If you are thinking about moving to spain maybe this is interesting to you?

This is my opinion as an english person living in spain and is in no way endorsed by the forum.
I have been living in spain for about 5 years.

Some may disagree with this posting and some may agree.
Either way its just my way of helping.

You may have thought to yourself that you no longer like the uk.
You want a new life abroad.

Maybe a fresh start.

Maybe a more relaxed way of life.

Maybe things are no going well financially so you think you can gain riches abroad.

Maybe you went on holiday and felt like life is better than the UK.

Spain is a popular destination for many people that wish to leave england.

Many years ago there was riches to be had and people came to spain and made a lot of money.

People bought apartments and sold them and made money.

People did have a better standard of living.

Things change.

When you ask a question on the forum and someone replys with something negative they often get jumped on and chastised.
Yes it is true there are some serious negative people on this forum but you get those people everywhere.

It dosent help the fact that this is a forum that talks about property and many many people are in desperate financial crisis because they lost serious amounts of money buying property in spain.

If you read a lot you can see some of these people that lost money in property didnt help themselves and they bought pieces of land at a knock down price with a promise that a house would be built on it so they could then sell that house and make a tidy amount of money.
Lots of these people were taking out two mortgages in spain for the sum of upto 600`000 pounds when in the uk they had such little earnings or were even getting assistance for living in the uk from the government.
They got a mortgages that only needed a repayment of 500 a month for two years.
Didnt matter because they would have sold it and cashed out.
2 or 4 years later the property hasnt been built or hasnt got the correct paperwork so they repayment holiday has gone from 500 to 2000 a month like in the origional agremment.
These people who took a calculated risk and now blame anyone and everyone but themselves.
They wont even admit it to themselves.

So a lot of the reposessons and walk aways you hear about are based on these people thinking they could get a load of money for not a lot of work.

remember that when you are reading the negative stuff about all the walkaways and reposessions in spain.

Other people were sold property in spain that has since been decalred illigial and is just a ticking time bomb waiting to be knocked down.

There is huge corruption and theft in spain and if you try and build a life here it will at some point get to you.

Others bought property or offplan and they still dont have any water supply or real electric supply which means they are living in squalor.

The exchange rate has hit many people and 5 years ago if you had 1000 pound in the bank or an english wage of 1000 it was workth 1500 euros so the spending power was very good.
Same with a pension and if they were getting 1000 pounds in the uk they ended up with 1500 euros in the bank.

Most people live month to month so if you have 1500 a month you spend that amount to have a good standard of living.
This is how life is.
These people now only have 1000euros a month because of the exchange rate.

So if their apartment was 800euros a month it left them 700 euros a month for bills and food.

But with the exchange rate now they have 200euros for bills and food and your electric bill in the deep or winter or peak of summer can spank that 200 stright out of your account.

So people are struggling.

So they may come across as negative to spain.

Spain is a wonderful place in many respects but it is also the doom of hell if you have any glitch at all.

If you write that you are annoyed with the english system and are wanting to move to spain you need to rember that the person replying to your thread may have just tried to register a car or get a telephone line installed in their house.
These things we take forgranted in the uk can be something that takes days if not weeks of time and lots of money to get fixed because of problems in the spanish system.

I too sound negative towards spain but that is not the case.

I like spain and i have been here 4 years and i am in no real rush to leave.

If you are thinking of coming to spain there is some ways to make it easier for yourself.

Get a very very well paid job in spain before you come with a long permanent contract.

Get a very very well paid job in spain before you come with a long permanent contract.

Get a very very well paid job in spain before you come with a long permanent contract.

Get a very very well paid job in spain before you come with a long permanent contract.

Get a very very well paid job in spain before you come with a long permanent contract.

Get a very very well paid job in spain before you come with a long permanent contract.

Get a very very well paid job in spain before you come with a long permanent contract.

Get a very very well paid job in spain before you come with a long permanent contract.

Make sure you have lots of money in the bank.

Make sure you have lots of money in the bank.

Make sure you have lots of money in the bank.

Make sure you have lots of money in the bank.

Make sure you have lots of money in the bank.

You can find that the cost of living the lifestyle you want is very expensive until you sort of figure it out and learn to cut corners.

If you decide to pack a bag with no job and very little money then it is a brave thing and will be very exciting and challenging.
I am not trying to disuade you from doing that and it could be the most amazing experience of your life.

You only live once so go for it but the purpose of this article is how to make it easier on yourself.

Do you get any finanicial assistance from the government in the uk?

Some people get tax credits and financial help from the government that they just expect.
You will get none of that in spain unless you really understand the system.

Be aware of anyone that offers help to you.
It is a sad fact that there are many many english parasites in spain that will do everything they can to rip you off,

If someone offers to help you with something at some point they will have their hand out so if you are aware of that you are prepared.

If you are going to buy property in spain be aware that it is very much a lottery.

Lots of people have no or not a lot of problems with buying their house or in a lot of cases the problems dont affect them directly.

If you are buying off plan you are taking a huge risk and its more of a slim chance that the house will be built rather than a certanty.

Relationships matter a lot

If you can get very very freindly with spanish people you will save yourself a lot of problems.

But the spanish stil see the english as people that have money and they are more than happy to hike the price up.

Living in a little england in the sun.

In every country across the world there are ghetthos where ex pats live.
Even in urbanisations there is very little integration of the different cultures.
The benefits of the ghetthos is that you get to buy from english people in the shops and get your car repaired by english mechanics.
Instead of waiting for a spanish guy to maybe come back off his months holiday to attempt to fix something and fail you can get an english guy that will turn up in an hour and fix it for a quarter of the price you pay the spanish.

The downside is you end up living in a little england but in the sun.
Or the upside is that you end up living in a little england in the sun.

Moving to a very spanish area to integrate into society.

I have no idea about this because i live in an english/russian and german urbalization, drive an english car, go to gibraltar to buy real food and not that crap the spanish eat, drink english beer and tetley tea.

so i cant give any advice on that at all.

My long time Spanish living friend says the way to make a small fortune in Spain is to bring a big one with you.

Norman

Wow what a polite person you are.
You are a credit to us fellow expats.

I dont think i live the spanish live.
i actually said i dont.

That was the funny ending to my post. not funny when i have to explain it though.

and

i like the heat

thats the whole reason i am here you crazy ignorant foooooooool

and i dont know why you are talkng about a kitchen.

my girlfreind is spanish so she does all the kitchen stuff and i have to respect her spanish culture how she believes men shouldnt have to cook or clean.

This message was last edited by Bigwilly on 01/08/2011.

Surely then Bigwilly, this is the time to take the plunge ?

With the state of the housing market and the availability of cheap housing coupled with the very poor exchange rate, my thinking tells me that......

If I can afford to buy a small holiday home (not thinking of emigrating just quite yet - but have a five year plan in the offing) with no need for a mortgage, not even considering anything other than resale, using a reputable and recommended lawyer and If I can afford to live in Spain for extended periods on a UK pension at the current exchange rates........

Then when the world rights itself in the next 5 years or so, and the exchange rate returns to a more realistic rate, or the Euro crumbles and the Peseta devalues, then the current buyer should be sitting in a pretty position ?

Ohh   and meant to mention - I drink coffee and prefer Spanish beers to pond water - sorry - English bitter !

Kindest regards

 A good fishing trip

It is a good job we have a society where we can all express different opinions and it only reallty matters what you, yourself think. I like these exchanges - better than watching soaps on telly

Bigwilly

"rofl" @ Marysafc....

davyd

it is a very good time to buy.

older houses have higher taxes to pay when you buy them hence everyone wanting to buy new.

random figures from my head. i think you pay 7% or 16% or whatever tax on an older house and 2% on a new house.

someone please correct this.

so people wanted to save the 16% and in the end lost 100k euros+ and as much if not more than 300k euros.

i am seeing some amazing houses come on the market for silly prices but they all have some kind of problem.

damp, neighbours building illigally, estates that are considered derelict.

if you really make your connections with people and seriously use your head.

never ever trust a real estate agent (in any country)

understand that an indpendent lawyer wont be indpendent (corruption)

and be aware that they are actively trying to rob you at every step.

dont take shit from anyone.

if someone tells you something go higher up the chain and ask them 20 times the same question because you get a different answer each time.

if a lawyer tells you there is no debt on the property what they really mean is they havent checked.

spanish people get offended if you try and use someone else and they fight their corner hard.

such as i know a spanish woman that has been going to the same hairdresser for 20 years even though she has never had one cut that she liked.
she went somewhere else 21 years ago the family stopped speaking to her.

manana in spain means , i have a job and get paid so i will do the bare minimum to get paid.
I do not care about you and i just care about my wage.
If its a government person they do not care about you , they do not care about the job, they do not care about anything other than the wage knowing that they will never ever be fired because it just dosent happen.

check everything wherever possible and check over and over again.

get a fighting attitude and never ever back down.

bigwillys survival tips in spain.

Sounds like a lovely place !!

Can't wait to become a part of it all.

Ohhh...I can't believe that Maria is the only non corruptable Spanish Lawyer ??

There has to be another somewhere, surely ??

KR

Davy

Tambien...."rofl" @ DavyD

i have yet to find anyone non corruptable in spain.

if you dont do anything its a very different story.

if you rent a house and get a job or have an outside income it will be sweet and no worries.

the more stuff you do the more pain you impose on yourself.

like the guy that bought the nightclub and sacked one of the sstaff for thieving,
Turns out her cousin was guardia so they raided him every night until he gave her job back to her.

i once started a business in spain and at every turn there was someone looking for their palm greased.
The cost of doing business in spain is cuttiing everyone in the chain.

i have a very live and let live attitude and i am really laid back so i dont get a lo lot the problems some do.

to quote vereros

You sir! (Bigwilly) should pack your bags and leave as soon as possible or be extradited.

personally i would never say anything like that to anyone.

but i think i am very good charachter.

all i am doing is saying how i interpret and  how i see things.

people can say what they want but pretty much everything i have said can be backed up by searching through the tales of misery on this forum.

it could be said that the happy ones are off living their lives and the miserable ones are the ones posting on here.

most people come here when they have a problem the same as i did,

some people may think i am a troll.

not really

just an opinionated asshole that speaks his mind and tells it how he sees it through his eyes.

i live in spain and i am in no rush to leave.
I love it.

I love the rules and the fun that can be had.

When i came here it always blew my mind that you could but animal porn dvds from the bottom shelf in a shop but nobody other than the tabacconists were allowed to sell cigarettes.

This is because when franko was in power he gave tobacconist jobs to all the retired police here.

remember the place is just coming out of a dictatorship.
up until a few decades ago the women werent allwed to wear shorts or bare their legs.

there are mass graves being found all across spain from francos dictatorship.

read a book called the hidden spain.

not the hidden spain

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghosts-Spain-Travels-Through-Countrys/dp/0571221688

seems you can read it all here

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghosts-Spain-Travels-Through-Countrys/dp/0571221688#reader_0571221688

and download a film called thebusiness

its awesome

i really do love the place.

the culture and the history.

bullfighting, crowds cheering as someone stabs a bull.
being able to go and hunt and shoot birds even rare ones.
the way the people in andalucia up in the hills are so primitive.

mi gusta la costa del del sol

This message was last edited by Bigwilly on 02/08/2011.

Attention seeking wind-up !!!!

actually no.

would Bigwilly be the same person as  Richardhead [ dick]

Yon Franco chappy was some guy !!

Get the local populace off the fags and make porn freely available !

Now if only David Cameron would take a leaf out of THAT book !!

ok we have got through the negatives and there are lots of  them.

what are the positives?

f you have got yourself a well paying job with a long contract before you come and you have some lots of savings in the bank you have it all pretty much covered.

i can only speak from my experience of being here nearly 5 years and watching countless people come and go for a multitude of reasons.

get a cabriolet.

get a seafront apartment whenever possible.

get an apartment with aircon - not flexible. you need it like you need to drink water.

life is awesome with no lid on your car.

when i came i came to a company with 12 people from across the world and about 7 were from the uk.

i was the only one that bought a cabriolet out of all of them

i was the only person that got a seafront apartment.

they would wake up in their apartment in a complex, get into their car with a roof, drive to work and come into the office.

i would wake up to look out across the mediteranian, go down into my underground garage (my batcave) and jump into the car with the roof already down.
Drive to work and even go round a roundabout a few times and take the long route to work just to have more driving time it was so awesome with the roof down. In the winter i would have the roof down and the heater on.
Go to work and be exited to be there because the start to the morning was awesome.

When you have been lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves and woken up to waves and eaten breakfast on your balcony with a slight taste of salt in the air you wake up happy every morning and it starts the day in the right way.

And i would have the english tv on in the room listening to the uk news how there was gridlock in london and about all these road closures.

The roads i took to work were so quiet because we started at 9am in SPAIN wheras most people had setoff to go to gibraltar at 7am to get through the border.

the car park below work has some valeters in it so i would just leave my keys with them and they would wash and polish the car while i was at work and it would be parked ready for me to jump into when i finished work all clean and shiny.

As it happened i paid 6000 euros for a car i could have picked up for 1000 in the uk.
Turns out the german car dealer that sold me it was a scammer and it was previously an imported write off.

I was new and knew nothing about buying a car and they never did any of the paperwork i paid them to do so i have a car parked outside my house that is worthless and can never be sold.

I didnt know i was driving round very much illigially and could have had the car conifscated at any time.

But you live and you learn and now know that instead of buying a car in the uk in 20 minites and sending the paperwork to the dvlla you need to spend a few days in different offices registering your car and never ever trust anyone that says it will be fine.

well the car would have been worthless. but thankfully due to the awesome corruption in spain we found a `super gestor` that we paid a sum of money.
He sorted all the fines and the paperwork even though itwas technically impossible to do it the correct way.

Corruption works both ways.
Embrace it to your advantage or be a victim of it.

When you have lived by the sea for a while and i mean not 5 minites or 10 minites away.
I mean right on the seafront you dont notice anymore.
You just get up and continue with life.

But when you move away from the seafront you notice in a big way that you arent there.

Its a lot cooler by the sea, its very relaxing and life just seems so much better.

I do contly have sinus problems because of the sea and the polluted wind coming in but its worth havign a bit of pain occoasionally.

You have to embrace the culture as much as possible.

DO NOT TAKE IN STRAY DOGS.

so many people see abused dogs and dumped dogs and people find puppies dumped in bins..

i have known expats come over and they feel sorry for the dogs.

before the know it they have two or 3 dogs that they have picked up along the way and they are a slave to these dogs.

This is spain and dogs were working animals.

Embrace the culture and turn a blind eye.

One of the best things is in a lot of the parts of spain you can do pretty much anything you want.

we spoke about how bad the corruption is in previous posts.

but what about how good the corruption is?

what happens if you get cuaght drink driving?
the courts have ZERO tolerence on drink drivers.

but bettween the courts and you is a police officer.

the police inspain were once very powerful hunch men of franco.
He even threw everyone out of a seaside town in cadiz so him and his henchmen could have holiday homes.
Since franco is no longer round the so called powerful guardia serville are now just glorified traffic police.

What price for drink driving?
Well my freind just gave the officer 600 euros bribe and we drove off and continued the journey..

Occasionally you get some hard ass and they want much more.

English tv.
When i moved into my first house in spain it was a much more expensive house than my peers.
It had sky tv  with the full package.

I never even had sky tv in the uk or never realised i watched much tv so it didnt mean much to me.

My peers moved into apartments without sky tv.

i cant really explain it but without sky tv life is very differerent and not in a good way.

when we moved to our current house my spanish gilfriend was pacing round the house annoyed for days before we got sky tv installed because she was missing the gilmore girls.

we had spanish tv but she didnt even bother with it.

as it happened the spanish sky tv installer (the only one the complex would allow) couldnt install sky because the pipes under the building have collapsed.
so he just left and said it wasnt possible.
It took him 6 days to come and then he was gone in 20 minites.

I phoned an english sky installer who came round in about 3 hours.
He went off after 10 minites and came back with a stiff mouse (thing that goes down cable pipes)
10 minites later he had installed sky.

Hey presto Sky tv.
 

The telefone guy came to install the line.
But  he couldnt get into the box and the guy with the keys was on holiday.
So he was going to leave.

Took me about 30 seconds to get into it with a hammer and a screwdriver.

If you need a job doing you need to do it yourself a lot of the time.

Things can be hard or you can fix them.

Life is fun in spain because many of the rules are very flexible.
Meaning a bribe goes a long way to easing or fixing the problem.

The fishing is awesome,.

i never even went fishing in the uk but i catch and eat fresh fish from the sea all the time and it just kicks ass.

you dont need to know any spanish at all.

there is always someone that will help you translate and you can do pretty much anything without it.

But learning spanish just makes life a lot easier on you and helps to get things done.

Almost every town has a place that will teach you spanish.

When you ask a spanish person something in spanish you can make sense of the reason things dont happen immedialty.

You need a strong strong reason to be in spain and there are many many positives and in many ways they completely beat any of the negatives.
But the problem is when you have been ripped off and lost everything you cant really see the positives and enjoy life.

This is the reason there is so much negativity around.

Notice how my post about positives turns into some negatives and rants?
I didnt mean it to be like that and the whole things was supposed to be a happy view of the actual positives of spain.

i have said many times this is how i see it and this is my opinion.

you seem to fail to understand that.

so

just to be sure

this is how i see it

you can disagree all you want but i cant help how i see things and form opinions.

when i meet some honest and hard working spanish people in authority i will be able to update this thread.

am looking forwards to meeting those people as i am sure many others are.