site visits

dear all,

something that is baffling me is why it appears that everyone except me makes regular trips out to Jumilla to check on progress

is this because you all like having little breaks in Spain or do you think this is something that I should be doing as well. 

i put deposit down in september 2005 without seeing site and only visited site in september 2006 because I was visiting a friend in Javea.

 

swimmer

Swimmer

We've been out a couple of time, not particularly to see progression on the development, but also to get a feel of the country we'll be living in permenently by the end of the year. It's good to get amongst the nationals and experience their lifestyles etc and to see the countryside, which I have to say is amazing. Also getting use to driving on the other side of the road as well. Not mentioning the wine there !!!

Now work is underway, I'm sure many more of us will be visiting to watch as our properties progress.

BR

Darren

Hi Swimmer
The only reason I can think of that someone would buy unseen and not visit is if they have bought for investment purposes only.  So is that why you have not visited.  My husband and I already live just outside Jumilla (I hope you got my reply to your PM) and it is beautiful and life is far less stressful. Many people who visit on short breaks are those who are going to live here.  Some not for some time yet as they are not due to retire for a while or have younger children. There is no reason for you to visit if you do not feel the need and are not particularly interested in the locality and its people.

May I also mention here, to all, that I get quite a few emails from members on this board (particularly the newer ones) thinking that I work for or have a connection to San Jose or Santa Ana del Monte, or that I am an agent ect. 

I am lucky enough to live just outside Jumilla and bought a property at SAdM for investment purposes.  I have no connection with San Jose or anyone else for that matter.  I will do my best to keep all updated of progress on site and answer as best I can questions asked regarding local amenities ect. and I do not mind PM's or emails. What I cant do is give answers to questions that only San Jose can answer, like completion dates and the like.

Kind regards
Linda Needham

Well said Linda

 noboby but SJ know the time lapse on completion and I would have thought those of us due for conpletion in the next 3 months will be the first to be contacted if there is a delay!!!!!

We will then let everybody else on the forum know the score

Great Auntie Linda

Linda

well that told me didn't it!

I didn't realise that people would be living there full time, I assumed it would be more of a holiday let complex but I obviously see the appeal of living permanently in Spain and when I retire maybe that would be an option

by the way I did not receive reply from you

swimmer

 

Swimmer,

I'd estimate a 70/30 split in the UK in favour of Letting however if you take the overall proportion, the Letting will be much higher as the Spanish are responsible for in excess of 40% of the properties bought so far and their intention is to use as holiday homes and Lets. There is also a considerable interest from Northern Europeans (Germany & Scandinavia) and Iceland

So your not in the minority :-)

Look forward to seeing you out there !

Darren & Michelle

Darren and Michelle,

thanks for that info.

i look forward to meeting up with you at some stage in the not too distant future! sadly, we visited the site on a sunday afternoon and most of the town of Jumilla was closed which was a shame as we were looking forward to visiting some of the bodegas! although I have been told that Waitrose stock Jumillan wine

although i don't know the jumilla area very well, we have friends in Gata de Gorgos (near Javea) and Almeria, so we have some knowlege of Spain, and the Spanish way of life.  We have 2 boys (22 and 20) still living at home so cannot consider moving at the moment, but I would like to think at some point in the future we will

How is your Spanish? I am up to basic GSCE standard - but am now struggling!

swimmer

Swimmer,

Our Spanish is pretty much the same albeit enough to get by with. The great thing out there is the Spanish are as keen to learn English as we are Spanish so sometimes they'll almost force you to speak English to help them. However, having said that, you'll find you are accepted more if you at least try to speak Spanish, we went to a restaurant whereby we spoke spanish and the waiter responded in broken english, 5 minutes later, an english couple who didn't speak a word of spanish came in, ordered a prawn sandwich and the waiter gave the impression he didnt understand a word they said....however, we know he did as afterwards he spoke to colleagues in Spanish regarding it and laughed, and spoke to us in english saying it was a common joke in Spanish to do this to watch us Brits squirm. I doubt this is true as we've found most to be very obliging and a lot of places have english translated menus.

I have just dropped a reply to DaveR regarding Santa Pola, if you get the chance next time you are out there, try visiting the harbour of if you prefer inland, go to Hellin (fantastic) then across to Eleche De La Sierra. It's only a small village but if you take the road across the mountains to Calasparra, you'll see some of the most amazing scenery over the Rio Segura valley

BR

Darren

Hi Swimmer Sorry I did not me to sound so shrewish.  Must have been having a bad email day.  I am sorry you did not get my reply email.  Thats means probably lots of others did not get theres either. As I said a bad email day.  I will try to remember what I said and try again.

Darren.  No the guy was not joking the Spanish do it all the time.  They feel that if you come to their country you should at least  try to speak to them in their language.  No different to us Londoners getting upset with foreigners not being able to speak the lingo.  When you do eventually speak to them in broken Spanish they will speak back to you in English.  This is sometimes comes as a shock when you have been talking to this person for about 6 months and struggling to pronounce the spanish words correctly.  They will also ask you to repeat your question at least twice even though they understood you the first time.  Its a sort of in joke with them.

As you know we are reasonable with the lingo now.  David is particularly good but we have not learnt at College we learn by mixing with them.  This has been quite funny at times.  The word for cushion is quite close to the word for a mans private part and I only made that mistake once.

A funny story. We took a group of 8 Spanish people to London (they do not speak English) to see the sights. We got on a bus and had not been on a bus in years.  The conductor said we had to pay in the machine outside.  David thought sod that, as we had all scarpered to the top of the bus, so he pretended he was a Spanish tourist and did not understand what the conductor was saying.  A nice Spanish lady who was sitting in a seat just behind the conductor translated into English for him.  We did laugh.

Yes next month is our third visit within the year we are trying to experience in advance and learn a little spanish and cultura as Darren said

 

Kevin

As the name says Residencial Santa Ana del Monte, is holiday letting permitted. I thought there had to be a licence to be able to do that?

Hope this is not going to become another 'friends' are staying place?

Alm,

I've not heard anything from SJG that indicates Letting would not be alllowed, would come as a great shock to many if this was the case. But you do raise a good point.

Darren

Hells teeth

that would be a total disaster for some people I know !

Maybe wrong on this, but don't think so, there being a law that a complex should have an official tourist licence to rent out for holiday rentals (not long term residentail letting or to friends and family) and comply with health & safety regulations and of course pay the relevant taxes. Also, aren't they supposed to be managed and let by the same agent?

 

Darren, why would or should the developer indicate if Letting would not be alllowed.

What Country do they do that in?

It is unlikely that they tell you that you cannot run a restaurant from the villa and why should they. They are selling you a villa, not a business premises, which is what a rental property is.

I thought that when the purchase is complete, under new laws, the registry now informs the Revenue in Spain, so if you are not a resident, you pay tax on an assumed rental anyway, so although people may ask how they could find out, if they wanted to, they could.

This subject has been widely publicised in parts of Spain, Spanish Islands and the Canaries, where the latter, the law is that for those who abuse the law on a regular basis, and if found out, the property could be confiscated.

 

Hi everyone.

Reading this thread with interest.

When we purchased our property in October 2006, ( Azucena ), via our good guide from Ambasun, Mark, he asked Pablo to pass our names on to the letting management company that was to be set up on the development.

Surely, at this point, it would have been mentioned that we would not be able to let out ?

As a lot of us will be relying on this method, to assist in paying for the property, then this will, quite rightly, be devastating.

We are only going to use the property ourselves for maybe 4 weeks of the year, plus odd weekends, and intend to rent out for the remainder.

I hope someone else is also going to look into this matter further ?

Baz & Sue

barry210357, Lesson one. Never rely for anyone else other than your legal/financial advisor to look after your interest.

Why rely on if "someone else is also going to look into this matter further" ?

If it is correct and could affect you, start asking questions yourself now.

 

Surely if the "Community" was over 50% residents and they did not like different, perhaps noisy neighbours (holidaymakers) each week, they could object and enforce a majority decision. I thought that was one of the purposes of a "Community"?

A bit of searching will also reveal.

"Renting Your Spanish Holiday Home
As every year, the number of vacant rooms in hotels increase, and hoteliers on the Costa Blanca are complaining about the ever increasing number of private owners renting their holiday homes. This situation is forcing the Inland Revenue and other local authorities to enter measures to stop the illegal trading.
The legal status is as follows:
If you rent your home to holiday makers, you need to register your property with the Ministerio de Turismo (Ministry of Tourism) to ensure your property meets the minimum health and safety standards. At the same time, your records will be entered into the system and taxes (35% as non resident) will be required to be paid on the earnings produced for its rental. "
also
"Ex-pats operating illegally from homes are offering Property Management Services. Some property owners, on the presumption that they are getting better value for money (ie a cheap service) are handing keys to these individuals along with the consequent risks. These illegal traders are not insured (they cannot be insured as they are not traders) therefore, you personally will be liable for loses or damages if your property is burgled. The Spanish Authorities are also clamping down on this type of activity as the majority do not pay taxes on their earnings."

Alm,

Absolutely agree with everything you say here, we do have a PM business ourselves and once we get a final address can register the business. We've already been in touch regarding taxation etcetera andcan identify with the issues not only faced by the Hoteliers, but also the associated services, taxi's etc who are being undermined at the airport from ex-pats offering airport runs.

Again, we can assist the homeowner with the marketing of properties but WILL NOT have any financial transaction for doing so or be responsible for the actual letting or collecting rent - this is solely the responsibility of the Owner.

I have been trying to advice Members of this and other Forum's to make sure they have fully done their homework before embarking on Letting - I still hope 1 or 2 have listened.

Darren