Buying in area around Riofrio and Lake Isnajar

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proview1122
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Buying in area around Riofrio and Lake Isnajar

Postby proview1122 » Fri Mar 04, 2016 2:56 pm

Hi
Looking for general info on buying in Riofrio - Lake Isnajar area. Looked in Lecrin Valley last year but seems difficult to find place with pool at reasonable price there.
We are aware that Lake and area are higher and therefore cooler in winter months but quiet villages look appealing and we have several properties we plan to view with a local estate agent.
Any general advice about this area and process of buying would be much appreciated and we would also like to know of any good solicitors local to the area.
My wife and I are new to the forum but have already read through lots of good information regarding possible future move.
Thanks in anticipation of your help
Stewart

olive
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Re: Buying in area around Riofrio and Lake Isnajar

Postby olive » Sun Mar 06, 2016 7:38 pm

Hi, welcome to the forum.

There is a wealth of info on this forum about buying and what to look out for. A golden rule is you can't take anything the estate agent says as gospel. They are trying to sell on behalf of the vendor.

I live roughly in the area you describe.

Iznajar (pronounced very roughly as issnacker) is a very picturesque town perched on a cliff and situated half way along the lake which is ten miles long approx. It had a sizeable expat population which I suspect has reduced like many places following the crash and towards North end of the town are rows of town houses built about 8 years ago. There is a large supermarket at Rute (Mercadona) and plenty of small corner shop stores in the town. It had a small Eroski supermarket when I last looked too.

Rio Frio (cold river) is quite quaint and as a result touristy as it is just off the motorway. That motorway links you to Malaga (an hour) and Granada (50 minutes) and Seville (maybe 2 hours). Loja is the nearest town 10 minutes away. Nice place with churches, Moorish remnants etc. Good range of supermarkets. Mercadona,Lidl, Dia and Maskom plus shops and garages, 3 petrol stations. The river in Rio Frio issues from the base of the Sierra de Loja limestone mountains - about 1660 metres high and runs off into Lake Iznajar. Loja has Spanish estate agents with premises. Loja also has a new hospital which we have used several times for A and E. I do not know if the beds /ward part is open yet.

You are right about it being cooler inland. About nine years ago we had minus ten one night but I would say that is unusual. Frosts are not as is snow but that never stays long enough to be a problem. In the summer it is hotter than places like Malaga. Pool is a good idea. If I had my time again I would go for a plunge pool unless you like swimming or have guests.

Can't recommend a solicitor in the area but can recommend a gestor that speaks English when you need to do stuff like tax returns.

One last point. Why not rent for a while and use that to see if you like an area and to see what is available. Buying is a big step. Plenty available, buyers market, not so easy to sell.

Hope that helps

Spannerdave
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Re: Buying in area around Riofrio and Lake Isnajar

Postby Spannerdave » Sun Mar 06, 2016 9:41 pm

Evening Stewart,

We bought a house in the Iznajar area last summer and the more we see of the area, the more we are certain we chose well. The village has it's own unspoilt character and there are many properties available in the surrounding villages. We learnt this winter just how cold the nights can be up the mountains and equally that much hotter than the coast in summer, but it's manageable with a pool !

Iznajar lake is the center piece of the area and a magnificent sight all year. I'd recommend renting near the village and have a good look around...

All the very best

proview1122
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Re: Buying in area around Riofrio and Lake Isnajar

Postby proview1122 » Mon Mar 07, 2016 10:09 am

Many thanks for the very informative replies, it sounds just what we are looking for.

Olive If you could pm me the name / address for the gestor that would be much appreciated.

From reading the posts I would think aircon for the summer and central heating for the winter :D

many thanks
Stewart

olive
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Re: Buying in area around Riofrio and Lake Isnajar

Postby olive » Mon Mar 07, 2016 11:29 am

I have pm'd you a link to his website.

Pros and cons for air con. Again you will see lots of posts on the subject. Good models provide heat in the winter and cool you in the summer. You will find electric a bit more expensive over here.

We tried air con and didn't get on with it. Ended up with ceiling fans -which we like, going to bed much later, having a siesta. For heating we use a portable gas heater for during the day e.g. sitting in office and log burners at night. There aren't that many properties around with central heating. A couple of Spanish friends had boilers powered by olive pips and central heating installed a couple of years ago. One uses radiators and the other underfloor heating pipes. Impressive. Log burners sound romantic but are messy, need feeding regularly and you need a supply of wood and somewhere to store it.

One thing I have realised is the rural Spaniards were/are a very hardy breed. In our village many live the way they always have. No air con or fans. Heating laughably provided by a smouldering open fire that periodically coughs and fills the room with smoke. Probably why they have the door wide open.

proview1122
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Re: Buying in area around Riofrio and Lake Isnajar

Postby proview1122 » Mon Mar 07, 2016 5:38 pm

we have a log burner here in the uk so it holds no mystery there, the last time we came to spain for 6 weeks in the summer 3 weeks at 2 properties one fad fans, one had air con to be honest we probably would go for fans (cheaper and healthier imho) but if its fitted in a property then its a bonus. Looking forward to the coming month searching, will keep you posted.
regards
stewart

maureenscot
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Re: Buying in area around Riofrio and Lake Isnajar

Postby maureenscot » Mon Mar 07, 2016 7:53 pm

Good info on this post. Is Rute a place where it would be ok to stay? I am coming over on holiday and will visit various places. But I would like to base myself in a larger town for a change

proview1122
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Re: Buying in area around Riofrio and Lake Isnajar

Postby proview1122 » Tue Mar 08, 2016 10:26 am

Thanks for all the helpful information so far.
We are looking at properties next week in Riofrio, Fuente del Conde and Fuente Camacho. Although the house purchase may be a potential permanent home for us, initially we plan to use it as a holiday home. With this in mind how safe are these areas in terms of leaving the property empty at times?
Letting out the property is also a consideration but we are aware of the current changes regarding Tourism License applications - anyone know of a good source of information which clarifies the details of this?Thanks Stewart & J

swerve
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Re: Buying in area around Riofrio and Lake Isnajar

Postby swerve » Tue Mar 08, 2016 11:21 am

Re safety. We have had a holiday home for the last 10 years and have been lucky enough to to have had no major problems other than a few bits and bobs stolen from outside cupboards. Ideally I would recommend somwhere that you have people living there all year round as they can keep an eye on your property for you. We always give away a few bottles of wine yearly as we appreciate the neighbors and are glad that they keep an eye out for anything untoward. As for renting your house out we have been down that route and to be honest unless you need the money it's just not worth the hassle. When you way up the money you get in return. Say you rent it out for holiday lets and use an agent they will want 10% at least. Then you will need someone to prepare the house for the rental and do the same for the next one if you have one. They will need paying. Then there's the breakages or things that may get stolen. Then there's the electricity bills when they leave the air conditioning on 24/7. You maybe left with say 100€ after a typical rental for all that hassle. You've got to ask yourself do I really need 100€ that much. In our opinion no we don't.
It always seems imposible until its done. Nelson Mandela

proview1122
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Re: Buying in area around Riofrio and Lake Isnajar

Postby proview1122 » Tue Mar 15, 2016 10:12 pm

thanks for the info, I imagine a very honest description of how it is, and its about what I had hoped for. Well we are in the area having a look round and have seen some interesting property to ponder over.
Regards to all that have found the time to respond

stewart


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