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Tuesday 19 March 2024
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Important Considerations When Buying a Property Abroad

Important Considerations When Buying a Property Abroad

As an expat who has lived in Spain for many years, I’m always surprised when people relocate to the country and sell up in the UK to buy a property without really knowing the area. Different regions of this country vary tremendously, and even from town to town in the same province. For example, properties for sale Javea in the Arenal area will be quite noisy during the summer months, but the same family who may complain about the noise might find a property on one of the town’s urbanisations a little quiet and out of the way. Particularly in the coastal areas; you might find a lively resort that has plenty of attractions, places to eat out, and a good nightlife plus work possibilities, is only a few kilometres away from the next town which is completely different and more suitable to those of retirement age. The best way to find out about each part of the town you wish to move to is to consult with a buying properties Spain expert in your chosen area.

properties for sale Javea

Therefore before you purchase a home, in my opinion is very important to get to know the area well, and the best way to do this is to rent. If you buy a property and later realise it is just not what you wanted, the area you have moved to is too noisy in the summer, or you can’t stand the fact that your neighbours’ kids are out on the street making a racket until midnight every day, you might not find it is that easy to sell your property and move; particularly with the distressed property market in the Mediterranean countries such as Greece, Spain and Italy.

countries such as Greece

While renting a property might seem like a waste of money if you’re finally going to purchase, it is money well spent when you consider what buying the wrong property could cost you in terms of stress, wasted time, and indeed money. Furthermore, even villas to rent in Spain are very reasonably priced these days, and it doesn’t hurt to treat yourself once in a while! You can get a good idea of property rental prices online.

property rental prices

Another important consideration is to be aware of what your desired location is like at different times of the year. If you have only visited the town in May or September, you have probably seen at its best. During May, June and September, the weather is usually perfect in Mediterranean resorts, and you may not be prepared on how hot it can actually get in the summer. Even more important is to know how these resorts change during the winter months. In many cases the properties are not geared up for cold weather as they were originally built as summer homes, and you might find you need to spend quite a bit of money on them to get them up to winter standards.

winter standards

Just a few thoughts that you should bear in mind before you go headfirst into buying a property abroad, but don’t be put off; once you find your ideal home you will wonder why you didn’t take the plunge sooner.