There are a couple of things that people often want when they come to Spain and more especially Valencia to live in a house. Firstly, outside space so that they can have a little garden and then a few things to populate that green oasis. For most people it is usually a lemon tree closely followed by an orange tree but often the desire is for a palm tree.
This is where your mortal enemy the Red Palm Weevil comes into the picture. Visiting houses for the first time in a while has become a journey into the unknown recently. At the start of December we had a storm and it was very windy. It was at this point that the true extent of the damage wrought by the red palm weevil was discovered. What it does is eats at the base of the palm leaves which all come out from the top of the tree. When it has eaten away at this area a strong wind can often decapitate the trees, as it has done in many trees in the gardens of our clients who are selling.
It is obligatory to treat your trees if you have palms to stop the spread but many people haven't. Now here is the weird thing. The red palm weevil is a fussy eater and it prefers certain types of palm tree. Therefore you might have a perfectly healthy specimen in your garden right next to a decapitated stump.
If you are a house owner with palm trees we hope that your trees are the wrong type. If you want to buy then bear in mind that the beautiful palm that adorns the garden may soon become a lovely roman pillar.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Confessions Of An Estate Agent
Welcome to the first chapter of the Confessions of an Estate Agent, part of the Audiobooks that I made a few month ago. The introduction will come at a later date but this part will tell you how the situation came up that 1 in 400 people in Madrid was working as an Estate Agent in 2006, how the mind of the Spanish seller often works and how much money you are actually paying in commissions to the agents involved. It tells you how Spanish Estate Agents work, the tips, tricks and terrors you need to avoid in order to get a Spanish property at the best price and how an ethical estate agency can work for you too.
The audiobook has six chapters in total and then there are currently 19 audio interviews of people who have made a success of their move to Spain. These interviews are the main part of the Audiobook series and this part of the monologue is just a small part. To see more about the product and how it can save you thousands when you purchase a Spanish Property go to the download pages and sales page here. You can watch videos about the content of the audiobooks and judge for yourself how much money this will save you in the future when you buy a property in Spain whether that is through my services or through any other agent.
Related Posts
1) Where you can find this product
2) The Spain Uncut Video Series
3) The NIE Number Guide
Latest Spanish News
1) El Pais Newspaper
2) El Mundo Newspaper
3) As Sports Paper
4) Marca Sport Paper (Official Mouthpiece of Real Madrid)
LISTEN TO THIS FIRST PART HERE
(Or click on the bull below)
The audiobook has six chapters in total and then there are currently 19 audio interviews of people who have made a success of their move to Spain. These interviews are the main part of the Audiobook series and this part of the monologue is just a small part. To see more about the product and how it can save you thousands when you purchase a Spanish Property go to the download pages and sales page here. You can watch videos about the content of the audiobooks and judge for yourself how much money this will save you in the future when you buy a property in Spain whether that is through my services or through any other agent.
Related Posts
1) Where you can find this product
2) The Spain Uncut Video Series
3) The NIE Number Guide
Latest Spanish News
1) El Pais Newspaper
2) El Mundo Newspaper
3) As Sports Paper
4) Marca Sport Paper (Official Mouthpiece of Real Madrid)
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The December 2009 Podcast
The final podcast for the year is now ready to listen to. You can listen to it here.
There are other ways to listen to it of course. The easiest way is to subscribe to the Podcast series in iTunes. If you have iTunes on your computer, and most people do these days, then go to the Podcasts section in the iTunes store and search for VPAudio. You can press the subscribe button, it is free of course, and get this episode and all previous episodes too.
Now they are all in MP3 format so you can also record them onto a USB, iPod, MP3 Player or CD and listen to them in the car or while doing other things. Imagine my dulcet tones accompanying you while you do the Christmas shopping, go to the gym or drive through the freezing cold weather in the UK while I tell you more about the delights and challenges of Spain.
Again listen here or subscribe through iTunes. (You are not alone by the way. Up to now we have had 1704 downloads of the episodes according to my stats)
Regards and Merry Xmas to you all. Have a great New Year too.
Related Listening.
1) November Podcast
2) Interview With David Leigh
3) Interview with Amanda Hamilton
There are other ways to listen to it of course. The easiest way is to subscribe to the Podcast series in iTunes. If you have iTunes on your computer, and most people do these days, then go to the Podcasts section in the iTunes store and search for VPAudio. You can press the subscribe button, it is free of course, and get this episode and all previous episodes too.
Now they are all in MP3 format so you can also record them onto a USB, iPod, MP3 Player or CD and listen to them in the car or while doing other things. Imagine my dulcet tones accompanying you while you do the Christmas shopping, go to the gym or drive through the freezing cold weather in the UK while I tell you more about the delights and challenges of Spain.
Again listen here or subscribe through iTunes. (You are not alone by the way. Up to now we have had 1704 downloads of the episodes according to my stats)
Regards and Merry Xmas to you all. Have a great New Year too.
Related Listening.
1) November Podcast
2) Interview With David Leigh
3) Interview with Amanda Hamilton
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Getting a NIE Number in Valencia and Spain
This is an article I have had published at EZine articles and I thought might be useful for this blog. I have added in the process on video too for you to enjoy.
The Difficulty of Getting a NIE Number in Spain
The Difficulty of Getting a NIE Number in Spain
The Difficulty of Getting a NIE Number in Spain
By D. Graham Hunt
NIE numbers in Spain are absolutely necessary now but getting one can be a long and tedious process. There are many bad things about the process but the worst thing seems to be that the steps change constantly. When you speak to the civil servants about it though they will insist that the system has always been the same and never changes.
Anyway this is the current system in Valencia, although the steps can be applied to other regions too to a greater or lesser degree. The process is done in six stages:
Stage 1. Avenida de Constitucion is a road on the outskirts of Valencia to the North. It is here where you need to apply with the online NIE number application form. You must fill out the form correctly without any sort of online translation tool to help you. Currently there is no need to have photos but take them just in case.
Stage 2. Get yourself a temporary NIE form from Hacienda, this is the tax office (Opposite FNAC in Valencia so at least this one is central). You need two pieces of paper to do this, the application form you have got previously and the copy of your deposit contract on your property (If you haven't yet got one then get one drawn up:-)). You then get your new temporary NIE number and the reason you need that is just in case your purchase goes through before your full NIE comes back. This NIE, that starts with an M, actually allows you to buy a property so if it is urgent this is the process unless the Notary tells you that you cannot buy the house with just that form which may happen sometimes.
Stage 3. About four weeks later go to Patraix in Valencia to pick up your NIE number. this one will start with an X and will be yours for the rest of your life. However to do this you need to have paid for it which you cannot do until you have the bill. You get this by asking for it in the same police station having queued for a long time. This you then take to the bank which is nowhere near this police station as it is in the middle of an industrial estate. You get your car and go to the bank to get it. Unfortunately you usually need an account to be able to pay the bill, therefore it must be a bank where you have an account already opened up. Set one up beforehand.
Stage 4. Go back to the Police Station in Patraix to pick up your NIE number. Remember you will need to queue and the best tip is to turn up at around 1pm. (Make sure you have let a month pass by though because if you don't you will find that the NIE is not yet there)
Stage 5. Go back to the Tax Office with your NIE. Show them your NIE number and ask them to cancel your temporary NIE.
Stage 6: (This one has just been added in) You now need to register your NIE number. Without doing this you cannot hand over your hard earned cash to the Spanish Government.
Look on this as a challenge by the way and you will have fun rather than being totally frustrated.
For more information about getting your NIE number in Spain go to the website below and look at the sidebar and you may well be able to get your NIE before coming to Spain.
Graham Hunt is an estate agent in the Valencia region of Spain. His website http://www.houses-for-sale-in-spain.net is a high quality website with great value properties and more importantly excellent information about the process of buying and selling property in Spain and also lifestyle issues in Spain.
The property website he runs is http://www.valencia-property.com. This complements the lifestyle aspects of the blog site and offers a huge variety of properties all around the Valencia region and also elsewhere.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=D._Graham_Hunt
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Difficulty-of-Getting-a-NIE-Number-in-Spain&id=3418025
Monday, December 07, 2009
Great Villa For Sale In Villamarchante 238k
This four bedroomed property was purchased by the current owners from us five years ago. They are now moving further south and they have decided it is time to sell. In the years in between they have done some serious work and this is one of those houses that you can just move into straight away. Have a look at the video and and get in touch with us to tell me what you think.
(By the way on some PC's the video might not work except in HD so try it both ways. If it doesn't work for you try this link)
The basics are four bedrooms, three in the main house and one in the guesthouse, two bathrooms, large open plan kitchen and living room, glassed in terrace with TV room, beautiful swimming pool area, 1400m2 plot and set just a couple of kilometres outside of the small town of Villamarchante where the metro arrives next year.
(By the way on some PC's the video might not work except in HD so try it both ways. If it doesn't work for you try this link)
The basics are four bedrooms, three in the main house and one in the guesthouse, two bathrooms, large open plan kitchen and living room, glassed in terrace with TV room, beautiful swimming pool area, 1400m2 plot and set just a couple of kilometres outside of the small town of Villamarchante where the metro arrives next year.
Friday, December 04, 2009
Getting The Full Story
You may have noticed that there is a little pop up that appears if this is your first visit to the site, or every couple of days if you are one of the many regular readers. Well I have changed the offer for those who sign up to the newsletter. Now you get my great new report on "The Seven Secrets to Buying A House In Spain" which is a very quick overview of the buying process and what you need to have crystal clear when you are going to buy a property in Spain.
Remember though you also get the ebook "Living and Working in Spain", loads of hints tips and more, first access to the Podcasts, Newsletters, Audiobooks, Videos made especially for the mailing list and much more. Sign up using the sign up form either on entry to the site or on our sign up page and get yourself well informed before you come over to Spain or keep yourself in touch if you are already here.
I look forward to welcoming you and giving you some fantastic information here on Houses For Sale In Spain.
Related Reading:
1) The Latest Podcast
2) The Latest Photo Report
3) The Latest Newsletter
Remember though you also get the ebook "Living and Working in Spain", loads of hints tips and more, first access to the Podcasts, Newsletters, Audiobooks, Videos made especially for the mailing list and much more. Sign up using the sign up form either on entry to the site or on our sign up page and get yourself well informed before you come over to Spain or keep yourself in touch if you are already here.
I look forward to welcoming you and giving you some fantastic information here on Houses For Sale In Spain.
Related Reading:
1) The Latest Podcast
2) The Latest Photo Report
3) The Latest Newsletter
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