# back from first visit



## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Well we are back, after our first look and see visit, I think we may now have more questions than answers LOL but met some lovely people, BUT we are changing our criteria slightly. 

Our initial thoughts

Yes we are moving to Spain.
2014 is the aim - 

Loved the Alpurajjas region, also parts around Montoro and Montofrio. We are not leaving it there though, we are now going to visit 1 other area in September.

Confirmed for us that towns/villages are not for us... we are rural in uk we want to stay that way.

My Spanish is much better than I thought, and I now feel really confident that by the time we get there I will be up and running and then the real lessons will start.

We found the roads etc really good, in fact we encountered more pot holes on the way back from gatwick last night than we did around the sierra nevada! = apart from the camino's

We found food cheap to eat out.

Cold Cold COld = woke up to snow in Alcala Real - a reality check - which was good, as it made us consider the costs during the winter.

there is a lot more I could mention - dodgy advice from some. No longer worried about residency, no one has a clear answer so what will be will be.

basically some was what we thought, some was not, however we know we can do this,


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## Navas (Sep 2, 2012)

Glad you had a mostly positive experience and that your Spanish is coming along so well  
I don't know Montoro at all, but we did stay near Montefrio once, in a cortijo a couple of miles from the town. We shared it with ants and wasps and it was so isolated we didn't even have mains electricity - no ironing for a week - yay! But it was the most peaceful place on this earth that I've ever been to. 

Extremadura next?


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Navas said:


> Glad you had a mostly positive experience and that your Spanish is coming along so well
> I don't know Montoro at all, but we did stay near Montefrio once, in a cortijo a couple of miles from the town. We shared it with ants and wasps and it was so isolated we didn't even have mains electricity - no ironing for a week - yay! But it was the most peaceful place on this earth that I've ever been to.
> 
> Extremadura next?


Yep

Spain is so huge want to discover as much as we can


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Glad you enjoyed your trip, and your language experience. Hands on is the best way!!


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## goingtobcn (Sep 9, 2012)

Glad it went well


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## zenkarma (Feb 15, 2013)

Glad to hear your trip went well.

I must agree on the Alpujaras, I think that's a lovely area and I've looked at it in some length.

As you say, there's so many lovely areas to explore in Spain


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

cambio said:


> Well we are back, after our first look and see visit, I think we may now have more questions than answers LOL but met some lovely people, BUT we are changing our criteria slightly.
> 
> Our initial thoughts
> 
> ...


Sounds good. An ideal time of year to visit to see what everyday temperatures and life is really like.
Dodgy advice from some   ?? About what??


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

I think there was a certain amount of " its Spain its does not matter, everyone does it " re house buying, locations, permission, etc But we are not easily swayed and although i can appreciate that even the most careful people get done, the minute someone says to me - its not a problem, don't worry, - L O L - I start to worry. We had no intentions of making any decisions on this or the next trip, I would not buy a house here on one visit, let alone another country. Some agents accepted this others I got the impression that they thought we should be buying, However I was perfectly honest with them all, I said we were planning a move at the end of the year etc etc I can only think that some people do leave brains on the Plane, and even in these times the word investment came up which did make me laugh a little, equally when we met an expat ended up getting a lecture about not buying a house in Spain - Brits being pressed ganged into working in the fields. On the other hand we met and engaged with some lovely ex pats, one couple in particular who we ended up staying with were honest direct and a pleasure to be with, and showed how living the lifestyle that we want can be done.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

cambio said:


> I think there was a certain amount of " its Spain its does not matter, everyone does it " re house buying, locations, permission, etc But we are not easily swayed and although i can appreciate that even the most careful people get done, the minute someone says to me - its not a problem, don't worry, - L O L - I start to worry. We had no intentions of making any decisions on this or the next trip, I would not buy a house here on one visit, let alone another country. Some agents accepted this others I got the impression that they thought we should be buying, However I was perfectly honest with them all, I said we were planning a move at the end of the year etc etc I can only think that some people do leave brains on the Plane, and even in these times the word investment came up which did make me laugh a little, equally when we met an expat ended up getting a lecture about not buying a house in Spain - Brits being pressed ganged into working in the fields. On the other hand we met and engaged with some lovely ex pats, one couple in particular who we ended up staying with were honest direct and a pleasure to be with, and showed how living the lifestyle that we want can be done.


OK, so not talking about on here in particular then 
Totally agree with you about "it's Spain, it doesn't matter" 
I tend to think, it's Spain, it does matter!


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Pesky Wesky said:


> OK, so not talking about on here in particular then
> Totally agree with you about "it's Spain, it doesn't matter"
> I tend to think, it's Spain, it does matter!


LOL no-one in particular just general vibe.


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## donz (May 5, 2010)

oooh yes deffo know what you mean about the 'start to worry' thing! It took us almost a year to actually purchase our place from the time we agreed to buy it because I wanted everything checked, licenses double checked, then I'd find another thing hadn't been done (standard surveys etc are not done here like in the UK) 

Good on you for doing things a good way


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## Sirtravelot (Jul 20, 2011)

I personally wanna go to an Estate Agent in Spain saying I'm looking for a property to buy and see how desperate they act.


Just for kicks.


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## Navas (Sep 2, 2012)

Sirtravelot said:


> I personally wanna go to an Estate Agent in Spain saying I'm looking for a property to buy and see how desperate they act.
> 
> 
> Just for kicks.


We saw 2 in the autumn. They certainly didn't act "desperate" BUT the first pair were so overly jolly and positive, I did wonder if they were both on some kind of happy pill! I was glad we were only looking at one house with them! 

There was never any mention of "investment opportunity" nor any push from them for a deposit when we found a house that we loved with the second agent. Sadly, we were unable to go through with the purchase at the time, but I wouldn't hesitate to get back in touch with them when the time comes.


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## Cazzy (Nov 23, 2008)

Glad your experience was worthwhile and you are clearer about areas now!


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## Patchwork (Nov 1, 2011)

We are just back from a month in Portugal to see if we liked it enough to buy or if we wanted to go on and explore Spain. We met some lovely people but some of them are really heading for a fall as they seem to think that these rules are for others, not us! Thank goodness we read the threads on here or we would have a far less realistic view of moving south.....really dodgy advice given on how to get round residency and car matriculation regulations...and whilst we love Portugal for a holiday we are already sorting out a rental for the end of the year in Spain


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

I am not sure any advice on how to get around residency could be any good, nor on car matriculation. Having sone both you can choose to be either legal or illegal and anyone recommending the latter should be avoided!! But having followed your posts I can't imagine you deciding to be illegal so no worries.... We love living in the campo (apart from the incredibly high winds we've experienced over the last four months which has caused an extraordinary amount of damage which our landlord has repaired within days - he is one of the good ones!). Have fun on your adventure and as I always advise, always expect the unexpected. It will happen!!


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

> I am not sure any advice on how to get around residency could be any good, nor on car matriculation. Having done both you can choose to be either legal or illegal and anyone recommending the latter should be avoided!


Totally agree what I meant was, I have stressed about the level of income required etc, now I am not worried, it appears to me that the Spanish authorities don't know, so how can I be expected to. We have decided that any information for legalities will be done by a lawyer including residencies etc, as personally I think it is going to be easier or thought i wait to hear different:juggle:
x


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