Just curious - would you sell your house.........

[frog]

not bothered about the pakistani stuff,if i could sell my house i would move on,spain is boring for me now after 10 years,uk maybe,got dogs tho,rabies updated ofc,in the meantime i will continue my farm(peachy joke)

[JAWG]

Don't own in Spain, and won't own in Spain.
Don't own in UK, and won't own in UK.
I am a Canadian who has spent the three winter months (Jan., Feb. and Mar.) in Spain every second year (this year will be the fifth). The alternate years we go to Florida. Main reason is to get away from the cold Canadian winter. We really enjoy our 3 months in Spain (more so than the 3 months in Florida).
But after reading all the horror stories on here about living in Spain, and, to a lesser degree, living in UK, there is no way I will sell my house here in Canada and move.

[frog]

yeh stay in canada jawg

[princess peach]

but if your hubby has work then why are you Concerned by the sterling rate?

Scotty my hubby works in Gib and so he gets paid in Sterling..
Thanks to everyone for their positive comments.After 6 years of being here in Spain,i arrived an outgoing bubbly person and i feel after 6 years of various horrible things happening to me here,that person is gradually fading away.I do feel sad at being here,but you HAVE to be positive.I find myself being jealous of people living in the UK and the ease of everything,healthcare,shopping,being able to hold a conversation,stupid things i took for granted when i lived there.I know if we returned home my son would settle into school,my husband would be able to go back to his old job....i dont know if i want to "slip" back into my old way of life...that was the reason for coming to spain in the first place....
I get down in the dumps,then think about what other people have to cope with,and honestly my problems are nothing compared to some peoples,we struggled a few months ago when the mortgage hit the roof,but now its lower than its ever been and we are much better off...and then the "other bills"come flying in...and we are back to square one...same as everyone else i suppose...
Frog... How are the Farmer Giles coming on??

[deidrev]

We sold up in the U.K. and came here eight-and-a-half years ago. We have had some great times here but we aren't getting any younger.
Our family are all back in the UK our daughter having lived and worked here for five years (our reason for moving here!) has two lovely children and we miss them! It is quite likely that, had she stayed here, so would we.
Circumstances change!
Like others I am less than happy with the amount of red tape, the lack of customer service, the way the Spanish ignore laws, from parking anywhere they like often blocking access to dropped kerbs for wheelchair users (no, I'm not one but I have seen a neighbour having to make a huge detour to access the pavement, because some thoughtless idiot had parked across the access!) to making unauthorised alterations to their apartments without the necessary permission of the urbanisation or indeed that of the local town hall! It's that "mi casa es mi casa" attitude!!

On the other hand we have made a great circle of friends, have enjoyed the lifestyle, the weather, the food and the wine. We have a great health centre, a lovely doctora, our experiences of the Costa del Sol hospital have been excellent both for ourselves and friends who have had treatment there, so no complaints on that score!

[Lavanda]

At the moment ... no. We have three properties in Extremadura but no mortgages or debts. We have pensions enough to survive a sterling-euro parity. We have friends, social life, interests, ideas and optimism. However, who knows what the future will bring? Spain is fantastic for us right now and we won't be moving or selling but ... ask me in five years ...

[gerryh]

We have lived here full time for 5½ years.
Sold our house in the UK when we moved.
Sometimes have frustrations with the Spanish way of doing things.
The exchange rate has dented my UK based pension.
On balance very happy here.
Absolutley no intention of selling up and moving back to the UK.
Cheers
Gerry

[Alan-LaCala]

I am with you Gerry.

Alan

[pete_l]

Wow, reading some of these makes me think A Place in the Sun has a lot to answer for
Although (obviously) not everyone wants to move to Britian, I wonder just how many people - and I'm not just talking about the people here - bought on the basis of what APITS and it's ilk were selling? Even if those programmes persuaded 100,000 people/families to buy at (say) 100 grand a property, that's 10 billion quids worth of sales. Not many programmes (and the one's it spawned) can claim a success anything like that.
I wonder if the spanish government ever had Amanda Lamb on commission? She probably brought more foreign money into Spain that anyone else, before or since.

[Devils Advocate]

A couple of really heartfelt, honest and very well written posts by Irene and P Peach.

Irene, the main thing that struck me in your post was you said that you love your house in Canillas..........that's a great start then as some people don't.
Think about it the other way around for a second. Say you'd decided to sell the Spanish house and buy a caravan in Spain instead?????...........you'd still be glaring at hubby squeezing past to go to the Loo , but on top of that you'd have the humungous bills looking after the UK home which would surely be a huge drain on the recources which is not applicable now...............as I always tell people, one years rates on our UK home would pay the bills on our Spanish house for 10 years. Another thing Irene (and I'm only guessing), but I bet for the money you payed for the Canillas house you would never in a million years buy a place in such nice surroundings in the UK for the same money.......at the end of the day you've a place to stay in both countries, be happy (as you usually are) and wait for things to pick up as they undoubtably will.
And Irene, I will still buy you that beer in Canillas when our paths cross

P Peach, again I think you've answered your own points which should make you chill a bit for the next few years and just enjoy life.
Make the decision conciously that you cannot do anything until your lad is finished with college then the heat is off.
It gives you 3 or 4 years breathing space to make your plans and who knows what may change in that time. House prices may have rocketed in Spain, hubby may have a thriving new business etc. etc............I've not liked everything you've posted on A.Com but you are obviously a hard working family with morals and ambition and your post backed that up without whinging..........all the very best with the next few years, I mean that.


At the end of the day it's all about peoples mindsets.
I could never sell our Spanish place as I'd feel "trapped" in the UK without my own bolthole to escape to in Spain when things are peeing me off here. By the same token I'd feel trapped if I sold the UK assets and moved to Spain.
I've said many times on here during UK v Spain debates that one good point cancels out another in each country.........to me they are 50/50 in plus and minus points.
The one thing is though that you certainly get more for your money bricks and mortar wise in Spain than the UK so just enjoy it whilst the dust from the "crisis" settles.

One things for sure, Spain will always be Number 1 destination for millions of Northern Europeans who want short haul and sun......it will always bounce back.

[K chameleon]

Don't want to sell. Will probably rent out at some point in future.
Started off as a great adventure 7 years ago. New life, better climate/pace for young family.
Find we're on the 'treadmill' again, but 'time off' is still better.
Missing family and friends more as time goes by, and more friends move back.
Realising parents are getting older....

Financial ups and downs, but that happens in the U.K.

Really feel for the pensioners out here, whose options are limited.
IMHO if you don't speak the language and have no family over here, cut your losses/house prices and move back! It's only money, your health is more important!
My Mum always says "theres no pockets in a shroud!"

As PP said there's always someone worse off.
You've only got to watch the news...

Best Wishes to all,
(o.k. you can stop yawning now)

[HKM]

No moving back for us.. Our son is 10 yrs and has been in school here since he was 5, it would be deeply unfair on him... He is happy, we are happy, we are not rich but have enough to see us through.. We have had a s##t year the death of close family members and friends.. A big operation, it kind of puts things into perspective.. Where ever you are make the most of what you have got..

HKM

[gerryh]

.... and move back! It's only money, your health is more important!

Are you saying that my health will be better if I move back?
Spain, or at least where I live has a far healthy climate than where I lived in the UK.

Or are you suggesting that health care in the UK is better than it is in Spain?

Had absolutely no problems, only good experiences, of the Spanish health care system.


Cheers
Gerry

[Devils Advocate]

I didn't think she was saying or suggesting anything of the sort

With you being a pensioner and not having to pay for treatments over there though, I guess you would think higher of the system than her.

[Julie]

Gerry

I don't think it was meant how you have taken it, I took it he was talking about mental health.

[Mowser]

Would I sell up here? Certainly - but not to move back to the UK. I'd sell up simply to buy a smaller place. We bought this house 20 years ago this month and came out every available holiday until 2004 when we came out to live full time. We knew the village - faults and all - so it wasn't as if we sold up and came here "on a whim."

After selling up in the UK, with our spare change we bought a 1 bed flat here. This is now rented out full time and we get more by renting than if we sold it and put the money into a building society.

We went back to the UK in January and bought a 2-bed flat. Mother-in-law lives in it and picks up the tab for council tax, electric, phone etc. When we go back for a visit, we dot between our flat and my parents' house.

Ask me again in 5 years. At the moment we are perfectly happy.

[K chameleon]

Gerry,
I have nothing but praise for Malaga University Hospital.
My comment was for non-Spanish speaking Pensioners, who are now struggling financially here.
Didn't think I needed to say, you're not getting any younger and there's a higher risk that you'll need
to spend some time in Hospital.
For all you fit, bi-lingual 70, 80, 90 somethings, no offence meant.

[frank]

"We bought this house 20 years ago this month and came out every available holiday until 2004 when we came out to live full time. We knew the village - faults and all - so it wasn't as if we sold up and came here "on a whim."
Almost identical story to our friends, they have always had a place just outside Canillas de Albaída, then bought a place in Otivar to be nearer the International School at Almuñecar, and then bought a duplex in Almuñecar for rental purposes. They have now enlarged the place in Canillas, and flit between the three houses, weekends in the hills etc! How the other half live! ;-) But they are all grafters and deserve everything they have worked for. They all speak good Spanish (the son, brilliant), have mainly Spanish friends, and have integrated totally. Like Mowser, they knew exactly what they were taking on, unlike those that upped sticks after seeing a TV programme on Spain. And of course, if you are struggling financially, it can be a completely different place, it's always so much harder with limited funds, wherever you are.

[Mowser]

Frank

No sign of your quote button being reinstated?

[frank]

[quote="Mowser"]Frank

No sign of your quote button being reinstated?[/quote]

Well, I certainly haven't asked! ;-) As I said, it's a life sentence!