# Buying in Baza



## bhj (Oct 19, 2010)

Hi Members, We are about to view a property in Baza and would appreciate any help and advice that could be given about the Town and living there. Are Brits welcome? the agents would have you believe there is a welcoming commitee when you arrive. We have always got on with the Spanish when on Holiday but having us as a neighbour is of course different! Does anyone live in or know Baza, we would need a doctor or clinic, enjoy visiting, eating out, exploring, and photography,we are townies so like streetlights,and tarmac! the property is in the old quarter of Baza, we look forward to any replies THANKS Rita & Brian


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Hiya, My advise would be to rent first, near where you're planning to buy. You'll soon get "a feel" for the place and learn more about life there. 

Buying can be a minefield in spain so do make sure that you are clued up and prepared for the unexpected LOL

Jo xxx


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

My understanding was that there's a large Brit. population in Baza , although it might have thinned a bit since the economic downturn.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

One word *RENT*


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## casa99 (Oct 19, 2010)

bhj said:


> Hi Members, We are about to view a property in Baza and would appreciate any help and advice that could be given about the Town and living there. Are Brits welcome? the agents would have you believe there is a welcoming commitee when you arrive. We have always got on with the Spanish when on Holiday but having us as a neighbour is of course different! Does anyone live in or know Baza, we would need a doctor or clinic, enjoy visiting, eating out, exploring, and photography,we are townies so like streetlights,and tarmac! the property is in the old quarter of Baza, we look forward to any replies THANKS Rita & Brian


Hi bhj and welcome , we have a villa in the country just half an hours drive from Baza and its where we do most of our shopping ( lidl , mercadona and consume ) we have always been made to feel at home and have never felt unwanted, it is a town that is more trafitional spain unlike the costas, you don`t have to speak spanish ( my spanish is quite limited ) but thats part of the fun of living in an area like Baza you start to pick up the language better, I do agree with jo that it is wise to rent first , maybe 6mnths to get the feel of the place , yes it can get cold in the winter with sometimes snow on the hills and very hot in the summer but its very easy to adapt, we wish you well in your search.
Regards David.


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## bhj (Oct 19, 2010)

*Thanks*



casa99 said:


> Hi bhj and welcome , we have a villa in the country just half an hours drive from Baza and its where we do most of our shopping ( lidl , mercadona and consume ) we have always been made to feel at home and have never felt unwanted, it is a town that is more trafitional spain unlike the costas, you don`t have to speak spanish ( my spanish is quite limited ) but thats part of the fun of living in an area like Baza you start to pick up the language better, I do agree with jo that it is wise to rent first , maybe 6mnths to get the feel of the place , yes it can get cold in the winter with sometimes snow on the hills and very hot in the summer but its very easy to adapt, we wish you well in your search.
> Regards David.


Thank you David for your positive feedback, good to know that there is a Lidl ! the property is at such a good price that I feel viewing is a must, I think that I have given the impression that we are a couple of thickos with no knowledge of Spain except Benidorm, far from the truth, we have travelled most of Spain northeast to French border, and have had fun learning the language as we have gone along, please contact if you have any more to tell us. Regards Brian:clap2:


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

bhj said:


> Thank you David for your positive feedback, good to know that there is a Lidl ! the property is at such a good price that I feel viewing is a must, I think that I have given the impression that we are a couple of thickos with no knowledge of Spain except Benidorm, far from the truth, we have travelled most of Spain northeast to French border, and have had fun learning the language as we have gone along, please contact if you have any more to tell us. Regards Brian:clap2:


I didnt think of you as "thickos" LOL!! Its nice that you have some experience with what you're doing - I hadnt a clue when I first came here and after 3 years, I'm not much better - certainly my command of the language is still a bit "hit and miss" LOL!! I just worry about house buying, when property is "too" cheap, theres usually a reason!!

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...38110-buying-property-spain-golden-rules.html

Jo xxx


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## casa99 (Oct 19, 2010)

bhj said:


> Thank you David for your positive feedback, good to know that there is a Lidl ! the property is at such a good price that I feel viewing is a must, I think that I have given the impression that we are a couple of thickos with no knowledge of Spain except Benidorm, far from the truth, we have travelled most of Spain northeast to French border, and have had fun learning the language as we have gone along, please contact if you have any more to tell us. Regards Brian:clap2:


Hi Brian, you wanted more info on Baza well there is a well run hospital in the town its at the lower end near the motorway, they have made a big improvement in the area since we first saw baza and there is plenty of street lighting, all the banks are mostly in the same calle ( street ) , there has been some new building and new shops it doesn`t look tacky or overdeveloped, you say you like lidl for your shopping its a fair sized store and you can buy almost anything, the other shop I mentioned is consum just about 25 yds up the road from lidl, here you can even get some cereals like weetabix and shredded wheat but they cost more, its also a nice shop, the other store is mercadona this is up in the older part of town and has an underground car park which can be a nightmare to get in and out of but well worth a look as they do some lovely packs of fresh meat, chicken e.t.c. .there are some beautiful areas to see and photograpgh, you are only 1 hours drive to Granada and the Alhambra palace and the Sierra Nevada ski area, we have our place near Friela overlooking Lake Negratin, this lake was made by a dam so they could pipe water to other areas it is fed by a n extinct volcano and is lovely to swim in . At the other end of the lake is an area they call " los banos " where you can enjoy and relax in the hot springs then go and have a beer or coffee in the restaraunt I can well recomened it .
Well Brian you wanted more info so I hope its not too much info.
Best regards David.


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## Olddutch (Jan 18, 2011)

bhj said:


> Hi Members, We are about to view a property in Baza and would appreciate any help and advice that could be given about the Town and living there. Are Brits welcome? the agents would have you believe there is a welcoming commitee when you arrive. We have always got on with the Spanish when on Holiday but having us as a neighbour is of course different! Does anyone live in or know Baza, we would need a doctor or clinic, enjoy visiting, eating out, exploring, and photography,we are townies so like streetlights,and tarmac! the property is in the old quarter of Baza, we look forward to any replies THANKS Rita & Brian


I know this is an old thread, but I just wondered how you got on. Did you buy or rent? 
We have had a holiday home near Baza for 5 years and we are now preparing to retire there permanently. I love the area. We go walking in the Parco Naturel de Baza which is just a few exits down the motorway, but as other people have pointed out: it gets very cold in winter! I think Baza is the coldest place in Andalucia.


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## casa99 (Oct 19, 2010)

Olddutch said:


> I know this is an old thread, but I just wondered how you got on. Did you buy or rent?
> We have had a holiday home near Baza for 5 years and we are now preparing to retire there permanently. I love the area. We go walking in the Parco Naturel de Baza which is just a few exits down the motorway, but as other people have pointed out: it gets very cold in winter! I think Baza is the coldest place in Andalucia.


Hi there olddutch, brian and rita never replied to my last post so maybe they didn`t like some of the negative comments that were made , where is your place? we have a small villa near lake negratin and yes it does get cold in the winter, but winter normaly lats only two or three months, I shall be retireing there in october, btw granada is a lot colder than baza.
David.lane:


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## Olddutch (Jan 18, 2011)

casa99 said:


> Hi there olddutch, brian and rita never replied to my last post so maybe they didn`t like some of the negative comments that were made , where is your place? we have a small villa near lake negratin and yes it does get cold in the winter, but winter normaly lats only two or three months, I shall be retireing there in october, btw granada is a lot colder than baza.
> David.lane:


Hi David, thanks for getting back to me. You are probably in Cuevas del campo (that's my guess). 
We have a cave house off the motorway (between Guadix and Baza) exit to Gorafe and Cenascuras. Officially that comes under Gor. We have made many new friends over the years and we are now negotiating the purtchase of a cave in Caniles, just outside Baza. We want to be nearer our friends and also we are getting older and it's better to be in a community with everything within walking distance. 
We have sold our house here in the UK and bought a small flat nearby to have some rental income and a pied-a-terre in the UK. We're moving into this flat next week and we plan to move to Spain perhaps in June or even earlier if we can afford it. It all depends on the money. 
I thought I could retire when I was 60. Now the law has changed and I have to wait until I'm 61. So I would have to wait another year. No way! We'll make do for a year, living frugally on the rental income and a small pension that my husband has. I'm a good cook, there is a fantastic market in Baza so foodwise I'm sure we can live cheaply. With everything on our doorstep, petrol should not be a big bill either. We already have clothes, and a completely furnished house. I think we're going to give it a go.
I hope you are doing OK and that you have no regrets. We love the area as I said earlier. Last year Easter was early, it fell on March 23rd, which is my birthday. We woke up with snow on the ground. On Easter Monday the weather was glorious! Warm and sunny. We went to the picnic place along the Negratin reservoir (on the way to Cuevas del Campo, I'm sure you know where I mean). The picnic area was deserted! It was wunderful! Sunshine, beauriful views etc. Bliss.
Oh dear I'm getting carried away. 
Bye for now
Lisca


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## Olddutch (Jan 18, 2011)

bhj said:


> Hi Members, We are about to view a property in Baza and would appreciate any help and advice that could be given about the Town and living there. Are Brits welcome? the agents would have you believe there is a welcoming commitee when you arrive. We have always got on with the Spanish when on Holiday but having us as a neighbour is of course different! Does anyone live in or know Baza, we would need a doctor or clinic, enjoy visiting, eating out, exploring, and photography,we are townies so like streetlights,and tarmac! the property is in the old quarter of Baza, we look forward to any replies THANKS Rita & Brian


I know this is an old thread, but I just wondered how you got on. Did you buy or rent? 
We have had a holiday home near Baza for 5 years and we are now preparing to retire there permanently. I love the area. We go walking in the Parco Naturel de Baza which is just a few exits down the motorway, but as other people have pointed out: it gets very cold in winter! I think Baza is the coldest place in Andalucia. 
regards
Lisca


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## bhj (Oct 19, 2010)

*Sorry so long.*

Hi David and Lisca, Sorry it's took so long to do a reply but so much has happened at work and within our Family.
Plans had to change due to illness and we were needed for support, we lost the sale of the "cheap" house it was very small anyway, and I expect we will need more space if visitors come over.
Friela was very appealing and close to the Lake, Baza was a bit like being in Essex, I think Zujar was what we where looking for, not too big and a mixed population, we only had a very short time there but sometimes you just know.
If you know Zujar I would appreciate any in put, we can't move at the moment pension problems in the NHS, there will be a strike I think, how have prices been since the economic problems, market vs supermarket ?
Again sorry I didn't reply sooner, keep in touch Brian & Rita


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## casa99 (Oct 19, 2010)

bhj said:


> Hi David and Lisca, Sorry it's took so long to do a reply but so much has happened at work and within our Family.
> Plans had to change due to illness and we were needed for support, we lost the sale of the "cheap" house it was very small anyway, and I expect we will need more space if visitors come over.
> Friela was very appealing and close to the Lake, Baza was a bit like being in Essex, I think Zujar was what we where looking for, not too big and a mixed population, we only had a very short time there but sometimes you just know.
> If you know Zujar I would appreciate any in put, we can't move at the moment pension problems in the NHS, there will be a strike I think, how have prices been since the economic problems, market vs supermarket ?
> Again sorry I didn't reply sooner, keep in touch Brian & Rita


Hi Brian & Rita , sorry to hear about your family problems and lost house sale, I think Zujar has become quite a nice area, it used to be quite shabby when we first looked there ( 2003) but there has been a lot of improvement made to the village and its much nicer. You will find that house prices have come down a bit and you will probably find you will get more for what you would have had with the other house. As far as food prices go we normally shop in Lidls in Baza and although prices have risen we find you can still put more in your trolly for the same money in the u.k, I shall retire in October and will be there for six months as my partner Ruth cannot move over yet but we will be there in August for three weeks holiday.
Hope all goes well ,
Best wishes David& Ruth.


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