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Understanding Cabañas

October 27, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Very soon we will be making a full explainer video with a lawyer about the very misunderstood topic of cabañas – the mountain cabins which are availabe to buy in Spain – and especially in Asturias. Because these cabañas don’t really exist in many other parts of Europe, they are often misunderstood. We offer a variety of cabañas for sale and they often seem, especially from the outside, a very economic way to get a foothold in the Asturian property market and a good way to make the move to Spain.

However, it’s not quite as simple as that mainly for the reason that a cabaña is not a house. Legally there is a pretty clear distinction between a cabaña and house and thus the ‘rights’ that come with each are different so it is essential to understand what you are buying if you are thinking of buying a cabaña.

So here I am going to post a brief piece which is a simple summary of the basic information so that you can see if a cabaña is for you. Naturally there are caveats to this piece, in that across the various concejos of Asturias there are various ‘gradings’ to the land some much more restrictive than others, and there can be slightly different attitudes at different town halls – but overall very similar restrictions apply.

What is a cabaña?
As I stated above cabañas area kind of staple of Asturian life – they exist in high pasturelands where, in the past, shepherds looking after cows sheep or goats would stay while the cattle fed. These structures would normally be very basic with water from a spring, no electricity and a living space upstairs and barn downstairs. Naturally they were usually built with the local stone and wood and in general were pretty small – just two rooms. Another part of cabaña life is that they usually had a patch or ‘parcela’ of land attached to them which would usually be demarcated reasonably well with a fence or wall.

However, with the demise of this lifestyle, these now mainly abandoned structures have passed down to people who have started to use them for a more leisurely lifestyle. They create ‘second-homes’ in the hills where they would spend weekends and holidays in nature enjoying the land which their forefathers worked. As often as not these conversion have been ‘labours of love’ with people spending years turning what was essentially a shed into what can be reasonably well appointed structure – there are many examples of this on the market. More recently some cabañas have been converted specifically to sell and we are seeing more of a market in this type of cabaña – though this is not at all to denigrate this.

Finally most cabañas will have a ‘tricky’ access, almost never from a tarmacced road, usually from a track which can either be well or badly maintained and subject to changing state across the seasons.

This is a good example of a classic, renovated, two room cabaña with a plot of land:

What can I expect from a cabaña?
Structurally, most cabañas will be almost all stone built with wooden beams throughout which would have been all chestnut or oak in the past. However, though many cabañas will have retained these main beams as often as not the floors may well have been replaced with pine. A renovated structure will generally have been fully repointed and may well have new double glazed windows. They will generally have a had a modern toilet fitted and maybe a shower. The roof will be a traditional ‘pan tile’ construction which once renovated is very watertight and works very well – sometimes there will be a waterproof membrane ‘ondeline’ fitted beneath the tiles and very occasionally it will be insulated. As most people view cabañas as a summer destination the insulation is not usually done. Windows will generally be small and it is not generally permitted to expand the window size, sometimes there will be velux type windows in the roof but it is a moot point as to whether these are strictly allowed legally.

As I have already mentioned most cabañas will be a simple ‘one-up one-down’ layout and will be small – around 30m2 per floor. There are exceptions to this rule and some have multiple rooms and extra structures but in general they are not big. So when you are considering one please make sure you check out the meterage.

An old cabaña which has not been renovated will be unlikely to have cement in the walls and will be very likely to have a stone and mud construction and no toilet. To be honest renovating a cabaña is a subject in itself (exactly what you can and cannot do) and in this article really we are mainly talking about ready to go cabañas which are already done and the general ínformation surrounding that.

Can I change the status of my cabaña from a cabaña to a house?
This is  very, very unlikely and in the case that it may be possible this will usually be stated in any advert as it confers extra rights. The price will usually be higher as well.

Do I have rights to water and electicity in a cabaña?
Basically no! And this is one of the main differences between a cabaña and a house. Water will either be spring water off the mountain – ‘manantial’ or ‘fuente’ in Spanish – or very occasionally you would have to bring it in. Most cabañas have their own supply but many are shared. Electricity from the grid is almost never an option and nearly all the cabañas we have are with solar panels. It is importnat to check out how many each has and what power they supply for what you want to do. So for example many people with have a gas fridge and a gas hob and water heater instead of electric to keep the usage low.

Access to a cabaña / Situation
Access to a cabaña is very variable and this can be from just off a reasonable road to a track only manageable in a proper 4×4. It is important to consider the access and whether you would be happy driving it across all weathers and seasons – if you just want to use it occasionally will your ‘normal’ car get there ok? As mentioned before most cabañas are not in easily accessed spots so it can be a big effort to get to the nearest town and so shopping, going out to bar, taking children to school or getting to a health centre can be tiring and tricky journeys. All this should be borne in mind.

Can I live in a cabaña full time?
The big question! Essentially there is no 100% correct answer to this question save to say that people do and you can, but legally it is a little bit of a grey area.

Can I ’empadronar’ from a cabaña?
To ’empadronar’ is to register with the local council or ayuntamiento in Spanish to say that you are living in the area – this gives you certain rights. And yes normally you can empadronar from a cabaña, but again it is not 100% guaranteed.

Can I expand my cabaña?
Put pretty simply, generally no!! Once again a cabaña is not a house and so once again there are different rules. In many cases a house can be expanded up to 250m2 so a smaller house structure will usually be granted a permiso to be able to expand the footprint. This will almost certainly not happen with a cabaña. What you see is what you get.

Can I rent my cabaña?
Again no! You cannot rent out a cabaña on AirBnB or any other such site legally. You will not get a license. Without a licence you can be subject to a large fine.

Summary
Hopefully this should give a better understanding of what cabañas are, and orientate you a little on the most important fact, which is well worth repeating, a cabaña is not a house.
So if you want a house buy a house – it will generally cost you more but does come with the basic rights of electricity and water.

However, if you are set on a cabaña then we would not put you off, they are often in stunning places with a large patch of land and will offer a lifestyle that is ‘out of the ordinary’.

Click the cabaña option on the front page to see the cabañas we currently have.

Or here are a couple of those we currently have on offer are:

Unique opportunity to buy 2 idyllic cabañas, Piloña. €200,000 Ref 2359

Fully renovated, stone-built cabaña with stunning views, Piloña, Asturias. €75,000 Ref 1297

Filed Under: Asturias, Asturias property, Life in Asturias, Moving to Spain, overseas property

New Testimonial Video – Neil Abbott Uk Client Jan 2023

January 24, 2023 by Leave a Comment

In this video Neil Abbott an English client of Spanish Property North gives a testimonial about working with Mary when he bought his property in Asturias.

We are so grateful for the recommendation and if anyone out there is looking for a house or simply needs help with the purchase process or other relocation services please do get in touch and we will offer you the same level of service that made Neil a very happy client.

The text of the video is below:
‘My name’s Neil, a client of Mary Ryan from Spanish Property North and i just wanted to recommend her if you are thinking of buying a place in Spain, to get away from it all and to live the dream!
I just wanted to say that Mary is a very, very good estate agent who knows how things work here. I couldn’t have got this place without her – she made the impossible happen! So i got this 265m2 house with 5 bedrooms – I’ve renovated the 5th bedroom into a yoga space so now I can offer meditation + yoga retreats breathwork, and cold water bathing. So thanks Mary, it was amazing how you managed to pull all that off during the lockdown.
So I’m really grateful for that, and if anyone’s having thoughts about using Mary, I’d say she’s your best bet, especially if Spanish is not your first language as she knows the system and keeps everything simple and very efficient. I couldn’t have done it without you Mary It was incredible how it all worked out and now I own this place! I have big plans for this place and everyday it’s a joy to get up and do things here!’

Filed Under: Asturias, Moving to Spain, overseas property, testimonial

Latest testimonial – Assistance with property purchase in northern Spain

December 8, 2022 by

One of the services which Spanish Property North offers is a package to assist people, even though they may not have found the property through us, to complete a purchase of a property in Northern Spain. We can ‘hold your hand’ throughout the process – from initial view of the paper work to translating at the signing (and beyond) – to make sure this important, expensive and often tricky process runs as smoothly as possible.

For example, earlier this year we had the pleasure of assisting Frank and Safia from the Netherlands with the purchase of a property in Colunga, Asturias and later advising them on a second purchase that they were also considering. They found the properties via a local agent and they then employed us on a consultancy basis to guide them safely and easily through the whole process; from negotiations through obtaining NIEs, overseeing technical reports, attendance in Notaría and assistance with utiities and bank accounts.

Here you can read their experience in their own words:

Our story:
Mary was introduced to us by a young Dutch woman, who until recently lived in Asturias, somewhere high in the mountains, who had positive experiences with Mary when buying and selling her house in Spain. Mary is originally English, but has lived with her family in Asturias for almost 18 years and is therefore fluent in Spanish.  She knows professionally about all the in/outs/formalities and was willing to guide us through this purchasing process.  You need someone like that.  Point.  Only then can you continue in the purchasing process.

A buying process of a house in Spain requires specific knowledge and is not completed in 1 day.  To avoid surprises and traveling back and forth, we have authorized Mary to do business on our behalf, up to the signing of the purchase contract.  This is formally recorded with a Spanish notary, in Oviedo.  This means that it is not without obligation, and reliable.

There were some minor defects in the house we wanted to buy that needed to be resolved.  All this was neatly laid down in the preliminary purchase contract.  Under the watchful eye of Mary. Anyway, we finally came to a financial agreement with the seller, the required documents were approved by Mother Mary, and on the last day of our stay in Spain we were able to sign the preliminary purchase contract ourselves.

Back in NL we have transferred the deposit, 10% of the purchase amount, with which the ‘object’ is also off the market. Mary started in Spain with the application of the required NIE numbers.  This is a citizen service number for foreign residents  and is requested at a police station. Finally, a few months later, Mary signed the purchase contract in Spain, so we did not have to go to Spain, which saved us time and money!

At a later stage, Mary also helped us with some problems with the bills from the energy company there. Finally, she advised us on the inspection of another house in Asturias, by calling in an architect for an architectural report, as a result of which the purchase of that house (fortunately afterwards) did not go through.

In other words: Mary, thank you very much!
Frank and Safia, the Netherlands (and now Asturias).

A Notary's office

The Notary prepares the deed of purchase and publicly notarises before presenting it to the Land Registry

Filed Under: Asturias, Asturias property, Moving to Spain, overseas property, testimonial

The Spanish Golden Visa

September 22, 2022 by

The Spanish Golden Visa is currently a hotter topic than ever. Post-Brexit, British nationals have joined the ranks of non-EU citizens who have to concern themselves with visas for living and working in Spain and for spending unrestricted periods anywhere within the Schengen zone. The Golden Visa can be a great solution.

With the Spanish Golden Visa you get automatic residency, the right to live and work in Spain and the right to unlimited travel within the Schengen zone for you and your family. You are not even obliged to spend a minimum length of time per year within the country – other visas require proof that you spend at least 6 months a year, which is also the length of time that makes you a fiscal resident. 

A stunning property for sale close to the beach in Ribadesella, Asturias Northern Spain...

A stunning property close to the beach in Ribadesella…

In short, the golden visa gives you the most rights and freedoms with the least limitations and obligations and is well worth considering if you have the means to meet the investment criteria.

The simplest way to obtain the Golden visa is by investing a minimum of 500,000€ in property within Spain. This can be spread across a number of properties and a range of areas and there is no set time frame within which you must make the purchases.  So, if you already own a property in Spain that could count towards it. One important point to note is that the qualifying 500,000€ must be paid for out of your own pocket. You can take out a mortgage on anything above that amount if your purchase is more expensive.

Many non-EU citizens wishing to make the move to Spain are opting to buy their main family home at a more modest cost and making up the rest of the required Golden Visa spend with investment property. With a booming tourist rental sector if you invest wisely you could be looking at a healthy income from your investment as well as starting your new life in Spain in the home of your dreams.

At the present time the visa is shceduled to be discontinued but there has been no absolute date fixed

Full details of requirements are listed here on the Spanish government website

If you are interested in a Golden Visa some of the properties on our site that may interest you are:

Stunning five bedrooom modern villa just oustide Cangas de Onis

A lovely, large stone-built hotel in the countryside of Parres

This luxury villa with a pool next to the Sella river

This magnificnet detached villa next to the estuary in Villaviciosa

And if you are interested in learning more about the visa please get in touch….

 

Filed Under: Moving to Spain, overseas property, Spanish visas

Inspiration in the Picos

January 12, 2020 by

The Picos de Europa mountains in all their winter glory. View from Labra, Cangas de Onís

Yesterday, Saturday, as I left a viewing and dashed hurriedly to meet another client and hand over her deeds, I was confronted by this spectacular sight as I rounded a bend. Despite 14 years living in Asturias the views never get old. They change constantly with the light – whipped around by time of day and year and varying meteorological conditions – and never fail to inspire awe. So, despite being in a rush, I stopped the car, jumped out and took a couple of snaps with my phone (cursing myself for not carrying a proper camera with me.)

The snap doesn’t do the scene justice at all. It is but a very pale representation of the reality but I share it anyway because even in its insipid imitation it can afford you a tiny glimpse of the backdrop to my daily work and life. Lucky or what?

But you know what they say – you can make your own luck. Which is exactly what so many of my clients do and why I find it so rewarding to work with them (with you!) Just as the natural splendour of the Asturian landscape never ceases to inspire me nor do my clients. I work with people from many different countries and a wide range of backgrounds and ages but they all share one thing in common – they all dare to dream. Some dream bigger, some smaller, some more complex and some more straightforward but all, without exception, are dreamers of some form and all are daring enough to take action towards those dreams.

So as we embark on a new decade I say here’s to a great year of working together to make those dreams come true!

Filed Under: Asturias, Asturias property, Life in Asturias, overseas property

Peña Mayor and Les Praeres, Nava

February 1, 2018 by

I’ve often heard Asturias described as ‘Wales on steroids’. The truth of this really came home to me one day when I realised that the ‘wee hill’  behind Nava in the Comarca de la Sidra is actually higher than Snowdon!

Dwarfed by its imposing background of the mountains of the Cordillera Cantábrica and Picos de Europa it may be, but Peña Mayor is a beautiful mountain in its own right and is criss-crossed with great hiking and biking trails to explore and from where to drink in the stunning panoramic views. On a clear day you can see as far as the sea to the north and to the south its snow-capped sisters are almost always in view, although ever-changing according to the varying light of different times of day and year.

cabin on Peña Mayor, Asturias

Cabins on Peña Mayor, Picos de Europa to the background

Peña Mayor actually straddles four counties; Nava, Piloña, Bimenes and Laviana. On the Nava side of its slopes lies the open expanse of Les Praeres, easily accessible via a 4km track that ascends steeply from the village of Piloñeta topping out at the famed bar-restaurant. A unique establishment, Bar Les Praeres is off-grid and chock full of authentic rustic charm, as well as having views to die for. On weekends it does a splendid barbecue with meat often supplied by local hunters. Great for replenishing energy after a day spent exploring some of the many trails that set off from here. Although if you get too friendly with their adopted resident deer Bambi then you may find the meat grill losing its appeal….

This year, on September 8th 2018, Les Praeres will host a stage finish of the prestigious Vuelta a España, bringing its charms to the eyes of a wider international audience with the televised footage. But for a sneak preview and a proper bird’s eye view of it check out this drone footage from Turismo Asturias.


If you like what you see and you’re interested in grabbing yourself a more permanent slice of Peña Mayor then we can help you. We have cabañas for sale in various locations on the mountain itself as well as houses in nearby towns, villages and countryside. Contact us with your specific requirements and soon you could be hiking these trails whenever you want!

 

 

Filed Under: Asturias, Asturias property, Life in Asturias, overseas property Tagged With: , , , ,

Latest Client Testimonial

January 13, 2017 by

*To access listings from a mobile scroll down and click ‘view full site’*

Dave and Anna Renner are a young British couple who got in touch with me in autumn last year looking for assistance in finding their ideal property here in northern Spain. They had already been searching for some time when they had the good fortune to meet some former clients of mine who are currently renovating a house they bought through me in Cantabria and they recommended they contact me.

Cordillera Cantabrica mountains in central Asturias

Dave and Anna fell in love with views like this in the mountains of central Asturias

Below, in their own words, is the Renner’s experience of house-hunting with Spanish Property North.

Mary made our property search relaxed and enjoyable, when previously it had been quite a frustrating process. She had a long discussion with us about our requirements, and had a good knowledge of our search area, meaning she was able to quickly narrow down the search to properties that matched our criteria and budget. Unlike some agents we had worked with in the UK, she didn’t waste time showing us unsuitable properties, and she was also very easy to contact and get information from. We were looking at properties all over Asturias, and Mary took loads of time driving out to meet us at various remote locations to investigate potential purchases. Once we’d decided on a property she managed everything to make the actual purchase process easy. She also acted as our translator with the Notary and the Vendor during the completion meeting, making sure we understood the contract and patiently going over clarifications and corrections to the deeds. She was really great with little details that might have tripped us up, like helping us get our NIEs and making sure we opened a non-resident rather than resident bank account, which would have caused problems on completion day. Overall it was a really positive experience and if you are looking for property in the area we would definitely recommend contacting Spanish Property North.

Dave and Anna Renner

Filed Under: Asturias, Asturias property, overseas property, testimonial

The Brexit Effect

January 4, 2017 by

flag of Europe

Brexit. The B word that is on everybody’s minds right now, especially any Brit who is living in or considering a move to a European country. It’s hardly surprising then that a number of clients have asked me to write an article on the potential effects of a British exit from the European Union. So here’s my two (euro) cents’ worth.

The first thing to say is that nobody really knows exactly what’s going to happen with Brexit. Least of all, it would seem, the British government. Just yesterday Britain’s ambassador to the European Union and one of their most experienced EU diplomats resigned amidst a row over his candid observations that Brexit negotiations could take as long as 10 years.

This thing could run and run. In the meantime, there’s really no point in getting bogged down in pointless speculation but there are some things that we do know for sure and which I’ll try and outline here.

I can tell you for one that currently Brexit is, somewhat counter-intuitively, serving to give a push to my core market as Brits rush to get themselves established in Spain before Brexit kicks in, in whatever format it ends up taking. Many people who may have been dreaming for years of a move to Spain have suddenly found their plans firmly shoved from the back burner to the front as they see the possibility of their dreams being snatched away from them by external forces.

For the Brits who are already here and legally resident it is likely that not a huge amount will materially change although there will almost certainly be more bureaucratic hoops to jump through.

Facts for residents:
– if you have been legally resident in Spain for ten years or more you can apply for Spanish citizenship. (Note, Spain doesn’t recognise dual nationality although Britain does.)
– If you are an EU citizen who has been a legal resident for 5 years or more you have the right to permanent residency without any conditions.

EU nationals living in Spain are required to register with the Spanish authorities (Extranjería). This resident’s document has no expiry date on it and many Brits are now keen to get over here and get registered as an EU resident as soon as possible in order to try and protect their automatic rights to live and work here. It is possible that the rights of those already resident before Brexit takes place will be protected, plus the sooner you get registered as resident the sooner you start clocking up years of residency, accumulating rights and moving towards a position where you could apply for permanent residency or citizenship. That being said, until negotiations take place over the rights of EU citizens in Britain and vice versa we can’t know for sure what the outcome will be.

The right to buy property and the right to own a business are enshrined under international law and so will not be affected by an exit from the EU. 

The process for purchasing property in Spain is exactly the same for non-EU citizens as it is for EU ones. I have sold properties to South Africans, Americans, Brazilians and Australians as well as Europeans and it has been equally straightforward in all cases.

Where rights do differ is in the right to residency and to work. If we take the worst-case scenario and imagine a full-on hard Brexit, where Britain gives no quarter, leaves the single market and completely rejects free movement of labour then we would be looking at Brits having to go through the same processes as, say, an American citizen in order to obtain the right to live and work in Spain.

The thing to remember is that Americans and other non-EU citizens can and do manage to get work and residency permits for Spain. It may be a convoluted and time-consuming process but it is do-able and there is help out there. Sites like Spain Guru provide great advice on the processes that non-EU citizens need to go through in order to live and work legally in Spain.  Check out their article on the main routes to getting a work-permit in Spain here.

As many of my clients are entrepreneurial types with aspirations to develop a business or work on a freelance basis here in Spain I know that the self-employment (or autónomo) option and that of owning a business will be of particular interest. Other routes to residency are also available however, such as a non-lucrative residency visa if you have funds to support yourself and do not need to seek employment in Spain – I have some South-African clients who now live here on this basis, for example.

So those are the worst-case, hardest-Brexit scenarios. As I said at the start though, we don’t know when or how Brexit will really happen and it’s not something that we have any control over. The bottom line is that if you really want to move to Spain then you need to find a way to make it work for you. And you will.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Asturias property, overseas property Tagged With: , , ,

Happy New Year!

January 1, 2017 by

mountain view in Asturias

It’s January 1st 2017 and this is the view I’ve woken up to. Today the choice is between mountains or beach and my seven year old has spoken and decided on a hike and a bike ride, so mountains it is. The sun is shining and the sky is blue, as they have been all of this Christmas holiday. I could not be happier with where I live. Will 2017 be the year you make a move and seek out your own piece of paradise?

Wishing you health and happiness for the new year.

 

Filed Under: Asturias, Asturias property, Life in Asturias, overseas property

Brexit and the Pound – Information and Advice

July 7, 2016 by

Our colleagues at Hifx International Payments have been very busy of late with all the market fluctuations and uncertainty surrounding Brexit but they have found time to issue some helpful information and advice for customers who need to make transfers abroad; whether for a one-off house purchase, payment of building costs, or regular transfer of pension or salary into euros.

We’ve reprinted their advice below so you can find out how best to insulate yourself from any Brexit fallout.

 

What impact is Brexit having on the Pound?

 

It’s been just over a week now since the surprise announcement that Britain had voted to leave the EU. Since then, there have been a number of movements in the Pound in both directions. While there have been lots of headlines about the Pound rising or falling, it’s worth remembering that we are still at the beginning of a long journey and it’s likely that there will be a more fluctuations – both up and down – along the way as markets react to each new development.

 

We’ve taken a look at some of the events that have impacted the Pound so far and looked forward to the events that may have an influence in the coming weeks.

 

The reaction so far;

 

It’s been a very busy period for the Pound. It was steadily climbing against the Dollar in the week leading up to the referendum but fell to a 31 year low once the results were announced, followed by a couple of ups and downs as the markets digested the news. A weaker pound is great news for any overseas investors looking to invest in UK property as it can mean substantial discounts in cost. Below is a chart which shows the difference in cost for £1,000,000 property between the highs and lows of the past 2 weeks;

 

 

  High Low Potential Saving
USDGBP $1,500,555 $1,314,698 $185,857
EURGBP €1,313,698 €1,185,396 €128,302
SGDGBP SG2,005,696 SG$1,781,864 SG$223,832
HKDGBP HK$11,640,088 HK$10,203,040 HK$1,437,048
AEDGBP AED5,511,768 AED4,828,818 AED682,950

 

 

GBPUSD Referendum

 

So what have been the main factors affecting these movements?

 

Throughout the referendum campaign period, the Pound generally tended to rise if opinion polls were in favour of Remain and fall if they showed a lead for Leave. On voting day, both the final opinion polls and the betting odds were suggesting that a vote to remain in the EU was most likely, causing the Pound to climb to 1.50 against the Dollar, the highest it has been so far in 2016.

 

This changed rapidly when the first results started to come through, as they suggested that Remain had not done as well as expected. The Pound continued to fall through early Friday morning, falling as low as 1.33, the lowest level since 1985. But after the initial shock, the markets did start to stabilise.

 

Throughout Monday and Tuesday, the initial signs were that the market was starting to recover from the shock, as both the FTSE 100 and the Pound started to rise again. But markets then became more nervous again on Thursday, when the Bank of England suggested that some monetary stimulus was likely to be necessary over the summer.

 

The situation has been broadly similar for the Pound against the Euro. However, it has been slightly complicated by the fact that the European markets were also influenced by the referendum result. This means that, comparatively, some of the fluctuations between the Pound and the Euro have been less severe than between the Pound and the Dollar:

 

GBPEUR Referendum

 

What will happen next?

 

The reaction so far has shown that the Pound is currently in a volatile position. Each piece of breaking news can have a short term effect on its value, but the longer term picture is currently much harder to predict as there simply isn’t enough information at this point.

 

But there are a few key events to look out for that may have an impact:

  • More economic data: this should start to come through in late July and it might provide a clearer picture of how the UK has been affected by the referendum result.
  • Monetary policy action from the Bank of England: Mark Carney has given a clear signal that the Bank of England will be looking at how they can try to offset some of the negative economic shock that they expect to see following the referendum result, possibly this month.
  • New Conservative leader: a removal in uncertainty could cause the Pound to rise, but it may depend on who is chosen. For example, the Pound briefly rose when Boris Johnson announced he wouldn’t be standing in the leadership election.
  • Article 50 triggered: a delay in this could cause the markets to become nervous again due to the ongoing uncertainty, which may cause the Pound to gradually decline.
  • New trading deals: if it appears these will be favourable for the UK, the Pound is likely to rise. But delays in negotiations or negative sentiment from Europe could have the opposite effect.

 

How can you prepare?

 

The good news is that, whatever happens next, there are a few options for you to consider that could help to reduce the risk of currency fluctuations.

 

If you spot a favourable rate, we also have a couple of ways to help you take advantage of this. If you know you have a single large payment coming up, such as a property purchase, you could set up a forward contract. This allows you to buy currency at the current rates, but pay for the majority of it up to two years later.

 

If you need to make regular transfers, such as for a mortgage or a pension, we can help you set up a regular payment plan. This automates your payments and secures the current exchange rate for up to two years.

 

If you’d like to keep an eye on exchange rates, we can help you. On our Marketwatch page, you can watch the market trends or sign up for daily rate alerts on a range of our most popular currencies. If you sign up for a HiFX account, you will also have the option to set up personalised rate alerts, which will let you know when your target currency hits your desired rate.

 

Whatever your international payment needs, HiFX is on hand to help. If you’d like to find out more, please call our friendly experts at your local Spanish office 0034 951 203 986 or email costadelsol@hifx.co.uk

 

Filed Under: overseas property Tagged With: , , , ,

Buying a House in Asturias – One Buyer’s Story

May 13, 2016 by
It’s great to hear feedback from happy clients and, quite apart from blowing our own trumpet, sharing it helps give an unbiased insight into how the whole process of buying a property in northern Spain works from a buyer’s perspective. So, here in his own unedited words, is the experience of Mick Wyldbore-Wood. Mick is a fireman from Derbyshire, dedicated family man and has previously completed the gruelling Marathon des Sables. To that list of achievements he can now add the purchase of a holiday home in Asturias. Let the new adventure begin!
Mick about to embark on his adventure in the Marathon des Sables

Mick about to embark on his adventure in the Marathon des Sables

‘I had spent more hours than I should have browsing the Internet and looking into Northern Spain after a Galician friend of mine insisted that, due to my love of the outdoors and adventure, I should check it out. During my research I kept getting pulled towards Asturias with its plethora of beaches and rugged coastline, mountains, ski slopes, national parks, rivers and culture. It was then that I stumbled across www.spanishpropertynorth.com and first contacted Mary. I had been shocked by the value and prices of properties available, even more so realising that by taking a risk I could get a loan to buy a property out there, but things would be tight! So, I took the leap and got in touch. Now, buying a property is daunting but buying overseas was terrifying. What are the processes involved? What do I need to do? Who do I trust?? I decided to make a trip out there and see several contacts that I’d got from the Internet, that way I could assess them face to face and make a few viewings of available properties. That was a mixed trip and I experienced the whole range really, property agents who were really helpful and took me around helping communication right through to people who actually never showed up but just arranged meetings with local estate agents who spoke no English at all, leaving me neck deep in unfamiliar waters! Amongst it all was Mary Ryan, thankfully! I explained my very tight budget, my wishes of what I needed from a property and how me and my family would be using the place. She listened, was really understanding and chose a handful of places that she thought would suit. We spent a day where she drove me around Asturias showing me places, talking to owners and generally gave me a lot of information on the area. She even showed me her home and introduced me to her husband, Richie, and their son. I knew right away that I had found a real gem who would help me through the process, but not just to sell a property but because she wanted to help me make it all work out for me and my family. She was someone I could trust and the value of that is immeasurable! Mary showed me the picturesque hillside village of Torazo and a lovely little cottage. I fell in love straight away but it needed a little work and was just out of my budget. I returned home despondent and a while went by. I had almost given up, deciding that my budget was just too small, but the house reduced in price, almost to within my reach and so I took a punt. I contacted Mary again explained my thoughts and asked her if she would make a cheeky offer. I don’t know what kind of voodoo she did but she negotiated with a whole extended family of owners and managed to get them to agree! I visited again a few weeks later and Mary babysat me through the whole process of getting my NIE sorted, bank accounts opened she even educated me on currency exchange sites to ensure I got the best rates. She has helped with everything, been on hand for any questions I had and it’s fair to say that I simply couldn’t have bought my house without her, especially when the negotiations became difficult due to internal family politics with the sellers!! I can happily say now that I am the proud owner of a little place in Torazo and I love it! You’d think that’s where Things end with Mary, right? No, like I said she really does more than just sell you a place she makes it work for you. She even sorted out my electricity supplier after I had trouble doing it from the UK. In short I have found in Mary somebody who I can trust, a woman with a genuine desire to help people fulfil their dreams of owning a home in Asturias and somebody I can now call a friend. If you are considering buying a place of your own you’d simply be foolish not to speak to Mary. I cannot recommend her highly enough. She’s great at what she does and she helps you at every turn. Thanks for everything Mary xxx’
Mick about to embark on his latest adventure in Asturias

Mick about to embark on his latest adventure in Asturias

Mick has also very kindly said that if anyone reading this is thinking of buying a property in northern Spain and would like to get in touch with him for more first-hand help and insight into the process from a buyer’s perspective then he is happy to be emailed. Email us at info@spanishpropertynorth.com and we’ll put you in touch.

Filed Under: Asturias property, overseas property, testimonial

Property of the Month

February 25, 2016 by

We are often contacted by clients who have walked the Camino de Santiago and now wish to relocate to this beautiful part of northern Spain and to have the opportunity to offer accommodation to fellow pilgrims. The thing is it’s not actually that easy to find a property that meets their criteria. First off it needs to be within very close distance of the Camino – if you’re doing all that walking you’re going to be counting your steps to your accommodation just as carefully as the euros you spend on it. Secondly, any potential property purchase needs to have the space and potential to offer adequate development and space for pilgrims and thirdly, it needs to come in on a reasonable budget.

Sadly, often-times I find myself forced to tell would-be clients that we just don’t have anything suitable to offer them. Which is why I’m so excited about this particular property. A detached, stone-built house in habitable condition and with a ton of further development opportunity – a ground floor ‘llagar’ ripe for conversion, more outbuildings and a further 2,500m2 of buildable land, all within 1km of the Camino in a tranquil location with stunning views to the Sueve mountain.

All in all a very special property and a wonderful opportunity for the right buyer(s).

Contact us to book a viewing.

Click to view the full property details

Detached house with barns, horreo and land

Detached house with barns, horreo and land

 

 

Filed Under: Asturias property, overseas property Tagged With: ,

Escape to the Continent

June 13, 2015 by

We’ve been really looking forward to watching the Asturias episode of BBC’s ‘Escape to the Continent’ since we helped the production team with filming last October. Yesterday our long wait came to an end and we have to say it was worth the wait. If you haven’t seen it already then check it out on BBC iplayer.

Magical morning views from one of the properties featured in the show

Magical morning views from one of the properties featured in the show

If you don’t know Asturias very well then it’s an excellent, highly visual introduction to the region as well as to the Asturian property market. If you’re already a fan of the area then you can just sit back and enjoy the spectacular scenery whilst keeping a beady eye out for places and people you recognize!

And if the show gets you itching to buy one of the properties featured I can tell you *SPOILER ALERT* that two of the properties are still available for sale. And one of them has just had a big price drop, making it even more attractive. Look away now if you don’t want to know which one 😉

Now on at €130,000!

Now on at €130,000! Eco water mill in Pilona Our reference MR340

If you want to know more about the water mill for sale near Sevares then click here. And if you’re hankering after those spectacular views of the Picos de Europa mountains that you got from the glass-fronted galeria of the house in Cabranes then*Update* This property has now sold!* Or if you’d like to find out more about any aspect of buying property in Asturias or the realities of life as an ex-pat here then do feel free to get in touch. We’re always happy to help!

Filed Under: Asturias, Asturias property, overseas property, water mill Tagged With: , , , , ,