When we hit our "Wants" List
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Submitted by Susan Bearder on Fri, 21/09/2007 - 22:32.
Your Name:
Susie Bearder and Steve Hill
Where are you from?:
Hampshire, UK
Where do you live now?:
Rambla de Nogalte, Puerto Lumbreras
When did you move here?:
06/2006
Who did you come here with?:
Family (including parents)
What's your best bit of advice for people thinking of doing the same as you?:
Have an independent lawyer well versed in property law here in Spain. Know what is on you wants list...
What plans do you have for your future in Spain?:
<span class="inline left"><img width="520" src="/system/files/images/Casa+Woodpeckers.preview.jpg" alt="Casa Woodpeckers" height="390" title="Casa Woodpeckers" class="image preview" /><span style="width: 518px" class="caption"><strong>Casa Woodpeckers</strong></span></span>For the time being this is definitely our home. We still have much we would like to do here and there is still that everyday every year stuff that we have to get on with<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva">, like second year picking almonds, preparing land etc</span>
In your experience, what is the biggest mistake other people make when moving to Spain?:
Not learning the language or at least attempting to learn some.......How would it feel if the boot was on the other foot?
Why did you decide to come here?:
<p>
About five years ago we became very dissatisfied with our situation in UK. It was a combination of factors. Susie had to give up an interesting and well paid job after becoming disabled by illness. Our financial situation had become critical given the local taxes in Hampshire putting a heavy load on Steve. His mother was widowed but had lived in Spain for many years and did not wish to return to UK. Incremental changes or discontents just kept piling up but one of the most shocking incidents was when Susie fell in the high street of her village(her westie was on the lead and with her )and three cars drove by without helping her. Eye contact was made so these people have no excuse really.... Also UK food had become an issue because of the nature of Susie's illness, multiple sclerosis. Diet is a critical factor in staying well and spanish diet is very healthy, as long as you watch your alcohol consumption that is....
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What did you leave behind?:
Steve gave up his job - an enormous thing for him to do. Family and friends on the whole were fairly scattered around the south of England. Both Susie's children are grown up with their own busy lives but both were constants.
What work do you do?:
We have five acres of land to care for with almonds and olives. Susie is a photographer and Steve has to be the physically fit one who keeps us all on the straight and narrow with two over pensionista age.We may take on other things yet but we still have plenty to do without looking for anymore. Our menagerie does however keep increasing. Susie blogs,paints writes and sells books at a local market once a month.
What made you choose this location? Did you know much about it before you moved here?:
<p>
Homework is incredibly important and much can be done through the internet. We had looked all over Valenca, Alicante and north murcian regions. .Several offers were made but in the end we backed out knowing that something was not quite right usually on the advice of our lawyer. Susie came over and
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<p>
stayed with Steve's mumfor periods of time so we went and did the spade work while Steve was earning us our crust in Hampshire. Susie was using propertynet.com on a daily basis to look at new properties and that is where this house popped up. We found the estate agents very friendly helpful and professional with a good website so we could send info back to Steve. Steve made meticulous lists about what he wanted to know. Dont forget to work out what the weather is like all year round.
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Tell us about the place you live? What's it like (a house, apartment, flat, etc)? What are your neighbours like?:
<span class="inline left"><img width="399" src="/system/files/images/Jara+snow3.jpg" alt="Cabeza de la Jara in late January" height="229" title="Cabeza de la Jara in late January" class="image preview" /><span style="width: 397px" class="caption"><strong>Cabeza de la Jara in late January</strong></span></span>We have a new build rustic style house but with an old casa which still remains next door which we use at present for storage. As of today we have finally gone on the national grid- a day of celebration (we think). Our neighbours are a bit wild, occasionally noisy but we dont see much of them (like foxes, badgers, wild boar, snakes, ) We still dont have an address except for the one on the ayuntamiento computer in Lorca. We do have a human neighbour the other side of the mountain. She's very nice and we are very likeminded we think.
What's the best thing about where you live?:
<span class="inline left"><img width="520" src="/system/files/images/Almond+colors.preview.jpg" alt="Almonds in the Nogalte" height="223" title="Almonds in the Nogalte" class="image preview" /><span style="width: 518px" class="caption"><strong>Almonds in the Nogalte</strong></span></span>Beauty, tranquillity but with a neat little town a few kilometers away - very friendly
What have you learned about your area that you think other people should know?:
<p>
People seem to think we are isolated but we think that is a state of mind. Susie says she was more isolated in that English village. This area is covered with special places and we keep finding more by the attitude 'what happens if we take this road?'The history prehistory will keep us busy for yonks as will the great little eating places one discovers if prepared to leave the beaten track or follow the spanish lead. Mind you we have introduced our spanish friends to the odd one as well.
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Is there anything you're not so happy about?:
Of course things are never perfect and Susie has discovered ways to sound off through her writing which she does through this forum and through her interest in the natural world and association with the Iberianature forum. The attitude of some hunters in this area really can make us mad.
How important do you think it is to be able to speak Spanish?:
It is vital as we have indicated if you wish to have a full participating life in Spain and not just an english speaking enclave.
Do you miss anything from your home country?:
Marmite and english movies on a big screen come to mind but having just returned home after our first visit we realise there is nothing terribly important that we cant get through living here. The internet helps enormously add a webcam and you are away.
Do you have any regrets?:
None
