Just saying hi - Page 2

Hi

Were "New" too well at least to Almeria... We made maybe 5 or 6 visits each about 4 or 5 days to view places with a good number of estate agents...some good some not so good...We were lucky in the end we found the right agent and the right property for us...but in all about 4 years of searching... Everyone moves here for a different reason in our case it was to boost the pension pot and live well on a relatively small amount of money...relatively being to operative word.

Living on any coast anywhere is always more expensive...having lived for almost 25 years beside the sea I saw this was no longer a priority living well in a nice home...with some land and for us...space...  with a great location less than 10 minutes from Albox was.

Albox may not be pretty but it has everything you need for the day to day ...stuff...you need to live a good life. Arboleas is very close to Albox. If your good with a more...estate type living...ie living with neighbours usually on all sides but in a quite location with a sense of community .. Arboleas is great. But it wasn't for us.

You mentioned were to be based well I could just have been unlucky...but there is motorway construction going on and when I stayed at Meson Arboleas.. I had an bad experience...5 bedrooms filed with Eastern European men who I discovered were working on the construction were staying on my floor...01.00 playing football along the corridor all very drunk... it didn't get better the 4 days I stayed.

I can recommend La Parrilla Grill Hotel.. fractionally more expensive but overlooking the sq. in Albox... Lots of parking along side the hotel good rooms and spotless !

Ours was a well thought out, well researched, re-location and its proven to be every bit as much fun as we expected... I might add. This forum has been so good...Its like finding a mine of knowledge ... I want to thank everyone who has helped over the years I've bee asking questions. 

 I wish you success in finding your location, your house and prey you get a good estate agent...once you do...then get a really good lawyer too. Even then...Ask lots of questions... Dig around yourself...Ask people in here what they think of...this place...this person...this company... Above all Dont Rush ... and never buy without seeing a place...Trust me this is much more common than you would believe... Good Agents will urge you to come visit before you buy !! Good luck and you'll have a great life  here for sure

Henry 77 ... That's a little harsh... We moved here July 1st and oh yes there is a fly issue and I knew about this before buying I was told the "problem lasted 2 to 4 weeks...Honestly; we had an issue 3 weeks and it was no worse than anywhere else and..Oh Joy... not one mosquito 

So 3 /4 weeks of the year...you have a lot of flies... This isn't so bad... BUT be careful of buying a property with a Pig farm close bye... All the windows are meshed. outside was a pain so we ate inside...Everywhere in every country has a modicum of flies...even the UK, being Mossi free is a dream for me.

Heat yes...but we enjoy very low Humidity and its the "Humidity" on the coast that's the killer...Rain...we haven't had one drop since we arrived but I've been here when it has rained and yes its fast and furious and I'd bear that in mind, If I was choosing a house with steps going down to the front door. But that's not common anyway.

Its true doing "Due Diligence" is vitally important... A really good estate agent wont take properties on their books with no AFO.. Others do... but I've always been made aware... " This property has no AFO "...what does vary is the fact an agent will tell you an AFO will be granted and the time and cost involved!!.. I was shown a property in Limaria ... sorry for the spelling if that's wrong... I was told by the estate it would take me maybe 3 months to get the AFO  "but that need not stop me buying the property"...Someone a few doors away told me...3 years later they still dont have there's and may never get it granted !! 

I didn't like the house that much and it made me vary weary of the Estate Agent !!!

Take your time...do your homework if you have even a slight concern...get it checked out properly and ask advise of people living here...BUT Its important we keep these comments balanced...at least I think so.

Could someone enlighten me on "AFO" thanks :)

An AFO is an administrative certificate that confirms the legal status of the property officially recognised out of planning permissions. ... Some properties had licences that were given and have now expired or have been revoked in some cases. 

The AFO in simple terms does not make the house legal! but its generally essencial if your buying in Spain.

sorry I sent and wasnt finished...

An AFO.. is a legal recognition of the "illegal situation" of the property with the advantage that the property can have access to the basic services.

However, this document (AFO) will provide written confirmation by the town hall to the Junta de

Andalucía in relation to the status of properties on rustic land in their area.

Furthermore, utility companies (water and electricity) are requesting this AFO document when receiving an application for connection.

Likewise, should a license to carry out renovation work on an existing property be applied for, the town halls are also requesting to see the AFO certificate before they can issue the renovation license.

The amended Andalusia land regulations of 2012 say that a house built before 1975 and with its original building permit does not need an AFO.

However they also grant power to the individual Town Halls to administrate their urban planning, which means if they insist on an AFO it has to be done.

Please note this certificate is only applicable to properties situated on rustic land.

Further to the passing of the above Decree, all the different town halls have drawn up their own regulations for the issuing of this AFO certificate and the tax to pay to obtain the AFO.

So this means that the cost of an AFO will vary from one area to the next depending on that Town Hall’s own regulations.

Try a look a little further up the valley some lovely towns and villages 

Search for Purchena pension (Jean franco)

For a place to stay 20minutes from albox close to tijola cela sierro Sufli Olula  del Rio and many more rural