# Questions about Alicante and property



## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Can I get a feeling for what the weather is like Oct 1st to March 31st?

I assume it's the rainy season but is this mostly rain with some sun? Or is this solid gloom?

At what point does the weather start to improve?

What sort of closing fees should a person expect? I see something like 10% in tax for a second home. Close? Legal fees? Estate agent?

How is property tax calculated? 

How accurate are the prices on the fotocase website? Many seem too good to be true.

How long is the buying process normally? In other words how long from offer being accepted to getting the keys?

I assume offers are possible?

Are mortgages available? If so what's the process?

Any idea what it would cost to rent a studio apartment with parking for a few months while I browsed the homes for sale?

Is it reasonable to expect a fairly new build property in a newish area to have broadband?

I've seen the threads on the new residency requirements. Is this just Spain following the French and Italian lead? Or are they going further? Or is the law still super secret 

Thanks


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

I have answered in red



NickZ said:


> Can I get a feeling for what the weather is like Oct 1st to March 31st?
> 
> I assume it's the rainy season but is this mostly rain with some sun? Or is this solid gloom?
> 
> ...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Stravinsky said:


> I have answered in red


fotocasa.es - venta pisos, alquiler pisos, pisos madrid, pisos barcelona, pisos valencia


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Thanks.

In I think both Italy and France second homers aren't required to get residency. You just have the same disadvantage that other second homers have. Higher taxes and no real access to many of the local services. But you don't have to meet the requirements for residence if you don't want to.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

NickZ said:


> Thanks.
> 
> In I think both Italy and France second homers aren't required to get residency. You just have the same disadvantage that other second homers have. Higher taxes and no real access to many of the local services. But you don't have to meet the requirements for residence if you don't want to.



I'm not quite with you. Are you saying that you think that if you have another house in the UK that you dont need to be a resident in another country if you live there?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

NickZ said:


> Thanks.
> 
> In I think both Italy and France second homers aren't required to get residency. You just have the same disadvantage that other second homers have. Higher taxes and no real access to many of the local services. But you don't have to meet the requirements for residence if you don't want to.


actually that made me wonder - so I just looked at the UKinItaly consulate website & found this

it seems that the requirement to register as resident after 90 days is the same as Spain - & the income & healthcare requirements are along the same lines, too

http://ukinitaly.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/help-british-nationals/ministry-health


> If the period of stay exceeds 3 months, EU nationals are
> entitled to stay, subject to the registration with the National
> Registry Office, and no obligation to apply for a Residence
> Permit (this requirement only applies to non-EU family members of
> ...


I seem to remember reading that these are EU rules which Spain has only just decided to opt into, so I'd be surprised if France was any different


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I'm not sure that spain would give out a mortgage on a second home right now, after all of the bank trouble and subprime stuff?????? 

Jo xxx


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Stravinsky said:


> I'm not quite with you. Are you saying that you think that if you have another house in the UK that you dont need to be a resident in another country if you live there?


Not if your normal home is in Spain but if you have a second home. Your residence is the place you normally call home even if you're spending a majority of time in your vacation home.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

jojo said:


> I'm not sure that spain would give out a mortgage on a second home right now, after all of the bank trouble and subprime stuff??????
> 
> Jo xxx


I wouldn't have thought that to but the websites all mention mortgages  Including the ones selling bank owned properties


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> actually that made me wonder - so I just looked at the UKinItaly consulate website & found this
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That makes no sense. Required to register but no obligation to apply for residence.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

NickZ said:


> That makes no sense. Required to register but no obligation to apply for residence.


you might think it makes no sense - but that's how it is & it does make sense when you understand the difference

as an EU citizen, after 90 days you register as resident, subject to certain conditions - it's just a formaility really, & all they want to do is be sure that you won't become a drain on the state...........not unreasonable IMO


as a non-EU citzen you would have to 'apply for a residence permit' - which is subject to much more stringent conditions - and they also have to apply from their home country before travelling if they wish to stay more than 90 days & it is far from being a formality


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

NickZ said:


> I wouldn't have thought that to but the websites all mention mortgages  Including the ones selling bank owned properties


 hhhmm, I would look into the terms and conditions. We tried to get a mortgage pre the bank crisis and because my husband commuted and his income was from the UK (the children and I lived in Spain), they agreed in principal, but at a grossly inflated interest rate. In fact there were sooooo many hoops to jump thru we didnt bother in the end - fortunately, cos the house we were planning to by is still on the market and is half the price lol!!!

Jo xxx


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> as an EU citizen, after 90 days you register as resident, subject to certain conditions - it's just a formaility really, & all they want to do is be sure that you won't become a drain on the state...........not unreasonable IMO


Actually it would be the other way around. 

Non residents in Italy pay more in taxes,utilities and can't do many things. By forcing people who don't want to become resident and are just visiting for longer then 90 days to become resident that would increase the drain on the state.

I'm just talking about people on long vacations really.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

jojo said:


> and his income was from the UK


The funny thing is some are offering 100% loans to UK but much lower amounts to other EU citizens . I'm sure there is a trick some place


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

NickZ said:


> Actually it would be the other way around.
> 
> Non residents in Italy pay more in taxes,utilities and can't do many things. By forcing people who don't want to become resident and are just visiting for longer then 90 days to become resident that would increase the drain on the state.
> 
> I'm just talking about people on long vacations really.


is that difference 'residents' or 'tax residents' though


in any case, non-residents here don't pay more for utilities etc., so the argument doesn't apply to Spain


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

No not tax residents. Second homes are hit with higher everything.

But think about my situation -)

If I spend six months in Italy and Spain. Italy wouldn't let me cancel my residence so I end up with

Two principal residence.

I'd be registered in two health systems?

I'd be able to vote in two sets of local elections.

It gets more absurd

What happens to my car,drivers license,insurance and MOT? All those are tied to residence. If I have two residence then what?

Spending a weekend across the border to avoid the 90 days sounds a lot easier then dealing with just the car.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

NickZ said:


> No not tax residents. Second homes are hit with higher everything.
> 
> But think about my situation -)
> 
> ...


*yes - that does sound a lot easier - but you can only do that if you're an EU citizen*......... which you are????

and.........you'd only be registered in the spanish health system if you were paying into it, either by working here or for instance, by the UK paying for you by way of an S1 if you are from the UK

you'd have to register seperately to vote - it's not automatic 

as a resident of Spain you wouldn't be able to drive a UK registered car


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

NickZ said:


> No not tax residents. Second homes are hit with higher everything.
> 
> But think about my situation -)
> 
> ...


Thats not how it works in Spain. A resident doesnt get healthcare - you just have to prove you have it and that you have an income (they can only tax you on it, if you are in Spain for more than 183 days a year. In fact none of what you say is what being a resident in Spain means. It just means that the authorities are satisifed that you can afford to live in Spain without becoming a drain on the system

Jo xxx


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

NickZ said:


> Not if your normal home is in Spain but if you have a second home. Your residence is the place you normally call home even if you're spending a majority of time in your vacation home.


Nice thought Nick, but thats not how it works I'm afraid.
I have a place in the UK, but I spend most of my time in Spain, (in my second home, if you like), so I'm a resident in Spain, not the UK


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

jojo said:


> (they can only tax you on it, if you are in Spain for more than 183 days a year. In fact none of what you say is what being a resident in Spain means.



That's not true. The treaties would deal with tax residency. 

All the other things are normal EU things. If you change residence you're supposed to change the car reg. Your drivers license etc.

EU nationals are supposed to be allowed to vote in local elections.

Voter registration - Electoral Commission



> Citizens of other EU member states resident in the UK can vote in local government elections but cannot vote in UK Parliamentary elections.


EU - Renewing / converting / exchanging driving licences when moving abroad - Your Europe



> You can only have your licence renewed (or converted from a licence from another country) by the authorities of the country where you are registered as a resident.


EU - Validity of car insurance when moving abroad – Your Europe



> You are obliged to register your car in the country where you normally live.


Now if I have residence in two countries and split my time where do I normally live??


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Stravinsky said:


> Nice thought Nick, but thats not how it works I'm afraid.
> I have a place in the UK, but I spend most of my time in Spain, (in my second home, if you like), so I'm a resident in Spain, not the UK


I'd say your second home is the UK not the other way around. If you call Spain home then it's home.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

NickZ said:


> Now if I have residence in two countries and split my time where do I normally live??


The one you spend the most time in - and as a year generally has an odd amount of days, then its gonna be one or the other - Its not helpful to be too pedantic tho. The rules are the rules and you simply have to live by them. Home officially is where you spend the most time!

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

NickZ said:


> That's not true. The treaties would deal with tax residency.
> 
> All the other things are normal EU things. If you change residence you're supposed to change the car reg. Your drivers license etc.
> 
> ...


I didn't say you can't vote - just that you have to register seperately to do so


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

NickZ said:


> I'd say your second home is the UK not the other way around. If you call Spain home then it's home.




This is getting silly 

It's nothing to do with "home" ... its to do with residency, i.e. the time you spend in each country. You cant generally be resident in two countries, at least that's the way it was when I last spoke to the authorities.

If you have a "holiday home" and live in it for most of the year than to all intents and purposes thats where you reside, it's your residence, and its very probably going to be your tax residence as well, dependant on the laws of the land.


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