Newbie - introducing myself

Welcome to the forum Ian. You may hear things you don’t want to hear but they will be members on experiences so worth considering.

Firstly Huercal Overa is 40 mins from the coast, that’s from the town itself, to get a property large enough to run a business from you may be further away. Personally I can’t see an attraction in HO to make me want to holiday there. Beware of pig farms, which mean flies.

It’s very wise to come here and rent for a couple of months to explore areas. What suits one won’t suit another. Also any property you buy, think long term. What will it be like in 10 years when I have all the grounds and maintenance of a large place.

Don’t believe anything an estate agent tells you. Nod and then find out more yourself. Don’t use anyone recommended by them either. Seek independent legal advice.

Keyro is a good place to search online for properties. Just one more piece of advice, while waiting for travel restrictions to ease start learning Spanish. Believe you me, we have enough expats shouting at waiters in English here.

all the best.

Hi,

Myself and my husband have recently purchased a cortijo in one of the villages just outside HO. We used Voss Homes for our search. It’s a family business, very professional, knowledgeable and above all very caring. They gave good honest advice all the way.  There are pig and goat farms in the area which does mean lots of flies. However, there are still ways and means of enjoying the sun without being bothered by them.

The town itself is full of life with lots of bars/ restaurants and fiesta (before Covid). The people of HO have been extremely welcoming.

Rent for a while would be my advice. Voss Homes also provided our rental property. Good luck

Thanks for that.  The fly advise has also been repeated so I'll take particular note to watch for that.  I need to speed up the Spanish learning as I'm a great believer in needing to speak the lingo if you move to a country.  At least good enough to get by although I've never been great at languages.  Fortunately my kids did Spanish to GCSE so they're helping me with the basics.

Once again thanks for your advice.

Kind regards

Ian

Thanks Karen

Flies have cropped up in another reply so I'll note this.  Thanks for the social aspect.  I had seen a few reviews quoting the lively town life with a growing expat community but can only take with a pinch of salt until confirmed by people like yourself.  I'm a country boy so I realise that if you want a place more rural, there's always a 'rural aspect' to go with it.  Being a keen gardener hopefully lot's of fragrant plants might mitigate the occasional whiff as long as not too bad.

Kind regards

Ian 

Hi Ian

My partner lives not far from HO near Cantoria. It’s so lovely. Anyway I wanted to reply regarding the Spanish. I speak quite a bit but recently during lockdowns found an online tutor for around €9.00 an hour and she is really good for helping me remember what I already know - got a bit rusty on the grammar. I would highly recommend this method - it’s via zoom or similar . Please let me know if you would like the details . Good luck with everything . 

Hi Ian

We bought our place just outside El Saltador which is a 5 minute drive front Huercal Overa. We're semi rural and yes, there are flies (some summers many, and some summers less) and the occasional piggy smells, but it's worth it for the spectacular views, the lovely town of HO, with its markets, restaurants, shops and general ambience and only 40 minutes drive to the coast, and in the other direction from the amazingly beautiful mountainous villages such as Bédar and Veles Rubio. We're not living there full time yet, unfortunately, but planning to move over next year so we are also brushing up on our Spanish... Even if the locals reply to our faltering attempts in English, we keep trying and they appreciate the effort! We'd not been to the area before, but visited Huercal Overa when holidaying in Mojacar in 2016. Fell instantly in love with the town and surrounding areas. We bought our house through Voss Homes and cannot recommend them highly enough. Very knowledgeable, friendly and thorough with an after sales approachability second to none. Good luck with your search! 

Hi Ian

Might I suggest an alternative to Huercal Overa, unless you have a personal reason for focusing there?  

I'm in Sorbas which covers quite a large rural area of 250,000 sq kilometers with a population density of approximately 10 people per kilometer.  Why Sorbas, you might ask?  Well, you are nearer the coast, I myself am 25 minutes drive to the nearest beaches at Agua Amarga and Carboneras and about 30 to Garrucha and Mojacar.  Sorbas is less cold in the winter and dryer than HO.  It is nearer Almeria City and airport and also Tabernas where the spaghetti westerns were filmed and where there's a theme park and close, in my part of Sorbas which is to the south, to the beautiful Natural Park of Cabo de Gata.  In Sorbas there are more goats than pigs and these only really cause smell and flies when the manure is cleared out of their corral or goat shed or if you happen to have a Billy goat as a close neighbour! Last but not least Ian, the property in Sorbas is reasonabley priced for what you get.

A good agent for Sorbas is Cortijos Almeria based in Sorbas town and they have property listings online   Raoul and Ana are English speaking are very pleasant efficient.  It is very important I believe, to have a completely  bilingual estate agent when you are buying here particularly if you yourself are not!

Hope to have been of some help. And good luck with the search! 

Juanida

No preference really. but for a good preferably frost free climate. Keen gardener who's always dreamt of having a tropical garden full of canna & palms. A pool would be a bonus & not more than 40 mins from the coast. As long as there are a few food shops nearby (hopefully a market) I'll be fine.

I have to say I'm grateful for your contribution as I've just looked at that Estate Agent & seen a fab house I really like. Unfortunately with the travel restrictions I can only hope somebody else doesn't bag it before I can view. I've already watched a few go.

Thanks for the info

Kind regards

Ian

Hi Ian, we had a house in the campo out from HO for 15 years.  We loved it!  Yes there are disadvantages but there's also a lot of positives.  We moved nearer to the coast about 18 months ago.  This was for no other reason than we are getting older and access to better amenities became more important.  Having said that I think HO is a great town and I regularly return (lockdown permitting).  

Personally, I think HO has a great deal to offer.  There are some great villages near to the main town.  Voss are a good estate agent (imo) although, like any agent they are in the business to sell property, so if you don't ask the question, they might not volunteer the information. 

Happy House hunting, I hope you find what you want.  Regards Karen