Hello All

Looks like we are coming out to have our first look around at Cave Houses in a couple of weeks.

Have to admit to being just a little bit excited.

First visit done, feel like I have seen more Caves than a bat gets to see in their lifetime, but I guess that's a good thing.

brought up loads of questions/issues and lots of questions to ask ourselves too about what we really need at this stage.

Got it down to a couple of options, guess that's not bad for a first visit, now need to see if we can tie it down to one to put an offer in on. I am sure it is not supposed to be this complicated.

Had a really lovely stay though in a friend's spare cave.

Ok, in the process of buying and now need a little bit of advice in relation to Spanish banks.

Do I need a Spanish bank account and if so, recommendations.

We will not be living out there full time.

Hi Chille - Congratulations!

Yes, you would usually need a Spanish Bank Account for the purchase transfer funds and any direct debits, such as insurance. The Estate Agent will usually set this up for you in the town you are buying (or nearest one) and it is all very easy - NIE number, passport and all usual paperwork. Caja Rural are good.

Any other questions, ask away, I am sure someone will know!

Caroline

Chille wrote:Ok, in the process of buying and now need a little bit of advice in relation to Spanish banks.

Do I need a Spanish bank account and if so, recommendations.

We will not be living out there full time.

My suggestion would be to get at least 2 accounts with different banks (that way, if you ever lose a card, you aren't stranded - you'll still have the other card to get some monkey).

I don't know if it's still "the spanish way", but I opened my first account with a bank in Almeria, as that was where I was staying. However Endesa (the electricity company - gawd bless 'em    ) would not accept that for payment of bills by direct debit. So I had to open *another* account, this time in Benamaurel.

I'd also advise looking for banks with a wide network of cash machines and electronic banking - which they pretty much all have, these days, and make sure they will give you a debit card. At some point very soon, you'll also need to get an NIE number, as this will identify you to "the system" and there will be lots of things you can't do, house-buying wise, without it.

Cajamar is probably a good bet as a starter for €10   Caja Rural (a local outfit, but probably fairly solvent) is the other account I have

My ten pence worth.......you will need an NIE to operate the bank account, so its off to Baza CNP Police station 'Foreigners Office' for you.
TAKE SOMEONE WHO SPEAKS SPANISH!!!!! You can prepare as much as you like, I guarantee there will be issues raised, and nobody will make an allowance for you at the Office, unfortunately. The NIE is very important to you going forward, so deserves the best attempts! Good luck with everything, its a remarkable area you have chosen, pleased for you.

Re. a bank account, I suggest you check which bank operates in your nearest village or town. So many transactions here need cash that having a cash machine nearby is really handy. I use CajaGranada, and have found the branch in Castillejar very helpful.

We got our NIE at the Spanish Consulate in London, there are others around the UK I think. Much easier all in English, they check it all out and then send it to Madrid to be processed.

Yes, much easier to do your NIE while you are in the UK and I gather from others, that it is very straight forward.

As you won't be living here, IMHO best to just get one Bank Account for the transactions here for the moment, so that you won't be paying fee's on 2 Accounts. You can use your UK cards in the cash points here and also go into the Bank if you have lost your card, order a new one and still get money out.

i use my belgian accout for all the stuff, just use spanish bank account for official spanish business.

i'm gone turn to TRIODOS bank in Granada , because they don't charge anything

If you intend living in Spain to the end of your days, have you looked at the affect the 15-08-2015 would make on any wills you have.   

Ok this is a new one on me, would you please explain!

Come on Pete spill the beans?
Welcome to the area Chillies! I walk and mountain bike quite a lot here, we are spoilt for choice!

Peter are you referring to wills being actioned as per your "home" country on that date?

If so, not a bad thing in my mind, as the Spanish system is so complicated!

Well, we went and did it.
Bought and moved into our Cave in Cullar at the weekend.
All went without a hitch thanks to the help and advice of our Agent.
Really did not want to leave when we had to come back.
Just have to wait for my next visit now.

Congratulations on your purchase of your new cave home in Spain.

Hi,
I used Spanish Inland Properties who I gave a budget to and Sean took us to 4 or 5 different places that were in budget... they differed drastically in size and views etc over a very small area. Also you will find neigbouring properties with some Caves totally renovated, other ones part done and others that are just holes in the ground (obviously hugely affecting price too)

(Sean at Spanish Inland Properties arranged our NIE's in Baza too for a small fee, very straightforward)

Good Luck

Hi all,
Short notice this one but we are over here and wondering what generally goes on for New Years Eve?
Any ideas would be welcome.
Chillers.

Many people have a big meal on New Year's Eve, with family or friends. Some bar-restaurants will lay on a meal, but you usually need to pre-book. At midnight you eat 12 grapes, one per stroke of the clock (las uvas de la suerte). It's lucky to wear red underwear too. Some bars will then open, about 1am-ish, and some people will leave their family event and carry on celebrating until dawn.
Larger places may have a firework display.
THere may be a dance on, but you'd need to check locally about that. Eg. in Castillajar there is a dance at the teatro, starting about 1, with hot chocolate and churros at 4am, and bocadillos at 7am.
A pre-fiesta siesta is a good idea!
Have fun!

Just wondered if The Chillers made the plunge, have been reading through. We're back out this week, cant wait. It's been like the beginning of The Wizard of Oz here on Exmoor for days.
Aunty Em Aunty Em..... Last year we had 100 continuos days of rain......

Hi, and welcome. Agree with all that has been said. It does get very cold in winter (has been down to -14 in Los Olivos one night a few years back) and very hot in summer (one August it hit 50C). Having said that winter is not usually a damp time and if you are in a cave with a log burner going you can be sitting in t-shirts and forget how cold it is outside. Even when really cold the sun can be out which always brightens our day. So far, this winter, we have only seen a little snow on the tops of the surrounding mountains, and lots on the Sierra Nevada which can be seen from our village even though it is a good 90 minutes drive away.

Hello all,

Just completed the purchase of a 1 bedroom Cave House in Cuevas del Almanzora, as a holiday home and to let. Hope you're all having a nice start to the summer.

Cheers,

Ant & Tina

Ant&Tina wrote:Just completed the purchase of a 1 bedroom Cave House in Cuevas del Almanzora, as a holiday home and to let. Hope you're all having a nice start to the summer.

Looks nice! Congrats!