the initial buyer is compensated by getting back double the holding deposit paid. The

buyers, if breech contract, other than on a legality issue, loose the deposit that has been paid.

If you’ve sold a property in England or Wales then it’s highly likely you’ve received an offer and the lawyers have

gone to work. Legal checks, surveys and local authority searches commence and taking on average 3 months.

At any stage in this process but usually just prior to exchange the buyer, via their lawyer, pulls out giving no

reason. The chain collapses and all you are left with is a legal bill and facing starting all over. Because of the

holding/ reservation system in Spain this seldom happens.

I) The purchase process and associated buying costs.

At Calida Homes Property Consultancy, we have relocated in excess of 500 couples from both the UK, Belgium and other areas of Spain. The experience we have gathered in doing this enables us to guide you expertly through every aspect of buying a Spanish property. It goes out without saying that all our properties have been checked and have the required legal paperwork but you will need time to verify this and to be guided through the contractual process and buying fees.

Throughout the whole process we will offer free and comprehensive customer support which will often continue long after you have moved in. Perhaps you will need assistance in applying for residency or registering your children in school. If purchasing an off-plan house then you will need reliable support on the ground to check every aspect of the build. It could be you just need help in sourcing building supplies, a new car or the local vet. No matter how small your concerns, they are important to us. Below is a summary of the key stages in the Spanish purchase process along with a detailed a breakdown of the costs involved.

Similar to buying property in the UK, the first step is issuing an offer to purchase the property you wish to own. This would be presented to the sellers by the agent and usually will go back and forth a couple of times.

Once an offer, acceptable to both parties, has been agreed we or your lawyer will prepare a holding/reservation contract. This outlines buyer and seller information, property address, agreed sale price, agreed completion timetable and details of any furniture/fixtures included in sale price.

Once prepared this contract and furniture list will be presented the buyers and sellers to sign and when signatures are in place then buyers would be expected to pay/transfer the pre agreed holding deposit of between 3 and 6.000 Euros.

The holding/reservation contract usually lasts for 30 days during which time your lawyer (there are many English speaking lawyers with offices locally and we can mail a panel of these upon request) will prepare a detailed full purchase contract and undertake all relevant searches on the property you have chosen to ensure it has all the required legal documentation (e.g. registered title deeds) and that it’s free of any financial liabilities. The monetary sum paid to the seller on signing the holding/reservation contract binds them not to sell the property to another party during the contract period. The purchase contract (known in Spanish as the compra-venta) will not be issued until your lawyer is fully satisfied the property you are purchasing is fit for sale. Once raised and signed by both parties it secures the property until your transaction is complete. It is a detailed legally binding document which lists all aspects of the purchase. In Spain upon signing this document the buyers are, depending on completion timetable, often required to make a further payment, 10% of the purchase price less the reserve fee paid. Sometimes this interim payment stage is skipped when a quick completion is required.

A purchase contract typically gives a period of 60 days on top of holding/reservation contract, during which time the purchase will have to be completed and the balance of the purchase price paid to the seller. This period however can be extended or shortened providing both parties to the contract are in agreement. E.g. it’s not set in stone however, as mentioned above the completion timetable is usually agreed and outlined as part of holding reservation contract.

On the agreed day of completion your lawyers arrange a meeting with all parties to the transaction at a notary office. Deeds to the property, now in the name of you the buyer (the escritura) will be exchanged in front of the notary and this transaction will be officially recorded and sent to the land registry. The balance of the purchase price is also handed over at this point and the purchase tax (shown below) becomes due. This is also the moment keys to your new home will be handed over and you take possession.

An important exception to the above is that both buyers and sellers, perhaps due to work constraints, do not need to be at the notary and their lawyer can be given a power of attorney to complete the purchase whilst the other party are absent. It is important to notify your agent and lawyer that this will be required at the time you make an offer.

Note to purchase a property in Spain on the day of completion you’ll need to have obtained a Spanish identity number or N.I.E. number as it is commonly known and to have a Spanish bank account. We or your lawyer will organise this and it’s an in expensive quick thing to arrange. Many clients stress about this and go to great lengths to organise before a visit. This really isn’t necessary as can, if you have time during your visit, can be applied for or alternatively issued by the Spanish consulate when you return home. The average 3 month completion time provides ample time for this number to be applied for and issued.

Buying costs.

As a rule of thumb, in the Almeria region, you should budget for an additional 11% (this varies from region to region) of the property price for the payment of taxes and fees that are applicable to a Spanish property purchase. In the example below, taxes and fees total a little over 9.5% of the property price. This differs from the 11% given above because the purchase tax in Spain is paid upon the declared deed value rather than the selling price. Each property will have an existing declared deed value and when sold both the buyers and sellers along with legal representatives negotiate on what the new declared deed value will be. This rarely equals the selling price of the property in fact it is more often 90%.as items such as furniture will be excluded from deed value to make purchase tax payable lower.

Purchase price = 100,000 Euros Declared Property Value = 90,000 Euros Transfer tax at 8%= 7,200 Euros Lawyers’ fees = 800 Euros Notary Fees = 600 Euros Registry Fees = 1000 Euros

Total property cost = 109,600 Euros

Transfer/purchase tax (stamp duty in the U.K). –is, in Almeria, 8% of the declared property value, not the purchase price.

Lawyers’ fees - Depending on the amount of work involved, estimate lawyers’ fees at approx. 800Euros to 1.200Euros. To include total conveyancing, applying for NIE number and transferring utilities.

Notary fees - Notary fees vary from 300 to 600 Euros, dependent upon a particular notary’s fee scale. Registry fees - Your land registry fee pays for the transfer of the property deeds into your name and depending on the amount of work involved, ranges from 800 - 1,000 Euros.

THE ABOVE COST ILLUSTRATION is based on a cash purchase. If you require mortgage finance then allow an additional 16% on top of agreed purchase price to cover costs as there will be additional costs such as mortgage set up, indemnity insurance etc. that will be incurred.

J) Mortgage finance.

Mortgage finance is back to being easily available in Spain and similar to the UK different banks will offer varying

packages at different rates of interest. Interest only and repayment mortgages are both available to clients up to

the age of 70 years old.

Virtually all properties we list are suitable for a mortgage the exception being real bargains and distress sales.

There is no question that a cash buyer can move forward to completion much more quickly than those using

mortgage finance to fund a purchase. If a property has been slashed in price this will almost certainly be to

attract a quick cash sale.

In many ways the Spanish mortgage application process is similar to that in the U.K. and will be based on two

things. Firstly the property (is it legal and what does the mortgage valuation come up at) and secondly the

applicants (are they credit worthy with good Experian rating and can they show an ability to repay the loan).

Monthly repayments will be set based upon the length of the loan (this will vary depending on age of applicant)

and the amount of the loan. Of course, if because of age, you would only qualify for 5-10 year loan period

monthly re payments will be very high even if borrowing a small amount (45-100k Euros) and we have found

when applying for clients on this basis the monthly repayments come back at a level well in excess of

affordability.

There are two significant ways a Spanish mortgage will vary from one in the U.K. Firstly the cost. To borrow

money in Spain is currently some 90% more expensive in terms of set up and ongoing monthly payments than its

U.K counterpart. The reason for this is that the UK lending is rate is set using the very low Bank of England base

rate plus and Spain’s like the rest of Europe is set via Euribor plus. Euribor rate is a lot higher than bank of

England base rate and it’s to this the banks add their percentage so a standard mortgage offer will be between

5.6 and 6.1% where as in U.K 2.5- 3.6%.

On top of this you have set up costs which are again much higher in Spain than in the U.K. There will be the

usual set up fee, indemnity insurance etc but in Spain if a mortgage is issued and approved it will be shown on a

separate title deed (in other words a property purchased via mortgage will have two not one set of deeds) the

cost of this additional deed is approx 2,500-3,000 Euros, and even though it is for the bank, is charged to buyer

along with the registration and notary fees required to record it.

Secondly the amount of money a Spanish bank will lend you against the purchase known as the loan to value.

As a rule of thumb Spanish banks will only loan non Spanish residents 70% of the lower between agreed

purchase price and valuation. The implication being that before even starting the process or applying for

pre approval you will need to be able to have and establish you have remaining funds (e.g. 30% of

purchase price and 15% buying/mortgage costs) to complete the purchase once your mortgage is

approved. There are, as with everything, exceptions If the property is a bank repossession getting mortgage

finance will often be simpler ( though you’ll be tied to the bank that own the property) and the banks sometimes

give 80 to 90% finance. Also if a valuation comes back in excess of the purchase price (which is quite common

at present) then banks may push lending up to 80%.

If this is acceptable and you wish to utilise Spanish mortgage finance then we will, once you have located and

made an acceptable offer on a property, introduce you to relevant banks, mortgage brokers who will organise

the application and valuation for you. The Spanish banks can also provide what’s known as pre approval e.g. we

can submit your details and they will confirm that they would be prepared to loan you money and over what term

and at what rate.

To start a mortgage application/or apply for pre approval you will be required to submit the following at

the start.

Full name, address, age and working status.

Copy of latest P60 or if self employed last audited financial statement

3 copy bank statements – which show your salary/pension being paid in.

A brief statement detailing your annual income from work or pension.

Once an application has started the banks can request further information which usually includes an Experian

credit report - https://www.experian.com/ and will expect applicants to open a bank account with them plus

provide funds ( usually between 350-400 Euros) to finance the property valuation.

K) The rental market and rental potential.

Many clients when considering a purchase in Spain are looking to buy some 4-5 years in advance of when they

intend to move over.

They wish to locate a property for themselves, friends/family to use for holidays or for part of the year then during

periods of non occupancy rent out to holiday makers generating an income.

This is very possible (and in the main is done UN officially under the tax radar). If you’ve opted for the correct

property the annual rental income that can be achieved should easily cover the running costs of the property,

your personal flights over, hire car cost and of course a good few meals out.

The high season here is from mid June to mid Sept with July and August being the most expensive months to

rent a property. Many owners who own this type of property use personally in the low season months (which can

be equally nice weather wise) keeping the high season period free for renters thereby achieving maximum

returns.

If clients are looking, via ourselves, for this type of property we hope they’ll appreciate our realistic non B.S.

approach.

Over the last four years there have been dramatic changes to the rental market which are highlighted below but if

you select the right property and are realistic with your own expectations it is still possible to make a good

return/yield of some 5-7% which let’s face it is considerably better than you’ll be getting in interest from the bank

on your savings.

The most important, though much overlooked factors, when considering this style of property are as follows.

Who the end user will be?

What will they be looking for from a holiday property?

What will they be prepared to pay?

Will they come back and use the property again next year?

All good beach hotels are usually fully booked for summer season (usually by March) but the clients who want

this type of holiday are not the target market. The point has only been raised as a double room in a typical beach

3 star costs 700-900 Euros per week during the high season so it’s far better value to rent your own property and

enjoy the many advantages these offer over a hotel/guest house. E.g. private pool, privacy, space, freedom to

come and go as you please etc.

There are a number of essentials that must be incorporated to ensure a property will achieve a good rental

income and it goes without saying that when trawling through the internet trying to decide on this year’s holiday

property and faced with the 1.000’s of options it will be the properties which stand out from the crowd and have a

certain wow factor which will be the first booked. Other key factors.

Ensure the pictures of the interior/exterior are good and that the property is well furnished in an eye catching

way.

If an inland villa then a pool is essential. This style of property will invariably be rented by families or larger

groups all of whom will wish to swim and sun bathe.

Location wise- being able to walk to some nice bars, restaurants or beach is a real plus point for renters. Privacy

yet easy access again is high up the list (nothing quite like driving 5 miles in the dark along un signed dirt tracks

to try and find your rental villa and realising once you get there you have to go through this each time you need

some milk or a beer. You’ll get this client once but they’ll never be back).

Work with a good rental agent (we can supply these) who will ensure the property is spotless and presented well

when guests arrive perhaps, which is always appreciated, organising a welcome pack bottle of wine, some fruit

etc.

In terms of rental income . What you can expect?

Inland properties.

On an average well presented 3 bed inland villa with swimming pool during June and Sept between 5-700 Euros

per week and in July and August 6-800 Euros per week. In addition for approx 350-400 per week many rent their

villas over low season to couples over looking for property who appreciate this costs less than a hotel and prefer

their own space. This style of property currently attracts more rental prospects, purely as the most cost effective.

By far the largest group of renters coming here for holidays are families or larger groups of adults. A 3 bed villa

easily accommodates 6 people so, if opting for another alternative, would require either 3 hotel rooms or 2

apartments which would be considerably more expensive.

Coastal Properties

These are split in to two styles of property apartments/duplexes or detached top end villas.

The apartments, though considerably cheaper to purchase, are currently the worst performing in terms of rental

potential unless you already have an extensive database of potential renters. In the best locations e.g. Mojacar.

Villaricos and San Juan they have a fairly long and good season and an average 2 bed apartment in these

locations (if marketed and presented well) can generate between 700-900 per week in high season. In other

locations due to a saturation of properties being available, long distance to beach and facilities, very strong

competition via cheap hotel rooms etc you’ll see a far shorter season and a far lower yield. Even in the high

season it is not uncommon to see apartments in, for example, Turre or not so good parts of Vera, Palomares

being offered at and struggling to get 250 Euros per week. The rule of thumb, if there is one, being no

apartment you pick up below 80,000 Euros is likely to yield any sensible rental return.

Detached top end coastal Villas

These are by far and away the best performers but of course the most expensive properties to purchase at the

outset. It is not uncommon for owners of this style of property who reside here full time to vacate their homes in

the high season and check in to a low budget apartment. Why? Because they can comfortably rent a wow factor

3-4 bed detached villa with private pool on any of our beach resorts for in excess of 2,500 Euros per week.

Long term rentals

As opposed to the above type of rental you have what is known as a long term contract (for a year or more). This

will be available in both locations inland/coastal and is opted for by owners who would prefer far less income but

an income which is assured. An average 3 bed inland villa on a long term contract will rent at between 400-600

Euros per month plus bills. Renters love this type of contract as it provides a very affordable alternative to

purchasing, flexibility in that if a location or property not liked with 30 days notice you can move on and the

chance to put down roots, all be they temporary. Would be fair to say, though, it is often the poorer quality and

badly situated properties that are on offer in this sector. As an owner if you could rent your property out to holiday

makers for 12 weeks and generate 7,000 Euros with the added benefit of 40 more weeks you can use yourself

OR rent for 12 months and generate 7,200 Euros which would you opt for? The short term holiday market

maybe more labour intensive than the long term option but the rewards are significantly higher.

L) Renting to buy.

Over the last two years, and only via clients based in the U.K. requests come in asking us to contact the owners

of a property listed for sale to propose clients be allowed to move in to the property for 3-6 months on a rental

basis. At the end of this period if the clients still like the property and location the proposal being they’ll purchase

it.

To spend some time living in a property you are thinking of buying does make a lot of sense but sadly, in this

location at least, owners will either select to SELL or RENT. We have no properties listed for sale that the owners

wish to rent out and we are at a bit of a loss as to where the impression, this type of property/option exists, stems

from. It is not an option in the UK or rest of Europe and we are only including in this guide as the level of

requests we get warrant inclusion.

We work closely with a number of good local rental agents (contact details happily supplied upon request). If

you wish to rent for a period, as opposed to buying, then it this type of agent you should be contacting and

viewing with. The ones we work with will happily introduce you to locations and show you a portfolio of possible

options available to rent from between one month to a year.

M) Cars.

Left-hand drive, Spanish plated and diesel cars make up the vast majority of vehicles on the road in Spain. For

many driving on the left or the thought of it can be a big obstacle. Certainly it’s tricky but only for a while and the

roads here are surprisingly good, relatively traffic free and in real contrast to the U.K pot holes and speed

cameras are a rarity. There are though still a good number of properties, especially farmhouses (cortijos/fincas)

which only have access via dirt tracks. If this is the case then we will always highlight this in the property

description.

Many buyers do bring their UK plated vehicles to Spain but in doing this after six months it will need to be re

registered ( matriculated) on to Spanish plates which will require any changes needed under Spanish law to be

made and also the payment of an import tax which will vary on the age, size and value of vehicle. In most

circumstances it’s far more economical to sell your vehicles before leaving (as you’ll achieve a far better price for

them) and then purchase another vehicle in Spain. New and 2nd hand vehicles are widely available but you’ll

notice, especially on 2nd hand vehicles, the prices can be quite hefty. Simply as there is not the high level of

depreciation here and although a disadvantage when buying it, of course works in your favour, when selling.

Another option, widely used by clients who own a 2nd/holiday home here, is to buy a cheap run around which

they use to travel to and from the airport to their property, When not being used the vehicle will be left in one of

many long term parking areas that can be found around all the airports. An annual season ticket for this costs

approx 300 Euros for which the car can be parked up for year and a free shuttle bus will pick you up and drop

you off at airport and take you to your car when required.

N) U.K Television.

Some two years back virtually all owners via a 1.5 to 1.8 mtr. dish enjoyed all the main UK TV channels BBC,

ITV, Channel 4 etc on a free view system. E.G a one of payment for dish and skybox installation then free from

there on in. The big TV companies not happy with all of us getting this service for free moved the satellites and in

a two week period knocked out coverage for Gibraltar, Malaga, Almeria and a big chunk of the Costa Blanca. For

many this caused total panic whilst for others no great shake.

Currently we now have a lot more options allowing us to pick up UK channels.

The cheapest by far is streaming via a smart TV. Laptop and a good broadband internet connection.

Android boxes are now readily available- again these need to be connected to both internet and the TV.

They cost between 100 and 130 Euros ready to go and are extremely popular as come almost plug in

top play and with many channels that were previously pay per view pre programmed and free.

A larger 1.9-2.4 mtr dish. This allows viewing via free view, as was previously available but still need a

sky box and more importantly a sky viewing card (only available via the U.K to work). This system, if

installed will be highlighted in a properties sales details, but would have cost owners in the region of

1200-1,500 Euros to install and can be sold instantly if no longer required for between 700-800 Euros.

This means owners rarely include in the sales price of a property (as a fixture/fitting) but will instead give

buyers an option to purchase.

O) Furniture/Electrical Goods.

Of late we are seeing many properties being sold either furnished or at least partially furnished and virtually all

will include kitchen appliances (known as the white goods). This will always be highlighted in the property sales

details so if an important factor always worth checking for this in advance.

Often taking possession of a new home in Spain will also involve getting rid of old unwanted furnishings in the

U.K and starting afresh here. Even if the style of furniture/appliances being sold with the Spanish property are

not perfect they provide the chance to get settled/acclimatised before setting out on the rounds of furniture

stores.

Although overall cost of living and property running costs are significantly lower in Spain it’s a different story

when it comes to furniture, electrical goods and light fittings. Far higher levels of competition, both on line and on

the high street, in the U.K. result in items on the shelf being sold at prices a lot lower than we get them here. This

especially true with electrical goods.

Many clients will ship these over, even making a special visit to Home Base/B & Q for light fittings before

completion on a property here. All electrical goods T.V’s, Kettles’ fridges etc, via an English to Spanish adaptor

plug, work perfectly over here.

If you do opt to come over with just a suitcase and utilise furniture stores/electrical wholesalers over here then

you will be spoiled for choice. Surprisingly even the small villages that have one church and a bar will usually

have a furniture store. Even more surprising is the free home next day delivery most of these provide. Visit

Albox on a Tuesday afternoon pick a washing machine and a sofa and they’ll be dropping it off at your property

the following day. Most garden centres and builders merchants operate in the same manner.

Ikea (located on outskirts of Murcia) is, as always, popular especially with clients who pull in on way from airport.

For a fee they deliver locally and have an assembly service which is a god send.

P) Pets.

A nation of pet lovers in the main so whilst you’ve decided to look for a property in warmer climes it will usually

be on the basis your cats/dogs will be coming with.

There is no problem with bringing them as long as they have up to date pet passports though transporting them

can create problems. None of the U.K. based airlines travelling here allow smaller pets to be carried in the cabin

so if transporting over via air then will have to be in the hold. If this isn’t possible then they’ll have you

accompany you in the car.

Once in Spain there are a few things which you’ll have to protect pets from which you don’t have to deal with in

the U.K. Or colder parts of Europe.

Fleas and Ticks are more prevalent and a horrid little mite known as the sand fly can via a bite give your dog’s

leishmaniasis. All of these can be protected from via widely available in expensive collars or products such as

front line.

Clients are also, often, concerned about how their pets will cope in our far hotter climate. An understandable

concern but they are surprisingly adaptable and will soon locate the cooler/shady spots to while away the hot

summer days.