# Coming ready or not....!



## Andyroo (Feb 28, 2012)

Well I've just got back to the UK after a brief 3 day visit to Spain. Bought a house sorted kids school. We move early July. Soooo much to do!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Andyroo said:


> Well I've just got back to the UK after a brief 3 day visit to Spain. Bought a house sorted kids school. We move early July. Soooo much to do!


bought a house 


and you already have work sorted so


:clap2::clap2:


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Andyroo said:


> Well I've just got back to the UK after a brief 3 day visit to Spain. Bought a house sorted kids school. We move early July. Soooo much to do!



Yes well done .... and you timed it so well as well ...... July. Very hot and sweaty


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

You bought a house? As in own it? Wow, good luck with the move.


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## Andyroo (Feb 28, 2012)

Yup deposit paid. Can't wait.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Where abouts??? I hope you've got a good abogado etc sorted out. Yes, you've got lots to do now and I'll bet its all a bit unreal!!! The next step I guess is to sort out everything in the UK, tie up loose ends and start packing LOL!!!!

Jo xxx


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## Andyroo (Feb 28, 2012)

In Quesada, Costa blanca. The real estate office are taking care of all the legalities.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Andyroo said:


> In Quesada, Costa blanca. The real estate office are taking care of all the legalities.


nononononoNO!!!!

NEVERNEVERNEVER USE AN ABOGADO RECOMMENDED BY THE ESTATE AGENT


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## Andyroo (Feb 28, 2012)

Any particular reason? I trust him implicitly. An I wrong to do so? He's got me an amazing deal on the house.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

To be honest, with property prices in Spain dropping and dropping now is not a great time to buy, go move and rent and wait a year or two till things bottom out. Buy now and the chances of you selling it in the near future should your circumstances change are slim and you will more than likely take a loss.

The 'amazing' deal he got you could have been found by you if you went and spent time looking around. There are hundreds of thousands of empty properties in Spain, they can't sell them so prices are still in free fall.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Andyroo said:


> Any particular reason? I trust him implicitly. An I wrong to do so? He's got me an amazing deal on the house.


whenever you hear of anything going wrong (illegal build/escritura problems etc. etc.) it's almost always involves an abogado recommended by the agent

what makes you think he got you an amazing deal?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

bob_bob said:


> To be honest, with property prices in Spain dropping and dropping now is not a great time to buy, go move and rent and wait a year or two till things bottom out. Buy now and the chances of you selling it in the near future should your circumstances change are slim and you will more than likely take a loss.
> 
> The 'amazing' deal he got you could have been found by you if you went and spent time looking around. There are hundreds of thousands of empty properties in Spain, they can't sell them so prices are still in free fall.


I would totally agree with that


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## Andyroo (Feb 28, 2012)

He got me the deal I put on the table plus some. A good sized house on a decent plot in a good area. Fully furnished to a high spec. Couldn't ask for more


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Andyroo said:


> Any particular reason? I trust him implicitly. An I wrong to do so? He's got me an amazing deal on the house.


 I'm really pleased for you and probably a tad jealous. Altho I wouldnt have bought, I certainly would love to live in Spain full time and "forever". The one thing you *shouldnt ever* do is use the legal company provided by the estate agents - its just not done and any good agent would know that they shouldnt. House buying, solicitors, notaries whatever are nothing like the UK. I wont say that they're not as honest, but........ lets just say they know who their friends are

Jo xxx


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Heres an article I copied on here a year or so ago, which may give you some valuable info in your adventure

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

Jo xxxx


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## Goldeneye (Nov 12, 2011)

I need to add something here, my in-laws 'retired to Tenerife' 25+ years ago and although they had no problem whatsover with the move, their Spanish lawyer convinced them that it would be safer for him to keep the deeds to their home in England which they were renting out.

When the time came for them to sell the house, they needed the deeds.. The Lawyer wouldn't release them unless he was given 5K (may have ben more but they didn't like to talk about it) embarrassed at being 'taken in' .. How can you take on a lawyer !! In the end they gave it to him to get the deeds so the sale could complete....

And they say there's no such thing as Karma.......
A few years later ~ The lawyer was murdered ...shot dead I think... I guess he must have tried it on with the wrong person!!


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## Andyroo (Feb 28, 2012)

Does it make any difference that the agent is uk owned and run??


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Just read this and certain thoughts immediately spring to mind...

Would you use a solicitor recommended by the estate agent/developer in the UK?
Would you ask yourself why that particular agent was being recommended?

When I bought my first house in the UK decades ago I used a solicitor recommended by the agent. I was young and inexperienced. I ended up taking a complaint against the solicitor to the Law Society and won my case.....after a lot of hassle.

When I've bought property abroad I used a totally independent legal firm to act for me as I did in the UK after my first bad experience.

All of the above does not of course mean beyond doubt that you made a misjudgment. I sincerely hope you didn't and that all turns out well.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Andyroo said:


> Any particular reason?* I trust him implicitly. An I wrong **to do so?* He's got me an amazing deal on the house.




How can you say you trust him 'implicitly'?
You say you were in Spain for three days yet you trust 'implicitly' someone you have met in that period and of whose background you know virtually nothing

Oh yes, you are very wrong to do so.

How do you know you got an 'amazing deal'? Did the agent or lawyer tell you that?

None of what I have posted should be taken to imply that the agent and lawyer haven't acted properly.

It's your judgment I'm referring to and I hope that all goes well in spite of you trusting a lawyer and agent you don't know.

Spanish lawyers do not have the same comparatively high standing they have in the UK. It seems to be taken for granted that they are a bunch of crooks...probably unfairly.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Andyroo, the chances are that your agent and his recommended lawyer are fine. But as others have pointed out, there have been many, many buyers in Spain who have experienced problems that they could never have foreseen, because they didn't use an independent lawyer. 

The whole process of house purchase is different here, and irregularities in the deeds often get glossed over by people anxious make a sale. It is not uncommon for an agent to bribe the abogado to turn a blind eye. 

It would really make sense to get an independent lawyer to check all the deeds and contracts for you. It could save a lot of pain in the future.


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

Andyroo said:


> Does it make any difference that the agent is uk owned and run??


Not really, I'm afraid, there was a case here a few weeks ago where a Uk agent charged someone 600e to help get their NI number, which you can do your self for 10e.

I really hope everything is OK but you know the UK has it's share of sharks ready to take advantage of the unsuspecting. Get independant advice urgently.


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## Andyroo (Feb 28, 2012)

I trust him as he has dealt with the purchase of my parents house and has gone above and beyond the call of duty in matters other than that concerned with the property. 

I will, however, get an independent to look through the legal documents prior to completion. Thanks for your concern folks


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Andyroo said:


> I trust him as he has dealt with the purchase of my parents house and has gone above and beyond the call of duty in matters other than that concerned with the property.
> 
> I will, however, get an independent to look through the legal documents prior to completion. Thanks for your concern folks


We all wish you well really you know. Some expats have been tarnished by dodgy deals and the bad reputation of property purchases etc in Spain. As long as you procede with caution and knowledge, hopefully you'll be fine. Keep us posted tho, show the forum that buying in Spain can be a pleasant process, I certainly want to know how it goes and how you get on!! Good luck with it

Jo xxxx


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## Andyroo (Feb 28, 2012)

Thanks Jo. That means a lot. I will stay in touch 

I'll need all the friends I can get!

Xx


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## andy.wirral (May 19, 2011)

Andyroo said:


> In Quesada, Costa blanca. The real estate office are taking care of all the legalities.


That's where my mum lives.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Andyroo said:


> Does it make any difference that the agent is uk owned and run??


Yes, it means that you should be very very careful and if possible, avoid anyone that the selling agent recommends you to take on to check to make sure that everything the agent is doing/has done is open and above board. You will probably recall that, a few years ago, the costas were riddled with crooked time-share touts, property developers, etc. It may be news to you but they didn't all get thrown in the slammer for their crooked activities, in fact, very few did - they just reinvented themselves into a different guise to take advantage of gullible people who don't know the language. It's a case of leopards and spots!


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## Guest (Apr 9, 2012)

Andyroo said:


> Any particular reason? I trust him implicitly. An I wrong to do so? He's got me an amazing deal on the house.


Have you counted your fingers? 

*Trust *and *implicit *are two words the seem strange when coupled with Estate Agent. Re amazing deal? how so? Did he tell you that? Agents are falling over themselves to shift property - sales =commission which =money. Your amazing deal might simply be that - amazing, or (more likely) a lot less amazing when you look about and do comparisons etc. This is a buyers market, so you are in an excellent position to control the destiny etc. Look at this article from Reuters - interesting read -->. Banks have over 700,000 properties on their books to shift and are doing so at knockdown prices. Personally, I`d be looking at the banks websites before visiting a single estate agent. Far more deals available.

Always use someone who has no connection to the deal. "Leaving it to the Estate Agent" may end up costing you a lot more and *will* make you sad at various stages of the deal. I`d be curious to know the fees that you`ve been quoted for this amazing deal.

Soz to be a downer, but like people always say, if it´s too good to be true, invariably, it isn`t.

This is Spain, after all...

I`ll get my coat etc.


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## Goldeneye (Nov 12, 2011)

Yossa said:


> This is a buyers market, so you are in an excellent position to control the destiny etc. Look at this article from Reuters - interesting read -->. Banks have over 700,000 properties on their books to shift and are doing so at knockdown prices. Personally, I`d be looking at the banks websites before visiting a single estate agent. Far more deals available.


Do you have any links.... How do you find out about 'distressed properties'? Here, we don't stand a chance as only those 'in the know' with the right connections get to hear about them... Usually the Realtors themselves....


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