# When is the best time to view houses?



## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

We found tenants for our house in England. :clap2:
The plan is to move to Spain at the beginning of September. We don't know were yet, we're in the middle of our research.

I took your advice and will go to Spain for a couple of days (or three) to view some villas.

My question is - do you think it is better to view houses about 6 weeks before we intend to move or 3 weeks prior to the move?

If I go now, it will give us more time to prepare everything and in case I won't find anything suitable we will have some time to keep searching online (and perhaps come to view some houses again later).

However, if we leave it for later, I guess we might get a better deal - nicer house for less money.

Do you think 3 weeks is enough? 
What would you do?

It is not practical to come with 3 small kids and stay in a hotel for 2 weeks, we will be bringing lots of staff with us (we will probably hire a van for that).


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

sadlybroke said:


> We found tenants for our house in England. :clap2:
> The plan is to move to Spain at the beginning of September. We don't know were yet, we're in the middle of our research.
> 
> I took your advice and will go to Spain for a couple of days (or three) to view some villas.
> ...




Well done on finding someone to rent your house. Guess that puts you under pressure to get organised though!

I'm not sure how you are going to find a house in 2 -3 days when you aren't even sure of an area yet? For that reason, I guess it would be better to look earlier rather than later, if for no other reason than to give yourself a chance of finding the *right[*B] house[/B] in the* right area*.

I can't help thinking, from your previous posts, that you should concentrate more on getting it right, rather than concentrating on how to get out of the contract earl when it goes wrong!!

Do not expect to see many houses in just a couple of days, let alone have time to consider the areas too - I mean the whole area not just the street!

Our experience was that the Spanish are generally not yet very responsive to email so it is quite difficult to set up many viewings in advance - anyway why view when you don't know the area.

On the other hand the agents we met loved phoning - why set up a viewing with one call if you can stretch it to three! 

Phone - yes you can view - I will phone you tomorrow morning. Next morning you will be up and ready.... and waiting for the phone call.... which finally happens about 11.30am (many don't start business until at least 10.00am)...... yes you can view this afternoon, I will phone you.... well they like their siesta, so an afternoon phonecall is actually nearer 5.00pm....yes meet me at 7.00pm. You have wasted the whole day hanging around for one viewing, scared to go off exploring too far in case you miss the viewing.

With three kids, it might be worth considering having your goods shipped and stored for a week or two at the Spanish end, rather than be under pressure to just take any old place.


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

All that said, it is perfectly possible to find somewhere three weeks in advance, but you might be more likely to feel a touch desperate and take something not so suitable because you're short on time. In those circumstances you might be more likely to land with a worse house for more money, rather than a better one!!


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

Yes, all good points.

We are researching areas now so we would settle on an area and try to find a house there.


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

brocher said:


> I can't help thinking, from your previous posts, that you should concentrate more on getting it right, rather than concentrating on how to get out of the contract earl when it goes wrong!!


This is not a fair comment, it was just one of my many questions. I am trying to find out as much as I can about all possible situations.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

sadlybroke said:


> This is not a fair comment, it was just one of my many questions. I am trying to find out as much as I can about all possible situations.


I'd book a holiday let for the first 2/3 weeks, when you've decided on an area - that way you can view at your leisure, wife & kids can go with (or not, it's up to you) but there's plenty of room for your 'stuff'. You could maybe leave that in storage in the UK for a few weeks in any case & then get it sent over, which can be cheaper than you might expect.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Xabiachica is right, but if you want to get things signed and sealed the way you ar suggesting, you're better off going three weeks before. The agents will pressure you to sign and if its 6 weeks before moving, they'll want the contract to run from the date you sign so you'll probably be paying for the months before you move.

Jo xxx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> I'd book a holiday let for the first 2/3 weeks, when you've decided on an area - that way you can view at your leisure, wife & kids can go with (or not, it's up to you) but there's plenty of room for your 'stuff'. You could maybe leave that in storage in the UK for a few weeks in any case & then get it sent over, which can be cheaper than you might expect.


I like this idea.
However, you'd be sensible to come here and look around as much as possible prior to your visit anyway whether it be 3 weeks or 6 weeks before. Probably 6 weeks before is better just because at 3 weeks I'd be feeling the pressure.
I have to say though, for me it's the worst time of the year heat wise. I am cooking here in Madrid. It's really affecting me this year and don't forget I've been here 25 years. Luckily I've got little to do but I'm exhausted and there's no way I go out and about if I can avoid it. So what I'm saying is, don't expect to be out all day tramping the streets and looking to see what a town has to offer. I think it will be physically impossible


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I like this idea.
> However, you'd be sensible to come here and look around as much as possible prior to your visit anyway whether it be 3 weeks or 6 weeks before. Probably 6 weeks before is better just because at 3 weeks I'd be feeling the pressure.
> I have to say though, for me it's the worst time of the year heat wise. I am cooking here in Madrid. It's really affecting me this year and don't forget I've been here 25 years. Luckily I've got little to do but I'm exhausted and there's no way I go out and about if I can avoid it. So what I'm saying is, don't expect to be out all day tramping the streets and looking to see what a town has to offer. I think it will be physically impossible


it was actually hotter here than in Madrid yesterday - that's a rarity this time of year (we did officially have record June temps)- but with the humidity at 80+% a lot of the day I was actually having trouble breathing 

I still have a full timetable of classes (groups will drop next month but then I'll start the _refuerza _for kids who failed English at school - I'm just grateful that I do most of my work either at home or within a few mins walk - although yesterday as I said, even that walk was difficult......& no, I don't suffer from asthma or any other problems in that area

I certainly wouldn't want to be traipsing the streets looking at property - but you're right, a visit in advance to get to know the area a bit would be a great idea

currently it's a cool 22º.....with 93% humidity - & it's expected to reach similar temps to yesterday


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

brocher said:


> I'm not sure how you are going to find a house in 2 -3 days when you aren't even sure of an area yet? For that reason, I guess it would be better to look earlier rather than later, if for no other reason than to give yourself a chance of finding the *right[*B] house[/B] in the* right area*.
> 
> Do not expect to see many houses in just a couple of days, let alone have time to consider the areas too - I mean the whole area not just the street!
> 
> ...


Just a quick comment on the Spanish timetable. How Brocher describes it is pretty much how it goes, but frustration and incomprehension builds up because of different expectations from each side. The agent probably works 10:00/ 10:30 - 14:00 and 16:30/ 17:00 - 20:00/ 21:00 (they like their 24 hour clock here too). In the summer the afternoon shift might be shorter, different or not exist. (What do others who live down there think?) So, their perception of morning is not the same as a British person's. It doesn't start until 10:00/ 10:30. Is not because they're lazy and don't get up early - it's that the hours are distributed differently. If someone gives you an appointment for the morning ask them to narrow it down - between 10:00 and 11:00? 10:00 and 12:00?? (12:00 and 1:00 is usually still the morning.
Likewise "la tarde" is not really the afternoon as we know it. It's probably from 17:00 ish to 20:00/ 21:00ish especially in the summer when there's more light. The idea and understanding of what it is is different in both cultures, so if you have an afternoon appointment you need to check what that might mean, but personally I wouldn't expect any action until after 18:00...
Of course an experienced estate agent will know this so s/he might have adjusted their language. You'll need to check!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> it was actually hotter here than in Madrid yesterday - that's a rarity this time of year (we did officially have record June temps)- but with the humidity at 80+% a lot of the day I was actually having trouble breathing
> 
> I still have a full timetable of classes (groups will drop next month but then I'll start the _refuerza _for kids who failed English at school - I'm just grateful that I do most of my work either at home or within a few mins walk - although yesterday as I said, even that walk was difficult......& no, I don't suffer from asthma or any other problems in that area
> 
> ...


Well it was over 40 where I was yesterday. And in the corridor where I was standing with the sun streaming throught the windows with dozens of teens it must have been nearer 50º and I'm not kidding. (more on that later) Madrid is burning up in the last few days - no matter what they tell you on the weather forecast!!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Well it was over 40 where I was yesterday. And in the corridor where I was standing with the sun streaming throught the windows with dozens of teens it must have been nearer 50º and I'm not kidding. (more on that later) Madrid is burning up in the last few days - no matter what they tell you on the weather forecast!!


yes - we just about hit 40º - unheard of in June

but we're not burning - we're being steam cooked

of course in a windowed corridor that must have been nasty!!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

sadlybroke said:


> This is not a fair comment, it was just one of my many questions. I am trying to find out as much as I can about all possible situations.


But many of these 'situations' can only be investigated at first hand.
Some of your questions come down to matters of opinion not fact and decisions can be taken only by you...on the spot.

Spain is a huge country and there are variations from region to region that are not merely geographical but relate to culture and customs. To give an example of its vastness compared to Slovakia or the UK....it took us two nights and three whole days of driving to get from Prague to just outside Marbella. Two-thirds of that journey was within Spain itself.

It's very sensible that you are coming to see for yourself how things are. People's opinions of the desirability of places to choose to live are just that...opinions. Rental contracts seem to have infinite variations. 

There is simply no substitute for seeing for yourself and making judgments based on your experience and not other people's opinions or experiences. The advice I would give you would perhaps be totally different from that of say Brocher or Pesky.

Who's right?

Sobre los gustos no hay disputos..


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Just a quick comment on the Spanish timetable. How Brocher describes it is pretty much how it goes, but frustration and incomprehension builds up because of different expectations from each side. The agent probably works 10:00/ 10:30 - 14:00 and 16:30/ 17:00 - 20:00/ 21:00 (they like their 24 hour clock here too). In the summer the afternoon shift might be shorter, different or not exist. (What do others who live down there think?) So, their perception of morning is not the same as a British person's. It doesn't start until 10:00/ 10:30. Is not because they're lazy and don't get up early - it's that the hours are distributed differently. If someone gives you an appointment for the morning ask them to narrow it down - between 10:00 and 11:00? 10:00 and 12:00?? (12:00 and 1:00 is usually still the morning.
> Likewise "la tarde" is not really the afternoon as we know it. It's probably from 17:00 ish to 20:00/ 21:00ish especially in the summer when there's more light. The idea and understanding of what it is is different in both cultures, so if you have an afternoon appointment you need to check what that might mean, but personally I wouldn't expect any action until after 18:00...
> Of course an experienced estate agent will know this so s/he might have adjusted their language. You'll need to check!



Anyone visiting our village between the hours of around 12.00 and 17.00 could be forgiven for thinking a plague or pestilence had struck. The streets are empty.
A great hush comes over Estepona too. Same in San Pedro de Alcantara...where some cafes and bars close too!

After three and a half years we are finally adjusting to local customs....afternoon siesta, very late dinner. I didn't think we would but on the principle if you can't beat them, join them....As you say, nothing gets done in 'la tarde' until at least 18.30 or usually later. Explaining to British guests that the plumber is expected at 20.00 always raises eyebrows.

It's been extremely hot here...well over 40c in direct sun. We are so happy that our bedroom has windows on two facing sides so we can sleep with a through-breeze and don't need air-con. I'm now about to get in the pool to cool down and it's not 09.00...Tried to swim yesterday but too soon, feeling it today. 
But I'm 99% back to as normal as I'll ever be
It's the same all year round.


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

sadlybroke said:


> This is not a fair comment, it was just one of my many questions. I am trying to find out as much as I can about all possible situations.


Ha, I did intend that a little light heartedly, you know! 

As you say, you are quite correctly trying to learn as much as you can, but pay attention to mrypg's advice. To give yourself the best chance of succeeding in your "new life," you really, realy need to find a way to spend a bit more than two or three days in Spain before commiting to a house.

You did mention earlier that one of the things you really want is a bigger house which is fair enough - but you really need to take time to see that everything else will work with your family's lifestyle, too.

Many people fall into the trap of going for the big villa with too much garden to maintain and an expensive pool to run. Then they find that although the house is lovely it's too difficult/ time consuming/expensive to keep up, they are too far from shops, schools, friends, airport and everything else they need to be happy. There are also many lovely newish properties in Spain but most are unsold or only being rented for holidays. By the end of September, you could find yourself living in a ghost town, with no chance of making friends and all the community faciliies closing down as the holidaymakers go home.

Assuming you will put your eldest in school, so she is at the same stage as UK equivalent - you will need to check schools in your proposed area. Of course, you also have to make the decision whether to pay for International School initially until you are sure you will stay in Spain long term. You need to look at all this so she/ he can start as soon as possible in September.

It may be worth considering setting up a bank account when you first visit, so you can traansfer funds before the big move. 

Rememeber, you ask for advice - you may not like it all, or find it suitable/ relevent - but everyone posts here with the best of intentions - and at the end of the day, the more responses you get, the more useful little bits you are likely to find.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

brocher said:


> Ha, I did intend that a little light heartedly, you know!
> 
> As you say, you are quite correctly trying to learn as much as you can, but pay attention to mrypg's advice. To give yourself the best chance of succeeding in your "new life," you really, realy need to find a way to spend a bit more than two or three days in Spain before commiting to a house.
> 
> ...


Good point about the bigger house. We did exactly that when we first moved to Spain. What a mistake. We thought that cos we had a large family who would visit, then we'd need lots of bedrooms,and space. However, in the winter it cost a fortune to try and heat, it wasnt cosy, it was big, drafty, it echoed and the family didnt visit as much as we thought - certainly not all at once. The next houses we rented were small, easier to heat and keep clean - and we decided that all the things we wanted from Spain when planning, werent what we needed on a day to day basis. You need to live there with your family for a fwew weeks to get a feel for what you're going to be happy in and you really do need their imput - certainly your wifes

Jo xxx


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

jojo said:


> Good point about the bigger house. We did exactly that when we first moved to Spain. What a mistake. We thought that cos we had a large family who would visit, then we'd need lots of bedrooms,and space. However, in the winter it cost a fortune to try and heat, it wasnt cosy, it was big, drafty, it echoed and the family didnt visit as much as we thought - certainly not all at once. The next houses we rented were small, easier to heat and keep clean - and we decided that all the things we wanted from Spain when planning, werent what we needed on a day to day basis. You need to live there with your family for a fwew weeks to get a feel for what you're going to be happy in and you really do need their imput - certainly your wifes
> 
> Jo xxx



That all depends on how the house is set out, though. You've seen our house, Jo, it's not easy to heat on some winter evenings but tbh we could survive with no heating at all...we could put on an extra sweater or cover ourselves with a rug whilst watching tv.

After all, that's what people used to do.

Brocher...not all houses with pools are out in the boonies...ours is on the edge of our village, a short walk to the few shops we have and to the beach.


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

mrypg9 said:


> That all depends on how the house is set out, though. You've seen our house, Jo, it's not easy to heat on some winter evenings but tbh we could survive with no heating at all...we could put on an extra sweater or cover ourselves with a rug whilst watching tv.
> 
> After all, that's what people used to do.
> 
> Brocher...not all houses with pools are out in the boonies...ours is on the edge of our village, a short walk to the few shops we have and to the beach.




Not suggesting for a minute that they are! 

You seem to have a great location and a house that suits you well for now. Just as the pool and large garden suit your lifestyle - i.e. you have the time and the money to maintain and enjoy them.

But there are some lovely looking new properties on semi empty "estates" which it is very easy to be seduced by! 

Just trying to throw in a few extra points for sadlybroke to consider, as he is moving very quickly, but does at least seem open to doing his research and taking advice on board.


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

Thanks brocher.


brocher said:


> There are also many lovely newish properties in Spain but most are unsold or only being rented for holidays. By the end of September, you could find yourself living in a ghost town, with no chance of making friends and all the community faciliies closing down as the holidaymakers go home.


Is there a way of telling whether most houses in the area are short term summer rentals or a proper residential area? I mean, if I visit the area and view a house, how can I tell if there is a risk of it becoming a ghost town in winter?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

sadlybroke said:


> Thanks brocher.
> 
> Is there a way of telling whether most houses in the area are short term summer rentals or a proper residential area? I mean, if I visit the area and view a house, how can I tell if there is a risk of it becoming a ghost town in winter?


 You need to go over and look round. The question isnt something thats easy to answer. There are very few towns which are like that. There are apartment blocks and small gated communities that can be like that, but it doesnt matter if they are?? Some have holiday makers staying in the summer and a few in the winter, but they're generally holiday complexes and as I say, does it matter?? All tourist towns tend to close down a bit in the winter, even the town I live in in the UK, but people live and work in them

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

sadlybroke said:


> Thanks brocher.
> 
> Is there a way of telling whether most houses in the area are short term summer rentals or a proper residential area? I mean, if I visit the area and view a house, how can I tell if there is a risk of it becoming a ghost town in winter?


difficult at this time of year - I can't think of a way........ we got caught out once

the agent said that the urb was mainly residential & even introdced me to a neighbour

it was gated urb - & certainly at first glance it looked as if people were living there - it was November I think, and there was washing hanging outside some of the houses directly on the pool.................... unfortunately those were the _only_ houses occupied all year..............about half a dozen out of maybe 70


and my kids were the only ones living there, as I mentioned previously - & the residents didn't like kids  - most of them were retired Brits who left for the UK in July & August when the Spanish families with loads of kids appeared


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

sadlybroke said:


> Thanks brocher.
> 
> Is there a way of telling whether most houses in the area are short term summer rentals or a proper residential area? I mean, if I visit the area and view a house, how can I tell if there is a risk of it becoming a ghost town in winter?




How can anyone tell unless they live in that particular urbanisation?
We are all very happy to provide whatever information we are able to but there are some facts which can only be ascertained by you, in person.

No-one on this forum can remove the element of risk inherent in any decision you - or anyone else - takes with regard to relocation in Spain.

Even a comparatively simple -or seemingly - simple question such as 'How much does electricity cost?' cannot have one answer. It depends on so many factors....size of house, the tariff, size of family, number of appliances and so on.

There is an element of risk involved for anyone relocating to Spain. We made a mistake with our first choice of where to live. So we found somewhere else!

I cannot emphasise strongly enough the importance of your personal investigations on the ground, in the area you decide to locate to. Since you cannot visit evrry region in Spain to ascertain which is best for you and your family, wherever you settle will involve an element of radical choice. We're very happy where we are but I'm sure there are hundreds of other places in Spain where we would have been perfectly happy.

What it boils down to is that we can give only very general guidance. You must make a decision based on your first-hand experience which requires exploration, investigation and comparisons. 


When we decided to move from Prague to Spain I asked on this Forum and received important basic information...about rental costs (I had more or less decided on the area), bureaucratic procedures such as obtaining NIE etc. But I spent a month looking for a place to live....and that was a bad decision as we hated it there. So we spent another two months visiting various houses in this area until we found one that suited us.


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

mrypg9 said:


> How can anyone tell unless they live in that particular urbanisation?


This is exactly my question, isn't it?



mrypg9 said:


> We are all very happy to provide whatever information we are able to but there are some facts which can only be ascertained by you, in person.


Yes, my question was - is it possible to tell if it is a residential area when I visit it *in person*? I know I would find out if I lived there for some time. All I wanted to know is if there are any signs I should look for to determine whether the area might become a ghost town in winter... perhaps no washing hanging out, very few cars on driveways, maybe some sort of advertising signage used by agents, ...? Some (jojo, xabiachica, etc.) replied and said it is very difficult or impossible to tell and I am happy with these answers. Thank you.



mrypg9 said:


> I cannot emphasise strongly enough the importance of your personal investigations on the ground, in the area you decide to locate to.


We've narrowed down the area to the Malaga region - Nerja, Torrox, Rincon de la Victoria, Alhaurin de la Torre. We have not decided yet if I visit the area in early August for a few days and try to view a few houses, or we move to a temporary accommodation for a month and view some properties then. I understand how local estate agents work, I am aware of their different mentality, thanks to some posts in this forum.

My father used to say (literally translated from Slovak): _"If you ask questions, you will look like a stupid man. If you don't ask questions, you will be a stupid man."_

I am asking questions I can't find answers to in my research. Some of them might be naive and there is a certain element of being "lost in translation" here, too, I guess. I would appreciate if some people were less patronising and try to understand that I have no experience with living in Spain - hence these questions that you, experienced expats, might consider to be slightly 'silly'. Thank you.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

sadlybroke said:


> This is exactly my question, isn't it?
> 
> 
> Yes, my question was - is it possible to tell if it is a residential area when I visit it *in person*? I know I would find out if I lived there for some time. All I wanted to know is if there are any signs I should look for to determine whether the area might become a ghost town in winter... perhaps no washing hanging out, very few cars on driveways, maybe some sort of advertising signage used by agents, ...? Some (jojo, xabiachica, etc.) replied and said it is very difficult or impossible to tell and I am happy with these answers. Thank you.
> ...


No-one has said your questions are 'silly'. What has been said is that some of them are quite simply unanswerable. There is a difference, you know.

You are in the same position as nearly everyone who has emigrated to Spain. Most of us had no experience of living in Spain until we moved here and learned from our actual experiences.

You have been told by nearly every poster that you must determine for yourself through actual on-the-spot visits what an area is like. Of course you may be lucky and decide on a particular town or village and a particular urb. that takes your fancy and then find that someone who posts on this forum actuially lives there and can provide the kind of information you need.

If you find my replies 'patronising' you are gravely mistaken. You asked questions, you got answers...those which could be given. 
My point is simply that some questions cannot be answered second-hand, as it were.
Others have made that point.
What is 'patronising' about that????
You have yourself in your post supplied obvious answers to those questions....cars in drive, washing hanging out etc. What other 'signs' could there be? I guess you could try knocking on a few doors.....


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I guess with the size and areas you are talking about, its a bit like one of us asking you. whats a good place to live in England. somewhere between Falmouth to Margate - with all the criteria that you've asked for?? How would you answer??.............. 

Ok, you probably would be able to tell us a bit about Bristol (your profile states thats where you are), but it would be extremely difficult for you to tell us, in general what things are like and whether we would like it or not, whether different estates had permanent residents or tourists???? Do you see why its quite difficult to answer you conclusively?? 

Apart from that, you are learning a great deal and all of your questions are welcome. Its lovely to have you here

Jo xxx


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

jojo said:


> I guess with the size and areas you are talking about, its a bit like one of us asking you. whats a good place to live in England. somewhere between Falmouth to Margate - with all the criteria that you've asked for?? How would you answer??..............


I'd say "I live in North Bristol and if you are after this and this, I can recommend Bradley Stoke and Stoke Gifford and I'd suggest you avoid Patchway and Filton."

I never expected anyone to comment on the whole area between Barcelona and Gibraltar. I am sorry if that's how you understood it, it's probably my fault, I haven't expressed myself clearly enough. English is not my mother tongue. Anyway, it was in a different thread and I thought that one was closed now and we moved on.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

sadlybroke said:


> *I'd say "I live in North Bristol and if you are after this and this, I can recommend Bradley Stoke and Stoke Gifford and I'd suggest you avoid Patchway and Filton."*
> I never expected anyone to comment on the whole area between Barcelona and Gibraltar. I am sorry if that's how you understood it, it's probably my fault, I haven't expressed myself clearly enough. English is not my mother tongue. Anyway, it was in a different thread and I thought that one was closed now and we moved on.



That would be a good answer....because you can drive between those places in an afternoon!

The problem isn't with your English, which as I said before is excellent. Maybe the problem is with the sheer size and variety of Spain compared to Slovakia or the UK.

Spain is a nation of regions, with their own customs and dialects even. If I remember rightly, Slovakia has a population of around five million and is fairly homogenous geographically.

Tbh, I'm very wary of giving people advice or opinions on where to live. I'd hate to say that such-and-such a place is wonderful only to find that the person I recommended it to hated it!

You really need to spend as much time as you can looking around, talking to people. Your idea of finding a temporary place is sensible. That's what we did, we stayed in my son's house.

I'm sure you won't make the same mistake we did and go for the first place we saw that we liked....


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

Sadlybroke, as far as I an see you are doing a great job of information gathering. It is sensible to ask lots of questions, and you seem to be genuinely reading and taking on board lots of important pointers.

Even if some of our replies frustrate you, you'd do well to simply ignore them rather than let rip and risk alienating those who are trying to assist you.

When moving to Spain, many people will already have a pretty good idea of where they want to live, as they've visited an area many times in the past, on holiday. Others will be limited to staying close to where they have secured a job. None of these apply to you, so you are free to choose from a far larger geographical area but that does mean that you need to spend time getting to know the area to see if it will suit your family needs, rather than just finding a nice house.

Re. my comment on "ghost towns," as jo correctly points out many towns on the CdS will be quieter on winter and that's not a problem. What I would personally dislike was the situation Xab experienced, of living on an urb of 70 properties with only 6 occupied. Some, in my very limited experience, are like that, due to the boom in construction before the collapse and they really do feel "dead," quite unlike choosing to live in the countryside or a small village. Of course, that is only my personal feeling and experience - and what suits one person does't suit another.

Signs to look out for apart from those already mentioned - disused balconies/ terraces, closed down shops. I haven't really seen obviously "bad" areas like we seem to have in UK cities when you do your Bristol comparison, but there does seem to be a tendency for towns to spread for miles and miles. Do you want a half hour car journey for a pint of milk or to school each day?

When looking at property websites between now and your move, you could also try to be aware if there seem to be too many houses available on a particular streets/ estate.

There are no "magic" rules, just as long as you continue to do what you are doing - i.e. asking questions and keeping all the info in mind, you stand a far greater chance of making a good choice.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

sadlybroke said:


> I'd say "I live in North Bristol and if you are after this and this, I can recommend Bradley Stoke and Stoke Gifford and I'd suggest you avoid Patchway and Filton."
> 
> I never expected anyone to comment on the whole area between Barcelona and Gibraltar. I am sorry if that's how you understood it, it's probably my fault, I haven't expressed myself clearly enough. English is not my mother tongue. Anyway, it was in a different thread and I thought that one was closed now and we moved on.


Your English is great - better than some natives lol!!! However, my point is that we all like different things. And the questions you're asking are very much more localised than many of us can answer. Towns vary in size, urbanisations vary in size, complexes are generally small - some have tenants all year round, most would like to, some have a mixture, some are owner occupied - sometimes.... You dont know that I would like Bradley Stoke and Stoke Gifford - neither do I. I might like somewhere else better. I might not like Bristol????????????????

I think I mentioned earlier somewhere :confused2: that the urbanizacion I lived on in Spain, Torremuelle, Benalmadena is nice - I loved it. but I didnt know or care whether the other houses, villas, apartments there had tourists, tenants, owners in them or not - probably some and some. I do know that in my street, we had Danish, Columbian, German and French. I know the elderly couple next door only came for the summer and the house was empty during the winter and the house opposite was a Columbian woman, married to a British chap and they had a teenage son! In the winter it was quieter simply because in the winter its cold in Spain and everyone spends more time indoors - maybe one or two moved to warmer climes????

Jo xxx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

brocher said:


> Sadlybroke, as far as I an see you are doing a great job of information gathering. It is sensible to ask lots of questions, and you seem to be genuinely reading and taking on board lots of important pointers.
> 
> Even if some of our replies frustrate you, you'd do well to simply ignore them rather than let rip and risk alienating those who are trying to assist you.
> 
> ...


I think this is a very helpful post and would be well pleased to receive this if I were the OP


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

Thanks everybody.


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## DAVESYL (Jun 18, 2009)

Hi, if you are looking at an area then instead of buying, rent for a while and have a good look around there are some lovely places to live. I live in the Hondon Valley, have a look on line lots of gorgeous scenery and plenty of house choices.Good hunting


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

DAVESYL said:


> Hi, if you are looking at an area then instead of buying, rent for a while and have a good look around there are some lovely places to live. I live in the Hondon Valley, have a look on line lots of gorgeous scenery and plenty of house choices.Good hunting


I don't think he intends to buy, does he?


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

mrypg9 said:


> I don't think he intends to buy, does he?


No, I don't.
Davesyl, thanks for the suggestion though.


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