# Spanish Property Review



## JBODEN (Jul 10, 2009)

FYI
Spanish property: 'There's a lot of over-priced rubbish out there' | Money | The Guardian


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

JBODEN said:


> FYI
> Spanish property: 'There's a lot of over-priced rubbish out there' | Money | The Guardian


Interesting article, thanks for posting.
I thought that the following 2 points
*"If you are looking for an investment, don't buy Spanish property. But if you want to live in a hot country and are buying property to occupy for many years , then it's an ok time to buy"*
and
_*"Don't even consider putting in an offer on a Spanish property that isn't 25 - 30% below the asking price"*_
were interesting and probably on target if you are thinking of the costas anywhere south of Madrid . Elsewhere (Galicia, Burgos, La Rioja, Barcelona) _*may*_ be a different story. As said before, Spain is huge and the building surplus is different in different parts of the country. Think of price differences in the north and south of the UK.
Also, once again, you wonder if the article is really written by some one who knows Spain and knows what they are talking about. In the 6th paragraph from the end he says that the Costa Brava is south of Alicante...


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

That photo is truly horrible...
Some of the developments we saw on our trip down from the CR wre truly horrible and I can't imagine anyone 'living the dream' in them. (That phrase really amuses me....)
I remember Torrevieja a few decades back, when I was a student. It was a small, sleepy place, almost 100% Spanish. Now it seems like Blackpool on heat.
What is going to happen to the half-finished or finished but empty and slowly declining apartment blocks that blight the coast from the border to Gibraltar? Finished or unfinished, they are a blot on the landscape.
I'm beginning to think there should be a criminal offence so planners and developers who spoil landscapes with ugly speculative monstrosities could be prosecuted for crimes against an aesthetic environment or something similar. 
I first began to think that when I visited Bratislava, an unbelievably ugly city thanks to decades of Communist 'planning'. When I was a member of a Council Planning Committee in the UK we used to spend hours poring over plans and criticising 'little' things like window design,unsuitable roof pitches or any building 'not in keeping with the environment'. I used to find it boring but I now see it was valuable scrutiny, although not always effective in practice.
After we divested ourselves of all our properties, domestic and commercial, and moved abroad, well-meaning friends constantly urged us to buy and inferred we were silly to 'throw away money' by renting . Had we followed this advice we would have been stuck in Prague with a house which,just as in Spain would have been difficult to sell.
After having owned property nearly all of my life the freedom renting brings is wonderful. No repairs to worry about and the knowledge you can up sticks and move on if the urge takes you....fabulous.
Highly recommended.


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> When I was a member of a Council Planning Committee in the UK we used to spend hours poring over plans and criticising 'little' things like window design,unsuitable roof pitches or any building 'not in keeping with the environment'. I used to find it boring but I now see it was valuable scrutiny, although not always effective in practice.


But greatly appreciated Mary. In my village the son of a neighbour has bought the oldest building in the village. It has taken three years to finalise the modernisation plans. But future generations will greatly appreciate the efforts of the conservation officer. These things are worth fighting for for once gone they are gone forever 

I for one often take a pint of real ale sitting in the old arm chairs in the window of the old pub opposite and gaze at the street outside. Providing a car doesn't go by you could be in the 18th century (with all mod cons of course ).

As for what to do with all those buildings in Spain? Demolition. But as Pesky says different situation in different parts and here in Asturias I'm glad to say it is not a problem


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

nigele2 said:


> But greatly appreciated Mary. In my village the son of a neighbour has bought the oldest building in the village. It has taken three years to finalise the modernisation plans. But future generations will greatly appreciate the efforts of the conservation officer. These things are worth fighting for for once gone they are gone forever
> 
> I for one often take a pint of real ale sitting in the old arm chairs in the window of the old pub opposite and gaze at the street outside. Providing a car doesn't go by you could be in the 18th century (with all mod cons of course ).
> 
> As for what to do with all those buildings in Spain? Demolition. But as Pesky says different situation in different parts and here in Asturias I'm glad to say it is not a problem


A pint of Badger, I presume?? (Envy, jealousy, great thirst etc.etc. )
Yes, you are quite right about planning committees. Dull, worthy, but necessary.
I guess I'm feeling rather smug about renting as we have had superb landlords. Our current landlord is an Austrian guy, we get on well and he usually takes me out to lunch when he visits.. He's a real womaniser -age protects me - but he actually likes and respects women, which not all men of his type do.
We used to rent out properties in the UK so we are aware of our responsibilities as tenants. I've heard some horror stories from both sides, though.
When I drive down to Gibraltar I feel like programming a drone with a small nuclear device to obliterate some of the worst crimes ahgainst architecture.
Poor old Sotogrande has gone down in the taste league imo since it entertained Jordan and her cage fighter.
Ah well...sobre los gustos, as they say..


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> Poor old Sotogrande has gone down in the taste league imo since it entertained Jordan and her cage fighter.


Was Sotogrande ever tasteful? :noidea:


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

jimenato said:


> Was Sotogrande ever tasteful? :noidea:


I have only ever driven through it on my way to Gibraltar. I've seen signs announcing polo matches so presumably it had some pretensions to 'class'?
Or is it like Marbella....loadsa money but zero class???
And could someone please tell me what the sport of 'cage fighting' involves


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## Guest (Jul 27, 2010)

This an answer to: JBODEN

Spanish property: 'There's a lot of over-priced rubbish out there' | Money | The Guardian


Yes the Photo of Calpe is really horrible… I live in Altea and have driven pass those houses many times. Every time I tell to my wife: "how the hell people can consider buying a house like this"? And not only this: all these houses have been build in a very cheap way and far from any perfection. I don’t understand how they do for still trying to sell this kind of properties for the price they ask. But let’s see how this develops? I think there are still some optimists out there who hope that things will turn around soon. I personally (and many economist) do not think so, at least no very soon.
I remember another crisis in the real estate sector (not in Spain), where the builders did finally nearly all get bankrupt and the banks did take over the properties, which were after sold for about 30-40% of the original price tag. I know from what I am talking about, because I was the owner of a property which I did sell for 55% of the price I did paid for (not in Spain, a long time ago, 1992....)


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

A pint of Ringwood best or Theakstons, and then there are the guests, a nice drop of Palmers, London Pride, ......... Sharing a packet of crisps with Jake the black labrador. Pilar teaching him Spanish - he knows pata y sentarse already 



mrypg9 said:


> And could someone please tell me what the sport of 'cage fighting' involves


I wouldn't go there Mary, it ain't nice


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

nigele2 said:


> A pint of Ringwood best or Theakstons
> 
> Memories......
> 
> I wouldn't go there Mary, it ain't nice


Nigel, I am a Dorset girl with a strong constitution. I have watched my grandmother break chickens' necks with her bare hands......at the age of eighty!


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> Nigel, I am a Dorset girl with a strong constitution. I have watched my grandmother break chickens' necks with her bare hands......at the age of eighty!


Ye Gods!! How old was your grandmother!!ound:


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> Nigel, I am a Dorset girl with a strong constitution. I have watched my grandmother break chickens' necks with her bare hands......at the age of eighty!


OK Mary imagine your grandmother breaking chicken's necks but the chicken is fighting back trying to break hers. Then imagine that they are in a cage. That's it. Exciting uh? Seriously sort of a anything goes wrestling/boxing/kungfu fight between two guys in an 8 sided cage.

Well I'm off to the beach. Have to do my duty as the motor behind my niece's surfboard. Even with my diving flippers it is taknig its toll after 7 straight days. Hope some of those nice rainy Asturian days turn up soon or I'm going to flake out 

Jimenato it's the way you tell'em


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

jimenato said:


> Ye Gods!! How old was your grandmother!!ound:



OK...

'I have watched my eighty-year-old grandmother break chickens' necks with her bare hands...then pluck, draw, clean, cook and eat the deceased birds'.

( but how do you know I am not eighty and my grandmother isn't ninety-eight? )
The oldest woman in the UK died last week, she was one-hundred and fourteen.....

Cage fighting.......and people pay to watch this
Sounds disgusting.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Dr. forum has diagnosed a case of severe thread drift here.

However I have learnt that cage fighting is similar to what we saw in Mad Max, which is obviously a life enrichening piece of data


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Dr. forum has diagnosed a case of severe thread drift here.
> 
> However I have learnt that cage fighting is similar to what we saw in Mad Max, which is obviously a life enrichening piece of data



Sorry to further encourage drift PW....but who or what is Mad Max??
I have obviously led a very sheltered life and am in need of urgent enlightenment...


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> Sorry to further encourage drift PW....but who or what is Mad Max??
> I have obviously led a very sheltered life and am in need of urgent enlightenment...


Mad Max - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

This is the fight scene I mean




which is from this film
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The things you learn, eh???

Look out for Mel Gibson having a bad hair day, and yes! That _*is*_ Tina Turner!!


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