WHY WE MOVED TO THE COSTA DEL SOL – PART 4,

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TWO SIMPLE QUESTIONS

Periodically, not haphazardly mind you, we catch up with our clients to check in and see that all is well and to see if we can help further their Spanish and new property experience. In most cases, it’s nice to just “catch up”, to “hang out” with folk with whom we have jointly enjoyed each other’s company for upwards of 2 years or so. By the way, the majority of Spanish dreams average 12 months from the light bulb moment to keys in hand.

In some instances, we find the conversation runs riot with “Did you know” “We did this” or “Why didn’t you tell us”? Then the perennial, “When are you playing golf with us” – more the latter folks, when and if, and how.

These last few months this writer’s inquisitive mind has expressed an interest in answering two questions, which most of us know, the right questions, can lead to a whole host of avenues to explore. So, good web-reading folk, over the coming updates we will ask and seek answers from an interesting cohort of clients hailing from the USA, The Netherlands, and the UK. Those waiting patiently for each of our updates will be well served, four episodes – ooh goody. The skinny so to speak is as simple as:

Why did you move to the Costa del Sol? Followed by: Has reality lived up to the hype?

Well, that’s that, two simple questions to ask and hopefully receive answers from our super clients from differing walks of life and hailing from different locations. Here’s part three.

PART 4 – HAS REALITY LIVED UP TO THE HYPE?

USA, NL, and UK EDITION THE SUPER HYPE MASH-UP EDITION 

Now then, time for the big question.  Has the reality of living in Spain either on a permanent basis, retired or raising a family, for investment purposes or just for enjoyment reasons, lived up to, met, or exceeded expectations?  Or has it fallen short?

Without reinventing the wheel, the requirements of our US, NL, and UK clients are so close to each other, that we (me that is) should combine the outcomes into one big mash-up summary.  So here we go with a scorecard value of between 1-10 for each wants and needs.  

 

CLIMATE We have nowhere to go with this one – the Costa del Sol nails it for sun, ambient temperature, minimal rain, and never if ever snow or ice.  10/10

 

SAFETY From my own experience having lived in the Netherlands, UK, and USA, I have never felt safer than here in Spain.  This is not just my experience; this is the experience of everyone we polled, our clients’ views, and everyone we know.  Spain is Safe 100% 10/10

 

SIMILARITY There are few areas of Spain that will ever feel like home.  America is America.  There’s nowhere else like it.  The Netherlands could with a half-closed eye be mistaken for parts of Denmark or clearly, Belgium.  The UK has its own variation of grey, dull, and well, Queen’s (was, now King’s) Country.  Spain is not a look-alike anywhere, it is however and, in some ways, very familiar – the Costa del Sol was molded with European and American influences.  7/10

 

ACTIVITIES In a previous post we discussed two missing activities, these being white water rafting and jet boat racing (still waiting readers for someone to tell me otherwise).  If, this is all we are missing, then lucky us.  With the perfect combination of accessibility, great weather, epic geographical landscapes, beautiful beaches, and much more, whatever you are into, you can have it here in the Costa del Sol.  10/10

 

VALUE From fresh produce to world-beating wines, awesome activities, endless golf, great restaurants, beach bars, and much, much more, the Costa del Sol delivers on our wide-reaching need for good value for money.  When you have sun, great people, safety, fantastic experiences, and all of these at a good, if not much lower cost than our home countries, you have value for money. All our clients recognize how fortunate we and they are to be immersed in a country and area that screams value for money, day in, day out.  10/10

 

OUTDOOR LIFE BBQs. Tick.  Picnics on the beach. Tick.  Guaranteed weather for your activities.  Tick.  Spending as much time as you wish outside.  Tick.  Living in beautiful surroundings and breathing in fresh air.  Tick.  Walking by the beachside. Tick.  I feel my role in relaying my own, those of my colleagues, and in this case, that of our clients is DONE here. 10/10

 

BEACHES The Costa del Sol is home to 125 premium, sandy, blue water, clean Mediterranean sea waved beaches of which 35 are deemed Blue Flag and best of best.  Bear in mind that the other 90 or so beaches are overall natural, unspoiled, and not necessarily “tourist traps” meaning, they do not need or desire, Blue Flag approval.  Without hesitation, some of the best beaches in Europe if not further afield, are located on the Costa del Sol.  10/10

 

HEALTHCARE Feeling lucky punk?  No need here in the Costa del Sol.  State-delivered healthcare is good to great.  Hospitals are new and or improved.  Pharmacies are English-speaking, well-stocked, educated, and experienced.  Over-the-counter medication is considerably cheaper than in your home country and in some cases cents on the euro.  Private healthcare is available and comes with far fewer stipulations and restrictions than we are often confronted with in the homeland.  On a big fat roll with another… 10/10

 

WHOLESOME Please take a moment to read the above once more and look at our other articles of why we feel the Costa del Sol delivers – Wholesome?  Old school family values?  By the JCB or Caterpillar bucket.  No need to write anything further on this matter.  10/10

 

GOLF 70 awesome golf courses that are open for play 350 plus days a year if not more.  The prices range from €50 with a buggy (mountain-based courses) all the way to Valderrama on a good, I mean cheap day is sub €200 to a full price €300.   Courses by the beach and courses into the mountains, even a golf club with a beach bar as its clubhouse – what more do you need to don your plus twos or fours and head to the pro shop, pay your money, and head out on your E-Z Go buggy for a round of relaxing, stress-free, sun-baked (getting jealous are we?), possibly with a beer at the halfway house, golf.  I challenge you to find me better. 10/10

 

BRAGGING RIGHTS Unless you’ve just won a state lottery and or your long-lost uncle left you a gazillion euros to spend, bragging rights do not come much sweeter.  Gin and tonics on your terrace, endless sun, golf year-round, no farmers tan required, you sir and lady will find your Nirvana in the sun.  10/10

 

INVESTMENT POTENTIAL There is no space here to write where and what returns you can receive from exploring property purchases in the Costa del Sol.  Our clients have enjoyed buying properties off-plan, as much as they have benefitted from investing in older properties to reform or just to rent out.  There is a wide and vast choice which leads us to our last want and need below. In this case, we may not be 10/10, as it’s hard to define and everyone has different expectations of return on investment, so 8/10

 

PROPERTY CHOICE Where to start?  What do you want?  Do you wish to build your own villa by the sea – you can.  Do you wish to find a pied-à-terre, a bolt hole so to speak, a penthouse in the rather swanky Puerto Banus, or acres of land for your Arabian horses?  Budgets of all sizes are catered for, property types, sizes, views, locations, styles, and so on.  Whadda ya want?  You can have it all in the Costa del Sol.  10/10

 

Irrespective of which country our real-world clients were born in, raised, or relocated from, the wants and needs of each are extremely similar.  It’s no wonder that this is the case.  We all want the best climate to live in, we want to be safe, we want to enjoy life and ideally, we would like it to be at a cost that we can afford and feel good about.   

The Costa del Sol delivers on so many fronts, and in many cases on a full 10 out of 10 level. We invite you to come and see for yourself.  Call the team and let us show you the inside track to buying, investing, and enjoying what has to be the best area in Europe.  

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