Great video guys, very accurate and informative. It brought back some memories of our house purchase. We can draw some parallels too, we downsized from a 4 bed detached to a terraced 3 bed which raised some cash and allowed us to retire earlier. Looking to get back to Spain soon. Take care both and thanks for the video. 👍🏻
Great to see you both and I clicked on yours as soon as I seen it . This info is perfect and in plain English easy to understand , like the way you have mentioned approx total % to add on as that makes all the difference with working out your budget . Love that you knocked the wall down in your place , so much better ! It's great to know that casas espania where able to help there too ! Gonna look at the places you've mentioned and do exactly the same with a few trips hopefully? . You make it sound so easy and I can clearly see that you have both got sensible heads 👍 Like that you've made plans to retire earlier and downsized to do so , as we have to make happy memories most important nowadays ! Love the video and feel like I know you personally now . Well done 👍 and hopefully see you in torrevieja soon x 🌈
Hi Jaqueline, Thank you for your nice comments,. It's great to know that the video has done its job in delivering the right information and easy to grasp. Thanks again and best wishes from Mike and Yvonne.
Great to hear you are there and enjoying the weather, I think Bar San Remo is a local haunt for Andy and Helen at Casas Espania, glad you met up....Enjoy the rest of your trip, Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Thanks guys, I have been bargaining for all the things you've mentioned but it does help to hear it all over again. Have spoke to people who really put a downer on it, but I know its DOABLE! Plus, I effing hate the UK these days. I won't ever leave entirely, but I NEED time away.
Hi Queen of Swords, thank you for watching and commenting. If you are planning to buy and not reside (like us) then the 90 day rule would come into play for you. We can just about live with it but it is a restriction we are hoping will be fixed in the future. We spend 90 days in Spain, then out for 90 days then back in for 90 and so on. It's a pain. Before Brexit we had freedom of movement and it wasn't a problem. We don't want to put you off Spain, it's a wonderful place to be but It's just a thing for you to consider. This applies, at the moment, to all Schengen countries in Europe. Thanks again, Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Hola, Great to see you back. Glad your move went off ok. I am booked to go to Spain at the end of July. Really need to to go this time as my property in Torrevieja has not been seen for a year now. This will be my sixth attempt of going. With such flight changes and rearranging things in the U.K. and Spain is so frustrating. But never mind, we are heading in the right direction now. We all have to think positively and try to work through all the issues. Good video. Nice to see back on line. David
Hola David, We think the worst is over now and hopefully by the end of July we should be almost back to normal and flights etc should be ok and no testing required. We will come over in mid August for 3 months. Thanks for watching, all the best Mike and Yvonne.
@@BetweenTheLakes that’s good news. I am going at the End of July for about ten days Due to doing business there which has been postponed so many times. Just seen on the news that our Covid infection rates are going up again, which is a bit worrying. I will probably go out again in October. Let’s hope that next year is not going to be the disaster that the last 14 months have been for us all. May see you in Torrevieja in October time. Keep up the good work David
Thank you Camn, Gareth at Casas Espania recommended this kitchen design, we saw it at another property, liked it and went for it. The wall came down and the kitchen was fitted. They did a great job. Thanks for watching and commenting, best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Hi John, the bus does not stop until it gets to the bus station. It is really frustrating as it passes within 100 yards of our house also. there were only 2 couples on the bus but they wont drop anyone off. We get a taxi back up, costs us a tenner....lol
Hi Gary, the 10% tax is a one-off payment when you initially buy the property. If you are a non-resident you may be required to pay their non-resident tax which is an annual tax. We have a video about here: ua-cam.com/video/1wVNkuNBs-Y/v-deo.html more relevant stuff here: sites.google.com/view/betweenthelakes/buying-our-house?authuser=0 Hope this may help, thanks for watching and your comment. Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Great video ? Can I ask which electric company you use as my electric is a little more than yours .I no that they have different prices for different times of the day . As you no we haven’t been able to get too Spain for a while but the prices change even though your not there ? Can you make any sense off this . Lyndon
Hi Lyndon, we are with Iberdrola and we can't make any sense of it either. not sure why our standing charge varies between 18 - 26 per month and why the rate varies so much at different times of the year. We did sign a new deal for 12 months in Habanaras which seemed cheaper but think it's run out now. I think they offer deals to keep their customers before they switch. Sometimes you can see them in Supermarkets and shopping centres signing people up, that's where you get the best deals. Thanks for commenting, best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Thanks a lot for this useful video. I wanted to ask you whether you could a video on using mobile phones and living in both Spain and UK: what would be a good offer? if there are SIM cards that you recommend with good rates, etc. Thanks a lot!
Hi Anna, We use are Three contract at the moment as they are still doing "feel at home" where you can use your phone as if you are at home in the UK. If you mean for use in Spain I would suggest Lobster as a great offer for using in Spain. We may do a video on it when we are back in the UK.
@@BetweenTheLakes Thanks a lot, Mike and Yvonne. I'm going to enquire at the "Three" shop to find out about this "feel at home offer", which sounds good. Yes, "Lobster" could be an option whilst being in Spain. I wonder if you could use a "Lobster" SIM card in the UK with the same rates and conditions...! Many thanks and I'll keep an eye and see more of your useful videos. Kind regards.
Mike & Yvonne, Thanks' for another informative video. In addition to the buying cost you have mentioned, a friend of mine has recent purchased a property in Benijofar and stated that they had to pay 300euro for a military search which is an extra application now that we are outside of the EU. Do you know anything about this? By the way, was there an outcome to the 90 days petition or is this still on-going?
Hi Marco, thanks for watching and commenting. Yes, I have heard that. I think (not certain) it may be in certain areas so it's worth asking the seller, your solicitor or the agent if it applies to the area you are looking at buying in. It is since we left the EU as we are now considered a third country. The 90 day petition is stuck and dwindled out at around 19,000 signatures. I think because of the government response and also I think people are thinking we should be pushing for a bilateral agreement between UK and Spain, which I hope could be a possibility. That may be where the solution lies as I'm sure Spain would like to keep us buying holiday homes. Thanks again for your comments, best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Hi Ed, its a big subject to cover in a single post but there are many ways depending on your circumstances, retired, self employed and I think some new visas out later this year. It is of course still there to do as it was before Brexit. If you are retired or don't want to work in Spain take a look at the Non-Lucrative Visa.
New subscriber here! My names Sarah and I'm hoping to make a permanent move to Spain in the future. I'm learning Spanish ( can I recommend Duo? It's free and after YEARS of trying to learn they're the best so far) and I've done seasons in Benidorm and San Antonio (Ibiza) when I was in my teens and twenties. My question is - I'm not a wealthy woman unfortunately! So I would need to work but I'm the other side of 40 now and will be even more mature(😂) when I do make the move. I would just need to earn enough for bills and to get by - nothing lavish, Is there employment for expats do you know? And a personal question - why not the full move to Spain? Has something put you off living there permanently? ( sorry if you've answered this in a previous video, likesay I'm a brand new subscriber) Thanks for a lovely informative video - I look forward to checking out your other videos 🤗✌
Hi Sarah, We both use Duolingo to learn Spanish, Yvonne is way ahead of me and is currently on day 287. I can't seem to string more than about three days together in one go but I always come back to it, it's really good. We are not wealthy either, far from it. I haven't had a job in over 12 months now as I work in live events, filming and editing concerts. I'm ready for retirement now I think so we'll see what happens. (more time in Spain probably but can't do more than 90 days in 180 which is a problem) So we may retire here, the only thing stopping us would be the kids and grandkids... Our place in Torrevieja is very cheap to run if you add up the monthly costs altogether it would be under €1800 plus food. We have no car just our electric bikes so we live both in Torrevieja and in the UK a very frugal lifestyle. Where we are there are many Brits and English speaking so more chance of a job in those areas in bars etc. If you speak good Spanish as well I would think there would be lots more opportunity for jobs but come over and check it out, don't take my word for it. Anyway thanks for watching, commenting and we wish you good luck. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Hi again Mike and Yvonne, just to say I finally got round to watching your previous videos and it's now obvious you work in film - the cinematography is out of this world! A real feast for the eyes. You come across as so down to earth and make a lovely couple. So thanks again for your earlier reply and I look forward to your ongoing adventures! 🤗👏✌
I bought a 2 bedroomed apartment in Tazacorte on the Canary island of La Palma in September 2019. This is one of the less developed islands and is a more traditional Canarian experience. The estate agent, who spoke perfect English was brilliant and arranged everything. The apartment came fully furnished with everything I could want. With a Spanish bank account and NIE we went to the notary office exchanged the money and keys and I was able to move right in that very day. Two things I would recommend: there is an old military adage which states " time spent on reconaissance is never wasted". Visit you chosen area and look around before you buy and NEVER buy property straight off the internet. The other thing which will make your life in Spain easier is learning the language. My Spanish is limited but I have acquired a Spanish Girlfriend (how did that happen?), who speaks a little English, but although I live in a very Spanish community, the people are so friendly and I have been made very welcome by the locals. Virtually no COVID. Was it a good move no, a drop dead shrewd move!
Hi Michael, very wise words and it sounds like you had a very good buying experience. We have not been to the Canary Islands but hope to one day. They seem to have almost totally evaded the virus. Hope you enjoy your time there, something tells me you will. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Hi I've gonna back to near the beginning of when you started your channel very informative. One quick question I have Suma on my bank statement twice, is that because there is two people .or is that how it come out each year , picking your brains layman's terms.
Hi Caroline, Thanks for watching and for your comment. If you are in our community (Torrevieja), the suma bill appears three times in total in the year. We get one in May, which is for rubbish collection ours is 21.36€ and then we get two payments in either October or November for, rubbish collection again 23.36€ and the big council tax bill which for us is 146.50€. so one in May and two in October or November. Hope this is clear. Thanks again, all the best Mike and Yvonne.
Ahhh bless you guys , it's clear ,thanks so much ,yes I'm when there in the Torretta 2 area , always hoping to bump into you guys , I'm on my second bungalow of which one will be for rental and I have used and referred your videos to people who want to buy and may have missed certain things what we're not clear from the solicitor. ,So thumps up and hope to meet you guys one day👍👍👍
Hi David, strange as it seems to you and us, at first, in Spain, these apartments are called upper bungalows. Maybe the ones underneath should be called bungalows and the ones on top should be called bungahighs....lol
I came across your video, and your explanation of the different things you need/prices when you buy a property in Spain was excellent! I liked so much, that I subscribed!
Evening Mike & Yvonne. Hope you guys are settling in back at home in the UK. Just a quick question re estate agents. Who else besides Casas Espania did you use to view properties in Limonar, San Luis, Torretas etc before you purchased your house in Spain? Will your channel be taking a break for a while, now you're home, or will there be some Yorkshire content? 😂. ATB Simon & Sue
Hi Simon, we used a few, I can remember Vincent and Casas Manuel and another one who had since ceased trading, it was by the park of nations. I think we talk about who we used in this video. We will continue with the videos from the UK and we are going to Majorca soon so one from there. Cheers, Mike and Yvonne.
Insightful. Thks for sharing your experience. My personal opinion is unless you've decided to live permanently in spain, would you not be better to rent for the 3 winter months ( for example), then just say 'adios' to the property with no bills to worry about,no maintance etc. You might say the rent is dead money,but so is that 15% you paid on the purchase price. That will never be recouped,even should you sell up eventually. Just thinking out loud.
Hi Jim, thanks for watching and for your thoughts. You may be right but we are happy to have bought somewhere to call our own and we have made a modest profit on the market value of the house. We never intended to make a profit and the annual running costs are very small so we are very happy to continue to spend time in our place in the sun.
Hi Elke, thank you for being the 1000th like, we much appreciate it. No, we always thought it would be too much hassle and then paying 24% tax on the profits. We don't consider it worth the effort. Also we are going to be here 3 months and 3 months in UK then 3 months here again continuously. Thanks for watching and commenting. Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Hi Paul, the community charge is low as there are many people sharing and we only have one pool and some street cleaning to pay for. The property tax is not related to the community charge, it is purely a tax on buying property in Spain. It's only paid once when you buy. There is a non resident tax payable every year, we have a video about that here: ua-cam.com/video/1wVNkuNBs-Y/v-deo.html but again it's not related to our community charge. Thanks for watching and commenting, best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Hallo Jadwiga Wij hebben niets met verhuur te maken dus kunnen u niet direct helpen. We raden aan om contact op te nemen met verhuurbedrijven voor korte en lange termijn in Torrevieja, ik weet zeker dat zij een betere optie zijn. Try: www.hundredrooms.co.uk/s/Torrevieja--Spain?sem_label=P_apartment%2Cno_differentiator&sem_name=mt&sem_adgid=142615922099&sem_adid=628123689799&sem_keyword=apartment%20rental%20torrevieja&sem_matype=b&sem_adposition=&sem_geoid=9046681&sem_devi =c&sem_network=g&sem_targetid=kwd-525216285757&adName=General_RSA2&gclid=Cj0KCQiAzeSdBhC4ARIsACj36uELRMSi7Ty5LRhGsviBdHE9S2_ptBsWkPweA4OmAWYh9U5fgFIFIwIaAlVKEALw_wcB
Hi Christine, we have done a few videos around the San Luis area. Thanks for watching, there may be some you haven’t yet seen. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Hi thanks for your video. I am interested in a two bed apt in Torrevieja for a family that is walking or cycling distance to beach, with communal pool with low crime rate/anti social behaviour. My budget is 80000. What area would you recommend near amenities
Hi, we can recommend places around the Torrevieja area but we always recommend that you come over and see for yourself the different places where you might consider. Everyone is different and wants different things. We do and will continue to produce many videos featuring different places, we have now done 82 videos nearly all about the area you are interested in. We are in Altos del Limonar which we love because its near town, on the cycle track and the beach is a 12 minute bike ride away. We also have amenities and restaurants on the doorstep if we don't want to bike anywhere. The area we feature on our channel "between the lakes" is a great one and suits us and it includes: Altos del Limonar, San Luis, Limonar, El Chaparal, La Siesta, Jardin del Mar Torreta 2 and 3. All these areas we show in our videos, if you have time have a look and see what you think. Thanks for watching and you enquiry. Best wishes for 2023, Mike and Yvonne.
Hello and thank you for your videos😀. I would like to know about the sewer smell that some people talk about in social media. Are there parts of the city that have a sewer smell? I would like to get a property there since they are really affordable but the sewer smell is a concern I have before making the move. Thank you so much!!!
Hi, we have never experienced that here where we are in Altos del Limonar, thank goodness!. We have been passed areas where there has been a smell but not in built up areas like Torrevieja central. I think they would fix it quick as it would be a health issue. We think the best way, as we always say, is to spend time in the area you fancy buying in at different times of the day and walk around to see what is about and make sure it's what you want. Thanks for watching our videos and for your comment. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Great video and very useful breakdown of bills. May I ask did you have a survey when buying the property and if so how much was it.? Also how long did the whole buying process take? Hopefully not as long as the UK. Once again great video thanks
Hi Hayley, we did not have a survey done. We thought if there had been a problem with these properties, built in 2000 we would have heard something by now. There are a lot of them all of the same construction with the same builder and all are well with no issues. We had a solicitor who was very good and checked all the things we might worry about like past payments of bills, there was no debt with the property, they had paid their non-resident tax on the house, etc. ( if it has not been paid then that debt would pass on the new owner) We decided to buy it and paid our deposit on February 14th at the estate agent (Casa Espania) and got the keys on the 18th April, so pretty quick. We were cash buyers so no hold-ups or chains to contend with. Thanks for watching. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Was looking on Airbnb for a month's apartment rental in the autumn - every other property had that same yellow and blue kitchen divider / window arrangement. Dated. I think you're brave (or clever) to be buying there at the moment.
HI can you tell me that figure of 10% of the purchase price for property tax is a one off payment? Also are you saying you must leave spain after 90 days if you are not residing full time? Thank you again
Hi Michael, thanks for watching and commenting. The 10% property tax is a one off payment payable when you purchase your property. All third country nationals ( non EU members ) now includes UK, can only stay in any of the 26 Schengen countries ( includes Spain ) for a maximum of 90 days in a rolling 180 day window. Please watch two videos which explain this in more detail Firstly: ua-cam.com/video/6fRIJxbNOqo/v-deo.html And secondly: ua-cam.com/video/aa38Q7Ki0JU/v-deo.html Hope this helps, best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
I will watch both videos , we are Irish and hoping to buy somewhere near a beach, like yourselves in three years time and spending the most of Autumn and winter there eventually. Thank you so much for all the advice , research is key I guess, I lived in Madrid years ago for six years , loved it so nice to return.
Hi guys we are new subscribers. Really enjoyed the video as we are looking to buy a property near Torrevieja. When you did some of your property visits did the estate agents pay for your trip or did you buy flights and then visit the properties with the agent? Thanks in advance
Hi Peten, We made three trips in total to look at dozens of properties but we did it ourselves, booked a few half days with several estate agencies in the areas we were looking at. We paid for our own flights and accommodation etc. We ended up going with Casas Espania at the La Siesta roundabout up the CV905 out of Torrevieja. They looked after us very well and had the property that suited us best at the time. We wanted to be within walking distance of all amenities and the town centre and beach. Everybody wants different things so we always recommend that you have a good look round at all the areas to see if it is right for you.Than you can make a calculated decision about what is best for you. Good luck and Best wishes in your search, Mike and Yvonne.
@@BetweenTheLakes Thanks guys. We are making our first trip down there at the end of this month select the areas then will follow up with some visits in September and October. We’re probably looking at Villamartin based on what we want so hopefully it will all work out. 👍🏻 Thanks again
Thank you so much for your generous super thanks. I'm sorry it's a late response but I've only just noticed now as I am reviewing my comments. I like to reply to every single comment we receive. I'm so pleased that this video was of some help to you. There are more details and videos about buying a property in Torrevieja on our website and on a particular page dedicated to it (there are some more relevant videos at the bottom of the webpage). You can see it here: sites.google.com/view/betweenthelakes/buying-our-house?authuser=0 Thanks again for watching and for your donation and our apologies for missing it on the first time. All the very best, Mike and Yvonne.
Hi, thanks for watching. Yes, we bought at 59,000 euros in 2017 and prices have gone up now, these properties are going for between 75,000 - 80,000. We have no regrets buying this house and will probably stay here happily for the foreseeable future. Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
You strike me as a very Happy couple and Honest and helpful. I have come across a similar property to your wee Casa Valentine. Similar price to what you paid. I know the area but can't get out till mid May. Would you purchase online? Like your Casa Kitchen needs wall removed and new units. What approx in today cost. Have you done Bathroom 🚻 yet as similar to yours needs a walk in Shower. If you done it approx costs. I have been in these apartments in Nature area so know layout and sizes
Hi Phil, We paid 4000 euros for the kitchen. We haven't yet done the bathroom but I think a walk-in shower would be about 2500 fitted. Thanks for watching and for your comments. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Thanks for replying with good 👍 tips. I think I will go for Apartment. 59 in today market not bad. I must also compliment on music in video 📹 brilliant 👏 👌. Doing any more videos round the area
You mentioned a few estate agents and a solicitor in your video. Do you mind sharing those, always handy to now a few good ones, if we take the plunge . Cheers
Hi Jason, we bought with Casas Espania at la Siesta. We also went out with several others in the area, Casas Manuel in Benijofar (featured on Sun Sea and Selling Houses) Vincent in Benijofar, Habitat in Los Montesinos and a few small local ones. Our solicitor is Sheila Garcia in La Zenia. All the information is on our video "Buying a house in Torrevieja" (check the information in the details in the description) ua-cam.com/video/vBll7m-aOz4/v-deo.html Thanks for watching and commenting, best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Hi Julia, No we didn't is the answer to that one. We are not saying don't get one, we think you should if you feel you should. We didn't because we felt the property was sound and there are so many of the same type of property with no history of problems that we knew of so we thought it was worth the risk in this instance. Thanks for your comment, all the best Mike and Yvonne.
Thank you for yr reply. Happy holidays ahead for you 🏖☀️💃 I have now watched and thoroughly enjoyed all of your vlogs. Because of your vlogs and knowledge we are hoping to buy in your area soon. I spend every evening searching for apartments for sale. So thank you so much for sharing 👍🏼😊😎
Torrevieja is the cheapest village you can find along the cost but It doesn't mean that its a bad place to settle , its really big and you have anything around you want or need ...good weather , beaches , close to another places as Guardamar , Santa Pola , La Manga .....I think you can live quieter and with less stress .....there are two great cities as Valencia and Alicante close as well , in Spain good transport to anywhere even TGV , no pay for roads , free health ., friendly people ....what else ?
Hi JDM Ortega, thanks for watching and commenting. You make some good points in your comment. Torrevieja is a great town with a rich diversity of people and all at great value in terms of property and prices at the shops and restaurants etc. Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Love to watch you Guys. Very interesting to watch you!!! My mom (100) lives in Quesada, me I live in Quebec but who knows maybe I wanna go live in Spain someday ; )) For the moment I enjoy very much your vlogs!
Hi Keith, Electricity is cheaper than UK, I don't know about France but we are happy with it. This month our bill was less than €30, maybe we have had a reduction from the power company...not sure but we were surprised. We have stopped using the oven and using a cheaper to run air fryer instead, so maybe that has helped along with replacing all the bulbs for LED lights Thanks for your comment. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
@@BetweenTheLakes 15 minutes by walking. Torreta 😊Between the lakes 😁and the sea. I am absolutely crazy old person, very poor, my budget was very small, but I think, that I will have more, than possible 😊
Fantastic video and incredibly useful. I have just arrived home tonight and this time last night was spent in Shannons 🙂🙂 its still very quiet there at the moment. I was with Sheila on wednesday as she is looking after my sale and truely a lovely lady who is incredibly helpful. Hopefully i will get the opportunity to buy you both a drink in august as your videos have really been fantastic and given me the confidence to go ahead with my purchase 🙂 Your video will be a big help to those who are thinking of buying and great to see you back online. My wife and I were talking about you last week and were worried that somebody might have been ill when you were offline for a few weeks. Great to see you back online and thanks for the great videos 👍👍👍
Thank you so much Robbie, you are certainly in our neck of the woods if you were in Shannon's Bar. It's good that you are also endorsing Sheila and her great service. We are both fine, no problems with covid or anything else thankfully, we have just been absent more for moving house and not having the internet than anything else. Anyway, it's all done now so we can try and get back to normal. We will be heading off to Torrevieja in August for a long spell we hope. Best wishes to you both, Mike and Yvonne.
Thank you for the video. Most recommend not to use the solicitor that the property agent recommends just in case there is some conflict of interest there. Your bank costs are high though, so perhaps you should change bank. My solicitor told me that most Spanish banks charge exorbitant tariffs for foreigners and recommended Cajamar to me. There is also the new Openbank that doesn't have any costs which is a Spanish bank without offices that one can open as a foreigner without a NIE number. I am a EU (Dutch) resident though, so perhaps the situation is slightly different in my case. When you bought the property, which documents did you receive at the notary? I'm curious if they gave you the Cédula de Habitabilidad (habitability license) for the property or if you have to go to the town council to request it yourself. It's not so important if you're living in a apartment, but it really is for those living in villa's on land that could possibly be illegal for urban use.
Hi Winston, thanks for watching and commenting. Yes the bank charges have crept up since we bought in 2017. They were €30 every 3 months and now €40. 25% increase! So I will look into other banks and see what our options are. I'm in UK at the moment so can't check my documents, we had to wait for the deeds but we have them now and I'm thinking we did get the habitation document but not 100%. Thanks again for your comments.
We had a similar buying experience to you, visited & rented a few times. Viewed properties & areas as well as revisiting without the agent to have a good walk around, we purchased a house in Atalaya Park in between Quesada & Benijofar as close to all amenities but not too close either. Good point about adding 15% additional cost as they don’t mention this on ‘A place in the sun’ We used an independent property consultant at no cost to us & we had an excellent Lawyer who is still looking after our taxes at no cost. No regrets buying in Spain but as mentioned there are hidden costs which may arise after purchase. Great video & very informative.
Thanks for watching and commenting Bryan. Yes, A Place in the Sun used to mention communal charges in the early days but stopped mentioning it, they probably didn't think it was "good television" lol. They also always ask what the budget is and any "wiggle room" but then never mention the 10% property tax on top plus the other bits the viewers may not be aware of. Anyway thanks again for your comments, best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Hi Mike and Yvonne thanks for a great vlog, we have watched various vlogs on the process of buying a spanish property and getting the bill's set up, and yours is the most straight forward that we have watched so far 😉👍🏻
Thanks Lee, it's great to hear that you enjoyed the video. We will keep on making them as long as people like yourself are benefitting from them. It's great to hear positive feedback, best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Great video. Very interesting & clearly explained. Hoping to buy in the area next year so found this very helpful. We are both retired now. You have a new subscriber. I've heard your channel mentioned by other youtubers so thought I'd take a look. So glad I did 💃🏖 Thank you and now to watch your others videos 😊
Hi Guys - just reviewing your video again. What were the main mile stones you had to overcome when buying your property in Spain? E.g did you have to put down a deposit? What was the process to address the currency conversion? It would good to understand these, maybe an episode in the making 🤔
Hi Yogi, thanks for watching again. Yes it sounds like another possible episode, we will bear it in mind. We didn't really have any problems with the purchase as we had a good estate agent and solicitor that made everything very easy and straight forward. We did pay a holding deposit on the day we purchased I think it was €5000.
Thanks Julie, we were well looked after by Casas Espania, they have a great reputation and will be around for a long time. Hope you are well, best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Hi Yvonne and Mike. We did a similar thing . A fried had an apartment in Roda near Los-Alcázares we rented for 6 years and used that as a base to look for a property. We found the village of Sucina for our holiday home in the sun. Cheers Stevie and Corinne 🤩
Hi folks, the good lady and I have just started our search. Thinking about buying in Algorfa as we've been there a load of times and really like it. Great info contained in this video, really helpful. Wondered if you would consider doing a quick video ( or comment reply) on the process of registering and operating rules for your drone in Spain. Thanks and keep the valuable info coming. Edit : Don't mean this to sound cheeky but one of the things I wondered about the drone was did you buy the mini because of regulation differences or was it because you thought it would suit your purposes better? Drone filming is a thing I would need to do a lot of in Spain.
Hi Gary R, thanks for watching and your comment. To fly your drone in Spain you need to register with The Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency (AESA), the equivalent to our CAA. Ypu also need to take an exam with EASA The European Air Safety Agency, which is not too difficult. You need public liability insurance and depending on your particular drone you may need to take additional exams to fly in certain areas if the weight of the drone exceeds 250gms. Spain are very tight on privacy laws so these must be adhered to. I never fly over people or buildings and stay a good distance away around 50 metres. All this can be found online here: drone-traveller.com/drone-laws-spain/ or www.grupooneair.com/spanish-drones-laws/ I found it quite difficult to get registered but managed it with the help of The International Drone Seekers: facebook.com/groups/1980281998867305/ In answer to your last question, I bought the Mini 2 because of it's weight (under 250gms) Restrictions are a little less harsh, it can be flown over things but the privacy laws are different so you still have to be aware of that. I just use my common sense and respect the Spanish Laws as best I can, if in doubt I don't fly. Hope this helps, Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Mike and Yvonne thank you for the presentation. We are a retired couple from Canada and have considered Alicante City, but have not done anything thus far... Beautiful area agree!
Loved this,very informative,I,ve only just found out about Los Montesinos today,because I,m looking at retiring to Spain in 2 years & looking at different areas,& I was speaking to someone earlier & they told me about this area,so I,m gonna do a bit of research,I understand there's obviously a few more obstacles regarding moving out there permanently,but do you know people who live there full time ? & What is it like ?? Thank you 👍
Hi Zol, thanks for watching and commenting. We have done over 40 videos on various topics and areas around where we are and Los Montesenos, so I would start by watching them and you may get a feel of what the area is like. Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Hi Shamrah-Shon, we spent €3900 on the renovation which included knocking down the kitchen wall, replacing all the kitchen units, hob, oven and fitting a new boiler system. Thanks for watching and asking. Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
@@BetweenTheLakes Thanks for the reply. That's a really good price for all that, plus it definitely looks so much better - really worth it I feel. Hope you have a wonderful time in your new home and lots of positive memories 😇🙏🏼
Hi Guys - I have a question around medical insurance, now we have brexited what is the cost of Medical insurance when you now travel to Spain? Or do you take Travel insurance of some sorts? If so how much is either option. Thanks again and great videos, very informative and please keep them coming 👍
Hi Yogi we haven't looked at travel insurance yet for this trip. We have our EHIC card which we believe still gives us some cover at least, (even after Brexit). It has gone up of course, it's to be expected I suppose. We will check nearer the time to see if it is coming down. We use travel supermarket and go for the cheapest.
@@BetweenTheLakes thanks for the response guys much appreciated. Your idea of down sizing and using the funds to retire earlier resonated with me and I’m thinking along these lines myself. It would be great if you could do an episode on this as I believe it’s a great idea 👍
Hi Mike & Yvonne! Thanks for sharing your buying experience, so kind of you and very helpful! 👍 It looks so much better with the wall removed in the kitchen, and all the fresh paint. Looks very bright! We also recently moved to a new home to lower our monthly costs so that we can maybe retire a little bit earlier. We are not sure yet if we want to buy a property in Spain, or maybe just rent for the months that we will visit. We'll see how things work out 😉 In the meantime we will enjoy your beautiful video's of the area, and learn from your tips & tricks. Hope you can visit sunny Spain very soon! ☀️ Take care! Greetings from The Netherlands 🤗
Hi Janny, Thanks for your nice comments. Things change don't they! who would have thought 2 years ago we would have had to do the things we have been doing like restrictions on travel, wearing masks and staying at home. You may change your mind about buying, you never know what's round the corner. I think we have turned a corner now and I see a much brighter future for us all, lets hope I got that one right, Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Hello Mike & Yvonne, We love your videos🌟 Me and my wife are considering moving to TorreVieja since it seems a very nice place to live and to buy property, but there's something that concerns us, and it's about the security, because in a fast Google's search, we found out that TorreVieja is on the top 3 of the most dangerous cities to live in Spain, We are very sad about it, since we are very much looking forward to moving there 😪. Our question is, if you have experienced something no so great regarding safety on the streets and house security. Thank you for reading us ✌🏼 Adios!
Hi Sergio, Thanks for watching and also for your comment. We have not had anything happen to us that would make us think Torrevieja is any worse regarding safety than any other town in Costa Blanca South. We are not saying that there isn't any crime but it's not something that has bothered us so far. We had a friend who recently had their electric bike stolen in broad daylight on the seafront but I think this could happen in any town. As regards home security, we live in an upper bungalow so we are surrounded by other houses, below and opposite and I think this is why we have never, in six years had a problem. In Torrevieja center, we have never seen any violence on the streets or anything like that during the day or when we have been out at night. Again we are saying that it might happen but we have never seen it and we spend a lot of time in Torrevieja. I think the best thing to do is spend as much time here in Torrevieja as you can before you decide to buy, ask around, see for yourself and then make up your own minds. Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Brilliant video guys! Me and the wife have been planning a Spanish holiday home for a while, restrictions are making it difficult but were itching to get on a plane now and start viewing! Some great tips here that we hadn't even considered.
Not a good time to buy at the moment, unless you get lucky of course. (E.g. someone needing a quick sale to leave Spain) Three main factors to consider waiting a couple of years: 1. Sterling vs Euro exchange is still quite low 2. Property prices are artifically high in many areas. You have to bid much lower and don't budge. If they are not interested, then look elsewhere. 3. Brexit consequences are still unclear at the moment.
Hi Mark, you make some good points here. I think a lot of people will be hanging on for now due to Covid and Bexit. The 90 day rule would be the one that would make me think twice about a holiday home in Spain now. Thanks for your comments, All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Hi Guys, another excellent informative videeo from yourselves, and really helpful too of course. Just out of curiosity, is the SUMA (council bill) of 150 euros, is that a monthly/quarterly or annual amount? I'm just trying to work out approximate costs for the future for when we do move out there.
Thank you for this very informative and entertaining posting. It’s so helpful.. is there any public transport where you are, or will I always need a car? Thanks.
Hi Phillip, thanks for watching and your nice comment. We get about on our electric bikes on the very good cycle tracks. The buses are also good and regular. We started off getting a rental car when we first came across but then decided to save some money and manage without. We get a bus from the airport only €7.00. There are plenty of coach trips also with pick points in San Luis (Davids Coach Trips) Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Hi are you guy's residents or are going too. I moved to torrevieja last December and I've had my residents card accepted great video hurry and retire❤❤🇪🇸🦊
Fantastic video guys. It was a pleasure helping you with your successful search and seeing me on there with the sold sign. Give me a call when you are next in Spain. It was good days at Casas Espania, but I can still be found selling property with Spanish Life in Ciudad Quesada,
Hi Neil, great to hear from you, we heard you were selling in Quesada but didn't know where. Glad you enjoyed your cameo in our video. Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Another great video production. We also purchased 2 yrs ago and same process/costs , however I would recommend you always get an independent solicitors (avoid conflict of interests), everything is negotiable so you should 10% higher than your budget and then offer what you can afford. When are your next over would be great if you can do a drone video shoot for our roof top apartment (summer job)...cheers
Hi Gweedoreone, Yes it's a good point you make about the independent solicitor. Fortunately we had no problems and all ended very well. We were pleased with everything and the ease of completion etc. We will be over sometime in August, we think. Keep you eye on the channel for confirmation. Thanks for your comment, best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Great video guys, very accurate and informative. It brought back some memories of our house purchase. We can draw some parallels too, we downsized from a 4 bed detached to a terraced 3 bed which raised some cash and allowed us to retire earlier.
Looking to get back to Spain soon.
Take care both and thanks for the video. 👍🏻
Hi Wayne, looks like we are all singing off the same hymn sheet....lol. Hope you are well, Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Thanks you both have really helped us with costings, brilliant, thank you.
Hi Lord Barrington Kane 111, It’s a pleasure to be of help. All the best
@@BetweenTheLakes thanks loads we love your UA-cam vids we are selling and moving asap 😎👌🏻👍🏻
Hoping to play a gig or 2 in Spain
youtube.com/@bsidekane69
@@lordbarringtonkane1117 You will get plenty of work here.....
Outstanding video, extremely helpful, thank you both
Hi Michael, thanks for watching and your nice comment, hope there are some more of our videos we can help you with. All the best Mike and Yvonne
Great to see you both and I clicked on yours as soon as I seen it . This info is perfect and in plain English easy to understand , like the way you have mentioned approx total % to add on as that makes all the difference with working out your budget . Love that you knocked the wall down in your place , so much better ! It's great to know that casas espania where able to help there too !
Gonna look at the places you've mentioned and do exactly the same with a few trips hopefully? . You make it sound so easy and I can clearly see that you have both got sensible heads 👍
Like that you've made plans to retire earlier and downsized to do so , as we have to make happy memories most important nowadays !
Love the video and feel like I know you personally now .
Well done 👍 and hopefully see you in torrevieja soon x 🌈
Hi Jaqueline, Thank you for your nice comments,. It's great to know that the video has done its job in delivering the right information and easy to grasp. Thanks again and best wishes from Mike and Yvonne.
Very useful video. Really helpful to see an actual, detailed process. Thumbs up.
Hi Thomas, thanks a lot for your comments, much appreciated. All the best Mike and Yvonne
Having a beer now over near Bar San Remo beautiful weather just met the guys at Casas Espana. Take care both Russ and Cara 👍
Great to hear you are there and enjoying the weather, I think Bar San Remo is a local haunt for Andy and Helen at Casas Espania, glad you met up....Enjoy the rest of your trip, Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Thanks guys, I have been bargaining for all the things you've mentioned but it does help to hear it all over again. Have spoke to people who really put a downer on it, but I know its DOABLE! Plus, I effing hate the UK these days. I won't ever leave entirely, but I NEED time away.
Hi Queen of Swords, thank you for watching and commenting. If you are planning to buy and not reside (like us) then the 90 day rule would come into play for you. We can just about live with it but it is a restriction we are hoping will be fixed in the future. We spend 90 days in Spain, then out for 90 days then back in for 90 and so on. It's a pain. Before Brexit we had freedom of movement and it wasn't a problem. We don't want to put you off Spain, it's a wonderful place to be but It's just a thing for you to consider. This applies, at the moment, to all Schengen countries in Europe. Thanks again, Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Hola,
Great to see you back. Glad your move
went off ok. I am booked to go to
Spain at the end of July. Really need to
to go this time as my property in
Torrevieja has not been seen for a year now. This will be my sixth attempt of going. With such flight changes and rearranging things in the U.K. and Spain
is so frustrating.
But never mind, we are heading in the
right direction now. We all have to think
positively and try to work through all
the issues.
Good video. Nice to see back on line.
David
Hola David, We think the worst is over now and hopefully by the end of July we should be almost back to normal and flights etc should be ok and no testing required. We will come over in mid August for 3 months. Thanks for watching, all the best Mike and Yvonne.
@@BetweenTheLakes that’s good news. I am going at the
End of July for about ten days Due to doing business there which has been postponed so many times.
Just seen on the news that our Covid
infection rates are going up again, which is a bit worrying. I will probably go out again in October. Let’s hope that next year is not going to be the disaster that the last 14 months have been for us all.
May see you in Torrevieja in October time.
Keep up the good work
David
Gracias ya conosis a Torrevija mes gustos muchos en octubre estuves haya
Hi Doris Thanks for watching and commenting...
Excellent video. We also bought casas ESPANIA.
Hi Zoya, yes, Casas Espania do look after their customers even after purchase. Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Thank you very much
Thank you Ghani, all the best Mike and Yvonne.
great video! Love what you did with the kitchen!
Thank you Camn, Gareth at Casas Espania recommended this kitchen design, we saw it at another property, liked it and went for it. The wall came down and the kitchen was fitted. They did a great job. Thanks for watching and commenting, best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Great stuff guys ..
Thank you Kenneth, All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Thank for this, the breakdown of finances was especially helpful.
Thank you Elaine, so pleased it was of some help. Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Hi Mike and Yvonne. Noticed the bus drove past Quesada. Does it stop there by chance.
Hi John, the bus does not stop until it gets to the bus station. It is really frustrating as it passes within 100 yards of our house also. there were only 2 couples on the bus but they wont drop anyone off. We get a taxi back up, costs us a tenner....lol
@@BetweenTheLakes thanks for getting back to me. Enjoyed the video. Found it very useful.
Great video very informative, out of curiosity how much did it cost to renovate your kitchen?
We paid €4000 to knock down the wall, put in the brand new kitchen and new boiler.
@@BetweenTheLakes cheap as chips. You did well there
I own a place in Monte Mar Algorfa
Hi Ed, thanks for watching and your comment. Best wishes Mike and Yvonne
Nice house you have 😍👏 Like your videos 👌
Thank you Ann, all the best Mike and Yvonne.
Hi guys, love your very informative video, can we ask if the property tax of 10% is every year or a one time payment when you buy?
Hi Gary, the 10% tax is a one-off payment when you initially buy the property. If you are a non-resident you may be required to pay their non-resident tax which is an annual tax. We have a video about here: ua-cam.com/video/1wVNkuNBs-Y/v-deo.html
more relevant stuff here: sites.google.com/view/betweenthelakes/buying-our-house?authuser=0
Hope this may help, thanks for watching and your comment. Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
@Between the Lakes with Mike & Yvonne thank you very much 👍
Great video ? Can I ask which electric company you use as my electric is a little more than yours .I no that they have different prices for different times of the day . As you no we haven’t been able to get too Spain for a while but the prices change even though your not there ? Can you make any sense off this . Lyndon
Hi Lyndon, we are with Iberdrola and we can't make any sense of it either. not sure why our standing charge varies between 18 - 26 per month and why the rate varies so much at different times of the year. We did sign a new deal for 12 months in Habanaras which seemed cheaper but think it's run out now.
I think they offer deals to keep their customers before they switch. Sometimes you can see them in Supermarkets and shopping centres signing people up, that's where you get the best deals. Thanks for commenting, best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Thanks a lot for this useful video. I wanted to ask you whether you could a video on using mobile phones and living in both Spain and UK: what would be a good offer? if there are SIM cards that you recommend with good rates, etc. Thanks a lot!
Hi Anna, We use are Three contract at the moment as they are still doing "feel at home" where you can use your phone as if you are at home in the UK. If you mean for use in Spain I would suggest Lobster as a great offer for using in Spain. We may do a video on it when we are back in the UK.
@@BetweenTheLakes Thanks a lot, Mike and Yvonne. I'm going to enquire at the "Three" shop to find out about this "feel at home offer", which sounds good. Yes, "Lobster" could be an option whilst being in Spain. I wonder if you could use a "Lobster" SIM card in the UK with the same rates and conditions...! Many thanks and I'll keep an eye and see more of your useful videos. Kind regards.
Mike & Yvonne, Thanks' for another informative video. In addition to the buying cost you have mentioned, a friend of mine has recent purchased a property in Benijofar and stated that they had to pay 300euro for a military search which is an extra application now that we are outside of the EU. Do you know anything about this? By the way, was there an outcome to the 90 days petition or is this still on-going?
Hi Marco, thanks for watching and commenting. Yes, I have heard that. I think (not certain) it may be in certain areas so it's worth asking the seller, your solicitor or the agent if it applies to the area you are looking at buying in. It is since we left the EU as we are now considered a third country.
The 90 day petition is stuck and dwindled out at around 19,000 signatures. I think because of the government response and also I think people are thinking we should be pushing for a bilateral agreement between UK and Spain, which I hope could be a possibility. That may be where the solution lies as I'm sure Spain would like to keep us buying holiday homes.
Thanks again for your comments, best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
How can you get residency now?
Hi Ed, its a big subject to cover in a single post but there are many ways depending on your circumstances, retired, self employed and I think some new visas out later this year. It is of course still there to do as it was before Brexit. If you are retired or don't want to work in Spain take a look at the Non-Lucrative Visa.
New subscriber here! My names Sarah and I'm hoping to make a permanent move to Spain in the future. I'm learning Spanish ( can I recommend Duo? It's free and after YEARS of trying to learn they're the best so far) and I've done seasons in Benidorm and San Antonio (Ibiza) when I was in my teens and twenties. My question is - I'm not a wealthy woman unfortunately! So I would need to work but I'm the other side of 40 now and will be even more mature(😂) when I do make the move. I would just need to earn enough for bills and to get by - nothing lavish, Is there employment for expats do you know? And a personal question - why not the full move to Spain? Has something put you off living there permanently? ( sorry if you've answered this in a previous video, likesay I'm a brand new subscriber) Thanks for a lovely informative video - I look forward to checking out your other videos 🤗✌
Hi Sarah, We both use Duolingo to learn Spanish, Yvonne is way ahead of me and is currently on day 287. I can't seem to string more than about three days together in one go but I always come back to it, it's really good.
We are not wealthy either, far from it. I haven't had a job in over 12 months now as I work in live events, filming and editing concerts. I'm ready for retirement now I think so we'll see what happens. (more time in Spain probably but can't do more than 90 days in 180 which is a problem) So we may retire here, the only thing stopping us would be the kids and grandkids...
Our place in Torrevieja is very cheap to run if you add up the monthly costs altogether it would be under €1800 plus food. We have no car just our electric bikes so we live both in Torrevieja and in the UK a very frugal lifestyle.
Where we are there are many Brits and English speaking so more chance of a job in those areas in bars etc. If you speak good Spanish as well I would think there would be lots more opportunity for jobs but come over and check it out, don't take my word for it.
Anyway thanks for watching, commenting and we wish you good luck. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Thanks for replying 😊. The best thing to do is to work at my Spanish by the sound of it. All the very best in your future endeavours 🤗✌
Hi again Mike and Yvonne, just to say I finally got round to watching your previous videos and it's now obvious you work in film - the cinematography is out of this world! A real feast for the eyes. You come across as so down to earth and make a lovely couple. So thanks again for your earlier reply and I look forward to your ongoing adventures! 🤗👏✌
@@ChorltonandtheWheelies You are so kind....best wishes, Mike and Yvonne
Just noticed you've said the monthly cost for yr holiday home is about €1800!
Is that correct?
Seems a lot.....
I bought a 2 bedroomed apartment in Tazacorte on the Canary island of La Palma in September 2019. This is one of the less developed islands and is a more traditional Canarian experience. The estate agent, who spoke perfect English was brilliant and arranged everything. The apartment came fully furnished with everything I could want. With a Spanish bank account and NIE we went to the notary office exchanged the money and keys and I was able to move right in that very day. Two things I would recommend: there is an old military adage which states " time spent on reconaissance is never wasted". Visit you chosen area and look around before you buy and NEVER buy property straight off the internet. The other thing which will make your life in Spain easier is learning the language. My Spanish is limited but I have acquired a Spanish Girlfriend (how did that happen?), who speaks a little English, but although I live in a very Spanish community, the people are so friendly and I have been made very welcome by the locals. Virtually no COVID. Was it a good move no, a drop dead shrewd move!
Hi Michael, very wise words and it sounds like you had a very good buying experience. We have not been to the Canary Islands but hope to one day. They seem to have almost totally evaded the virus. Hope you enjoy your time there, something tells me you will. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Hi I've gonna back to near the beginning of when you started your channel very informative. One quick question I have Suma on my bank statement twice, is that because there is two people .or is that how it come out each year , picking your brains layman's terms.
Hi Caroline, Thanks for watching and for your comment.
If you are in our community (Torrevieja), the suma bill appears three times in total in the year. We get one in May, which is for rubbish collection ours is 21.36€ and then we get two payments in either October or November for, rubbish collection again 23.36€ and the big council tax bill which for us is 146.50€. so one in May and two in October or November. Hope this is clear. Thanks again, all the best Mike and Yvonne.
Ahhh bless you guys , it's clear ,thanks so much ,yes I'm when there in the Torretta 2 area , always hoping to bump into you guys , I'm on my second bungalow of which one will be for rental and I have used and referred your videos to people who want to buy and may have missed certain things what we're not clear from the solicitor. ,So thumps up and hope to meet you guys one day👍👍👍
2:04 "We viewed an upper bungalow." It's an apartment, FFS...upper bungalow...🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Hi David, strange as it seems to you and us, at first, in Spain, these apartments are called upper bungalows.
Maybe the ones underneath should be called bungalows and the ones on top should be called bungahighs....lol
I came across your video, and your explanation of the different things you need/prices when you buy a property in Spain was excellent! I liked so much, that I subscribed!
Thank you so much Loumcast, we are pleased that you enjoyed and learnt something from our experience. Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Evening Mike & Yvonne. Hope you guys are settling in back at home in the UK. Just a quick question re estate agents. Who else besides Casas Espania did you use to view properties in Limonar, San Luis, Torretas etc before you purchased your house in Spain? Will your channel be taking a break for a while, now you're home, or will there be some Yorkshire content? 😂. ATB Simon & Sue
Hi Simon, we used a few, I can remember Vincent and Casas Manuel and another one who had since ceased trading, it was by the park of nations. I think we talk about who we used in this video. We will continue with the videos from the UK and we are going to Majorca soon so one from there. Cheers, Mike and Yvonne.
Insightful. Thks for sharing your experience. My personal opinion is unless you've decided to live permanently in spain, would you not be better to rent for the 3 winter months ( for example), then just say 'adios' to the property with no bills to worry about,no maintance etc.
You might say the rent is dead money,but so is that 15% you paid on the purchase price. That will never be recouped,even should you sell up eventually.
Just thinking out loud.
Hi Jim, thanks for watching and for your thoughts. You may be right but we are happy to have bought somewhere to call our own and we have made a modest profit on the market value of the house. We never intended to make a profit and the annual running costs are very small so we are very happy to continue to spend time in our place in the sun.
I'm your thousandth LIKE!!
Have you ever thought of renting out your place in between stays? Or is that too big of a headache?
Hi Elke, thank you for being the 1000th like, we much appreciate it. No, we always thought it would be too much hassle and then paying 24% tax on the profits. We don't consider it worth the effort. Also we are going to be here 3 months and 3 months in UK then 3 months here again continuously. Thanks for watching and commenting. Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Is it that the community charge is cheap because you’ve already paid a 10% purchase tax up front, in effect an upfront community tax?🤔
Hi Paul, the community charge is low as there are many people sharing and we only have one pool and some street cleaning to pay for.
The property tax is not related to the community charge, it is purely a tax on buying property in Spain. It's only paid once when you buy.
There is a non resident tax payable every year, we have a video about that here: ua-cam.com/video/1wVNkuNBs-Y/v-deo.html but again it's not related to our community charge.
Thanks for watching and commenting, best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Zonder, ik geen Engels. Wil graag een appartement in Torrevieja huren. Zullen jullie me helpen? Hartelijk dank daarvoor. Vriendelijke groet, JADWIGA
Hallo Jadwiga
Wij hebben niets met verhuur te maken dus kunnen u niet direct helpen. We raden aan om contact op te nemen met verhuurbedrijven voor korte en lange termijn in Torrevieja, ik weet zeker dat zij een betere optie zijn. Try: www.hundredrooms.co.uk/s/Torrevieja--Spain?sem_label=P_apartment%2Cno_differentiator&sem_name=mt&sem_adgid=142615922099&sem_adid=628123689799&sem_keyword=apartment%20rental%20torrevieja&sem_matype=b&sem_adposition=&sem_geoid=9046681&sem_devi =c&sem_network=g&sem_targetid=kwd-525216285757&adName=General_RSA2&gclid=Cj0KCQiAzeSdBhC4ARIsACj36uELRMSi7Ty5LRhGsviBdHE9S2_ptBsWkPweA4OmAWYh9U5fgFIFIwIaAlVKEALw_wcB
Just thinking of buying apartment in St Luis any advice please. Love your videos
Hi Christine, we have done a few videos around the San Luis area. Thanks for watching, there may be some you haven’t yet seen. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Lots of good info, guys, many thanks. Itching to move over myself.
Hi Bandolero, thanks for watching and for your comment. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
More expensive,the. France,by a long way,guys,
THanks for watching, Ive answered in your next comment. Best wishes...
Thank u guys I knew u did I just couldn't find it watched it again lol a bit scary xxx
Hope it helps....
Really helpful video, thanks guys
Hi Barbara, Thanks for watching and for your nice comment. Best wishes. Mike and Yvonne.
Hey guys would love to contact u reguarding info on torrevieja
Hi Pia, You could have a look at our Facebook page to chat on messenger
Hi thanks for your video. I am interested in a two bed apt in Torrevieja for a family that is walking or cycling distance to beach, with communal pool with low crime rate/anti social behaviour. My budget is 80000. What area would you recommend near amenities
Hi, we can recommend places around the Torrevieja area but we always recommend that you come over and see for yourself the different places where you might consider. Everyone is different and wants different things. We do and will continue to produce many videos featuring different places, we have now done 82 videos nearly all about the area you are interested in. We are in Altos del Limonar which we love because its near town, on the cycle track and the beach is a 12 minute bike ride away. We also have amenities and restaurants on the doorstep if we don't want to bike anywhere. The area we feature on our channel "between the lakes" is a great one and suits us and it includes: Altos del Limonar, San Luis, Limonar, El Chaparal, La Siesta, Jardin del Mar Torreta 2 and 3. All these areas we show in our videos, if you have time have a look and see what you think. Thanks for watching and you enquiry. Best wishes for 2023, Mike and Yvonne.
@@BetweenTheLakes Great thanks a mil and for taking the time to reply.
Hello and thank you for your videos😀. I would like to know about the sewer smell that some people talk about in social media. Are there parts of the city that have a sewer smell? I would like to get a property there since they are really affordable but the sewer smell is a concern I have before making the move. Thank you so much!!!
Hi, we have never experienced that here where we are in Altos del Limonar, thank goodness!. We have been passed areas where there has been a smell but not in built up areas like Torrevieja central. I think they would fix it quick as it would be a health issue.
We think the best way, as we always say, is to spend time in the area you fancy buying in at different times of the day and walk around to see what is about and make sure it's what you want.
Thanks for watching our videos and for your comment. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Thank you very much for your answer. I will spend some time there before thinking about buying any property in torrevieja..@@BetweenTheLakes
Great video and very useful breakdown of bills. May I ask did you have a survey when buying the property and if so how much was it.? Also how long did the whole buying process take? Hopefully not as long as the UK. Once again great video thanks
Hi Hayley, we did not have a survey done. We thought if there had been a problem with these properties, built in 2000 we would have heard something by now. There are a lot of them all of the same construction with the same builder and all are well with no issues. We had a solicitor who was very good and checked all the things we might worry about like past payments of bills, there was no debt with the property, they had paid their non-resident tax on the house, etc. ( if it has not been paid then that debt would pass on the new owner)
We decided to buy it and paid our deposit on February 14th at the estate agent (Casa Espania) and got the keys on the 18th April, so pretty quick. We were cash buyers so no hold-ups or chains to contend with. Thanks for watching. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
@@BetweenTheLakes thank you for the reply x
Was looking on Airbnb for a month's apartment rental in the autumn - every other property had that same yellow and blue kitchen divider / window arrangement. Dated. I think you're brave (or clever) to be buying there at the moment.
Siudad guesada Costa blanca Alicante
Thanks for watching
HI can you tell me that figure of 10% of the purchase price for property tax is a one off payment? Also are you saying you must leave spain after 90 days if you are not residing full time? Thank you again
Hi Michael, thanks for watching and commenting. The 10% property tax is a one off payment payable when you purchase your property.
All third country nationals ( non EU members ) now includes UK, can only stay in any of the 26 Schengen countries ( includes Spain ) for a maximum of 90 days in a rolling 180 day window. Please watch two videos which explain this in more detail Firstly: ua-cam.com/video/6fRIJxbNOqo/v-deo.html
And secondly: ua-cam.com/video/aa38Q7Ki0JU/v-deo.html
Hope this helps, best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
I will watch both videos , we are Irish and hoping to buy somewhere near a beach, like yourselves in three years time and spending the most of Autumn and winter there eventually. Thank you so much for all the advice , research is key I guess, I lived in Madrid years ago for six years , loved it so nice to return.
Hi guys we are new subscribers. Really enjoyed the video as we are looking to buy a property near Torrevieja. When you did some of your property visits did the estate agents pay for your trip or did you buy flights and then visit the properties with the agent? Thanks in advance
Hi Peten, We made three trips in total to look at dozens of properties but we did it ourselves, booked a few half days with several estate agencies in the areas we were looking at. We paid for our own flights and accommodation etc.
We ended up going with Casas Espania at the La Siesta roundabout up the CV905 out of Torrevieja. They looked after us very well and had the property that suited us best at the time. We wanted to be within walking distance of all amenities and the town centre and beach. Everybody wants different things so we always recommend that you have a good look round at all the areas to see if it is right for you.Than you can make a calculated decision about what is best for you. Good luck and Best wishes in your search, Mike and Yvonne.
@@BetweenTheLakes Thanks guys. We are making our first trip down there at the end of this month select the areas then will follow up with some visits in September and October. We’re probably looking at Villamartin based on what we want so hopefully it will all work out. 👍🏻 Thanks again
Thanks!
Thank you so much for your generous super thanks. I'm sorry it's a late response but I've only just noticed now as I am reviewing my comments. I like to reply to every single comment we receive.
I'm so pleased that this video was of some help to you. There are more details and videos about buying a property in Torrevieja on our website and on a particular page dedicated to it (there are some more relevant videos at the bottom of the webpage). You can see it here: sites.google.com/view/betweenthelakes/buying-our-house?authuser=0
Thanks again for watching and for your donation and our apologies for missing it on the first time. All the very best, Mike and Yvonne.
Very helpful indeed! € 59,000 doesn't buy you anything in the region these days. Love your house, perfect for two.
Hi, thanks for watching. Yes, we bought at 59,000 euros in 2017 and prices have gone up now, these properties are going for between 75,000 - 80,000. We have no regrets buying this house and will probably stay here happily for the foreseeable future.
Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
@@BetweenTheLakes We hope to join you guys in the nearby future! We are saving for the transfer to a more sunny life. Cheers, Roel
@@UnusSedLeo-w5l Good luck and best wishes...
You strike me as a very Happy couple and Honest and helpful.
I have come across a similar property to your wee Casa Valentine. Similar price to what you paid. I know the area but can't get out till mid May. Would you purchase online?
Like your Casa Kitchen needs wall removed and new units. What approx in today cost. Have you done Bathroom 🚻 yet as similar to yours needs a walk in Shower. If you done it approx costs. I have been in these apartments in Nature area so know layout and sizes
Hi Phil, We paid 4000 euros for the kitchen. We haven't yet done the bathroom but I think a walk-in shower would be about 2500 fitted.
Thanks for watching and for your comments. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Thanks for replying with good 👍 tips. I think I will go for Apartment. 59 in today market not bad. I must also compliment on music in video 📹 brilliant 👏 👌. Doing any more videos round the area
You mentioned a few estate agents and a solicitor in your video.
Do you mind sharing those, always handy to now a few good ones, if we take the plunge .
Cheers
Hi Jason, we bought with Casas Espania at la Siesta. We also went out with several others in the area, Casas Manuel in Benijofar (featured on Sun Sea and Selling Houses) Vincent in Benijofar, Habitat in Los Montesinos and a few small local ones. Our solicitor is Sheila Garcia in La Zenia.
All the information is on our video "Buying a house in Torrevieja" (check the information in the details in the description) ua-cam.com/video/vBll7m-aOz4/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching and commenting, best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
@@BetweenTheLakes thanks
Hello 😊😎💃☀️
I meant to ask if you had a survey done on your bungalow?
General or structural?
Thank you 🏖
Hi Julia, No we didn't is the answer to that one. We are not saying don't get one, we think you should if you feel you should. We didn't because we felt the property was sound and there are so many of the same type of property with no history of problems that we knew of so we thought it was worth the risk in this instance. Thanks for your comment, all the best Mike and Yvonne.
Thank you for yr reply.
Happy holidays ahead for you 🏖☀️💃
I have now watched and thoroughly enjoyed all of your vlogs.
Because of your vlogs and knowledge we are hoping to buy in your area soon.
I spend every evening searching for apartments for sale.
So thank you so much for sharing 👍🏼😊😎
Torrevieja is the cheapest village you can find along the cost
but It doesn't mean that its a bad place to settle , its really big and you have anything around you want or need ...good weather , beaches , close to another places as Guardamar , Santa Pola , La Manga .....I think you can live quieter and with less stress .....there are two great cities as Valencia and Alicante close as well , in Spain good transport to anywhere even TGV , no pay for roads , free health ., friendly people ....what else ?
Hi JDM Ortega, thanks for watching and commenting. You make some good points in your comment. Torrevieja is a great town with a rich diversity of people and all at great value in terms of property and prices at the shops and restaurants etc. Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Very helpful, thanks.
Hi Marc, thanks for watching and for your comment. Glad to be of help. Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Love to watch you Guys. Very interesting to watch you!!!
My mom (100) lives in Quesada, me I live in Quebec but who knows maybe I wanna go live in Spain someday ; ))
For the moment I enjoy very much your vlogs!
Hi Katherina, Thanks for watching and commenting. Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Electric,sound expensive,
Hi Keith, Electricity is cheaper than UK, I don't know about France but we are happy with it. This month our bill was less than €30, maybe we have had a reduction from the power company...not sure but we were surprised. We have stopped using the oven and using a cheaper to run air fryer instead, so maybe that has helped along with replacing all the bulbs for LED lights Thanks for your comment. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Probably, I will be your neighbour 😊
Hi, are you buying a property near us in Altos del Limonar?
@@BetweenTheLakes 15 minutes by walking. Torreta 😊Between the lakes 😁and the sea.
I am absolutely crazy old person, very poor, my budget was very small, but I think, that I will have more, than possible 😊
@@karkulkazradimi We wish you well, you are in a very healthy place. Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
@@BetweenTheLakes I look forward to much🤩
Fantastic video and incredibly useful. I have just arrived home tonight and this time last night was spent in Shannons 🙂🙂 its still very quiet there at the moment. I was with Sheila on wednesday as she is looking after my sale and truely a lovely lady who is incredibly helpful. Hopefully i will get the opportunity to buy you both a drink in august as your videos have really been fantastic and given me the confidence to go ahead with my purchase 🙂 Your video will be a big help to those who are thinking of buying and great to see you back online. My wife and I were talking about you last week and were worried that somebody might have been ill when you were offline for a few weeks. Great to see you back online and thanks for the great videos 👍👍👍
Thank you so much Robbie, you are certainly in our neck of the woods if you were in Shannon's Bar. It's good that you are also endorsing Sheila and her great service.
We are both fine, no problems with covid or anything else thankfully, we have just been absent more for moving house and not having the internet than anything else. Anyway, it's all done now so we can try and get back to normal.
We will be heading off to Torrevieja in August for a long spell we hope. Best wishes to you both, Mike and Yvonne.
Thank you for the video.
Most recommend not to use the solicitor that the property agent recommends just in case there is some conflict of interest there.
Your bank costs are high though, so perhaps you should change bank. My solicitor told me that most Spanish banks charge exorbitant tariffs for foreigners and recommended Cajamar to me. There is also the new Openbank that doesn't have any costs which is a Spanish bank without offices that one can open as a foreigner without a NIE number. I am a EU (Dutch) resident though, so perhaps the situation is slightly different in my case.
When you bought the property, which documents did you receive at the notary? I'm curious if they gave you the Cédula de Habitabilidad (habitability license) for the property or if you have to go to the town council to request it yourself. It's not so important if you're living in a apartment, but it really is for those living in villa's on land that could possibly be illegal for urban use.
Hi Winston, thanks for watching and commenting. Yes the bank charges have crept up since we bought in 2017. They were €30 every 3 months and now €40. 25% increase! So I will look into other banks and see what our options are. I'm in UK at the moment so can't check my documents, we had to wait for the deeds but we have them now and I'm thinking we did get the habitation document but not 100%.
Thanks again for your comments.
So useful! Thank you.
Thanks for watching and for your comment Jackie. Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
We had a similar buying experience to you, visited & rented a few times. Viewed properties & areas as well as revisiting without the agent to have a good walk around, we purchased a house in Atalaya Park in between Quesada & Benijofar as close to all amenities but not too close either. Good point about adding 15% additional cost as they don’t mention this on ‘A place in the sun’ We used an independent property consultant at no cost to us & we had an excellent Lawyer who is still looking after our taxes at no cost. No regrets buying in Spain but as mentioned there are hidden costs which may arise after purchase. Great video & very informative.
Thanks for watching and commenting Bryan. Yes, A Place in the Sun used to mention communal charges in the early days but stopped mentioning it, they probably didn't think it was "good television" lol. They also always ask what the budget is and any "wiggle room" but then never mention the 10% property tax on top plus the other bits the viewers may not be aware of. Anyway thanks again for your comments, best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Hi Mike and Yvonne thanks for a great vlog, we have watched various vlogs on the process of buying a spanish property and getting the bill's set up, and yours is the most straight forward that we have watched so far 😉👍🏻
Thanks Lee, it's great to hear that you enjoyed the video. We will keep on making them as long as people like yourself are benefitting from them. It's great to hear positive feedback, best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Cheers guys,😡🍺🍺 xx
Thanks for watching Keith....all the best Mike and Yvonne.
Great video.
Very interesting & clearly explained.
Hoping to buy in the area next year so found this very helpful.
We are both retired now.
You have a new subscriber.
I've heard your channel mentioned by other youtubers so thought I'd take a look.
So glad I did 💃🏖
Thank you and now to watch your others videos 😊
Hi Julia, Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing. So pleased you found it helpful. Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne
good video thanks
Thanks for watching and your comment. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Well played guys :D
Hi Robert, Thanks for watching and commenting. Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Hi Guys - just reviewing your video again. What were the main mile stones you had to overcome when buying your property in Spain? E.g did you have to put down a deposit? What was the process to address the currency conversion? It would good to understand these, maybe an episode in the making 🤔
Hi Yogi, thanks for watching again. Yes it sounds like another possible episode, we will bear it in mind.
We didn't really have any problems with the purchase as we had a good estate agent and solicitor that made everything very easy and straight forward. We did pay a holding deposit on the day we purchased I think it was €5000.
Buen vídeo!!
Hi Cecelia, thanks for watching and your comment best wishes Mike and Yvonne
Thank you Guys. Very helpful. Cheers 🍻
Great video, we also bought through Casas Espania. Hope you are both well x
Thanks Julie, we were well looked after by Casas Espania, they have a great reputation and will be around for a long time. Hope you are well, best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
@@BetweenTheLakes Yes very professional and nice friendly people, they will help all they can x
The figures for the property you purchased. When did you purchase the property ?
Hi Yogi, we bought in Feb 2017. Thanks for watching
Great video guys and very helpful for others wanting to buy in Spain. Many thanks for sharing the info - Big Like from me :)
Cheers Shaun, good luck with the show tonight we will be watching. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Lovely video very informative and not boring like some others . Can’t wait to go and seek my new holiday home. -)
Hi Yvette, thanks for watching and commenting. Good look in your search. Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Hi Yvonne and Mike. We did a similar thing . A fried had an apartment in Roda near Los-Alcázares we rented for 6 years and used that as a base to look for a property. We found the village of Sucina for our holiday home in the sun. Cheers Stevie and Corinne 🤩
Hi Stevie and Corinne, Wow, you spent six years looking. Glad it all turned out well for you. Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Hi folks, the good lady and I have just started our search. Thinking about buying in Algorfa as we've been there a load of times and really like it. Great info contained in this video, really helpful. Wondered if you would consider doing a quick video ( or comment reply) on the process of registering and operating rules for your drone in Spain. Thanks and keep the valuable info coming.
Edit : Don't mean this to sound cheeky but one of the things I wondered about the drone was did you buy the mini because of regulation differences or was it because you thought it would suit your purposes better? Drone filming is a thing I would need to do a lot of in Spain.
Hi Gary R, thanks for watching and your comment. To fly your drone in Spain you need to register with The Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency (AESA), the equivalent to our CAA. Ypu also need to take an exam with EASA The European Air Safety Agency, which is not too difficult. You need public liability insurance and depending on your particular drone you may need to take additional exams to fly in certain areas if the weight of the drone exceeds 250gms. Spain are very tight on privacy laws so these must be adhered to. I never fly over people or buildings and stay a good distance away around 50 metres. All this can be found online here: drone-traveller.com/drone-laws-spain/
or www.grupooneair.com/spanish-drones-laws/
I found it quite difficult to get registered but managed it with the help of The International Drone Seekers: facebook.com/groups/1980281998867305/
In answer to your last question, I bought the Mini 2 because of it's weight (under 250gms) Restrictions are a little less harsh, it can be flown over things but the privacy laws are different so you still have to be aware of that. I just use my common sense and respect the Spanish Laws as best I can, if in doubt I don't fly. Hope this helps, Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Mike and Yvonne thank you for the presentation. We are a retired couple from Canada and have considered Alicante City, but have not done anything thus far... Beautiful area agree!
Hi Tony, thanks for watching and commenting. Alicante is a big and beautiful city. Best wishes Mike and Yvonne
👍👍👍
Hi Eugene S, thanks for watching, best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Loved this,very informative,I,ve only just found out about Los Montesinos today,because I,m looking at retiring to Spain in 2 years & looking at different areas,& I was speaking to someone earlier & they told me about this area,so I,m gonna do a bit of research,I understand there's obviously a few more obstacles regarding moving out there permanently,but do you know people who live there full time ? & What is it like ?? Thank you 👍
Hi Zol, thanks for watching and commenting. We have done over 40 videos on various topics and areas around where we are and Los Montesenos, so I would start by watching them and you may get a feel of what the area is like. Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
@@BetweenTheLakes I certainly will watch them,It actually looks quite difficult & very expensive to retire in Spain from what I've googled.🤔🤔
Great little video, first time I have seen you two, very well presented, thanks for posting from Garry in Barnsley UK
Thanks Gary for your comments, glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching. Best wishes Mike and Yvonne
Lovely post, very insightful :) I wonder how much you spent on the renovation. It definitely looks much better after the renovation 👍🏼
Hi Shamrah-Shon, we spent €3900 on the renovation which included knocking down the kitchen wall, replacing all the kitchen units, hob, oven and fitting a new boiler system. Thanks for watching and asking. Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
@@BetweenTheLakes Thanks for the reply. That's a really good price for all that, plus it definitely looks so much better - really worth it I feel. Hope you have a wonderful time in your new home and lots of positive memories 😇🙏🏼
Hi Guys - I have a question around medical insurance, now we have brexited what is the cost of Medical insurance when you now travel to Spain? Or do you take Travel insurance of some sorts? If so how much is either option. Thanks again and great videos, very informative and please keep them coming 👍
Hi Yogi we haven't looked at travel insurance yet for this trip. We have our EHIC card which we believe still gives us some cover at least, (even after Brexit).
It has gone up of course, it's to be expected I suppose. We will check nearer the time to see if it is coming down. We use travel supermarket and go for the cheapest.
@@BetweenTheLakes thanks for the response guys much appreciated. Your idea of down sizing and using the funds to retire earlier resonated with me and I’m thinking along these lines myself. It would be great if you could do an episode on this as I believe it’s a great idea 👍
Thanks for the information we complete on our apartment in Quesada in October and your videos are very helpful
Hi Alistair, thanks for watching and good luck with your apartment in wonderful Quesada. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Wuow is mooie guezada
Hi Mike & Yvonne! Thanks for sharing your buying experience, so kind of you and very helpful! 👍
It looks so much better with the wall removed in the kitchen, and all the fresh paint. Looks very bright!
We also recently moved to a new home to lower our monthly costs so that we can maybe retire a little bit earlier. We are not sure yet if we want to buy a property in Spain, or maybe just rent for the months that we will visit. We'll see how things work out 😉
In the meantime we will enjoy your beautiful video's of the area, and learn from your tips & tricks. Hope you can visit sunny Spain very soon! ☀️
Take care! Greetings from The Netherlands 🤗
Hi Janny, Thanks for your nice comments. Things change don't they! who would have thought 2 years ago we would have had to do the things we have been doing like restrictions on travel, wearing masks and staying at home. You may change your mind about buying, you never know what's round the corner.
I think we have turned a corner now and I see a much brighter future for us all, lets hope I got that one right, Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Hello Mike & Yvonne, We love your videos🌟 Me and my wife are considering moving to TorreVieja since it seems a very nice place to live and to buy property, but there's something that concerns us, and it's about the security, because in a fast Google's search, we found out that TorreVieja is on the top 3 of the most dangerous cities to live in Spain, We are very sad about it, since we are very much looking forward to moving there 😪. Our question is, if you have experienced something no so great regarding safety on the streets and house security. Thank you for reading us ✌🏼 Adios!
Hi Sergio, Thanks for watching and also for your comment. We have not had anything happen to us that would make us think Torrevieja is any worse regarding safety than any other town in Costa Blanca South. We are not saying that there isn't any crime but it's not something that has bothered us so far. We had a friend who recently had their electric bike stolen in broad daylight on the seafront but I think this could happen in any town. As regards home security, we live in an upper bungalow so we are surrounded by other houses, below and opposite and I think this is why we have never, in six years had a problem. In Torrevieja center, we have never seen any violence on the streets or anything like that during the day or when we have been out at night. Again we are saying that it might happen but we have never seen it and we spend a lot of time in Torrevieja.
I think the best thing to do is spend as much time here in Torrevieja as you can before you decide to buy, ask around, see for yourself and then make up your own minds. Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Brilliant video guys!
Me and the wife have been planning a Spanish holiday home for a while, restrictions are making it difficult but were itching to get on a plane now and start viewing! Some great tips here that we hadn't even considered.
Cheers Chris, thanks for your comments and good look with the search when you get over here. Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Not a good time to buy at the moment, unless you get lucky of course. (E.g. someone needing a quick sale to leave Spain)
Three main factors to consider waiting a couple of years:
1. Sterling vs Euro exchange is still quite low
2. Property prices are artifically high in many areas. You have to bid much lower and don't budge. If they are not interested, then look elsewhere.
3. Brexit consequences are still unclear at the moment.
Hi Mark, you make some good points here. I think a lot of people will be hanging on for now due to Covid and Bexit. The 90 day rule would be the one that would make me think twice about a holiday home in Spain now. Thanks for your comments, All the best Mike and Yvonne.
thanx...very helpful video...planning to buy this year or next...around torrevieja..:-)
Thanks for watching and commenting Charlie, keep watching, All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Thanks for the fantastic information as we have just bought in torrevieja and this really helps, thank you Mike &Yvonne ☺️☺️
Hi Carolyn, It’s a pleasure, thanks for watching and your nice comment. Hope you enjoy your Spanish property, best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Hi Guys, another excellent informative videeo from yourselves, and really helpful too of course. Just out of curiosity, is the SUMA (council bill) of 150 euros, is that a monthly/quarterly or annual amount? I'm just trying to work out approximate costs for the future for when we do move out there.
That is one payment for the year, their are two ther council tax payments for Rubbish Collction also which are a lot smaller about €30 ish
You currently don’t live very far from my in-laws in Halifax 👍
Hi Yogi, yes we are close to halifax in Cleckheaton.Thanks for watching
Hi. Nice to see your videos. Happy days is coming in torrevieja
Thank you Edulfer for watching and commenting, best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Thank you for this very informative and entertaining posting. It’s so helpful.. is there any public transport where you are, or will I always need a car? Thanks.
Hi Phillip, thanks for watching and your nice comment. We get about on our electric bikes on the very good cycle tracks. The buses are also good and regular. We started off getting a rental car when we first came across but then decided to save some money and manage without. We get a bus from the airport only €7.00. There are plenty of coach trips also with pick points in San Luis (Davids Coach Trips) Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Many thanks. Sorry not to have thanked you, I have not been well, not COVID. Thank you.
Really great video and informative. My wife and i are looking to buy next year! Thank you!
Thanks for watching and your nice comment. Hope you find the perfect property. All the best Mike and Yvonne.
Thanks for taking the time to make this very good video.
Thank you Steven for watching and commenting Best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.
Hi Guys - love watching your content , when will you be launching another episode?
Hi Yogi, we will be doing one soon hopefully....
Thanks that’s great news 👍 love your show
Hi are you guy's residents or are going too. I moved to torrevieja last December and I've had my residents card accepted great video hurry and retire❤❤🇪🇸🦊
Cheers Dave, all the best Mike and Yvonne.
Fantastic video guys. It was a pleasure helping you with your successful search and seeing me on there with the sold sign. Give me a call when you are next in Spain. It was good days at Casas Espania, but I can still be found selling property with Spanish Life in Ciudad Quesada,
Hi Neil, great to hear from you, we heard you were selling in Quesada but didn't know where. Glad you enjoyed your cameo in our video. Best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
"wonderful Torrevieja"? Really? Wonderful??
Hi Sergei, thanks for your comment, we think Torrevieja is wonderful, I'm sure you do too.
Another great video production. We also purchased 2 yrs ago and same process/costs , however I would recommend you always get an independent solicitors (avoid conflict of interests), everything is negotiable so you should 10% higher than your budget and then offer what you can afford. When are your next over would be great if you can do a drone video shoot for our roof top apartment (summer job)...cheers
Hi Gweedoreone, Yes it's a good point you make about the independent solicitor. Fortunately we had no problems and all ended very well. We were pleased with everything and the ease of completion etc.
We will be over sometime in August, we think. Keep you eye on the channel for confirmation. Thanks for your comment, best wishes Mike and Yvonne.
Wich watercompany do you have..Hidraqua?
Hi Michael, we use Water Aguas del Arco Mediterraneo. Thanks for watching. All the best.
Thank you for excellent info! Enjoy your videos.
Thank you Ger, best wishes, Mike and Yvonne.