BRITONS are taking increasing advantage of a strong pound and rock-bottom property prices to buy second homes in Spain.

The trend for so-called ‘schadenfreude shopping’, where buyers cash in on other’s misfortune, is being fuelled by property discounts of up to 70%.

The pound is now 25% more valuable against the euro than three years ago, when exchange rates were almost on parity.

This, added to the fact there are around a million unsold homes in Spain to ensure supply far outweighs demand, make it an ideal time to buy in Spain.

“Spain is the main bargain area in Europe, the Costa del Sol in particular,” said Charles Weston Baker, head of Savills International.

“Greece and Italy offer some good opportunities, but not nearly as many properties are available because resorts were not as overbuilt so extensively.

“Spain has seen dramatic price falls, not least because banks need to shift distressed stock.

“Consequently, they are offering high loan-to-value mortgages on properties that are discounted by some 70% compared to their 2008 peak.”

He added: “This represents a great opportunity for buyers, who can borrow up to 90% of the purchase price and achieve very substantial returns.”

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132 COMMENTS

  3. Hi Reap,
    sensible posts as always – you will note that none of the pack replied to the points in your posts.

    Fred, we have had our differences but you are rational in your arguments as opposed to the rat pack of little englanders.

    Angie (pack member) you pack is quite lame compared to those on audio forums. Your pack is talking financial b/s and Fred is’nt and you can’t take it so you attack in numbers, he does’nt feel threatened but your pack does.

    If you feel the need to make ‘brownshirt attacks’ on someone why not try the real troll – Unreality. he knows everything about everything and everyone and is always right.

    There are so many serious problems facing Spain and 99% of those who post here are in denial, just like most of the Spanish unfortunately.

    Reap said 15 years to clear the backlog of 1 million crap built properties – and then some. By then of course a lot of this rubbish will have collapsed – if Catalunya, the most modern of regions has apartment blocks falling down after only 20 years – go figure. Of course when the big quake comes the whole lot will fall down.

    Toni – as I’m sure you are aware the English estate agents talk the same b/s in France as well. I don’t know where you live in France, I live in the Aveyron and I can assure you that when plots of land come up for sale here they sell fast and that’s on lotissements, which I have no interest in at all. I should also add that these lotissement plots that sell have to be very near to RNs or autoroutes and not too far from centres of population. If your home is deep in the countryside you will definately have a hard time selling.

    As Reap said – southern Spain is fine for slobs who don’t do anything but for the active who are’nt silly, you can write off outdoor activities for at least 6 months of the year, at least when we lived in Galicia we could go for rainswept walks all year round but only an idiot goes out in 100F heat.

    Quite frankly the USA is a far better/safer bet than Spain – incredible countryside/dirt cheap property prices – anyone want a holiday home around the Great Lakes for $1-2K. How about the Carolinas or Georgia or something completely different like Colorado or New Mexico – now that’s real space of course you will need to buy a shooter or two but don’t forget why the Spanish have security grilles across their windows and how many really powerful rifles the Spanish hunters have – as I well know the Spanish think all foreigners are rich – think on.

    All in all with hindsight I’m glad we would never have got permission to build an alt. energy house – Spain has got a few world class companies but they are the exception. Instead of having a go at Fred you really need to start thinking what all those unemployed Spanish are going to do when there’s nowhere left to turn – that day is just around the corner.

  4. no, Fred you’re mixing up who to abuse now…

    and Stuart – you honestly read that nobs remarks and say he’s always rational.. rather than JUST confrontational for the sake of it?

    You’re in Fred’s pack then haha

  6. Hi Jim, he does suffer from paranoia including delusions of grandeur and feelings of persecution etc. Thinks nearly everyone is against him. I’ve worked with patients displaying those traits but it was hard going.

    He can only see his point of view no matter what others say, where he castigates others for lack of knowledge of acronyms etc which he started even though he often gets them wrong himself, he cannot accept his spelling mistakes as similar faults and then twists it on others as in his last post to you.

    He is clutching at straws too by trying to belittle others who may not live in Spain now although he knows nothing about where they have lived, why should others justify their
    life history.

    However, Paranoia is not easy to help medically with certain people, he thinks we are all the same person too whilst not expecting us to think the same about him and other names here.

    He won’t feel happy until he thinks he has won and he will constantly look back on here just in case he needs to have the last word, again and again and again.

    Unfortunately he does need help but from who, he is soooooooo unreasonable.

  7. Angie, as anyone knows, the only people with real issues are the people who call themselves “therapists” and “analysts”. Most therapists become therapists to sort out their own personal issues. I’d guess that is what you are doing.

    Most boring having to keep correcting you, but anyway just for the record… I was not the first person to mention spelling errors, it was Dave (read the page again, very very slowly Angie). I only use one acronym, so it would be a bit difficult to get that wrong lol; all others mentioned are in the various online dictionaries and nobody has yet to correct me on the spelling of ‘numskull’ either (also in the dictionary, but Paul can’t use one properly.)

    I do make speling errors, as I am human, and a quick search will reveal hundreds. Spellings on blog posts and twitter are not important. Aoccdrnig to a rseearch taem at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. I bet you could read and understand that ok?

    Angie, I suspect you are one of those people who moved to Spain as you didn’t have the qualifications to practice in the UK, and probably now latch on to poor unsuspecting and stressed-out expats in Spain (where anyone and their dog can be a “therapist”) to counsel them with their non-existent problems. Perhaps you should go and analyse the rest of the pack, or even yourself, first, before inflicting your psycho-babble on other people you have never met?

    I’m sure you will be checking back in to see if there is a response Angie, lol.

  8. sorry Angie, pay no attention! he’s such as ABUSIVE git!

    this guy has no life at all – I honestly just come on here (for a laugh by the way!) to see if he’s STILL responding haha… & trust me I doubt that you’re in people’s thoughts at all Fred as you think.. (the definition of DELUDED?)

    SOOOOOOO much time spent WORKING OUT WHAT TO SAY!!!!! (HAHAAAA proper nutter) to wind people up, and writing your tedious antagonistic confrontational lines on here… Mr NO life or what?

    all Fred fans, this is what he’s said:

    ‘Angie, I suspect you are one of those people who moved to Spain as you didn’t have the qualifications to practice in the UK’

    ‘You dummies would make great creative accountants – Barclays has some positions available in its Libor department I hear.’

    ‘Perhaps Steve can tell us about the 100.000+ illegal homes in the UK? Oh wait, there are none. UK House values down 30% in 5 years? Here in Spain that’s 1 years’ fall. But it’s all ok, it’s all part of Steve’s life.’

    ‘Well said Steve. As long as you are ok, that’s all that matters. Just saying.’

    ‘What a bunch of numskulls you lot are.’

    ‘I’d rather be a troll than a thicko. Luckily, I’m neither, and so far, and with a lot of luck, I’ve only gained from the property markets.’

    ‘imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so I’m glad you are lol’ing away, but do try and keep up since it’s tiresome having to constantly correct you. Btw, numskull and numbskull are interchangable.’

    ‘Ah so the truth outs. Yet another person who writes on Spanish blogs and doesn’t even live abroad. (so what?…. ) Duh, Mike even surpasses numskull status.’

    is this rational? (Stuart? Reap? … or Fred?) is this kind? is this constructive? is this normal? or is this the voice of just ‘an internet troll’

    PEACE be with you all! Spain is great!

    WHAT A ****! please reply with an answer if you like anyone

  11. Jim, et al, you have to learn to give and take. If you send insults, be prepared to get some back. Btw Jim, I just organised Christmas dinner. For 15. Keep guessing in the meantime.

    Mike, go and whine on a UK forum – funny why you kept quiet that you were in the UK, until you fell right in my trap. lol.

  13. Stuart: ‘you really need to start thinking what all those unemployed Spanish are going to do when there’s nowhere left to turn – that day is just around the corner.’ This is way too negative mate.. like an imminent zombie apocalypse round the corner.. This won’t happen surely haha

    I’m sure, like us, if you’ve lived in your area for a few years, you get to know all the locals. Any serious trouble round our way can be dealt with straight away – we all know the policia local… The Spanish get on with our local Germans French and English etc. We all LIKE each other, help each other out (not just Brits helping Brits), and talk to each other (something we never did as much in the uk to our neighbours/locals you know the face of). And the Spanish youth and Spanish in general have 300% more style and respect than people in the uk. You can see Brits coming a mile away. Not slagging our nation off… just saying it’s not as ‘doom’ as you think for Spain. Got to be positive and constructive for the future! Most doom talk seems to be on British forums. I don’t think think the Spanish want to have another Civil War?!?!… like people refer to on here.

    cheers!

  14. Jim, that’s just your opinion, but you really should go and see Angie for some therapy. Your deep envious nature will ultimately harm you.

    I had the mayor around for a vino last week, I must know the locals very well lol.

  17. btw Fred – news just in: I’ve got a nephew who’s doing a school project on INTERNET TROLLS!! haha – I showed him your comments and he’s going to actually use them to show how it’s not just young anonymous kids who get away with it in their bedrooms!

    So you’ll be famous after all Fred! just what you want probably

    it’s studying the tactics people use… the way sentences are phrased for put downs

    HAPPY TROLL DAY!

  18. What’s to boast about seeing your mayor? If you don’t know your mayor then you are hardly integrated into local life. I see mine most days when out and about. Not rocket science, is it?

    Best go and attend to your ‘patients’ Angie. Your response is completley at odds with your supposed profession – it completely proves you are not a therapist of any kind whatsoever, and certainly not one who has patients, since such a professional would never engage in such communication. Very easy to catch you out.

  21. Fred: This is another TROLL statement. There’s NOTHING remotely nasty about my REACTIONS to you. (READ BACK and read all your nasty comments to people). Keep them coming though, so the kids of the future can learn about people like you! You’re an absolute disgrace!

    …anyhow, as far as people Flocking to Spain, just don’t flock anywhere near where Fred lives!

  22. SORRY EVERYONE. This must be really boring to read…

    Does ANYONE fancy taking the baton from me? or do you think there’s just no point

    I thought there might be one ounce of compassion in this guy to say just a couple of nice words to someone.. turn the troll just for one second…

    At least one thing, if you see the name FRED on threads, just watch your back & don’t waste your time like I’ve done… although some LEARNING has come out of this…. and I hope I’ve shown him up as much as possible.

    Adios

    (Fred’s reply will be.. you’re the one who’s shown yourself up etc etc pompous this pompous that etc etc I know the mayor etc)

  26. He can’t help it Jim, that’s what internet trolls are like, he will always post back some derogatory comment even to those who’ve not posted for a day or so, to provoke more reaction, this makes him believe he has won. Whatever anyone says that he doesn’t like he will always post a retort. It’s what he does best, a W.U.M.

  28. definitely proper terminator stuff Mike! on and on and on

    hope everyone Flocks to Spain anyhow! They certainly are where we go to the coast… it’s great! Multi cultural european living. Most are extremely active in the community too. Viva España!

  30. It’s over Fred, I don’t care about myself at all by the way!! …just hope I’ve shown you up a bit for the person you are – that was my only aim

    YOU WANT SH1T ALL THE TIME DON’T YOU, YOU CONFRONTATIONAL IDIOT!

  32. I find it incredible that most of the people on here who are writing are slating either the newspaper or an agents you are so negative. Most of you will never be here because it will never be right for you regardless of exchange rate. I am half Spanish and i will agree the Spanish got it all wrong in the last up turn it was crazy but that was the market then. We made a decision to leave the UK sell up all homes and businesses and start again was it a risk? of course but we are here because we made a decision and we have new business and a new lifestyle and would not swap it for the world. One Life One Chance! If you value something and its right go for it do not wait till it gets better. Its today not tomorrow.

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