Disneyworld in Spain??

[Big Pete]

Originally Posted by jojo

Yeah, and cos of the recession/credit crunch thing going on, he's having to spend more time watching whats going on there. He's never been one for ehjoying the heat, he's very fair skinned and prefers the English climate. He also feels safer (mentally) in the UK cos he knows the language, the way things are done and the life style, he keeps saying its so nice to go into a shop and chat to the sales assistant, to be able to understand whats going on around him. Of Spain, he says, so far the Brits he's met out here all seem to be trying to rip each other off and he doesnt understand the language or the mentality of the Spanish and feels out of his depth. Also he's concerned about the economy in Spain

As you can tell we've had "words" on the phone this morning and he's seriously considering trying to convince me to go back to the UK!

I see ..

Well dont let him talk you out of it , yep familiarility is a hard thing to get over but that comes with time , just keep pointing out the pluses jojo and wear him down got to give it at least a year then i am sure it will click and grow on him specially when he sees the Uk slide more ..

Maybe your in the wrong area ? Mallorca i found just so much more safer and chilled , to me anyways . maybe he needs to find a different area ?

But more to the point are you happy in the area ? If yes then work on him if no then look around . for me Mallorca just is perfect feels more homely than my Uk home.. love the people low crime no riff raff a little up market to suit me

You havent brought yet i understand so consider options on where to live but dont go back to the sinking ship trust me its gonna sink deeper

[chris(madrid)]

Of Spain, he says, so far the Brits he's met out here all seem to be trying to rip each other off and he doesn't understand the language or the mentality of the Spanish and feels out of his depth. Also he's concerned about the economy in Spain

Business here runs differently. The main effort is in building contacts/clients - thereafter customer loyalty is in general higher - people are less inclined to move just save a few pennies. This happens even on Mallorca.

Do not be fooled by a laid-back approach. This often belies a SEVERE accounting system (legalised double entry more or less). Many large organisations have 3 or even 6 month account settlement. Unless you can afford to play this game (it can work BOTH WAYS) - DON'T TRY. Also I've seldom met folk more capable of doing money matters in their heads. It's a bit simpler now it's in Euros - but before - it was the same as London "Pony's, Monkey's etc" - "Duros, papeles etc". And some will still use "kilos" to express "milliones de pesatas" or €6000 - and duros. I do occasionally! - Mil Duros = 5000ptas or €30

BUT ime it's generally "honest" and things can be "resolved". Small businesses are expected to bill immediately.

What matters Jojo - is that he's punctual, timely and there's no "mañana" syndrome. Then he'll displace alot of "meetoos".

But the heat/skin thing is a real thing to be aware of. My dad is fair - and was less than vigilant when he (later we) lived in the Caribbean - he now has to be VERY careful - More or less he can only visit us here in winter.

[rowlandsbb]

This is a bit of an old chestnut.....sometime in the past to encourage investors to buy!!!

from all genuine reports, not a prospect that anyone should take in to account when buying
And if you are dealing with an agent who tells you it is.....then don't do business with them!!!

For life style buyers it is a good time to buy...even with low exchange rate
Some good deals although for the best locations prices are fime but reflect the current market

Two examples:
If you buy in 2008 a 2 bed at Polaris World Condado de Alhama off plan for 119.800€ [ @1.24 £96,612]- the price of a good caravan in UK- which will be ready in say late 2009 early 2010 and then say enyoy using it for a few years say until 2014 then decide to trade up......you will I' m sure have a very attractive unit on a well developed Resort with 3 golf courses built and all other facilities
And you will look back to 2008 and reflect......what a good buy it was

When this resort is well advanced it should be good for all year lets...families in summer as it is also near to good beaches....and golfers in winter who want to play the Golf Trail

Then for example we have a bank sale at a reduced price of a 2 bed ground floor apartment close to beach, furnished, indoor and out door communal pool Vera Playa Almeria at 152.000 €....but I suspect an offer circa 136.000 € for a quick sale would be considered...this again will turn out a good buy

If you think that the EU and western economies are never going to recover, then you will take a different view!!!

[chris(madrid)]

Originally Posted by rowlandsbb

If you buy in 2008 a 2 bed at Polaris World Condado de Alhama off plan for 119.800€ [ @1.24 £96,612]- the price of a good caravan in UK- which will be ready in say late 2009 early 2010 and then say enyoy using it for a few years say until 2014 then decide to trade up......you will I' m sure have a very attractive unit on a well developed Resort with 3 golf courses built and all other facilities
And you will look back to 2008 and reflect......what a good buy it was

To a certain extent - Could be - BUT as long as you're 100% sure it will get built (Polaris is an example where you could reasonably expect to get it)

BUT there are already stories of folk buying property against plans and the builders have filed for bankruptcy or simply just done a bunk and they're now stuck with NO CASH - NO WAY TO RECOVER IT - AND AN UNINHABITABLE HOME. This is not the first time it's happened in Spain.

Right now - I'd be wary of ANYTHING that is not finished & legalised.

And NEVER USE THE BUILDERS LAWYER - ALWAYS USE A NOTARIO

[rowlandsbb]

Well it has first to be a legal property from the start if off plan...anyone who purchases in anticipation that it will be legal is just a gambler!!!....this type of buying is really history even for the high risk dealer

Second you have to 'get' your Bank or insurance guarantee for your deposit

Big developers like Polaris World are perhaps best but there are a lot of smaller Spanish developers who are well financed and it is often these who are not prepared to reduce prices or make good offers to buyers, because they can afford to wait!

Most life style buyers now do a lot of research to make sure that they buy in to a development which will be finished

And of course no one should complete without a Habitation Licence and the development facilities completed.......completing on builders water/ electric is also history

Odd circumstances when this may be OK but no additional cash over the deposit should be paid until you get what you are paying for

The good thing about Spain is that all the problems of the past are now out in the open and new regulations make it safer than ever before to buy.....provided you apply the same care as you would buying in UK

But!!!.......I suspect we are about to hear a lot about Bulgaria etc, the so called emerging markets where the credit crunch is really starting to bite and there will be lots of buyers whose expectations of a nice profit may turn in to a nightmare!!!

[Big Pete]

Originally Posted by chris(madrid)

To a certain extent - Could be - BUT as long as you're 100% sure it will get built (Polaris is an example where you could reasonably expect to get it)

BUT there are already stories of folk buying property against plans and the builders have filed for bankruptcy or simply just done a bunk and they're now stuck with NO CASH - NO WAY TO RECOVER IT - AND AN UNINHABITABLE HOME. This is not the first time it's happened in Spain.

Right now - I'd be wary of ANYTHING that is not finished & legalised.

And NEVER USE THE BUILDERS LAWYER - ALWAYS USE A NOTARIO

I have never understood anyone buying offplan even before the recession . to risky in my book ..

They buy after being shown a full top spec showhome with a artists drawing of some sexy scantily lady playing tennis by the pool which is always only 1/4 full of people , with a backdrop of open land with picturesque scenery as a backdrop , looks like paradise Then when they got your deposit the ground work starts and then you pay for them to buy the materials for them to build it
You then spend the next year scared to death and praying the builder doesnt rip you off and that if it is finished its built properly , eventually just when you get to the final payments you find that the pool isnt quite so good and suddenly that nice view and open land has another build block put right in front not quite as the drawing

Then to cap it all with your nerves and stress level about to pop from all the praying and worrying if the builder is gonna stay in business long enough to complete your dream house , you cant live there as it shouldnt have been built in the first instance . To then be left with ongoing hassles with electric supply as it appears that all the builder has done is poke some wires into the neighbours supply who inturn had his wires poked into some builders generator Then to spend time and legal fees to sort it all out and then put up with a further year of builders working on the roads and street lights and all the other houses they sold in phases 2 and 3 ..

Mugs game if you ask me
Buy one thats built for christ sake heck so you have a secondhand cooker and the floor colour isnt what you had chose but heck you keep your nerves and sanity intact and you know what your paying for

[Big Pete]

Originally Posted by rowlandsbb

Well it has first to be a legal property from the start if off plan...anyone who purchases in anticipation that it will be legal is just a gambler!!!....this type of buying is really history even for the high risk dealer

Second you have to 'get' your Bank or insurance guarantee for your deposit

Big developers like Polaris World are perhaps best but there are a lot of smaller Spanish developers who are well financed and it is often these who are not prepared to reduce prices or make good offers to buyers, because they can afford to wait!

Most life style buyers now do a lot of research to make sure that they buy in to a development which will be finished

And of course no one should complete without a Habitation Licence and the development facilities completed.......completing on builders water/ electric is also history

Odd circumstances when this may be OK but no additional cash over the deposit should be paid until you get what you are paying for

The good thing about Spain is that all the problems of the past are now out in the open and new regulations make it safer than ever before to buy.....provided you apply the same care as you would buying in UK

But!!!.......I suspect we are about to hear a lot about Bulgaria etc, the so called emerging markets where the credit crunch is really starting to bite and there will be lots of buyers whose expectations of a nice profit may turn in to a nightmare!!!

Totally agree a passing fad and i wouldnt put a penny over there and i am always right

[Goldberg]

Speak to Disney about Disney and Bernie about F1.

F1 have and are going to use the Cheste circuit near valencia. So I would not think they would need two tracks.

Speak to the companies involved to get the answers, the rest of course is speculation.

[Maya01]

Property market here on the CdS has always moved in circles - up then down then up again. Prices don't really matter anyway unless you're looking to sell or buy - if you want to buy then prices are good and the exchange rate is good so that's not really a problem. If you're looking to sell then why not rent it out until prices turn again?

As for Disney - we've heard rumours ever since we moved here, over 4 years ago. However, a few months ago the rumour resurfaced again but was slightly different. Apparently, Disney already have purchased land Duquesa/Sotogrande area and aren't putting a theme park but some sort of sports facility for kids. We were told that the information is freely available from official sources but I've got no idea where we'd go to find the official source. Other rumours also says that Disney have paid a large chunk of money towards the extending of Malaga airport.

I'm pretty sure the info was in the Andalucian Dream Homes magazine.

Haven't heard anything about F1 though.

Maya