Find a property in Southern Spain & what to look for in a community

Choose wisely and be happy - Property in Spain So its your turn to find the perfect place for a home abroad. Spain is the most popular for Brits because of its proximity and the choice of flights. However for those thinking about a home in the sun, Southern Spain offers a variety of scenes and landscapes. A barren desert land is much cheaper than green pastures or naturally forested locations. At the end of the day the rule of thumb means that living in the more attractive locations will always cost more but usually fare better in a rising market. So be very aware of the surrounding areas and how developers are able to promote and sell property where terrain is not very appealing. Architects developers and builders,take a parcel of desert land and create an oasis a holiday paradise in the sun. These lovely developments of villas and apartments surrounded by lawns pathways flowers and trees shielded from the harsh external terrain by walls and are great for holidays. However whilst a swimming pool, a community square with a fountain couple of shops and a bar are great for the odd holiday, ask yourself about living there full time. Some of these holiday paradises are simply not practical for full time living specially if the majority of people using them are holiday makers.

So maybe if your looking around Spain and your an expat who would like a social life with similar minded people consider looking for a community with a good International School. The fact there is a school in the area means that there is a community that live there.{insert picture Sotogrande School} Sporting facilities are another great draw for living in Spain Tennis Golf Horse riding and as such a community with good facilities will always be more attractive for those wanting to settle and provide a good base for meeting and socializing.

I have met many people in Spain who have had several enjoyable holidays and blindly bought a very nice home in the same area where they had a great relaxed vacation only to realise within 6 months that in winter months the area is virtually unpopulated. As an agent living and selling homes in Sotogrande I describe this area as a real community here you will find expats making a full time life for themselves and within the community a real diversity of groups and clubs. Sotogrande people organising Bridge clubs,Dining clubs, golf societies, coffee groups,Sunday morning social tennis,running clubs, social cycling groups and many other social activities. For those reading this article I am using Sotogrande as an example and indeed it may be a place outside your budget. However this article is simply saying choose a place where you want to live and scrutinise it very carefully before deciding to buy. After all why buy in a place where nothing much is going on, tranquility can become very boring. For most of us who have lived in Southern Spain for a long time part of the enjoyment is the friendliness of the community and the choice of interests around you. Even if you are looking to spend 6 months in Spain it makes sense to buy where you can integrate with the full time inhabitants of the area. Just from my own experience I look forward to holiday time when friends come here for the entire summer. These friends equally love catching up year after year. Its not only the children who need to be entertained when moving to sunny Spain.

Gibraltar workers look again at renting in Spain as rents soar to unaffordable levels

Sky High residential rents in Gibraltar and people revisit Spain Seems that rents in Gibraltar are simply getting so high that people are re-looking in Spain and working in Gibraltar. The well publicized border problems resulted in many banking and gaming workers moving back into Gibraltar to live and as a result rental values increased dramatically in the last 18 months. A friend of mine bough an apartment in Gibraltar was receiving 1000GBP per month for a modern small 2 bedroom on the runway and on recently changing tenant saw an increase to 1500.00GBP per month.

Within the last 3 months there has been a significant increase in inquiries from people working in Gibraltar looking to lower their overheads and increase there living space. The result for Tailor Made estate Agents in Spain has been a good run on people renting in Alcaidesa beach resort and San Roque golf Country club. Three bedroom 2 bathroom Apartments, overlooking the golf course at San Roque club have recently been renting for around 1000 euros per month. I asked the most recent renters to move to San Roque golf, a Dutch couple in the gaming industry who moved in in June what prompted the move. They informed me the apartment a 3 bedroom in Gibraltar was simply too expensive at 1650 GBP pm a move to Spain saw an immediate saving and the apartment they moved into was much larger and only 1100 euros per month. He also told me that for that amount of saving he was happy to walk across the border which reduced the chance of delays. Here is a good example of a San Roque apartment on the market at present in Terraces San Roque golf San Roque Apartment Link

Two other couples recently moved because they wanted a more recreational feel for young children and with a community swimming pool , kids golf academy, horse riding stables and a nursery school on site at San Roque seemed a good choice. see aerial view of San Roque golf resort Southern Spain

Sotogrande Spain Millionaire location Villa on Sotogrande Real Golf course 7 million euros

Villa For sale on the very exclusive Sotogrande Real Golf course Just look what 7 million euros will buy in Sotogrande. The Villa owner from Madrid once refused an offer of 9.7 million to sell. This property is a stunning home set in beautiful grounds and most importantly very well maintained.

This Home very close to the beach, river,yacht club, two tennis clubs and sits on the 18th Hole of Sotogrande Golf club View more details on the Tailor Made Estate Agents Sotogrande web page A truly luxurious house on Spains South Coast. Sotogrande is one of Europes largest private residential resorts. An exclusive Millionaires enclave first established in 1962 and popular with both Spanish & expat rich and famous. This resort was designed and marketed to offer the natural beauty of the Andalusian countryside and the estate is surrounded by mountains, beaches cork forests, river & lakes. The interior of this house is classically finished. A luxury home in Spains most upmarket location. To view this property please contact Francis Payne of Tailor Made estates Sotogrande 0034 956790320 or find our office in Puerto Sotogrande click on this MAP link .

.Nearest Airports Gibraltar 25 minutes, Malaga just over 1 hour or Jerez 1 hour

Sotogrande Real Golf course

Spain.life in the sun be aware Isolated Villages

Location Location Recession Spain Expats be aware Choose you location in Spain with careful thought

One of the noticeable trends I am increasingly aware of on the Costa Del Sol and a direct result of recession, are the number of expats moving back into the more populated coastal areas after years of living in more isolated fincas or cortijos in the mountain valleys or white villages of Cadiz or Malaga Provinces. It seems to me the expat dream of a character home in the Andalusian countryside wares thin when money gets tight. The affect of reduced currency exchange rates and reduced incomes resulted in isolated villages seeing a steady stream of expats leave many returning to their homelands. Those left behind start to feel the social affect of becoming the remaining few. For the remaining expat families local bars and restaurants that once meant a guarantee of good food and company have in recent years been empty. As an agent in Sotogrande i have received a regular stream of email inquiries from wives wanting to get their family back to a busier social scene. When funds are tight having to fill the 4x4 for the 45 minute each way daily school run suddenly becomes an issue and as children get older they want to be closer to their friends. For the older retired expat with exchange rates diminishing their pensions there maybe a skill that can be revamped in order to bring in well needed additional revenue. I myself use a retired British electrician and a German plumber for small jobs. Both these men had retired to the sun with their wives and were living in the mountain village of Guacin. In order to supplement their income both chose to move to a larger expat community and both rented modest homes in Spanish villages adjoining Sotogrande. Sotogrande is the largest private residential estate in Europe a location of natural beauty sandwiched between Mountain and Sea with several scattered lakes and bisected by the river Guadiaro. In Sotogrande the well heeled Spanish enjoy a privelidged lifestyle mixing with wealthy expats from all over Europe and its main selling point is the safe environment for children, many who attend the Sotogrande International School for children of ages 3 year to 18 years.

The lesson here is to be aware that some locations are not what they were. At one time entire valleys of beautiful farm type houses were filled with expats who were sold the property in pursuit of their dream of living in the Andalusian beautiful countryside. The life was one of horse riding in the mornings lunches in the best Ventas {country eateries}and a constant circle of BBQs with the fun loving neighbours. Whilst I am certain that time will bring a new wave of country dweller to these areas my advice is to try country living and rent the farm house leaving you to try before you buy and retaining the option as so many before you to move without too much pain to an established community usually found along the coast. A number of my friends have done just that and now wives enjoy group coffee morning husband the regular invitations to play golf or maybe to join in the nightly padel tennis sessions at some of the local tennis clubs. The expat community in Sotogrande is a very close one and to outsiders there may not see a lot going on, but be assured that once you have settled it will not take very long to integrate through the school the sports and other hobbies. Sotogrande has had its fair share of expats returning to their homelands but a steady stream are arriving and amongst them many who enjoyed the country living at its best but who could no longer cope with the unforeseen changes to the lifestyle that they once knew.

Villa Ideal family home rent or buy in Sotogrande Spain. Written by Francis Payne of Tailor Made estates offices Puerto Sotogrande www.tailormadesotogrande.com Tailor Made Estate Agents also have offices in Poole Dorset