Thinking of buying in garrucha

Strongly advise that you seek professional help re your tax. Too many interpretations of what should and should not be done. Grupo Salvador on Mojacar Playa are very good.

Hi. I would strongly advice you to rent before you buy so you can get the 'feel' of the places you like. Any advice given by strangers maybe completly different from your views. Renting would enable you to look around and find areas you like and professional advice reference tax matters etc .  Good luck.

Thanks lynn77 and Jas I have researched quite well and I am planning to visit a few times before purchasing not going to rent out just for our personal use x

Hi from Mojacar Playa,

Second attempt so hope this goes through.

As with previous posts RENT on at least 2 visits. 1 Winter & 1 Summer. The Coast can be a nightmare come Summer (July-August) & we usually travel or stay mainly at cottage inland. Bring your own transport preferably so you can travel extensively.

Mentioning transport, your own UK vehicle is good for 6 months but carry ALL documents (unlike UK) and inform DVLA & your Insurance Companies. Guardia are checking MOTs, Road Tax, etc.

Healthcare-if under pension age and under 6 months stay then EHICs although you may wish to take out Private Insurance, Healthcare, etc. Perhaps your UK Property Insurer can help. If you see a post or reply by chevyrevyclar ask about Healthcare as he is a relative newbie or Haylee or Citizens Advice below.

Insurance for your property here- Liberty Seguros. We use Ged in Mojacar.Not Allianz.

For all queries.

GLExpat Services, Turre. Ask for Haylee. We have some Insurances with them.

950 049 431 don't have e mail address but will be on Google.

Would not advise our Solicitor as although less expensive, contact can be problematic. You may have one identified or post here for suggestions. Mr. Davies is very well respected locally but a bit pricey.

Tax-ref to Haylee as not sure if you will be working here. If here for more than 6 months you become Fiscally Resident for Tax purposes.

There is a www that may interest you,

www.citizensadvice.org.es   Some rave about it but personally I found it difficult to navigate.

Think that's enough for now. If specific queries then by all means pm.

Best Wishes

Bob and Sandra

Mojacar Playa and Puerto Lumbreras 

I'm considering buying a "value" property as a personal holiday home. How did you get on? I've read a few how to guides. I'm not sure how to find a good estate agent though. What is the weather like during November to march? 

Hi, watched A place in the Sun last night and as number 5 choice they featured Garrucha.

Partner bought her villa and moved in late March, weather was cool and neighbours have said it can get cold. 

Right now we're enjoying lunch in the front flyfree, sun's shining and it's a clear brilliant blue cloudless 24 degrees, not bad for late October but ok it's gonna get colder.

What the weather will be like down on the coast we cant say, Urcal, here, is around 40 minutes inland, lovely little friendly village, bar featured a couple of times on place in the sun, lovely quiet and peaceful, couldnt be happier. Partner had stayed with a best friend over the past 4 years so that kinda qualifies as rent b4 you buy I guess and she got to look around the areas before settling on here. Everyones requirements are different.

Medical might depend on youre ages, people work longer nowadays but pensionable age you only pay 10% of the cost of a prescription. Getting on the Spanish health system is relatively easy, are you aware of Padrons, NIE's and Residencia ?,  Cant advise on tax sorry.

Residencia may not quite be a full on requirement but to buy any major item like villa's, apartments, cars, large white goods and as the best form of ID you'll need youre NIE, then I'd recommend looking at what's involved

You dont say what ages you are, theres a doctor, school, bar, we're 7 minutes from the A7 and 12 minutes from Huercal Overa the next big town.

We've noticed apartments in the newer part of Huercal Overa town both for sale and rent.

When we first started looking, (to rent), we looked at Garrucha, Villaricos, Mojacar, all had their up sides and downs but there were plenty of apartments, lots with shared pools etc..

Best of in youre search, keep asking questions, keep looking around, I'm sure like some of the other responders you'll eventually find youre ideal home.

Thanks for the information.  I was aware we need an nie and Spanish bank account as have researched all of the financial side.  Making a choice of where is the dilemma.  We are 61 and 59 and do not intend to live in Spain more spend 180 days per year between England and Spain when we eventually retire. 

Doubt you'll want to do a split even when you retire lol, once you get to enjoy the sunshine, peace and quiet not to mention the easy traffic free roads and motorways here the friendly people etc etc, it'll be a no brainer, brexit or not which the way the clowns in both westminster and brussels are fooling with wont happen for the next ten years let alone two.

Enjoy.

Hello. May I ask - where do you live in England (or wales, Scotland etc)?

I'm currently looking at a small property in spain, garrucha. Thing are looking positive so far. But Ill only be using this as a holiday retreat for myself.

If you have property here then Id recommend you keep it even if later you decide to move to spain. I keep hearing stories of people who moved abroad and want to come back but property prices in the UK are so much higher they're effectively trapped abroad. So remember to make your assets work for y0u and not become a financial drag.