In Spain next week trying to buy a Legal Villa in or around Arboleas

There are three estate agents in Arboleas, all fairly close to  each other Calida Homes, Holmes for Homes and Dream Homes.

All very reputable I'm sure one of these can help you.

Good luck in your search.

Have a look at rightmove online they are showing 20 odd villas for your specifications.  Also speak to Voss homes, they may be able to point you in the right direction.

From my experience, having recently bought a Villa, all the Estate agents will tell you whatever they think you need to hear to make the sale. I won't name the agent I used, they played a bit fast and loose with the truth, but did help try and sort the things that came up. It still caused some grief for me and made the whole process more stressful, but I'm finding that's pretty much par for the course in Spain.

My advise would be retain all the sale blurb/information given, write down everything your told when you ask your questions so if you have any issues afterwards, you have something to fall back on.

Good luck with your search.

I quite agree with the above comment regarding certain estate agents being economic with the truth. There is one estate agent in particular in Arboleas who will tell you what you want to hear but which is not necessarily the truth. However I would definitely recommend Dream Homes Almeria. The owner Andrea will be very honest with you, will not waste your time and will give you only truthful and good advice. We bought our villa through Andrea and can give this advice through experience. She is always ready to offer help and advice post sale as well whether it be suggesting good local tradesmen, dealing with the town hall or utility companies etc. Andrea will be willing to spend as much time as you require with viewings until she finds you your perfect new home. Very importantly she only sells LEGAL homes and checks this fact BEFORE she lists the properties on her website. I would not have any hesitation in recommending this estate agent to anyone  

We were shown a number of properties by Holmes for Homes. Didn't find what we wanted but was'nt for lack of trying.

Nice down to earth couple

Thank you everyone for your replys. Shark invested comes to mind. Illegal Villas, can they really be legalised? Flying out tomorrow morning with fingers crossed.

It depends on who you listen too. You will get many different opinions.

An AFO is a means to an end. It's the route I went down on my Villa. It will get you an escritura, so you have the bit of paper saying that the Villa and land it's built on are yours(that's my understanding). You will be able to leave the property in your will. You will be able to sell the property.

The above are moot points as I have no intention of selling and my will says it goes to my son. If that happens, I'm happy.

The other thing to bear in mind is that once the AFO is done, you're not supposed to alter or add to the structure or add out buildings.But again I don't think anyone gives a damn.

I would have no problems buying a so called illegal property again if by spending 1,250 euro I could get an AFO on it.

You pays your money and makes your choice.

How did you manage to get a Afo 1250.00 

Architects report was 750 euro, rest was legal charges. I think there are some more charges in the pipeline for the change of the catastral boundaries, taxes and such, but the architect was only 750 euro for a very professional report.

They only thing the architect found non compliant was that it had to be upgraded to a septic tank that cost me another 1,500 euro.

The process was a bit long winded, but definitely a means to an end.