Hi All,

Well, as the name of thread says "I'm back!"

The Mrs and I went back to the UK for two weeks to visit relatives... and ended up staying 25 days!!! As it took longer to visit relatives and friends than we thought.

But all I can say is "Nice place to visit... but wouldn't want to live there!"

Rain, wind, cold, more rain, stronger winds, freezing cold, germs, cough, sniffle, sneeze... yup! We go back to the UK for a holiday and that's what both of us came back with... a stinker of a cold!

Ironically we arrived back on the 2nd of December, a little bit later than scheduled, and for those of you who know me or have been followng some of my threads, you will know that is a year to the day that we moved from the UK to Spain! Quite a coincidence as all we could say after the first few days in the UK was "Can't wait to get back home!"

And it was true!

During the first few days it felt really great to be back in the UK, but once we'd seen family, been out with friends for drinkies, done some shopping, the truth sank in... we were not home anymore in the UK... and all we wanted was to go back home... to Spain!

Don't get me wrong, we still like the UK... for all its faults it was our home and is the place of our births... but as they say...

"Home is where the heart is"

And our hearts now really do belong to Spain.

Welcome back home. I know how you feel,every time I arrive in Bilbao I just give a big sigh and say I`m home.I`m actually still 1000km from home,but just to be back in Spain makes me feel very comfortable.

On the ferry tonight,so will get that feeling on Monday morning.

Jimbo

TechNoApe

good for you, each to their own and all that. For years I felt the same way about the UK, cold, wet, and overcrowded, but now, despite all the faults, the UK feels a very cosy place to me. Holidays in Spain? great, love the place and the people on the whole, but would I want to live there?, cetainly not until Spain changes direction on issues that have hurt so many good people. Until then, it's far to cold a place for my heart to be there.

Hi and welcome back,

I've got to go back to UK for a few days next week, I'm not looking forward to it.

I love England, but I don't want to live there anymore. We've had a few problems here (Spain) but the good out weighs the bad. We too call this home now.

I don't think there's a contry on the face of this earth that dos'nt have its problems.  And we did all choose to live here!  It's not like the UK threw us all out. And no-one in Spain grabbed us by the short and curlies to drag us in!

So welcome home.

Regards, Febe

Hola

I agree Spain is home to us all, however I would love right now the carpet and Central Heating we get in the Uk

We are sat in PJs and fire on trying to get warm. but watching the Rugby game at Twickenham this afternooon it was dark at 4pm there, they were all wrapped up, whilst we were still in short sleeves with sun till bout 5;30. What would we rather have!!

a nice curry and bottle of red will soon fix it!!!

For months after I arrived here I would in conversation often say something along the lines of: 'Back home       '. My neighbour used to stop me right that and say: 'Michael, this is home.'

Another friend recently had to return to Stockton-on-Tees for a family event. Everyone was making a fuss of her and asking her how it felt to be home? To each she replied: "No, this is your home. My home is in Spain.'

You know, as someone who has spent most of her adult life in the Middle East, lived in the Far East and now live back in Europe (thankfully leaving the Middle East), I learned a long time ago that you have to stop comparing/exchanging currencies, etc.

I particularly take offence to people who post about living in a particular country, having never, ever lived there - they know nothing about living in that country, basically, and cannot possibly profess otherwise.

"Home" is where YOU choose to base yourself and nobody can ever criticise your choice of where your home is in any circumstance whatsoever.  It's where YOU choose to live - if someone, especially who has never lived there (and possibly never, ever lived anywhere but their home country) chooses not to live there, then that's their choice!

Why do they then choose to post on this, Techno's thread, saying

"would I want to live there?, cetainly not until Spain changes direction on issues that have hurt so many good people. Until then, it's far to cold a place for my heart to be there."

You have no idea, Goodstitch, as to what it would be like to live here permanently!   Nearly a milliion Brits - let alone other nationalities - have made their home here.  You are, sorry to say, still in the minority!  I'm not selfish to your cause (as you repeatedly suggest), but yes, I am happy to be here in Spain, especially after living in such a culture lacking, morally lacking, superficial place as Dubai!!

Colin and Carolyn, nice to see you back!  And hopefully, neighbours, we shall see you for some mulled wine and mince pies over the coming season (at ours!!).

Pitby

I'm sorry my opinion has offended you, and no I haven't lived in Spain, but I have experienced first hand the corruption and dreadful justice system. That alone is enough for me to know that I could not feel 'at home' in a country that treats people so badly. My 7 year experience of the legal system in Spain has left me horrified. I'm the first to admit the uk's far from perfect, but when you need common sense on life changing issues like justice, i've found it's a far better place to be. Thankfully, many people in Spain will never have to experience just how bad it can be, it probably really only becomes apparent when you need those in high positions of legal trust to do the right thing?

As you say, home is where you choose to base yourself, and that choice is all about what's important to the individual and personal experience. As for me being in the minority, perhaps?, but if people are honest, I can't believe many are happy with the way Spain's costa's are going, even if their choice of place to live or their heart is in Spain?  The wrongs that have put me of living in Spain, are very much a part of why it's in the current situation.

As I said in my post 'each to their own', and I wish all the best to good people wherever their heart feels at home.

It's not your opinion that offends, Goodstitch, it's just where you so often choose to post it!  Again!

Pitby

I would like to think we can voice opinion and personal experience that could help, where and when we feel we want to without personal critisism. As long as courtrooms are stacked out with cases of corruption and fraud stretching out years, then yes, I think we have to keep banging the same drum. Just ignore my posts and the content if you choose, it's your choice!

getting back to thread..........

Glad you're back in Spain TechNoApe. I wish I was Spain. I would quite like to go for Christmas sometime. All depends on the flight price!

Nowhere is perfect

In UK there are many injustices and quite a lot relating to property

Developers and builders have and are going bust in UK and those who bought off plan have and are losing money big time- some inner city northern apartments are on offer at 60% less than the original asking price- buyers do not want to complete- but being chased by our UK banks to do so with their own homes at risk!

UK banks are not easy to deal with if you have a problem!

In this recession Spain is not alone

Dubai and Bulgaria, and other so called emerging locations, are in a worse situation

Everyone wishes those who find themselves with problems lots of luck in sorting them out

But also to be realistic there are ‘ UK buyers off plan’ in finished developments who are trying to get out of their contracts because:

• They bought [as others did in UK Bulgaria Dubai etc ] to flip and the economic cycle has gone against them
• The recession has caused a’ home’ problem making completing difficult
• The exchange rate has dived making everyone from UK having to revise their budget

Spain did not cause this and some Spanish developers who have produced the goods are having to deal with UK and northern Europeans who are being difficult in paying when they should

Spanish developers are being commercial, like those in UK, in trying to get out of their obligations-more often than not controlled by the financing bank!!

No one supports this but it is a ‘economic recession reality’

Many say that Banks caused the problems we now face and it is hard to argue against this!!    

But to the majority who have bought over the booms years and before….. they do not have a problem-they enjoy the life style

Be it full time, part time or holiday home

OK the exchange rate will make it difficult for some, but that is the UK Government fault- they have run our economy so that it has become so low!

If you are an owner then only sell if you have to- same as in UK

If you have problems with a developer then get good legal advice

Perhaps taker a pragmatic view

If you are wanting a ‘life style purchase ‘ now …well you are in at the right time!

Yes overall values’ per se’ may go down but medium to long term if you find what you ‘ really like’ and take sensible precautions then you may well look back and say that ‘ it was a good buy’

Very few predict the bottom of a property cycle

For Example

CAM Bank have properties from 36.000 € to 2.5m € of all types on the Costa’s 

The ‘ asking’ price has been set at circa 30% discount and they will give to suitable buyers 80% loan to value mortgages

Every developer with stock will do a deal including Polaris World- just ask and I will tell you that is so!

I post not as just an agent, but a buyer who has had the odd problem and I am very happy with my ’life style’ buy and I have been lucky that my other investment buys have been sorted

Hiya Butt

Wot's occuring? You did pick a bad week here in wet Wales. Glad you're back home and things have worked out great for you . It'll be a few years yet for us, going through the uni years now . But manage to get over as often as we can, so that keeps us going .

It's still raining in Taffy land!!

Have struggled following this thread

Firstly thought what how cool that people were pleased to be back and others in here pleased they were back

Then the change of direction was most strange

If Goodstich doesn't want to live in Spain fine, but i don't understand the reasoning

Something about personal injustice? But no detail to help understand his aversion to living in Spain?

I live about 50/50 Uk and Spain love coming. hate leaving and when commitments (ie aged parents) dictate will be here full time

And to be involved in a forum pleased to see me back fantastic!!!!!!!!!!

So keeping with the thread welcome back Technoape and Mrs Techno

Welcome back, just like to say whatever, life can be as crap or as great as you like it, in any country,

Just be glad your alive and have a choice.