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Estate Agents

Lee Woodhouse

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
September 6th 2016 I get to saint Jean, I plan on staying here 2 nights as I don't get there till late on the 6th so will set off on September 8th So if anyone is in Saint Jean at this time and wants a little wine... Give me a shout!!! ;)
Hi all, as many of you know here I have been through my own hell as an only child with no children of my own. 2 years ago I lost both my parents only 13 days apart and in the middle of that too my wife walked out. And also ended up having a double funeral for my parents on my mother's birthday. No one show go through this and I would also like to thank everyone for the messages and best wishes on here at that time.



Anyway, I'm ok and yes it's still hurts but I have a solid plan as I have nothing left here in the UK I am looking to move to Northern Spain and start a new life. Can anyone recommend some estate agents in Northern Spain please?



Thank you all and Good Camino... I will get to walk it myself soon too as it was a promise to my parents....
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Hi all, as many of you know here I have been through my own hell as an only child with no children of my own. 2 years ago I lost both my parents only 13 days apart and in the middle of that too my wife walked out. And also ended up having a double funeral for my parents on my mother's birthday. No one show go through this and I would also like to thank everyone for the messages and best wishes on here at that time.



Anyway, I'm ok and yes it's still hurts but I have a solid plan as I have nothing left here in the UK I am looking to move to Northern Spain and start a new life. Can anyone recommend some estate agents in Northern Spain please?



Thank you all and Good Camino... I will get to walk it myself soon too as it was a promise to my parents....
Lee.
Which part of Northern Spain are you looking at, as from my experience estate agents seemed to be very localised when I was looking ( which bought nothing "window shopping for days").

In the end I bought my place simply as it was empty with "zu Vende" in the window, and all went very smoothly with the family selling, a local solicitor, and town council.
When are you planning to walk.
When you do walk just see what takes your fancy, In the end I set no specific requirements and the house found me at the right time and in the right place. Buen Camino
Shaun
 
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
Good to hear you are well... usually (at least in Galicia) the estate agents are very local (and smaller), so you would need to focus on a region and town and then start looking for agents there.

Last year these people opene an office in Santiago:
https://www.engelvoelkers.com/en-es/properties/buy-house/

I do not know much about them to...so this is not a recommendation, just one alternative.

The good: They have a wide range of properties all over Spain.

The bad: They seem to offer more expensive properties....

Good luck!
Ivar
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Lee.
Which part of Northern Spain are you looking at, as from my experience estate agents seemed to be very localised when I was looking ( which bought nothing "window shopping for days").

In the end I bought my place simply as it was empty with "zu Vende" in the window, and all went very smoothly with the family selling, a local solicitor, and town council.
When are you planning to walk.
When you do walk just see what takes your fancy, In the end I set no specific requirements and the house found me at the right time and in the right place. Buen Camino
Shaun
Thank you, I'm not so sure yet I maybe would like somewhere that I am in travelling distance to maybe the 3 Northern Routes of the camino.... Not too sure when I will get to walk it and would rather be living there before I do. I guess I need to get across there and have a look. Thank you
 
Good to hear you are well... usually (at least in Galicia) the estate agents are very local (and smaller), so you would need to focus on a region and town and then start looking for agents there.

Last year these people opene an office in Santiago:
https://www.engelvoelkers.com/en-es/properties/buy-house/

I do not know much about them to...so this is not a recommendation, just one alternative.

The good: They have a wide range of properties all over Spain.

The bad: They seem to offer more expensive properties....

Good luck!
Ivar
Thank you ever so much, I'l take a look.
 
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Hi all, as many of you know here I have been through my own hell as an only child with no children of my own. 2 years ago I lost both my parents only 13 days apart and in the middle of that too my wife walked out. And also ended up having a double funeral for my parents on my mother's birthday. No one show go through this and I would also like to thank everyone for the messages and best wishes on here at that time.



Anyway, I'm ok and yes it's still hurts but I have a solid plan as I have nothing left here in the UK I am looking to move to Northern Spain and start a new life. Can anyone recommend some estate agents in Northern Spain please?



Thank you all and Good Camino... I will get to walk it myself soon too as it was a promise to my parents....
Hi Lee
I’m sorry to hear you’ve had a tough time but glad to see you’re trying to move forward.
I know you’ve said you want to walk after you’ve moved to Spain but possibly if you try walking a portion of a camino in your ‘chosen sector ‘ you may walk past a place that is for sale and perfect ., or walk through a pueblo that you just love.

Good luck with your search
Annie
 
Where abouts ( area) would you need to get back to in the UK if you had to go ?
Not really, and if I did I would find away, but no once I'm there, I'm there... Maybe a few holidays just to see family... Hmmm Area I think maybe around 100 km from Santiago or there about's. But very open to other places.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Hi Lee
I’m sorry to hear you’ve had a tough time but glad to see you’re trying to move forward.
I know you’ve said you want to walk after you’ve moved to Spain but possibly if you try walking a portion of a camino in your ‘chosen sector ‘ you may walk past a place that is for sale and perfect ., or walk through a pueblo that you just love.

Good luck with your search
Annie
Yes true, maybe I do need to do that or get there and shame on me drive the routes and have a good look around. I also guess to rent somewhere too that I cold take my time and have a good look around.
 
Hello Lee.

I am so pleased to see that you are able to look to the future and are positive about a move to Spain. You have been through a terrible time and I applaud your strength and courage to keep going.

I have not used this estate agent so I cannot recommend them but they seem reputable. The owner is originally from Britain but has worked in Galicia for 40 years. http://www.galicianrustic.com/en/

Some interesting places from cheap projects to restore to luxury manor houses. At the moment there are quite a few businesses for sale on Caminos which is interesting. I only mention the hostels for sale in case others are interested.

All the best in the search for a home and buen camino for your new journey
 
The best advice I can offer is to close-up your home as appropriate, and simply go walkabout throughout northern Spain for several months as a pilgrim. Do not do anything in the UK that is irreversible just now.

For example, avoid selling your home until and unless you KNOW that you will not need to return. The same advice goes for a car, etc. Avoid the emotional temptation to make a clean break and just go. Even so, do not shed yourself of these hard to recover assets until you have made sound investment or banking arrangements. You may think you are going to live on permanent Camino, but one still needs money.

Immerse yourself in the culture you seek to adopt as your own. Observe, take notes, ask questions. Meet people, make new friends, build a social network, rely on the kindness of others to help steer you in correct directions. This will avoid false starts and save time. Yes, you will make mistakes and have some false starts. But, doing it this way will result in less effort, expenditure, frustration and disappointment.

At Santiago, and elsewhere across Camino routes in Spain, there is an expanding network of English-speaking expats all devoted to supporting the entirety of the Camino community. Not financially mind you. You need to have your own resources.

There are a lot of folks, many of whom are available through the forum, who would likely be pleased to offer advice and recommendations. Simply ASK. They will make themselves known to you, typically via private conversations...unseen by the rest of us.

These folks, many known to me as friends, are fonts of local knowledge. They are also, to a person, very kind and helpful. They can help you navigate the maze of bureaucracy and different cultural norms that may be paradoxical to northern Europeans, or especially to folks seeking to put down roots in Spain, but coming from outside Europe. However, I think it best to leave it to you to ASK, and for the others to reply or offer their assistance, independent of me. Nuff said on this point...;)

While I spend up to two months in Spain and at Santiago annually, in connection with doing a Camino and serving as a volunteer at the Pilgrim Office, I do not live in Spain. As a US national, I do not enjoy the same sort of visa-free right of residence as you do (at least pre-Brexit). But, please believe me when I say that I am usually one 'bad day' away from pulling the plug, obtaining a long-stay visa and relocating to Santiago to join the Camino support network. As a UK national, you have it relatively easier. But it can be done.

Over the past six years of my association with the Camino and with being a volunteer at Santiago, I have constantly maintained a watch over living conditions, flat costs, the cost of living, bureaucracy, laws, visas etc. I try to keep my knowledge current, just in case I may someday have to 'pull-the-trigger' and head to the Spanish Consulate at Miami, or to their embassy at Washington, DC.

The key thing IMHO is to DO YOUR RESEARCH! Look before you leap. Do not let your emotions rule your brain. Seek out advice from a variety of sources. Compare notes. Visit and see for yourself. Spend time in each place you THINK you are drawn to.

Oh, and I think it goes without saying, do learn Spanish. The uptake rate of English as a second language is lower in Spain than in Portugal or most northern European countries. I suspect this is for two reasons:

(1) Prime time TV programs in Portugal are in OV with Portuguese subtitles. ALL international programming TV in Spain is dubbed. The same holds true in France and Italy. This usually accounts for the low English as a second language rate among these folks. Once you live in Spain, hearing English on the TV is a rare thing unless you cable provider offers BBC World, or perhaps the occasional football match from the UK.

(2) I was told recently that most Portuguese schools mandate English instruction at some point in elementary grades. This may explain why most Portuguese have at least some English.

Hope this all makes some sense, and is somewhat helpful..
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Hello Lee.

I am so pleased to see that you are able to look to the future and are positive about a move to Spain. You have been through a terrible time and I applaud your strength and courage to keep going.

I have not used this estate agent so I cannot recommend them but they seem reputable. The owner is originally from Britain but has worked in Galicia for 40 years. http://www.galicianrustic.com/en/

Some interesting places from cheap projects to restore to luxury manor houses. At the moment there are quite a few businesses for sale on Caminos which is interesting. I only mention the hostels for sale in case others are interested.

All the best in the search for a home and buen camino for your new journey
Thank you ever so much for the kind words and for the information. I really can't thank the people in here more because at the time they gave me so much strength.
 
The best advice I can offer is to close-up your home as appropriate, and simply go walkabout throughout northern Spain for several months as a pilgrim. Do not do anything in the UK that is irreversible just now.

For example, avoid selling your home until and unless you KNOW that you will not need to return. The same advice goes for a car, etc. Avoid the emotional temptation to make a clean break and just go. Even so, do not shed yourself of these hard to recover assets until you have made sound investment or banking arrangements. You may think you are going to live on permanent Camino, but one still needs money.

Immerse yourself in the culture you seek to adopt as your own. Observe, take notes, ask questions. Meet people, make new friends, build a social network, rely on the kindness of others to help steer you in correct directions. This will avoid false starts and save time. Yes, you will make mistakes and have some false starts. But, doing it this way will result in less effort, expenditure, frustration and disappointment.

At Santiago, and elsewhere across Camino routes in Spain, there is an expanding network of English-speaking expats all devoted to supporting the entirety of the Camino community. Not financially mind you. You need to have your own resources.

There are a lot of folks, many of whom are available through the forum, who would likely be pleased to offer advice and recommendations. Simply ASK. They will make themselves known to you, typically via private conversations...unseen by the rest of us.

These folks, many known to me as friends, are fonts of local knowledge. They are also, to a person, very kind and helpful. They can help you navigate the maze of bureaucracy and different cultural norms that may be paradoxical to northern Europeans, or especially to folks seeking to put down roots in Spain, but coming from outside Europe. However, I think it best to leave it to you to ASK, and for the others to reply or offer their assistance, independent of me. Nuff said on this point...;)

While I spend up to two months in Spain and at Santiago annually, in connection with doing a Camino and serving as a volunteer at the Pilgrim Office, I do not live in Spain. As a US national, I do not enjoy the same sort of visa-free right of residence as you do (at least pre-Brexit). But, please believe me when I say that I am usually one 'bad day' away from pulling the plug, obtaining a long-stay visa and relocating to Santiago to join the Camino support network. As a UK national, you have it relatively easier. But it can be done.

Over the past six years of my association with the Camino and with being a volunteer at Santiago, I have constantly maintained a watch over living conditions, flat costs, the cost of living, bureaucracy, laws, visas etc. I try to keep my knowledge current, just in case I may someday have to 'pull-the-trigger' and head to the Spanish Consulate at Miami, or to their embassy at Washington, DC.

The key thing IMHO is to DO YOUR RESEARCH! Look before you leap. Do not let your emotions rule your brain. Seek out advice from a variety of sources. Compare notes. Visit and see for yourself. Spend time in each place you THINK you are drawn to.

Oh, and I think it goes without saying, do learn Spanish. The uptake rate of English as a second language is lower in Spain than in Portugal or most northern European countries. I suspect this is for two reasons:

(1) Prime time TV programs in Portugal are in OV with Portuguese subtitles. ALL international programming TV in Spain is dubbed. The same holds true in France and Italy. This usually accounts for the low English as a second language rate among these folks. Once you live in Spain, hearing English on the TV is a rare thing unless you cable provider offers BBC World, or perhaps the occasional football match from the UK.

(2) I was told recently that most Portuguese schools mandate English instruction at some point in elementary grades. This may explain why most Portuguese have at least some English.

Hope this all makes some sense, and is somewhat helpful..
Thank you for all the advice, Yes I understand everything your saying. It's not a leap of faith for me, it's something I have thought deeply about and have reached. I have spoken to family and friends and they all agree it's the move for me. I have lived oversea's before and looking back was some of the best times in my life.... I will take my time and look carefully first.
 
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Good on you! Still and all, do consider asking for assistance from folks who have already "been there and done that."

Good luck.
I will always and again thank you, it means so, so much too me.
 
Try contacting the associations who maintain the caminos routes in which you are intetested. They may be able to offer you advice.

You have walked through fire and come out on the other side.

You and Santiago have great times ahead.

Buen camino in your life's journey.
Thank you I'll do that!! Yes I have but I'll be ok and I have got this far... Thank you
 
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Hi Lee,

You have got me daydreaming about moving to Galicia now lol. I also found this site and thought you might like to have a look http://www.galiciavista.com/en/home/

It is brilliant that you got so much support from forum members. The Camino attracts some special people and I think it is brilliant that their warmth and good wishes were extended to you when you needed. I wish you all the luck in the world.

Bryce
 
Hi Lee,

You have got me daydreaming about moving to Galicia now lol. I also found this site and thought you might like to have a look http://www.galiciavista.com/en/home/

It is brilliant that you got so much support from forum members. The Camino attracts some special people and I think it is brilliant that their warmth and good wishes were extended to you when you needed. I wish you all the luck in the world.

Bryce
Thank you Bryce, the way I see it now is I did my best for my parents always and was there at the last moments... My family and friends are so proud of me but I didn't do it for that I did it all just because I loved them so much. And yes the people here, were and are amazing.... This will be the start of a new life for me, time to reflect and build a wonderful peaceful future. Thank you
 
I think it must have been unbearable and so intense to have to deal with both of them passing. But you absolutely did them proud being there in the last moments. And now also I imagine as you go on to your new future. Really hope you find the perfect place. Buen Caminos always Lee.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
I think it must have been unbearable and so intense to have to deal with both of them passing. But you absolutely did them proud being there in the last moments. And now also I imagine as you go on to your new future. Really hope you find the perfect place. Buen Caminos always Lee.
It's was but here I am.... And always looking to the future now....
 
Hi Lee,
So sorry to read of all you've had to go through in the last 2 years.

If you hope to be within 100km from Santiago, you could consider the city of La Coruña. It's a beautiful peninsular city, with lots of water around, decent weather (decent Galician weather, not decent Mediterranean weather :)), and lots to do. It has its own airport and is relatively easy to get in and out of. It's also located on one branch of the Camino Inglés.

If you're looking for estate agents, a good website to use is Fotocasa: https://www.fotocasa.es/es/comprar/...nedLocationIds=724,12,15,492,1004,15030,0,0,0

The names of the realtor companies are listed in the right corner of the listings, and you can research their own websites. That way you can get a feel for the companies (inmobiliarias) that operate in Coruña.

(Unsolicited advice, hope you don't mind: As you might know, things in Spain can move veeerrryyy slowly. For example, we signed our rental contract for the space for our project, Pilgrim House, on May 1, 2013. We submitted architectural plans by August 2013 and then waited until February 2014 before our building permits were actually granted (we checked into the Urbanización office in October 2013 and they hadn't even looked at our paperwork yet). Construction started in March and we finally opened in July 2014. It was a long process - and we still had to pay rent for some of the months that no work was being done on the locale. So I'd recommend you go as slowly as you need to in divesting yourself of your assets in the UK to match the rate at which you acquire assets in Spain. That way, as t2andreo says above, you don't get yourself into snags or find yourself without a place to stay for a long time.)

Take care and we wish you peace in your journey of continued healing.
Faith
 
Some wise words above. I would rent via Airbnb for a month or so each in different cities and towns to find the ideal location before making any firm commitments.
I wish you well.
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
be VERY careful with estate agents. The market is not regulated in Spain, and there are plenty of sharks looking to fleece a foreigner. For instance, a local lady referred a Dutch friend to a "se vende" house along the Camino Invierno, saying it would cost 30 to 40.000 euro. But when the owner heard the interested people were not Spanish, the price suddenly went up to 200,000.
There are also cases of homes where the owner died and left the property to his 4 children... one of them posts it for sale, but when the negotiation time arrives, the other three were not informed of the sale, or cannot agree on the price, or yadda yadda.. I know of one guy who lists Camino properties at a 60%+ markup over local prices on his English-language website, and another English-speaker in Galicia who plasters his advertisements all up and down the camino, even nails them onto trees! NOOOOO!
 
Rebekah what you say about the houses sometimes being left to multiple children or the price being bumped up a bit can be true. I think it comes down to the few exploting pilgrims on the Camino who are in a state of flux and looking for something and maybe a bit vunerable.

I got really lucky all the "children" same age as me where really happy to agree a price which I felt was fair and as it turns out I bought the place and inherited the family with it, Daniel and Elana still have a key and come when they feels like it. Last year I was in the garden, he let himself in made two coffees and brought them out into the garden, total surprise.

Lee as others have mentioned best take an AirB&B and see how you feel.
It is a fantastic country and the in the small village I live in I have been accepted 110%.

You will find your place :)
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Also, in case nobody has mentioned it so far, I would suggest you first rent for a few months before you buy. That way you can be sure(r) that you really like the neighbours (and they you!), the location etc. Also, winters in Galicia are long, dark and rainy, something you might want to experience before you commit to a place. BC SY
 
Some wise words above. I would rent via Airbnb for a month or so each in different cities and towns to find the ideal location before making any firm commitments.
I wish you well.
Yes, I agree. Renting is always a good idea. How else can you really know before you buy? You get a chance to experience someplace without committing to it right away. Furthermore, it helps to visit places that interest in different seasons!
Good Luck
 
Lee, many people have given you words of advice, recommendations... My contribution is a little side piece, really. A friend has a love affair with Portugal. She spent years visiting, and studying, before finally finding a place she wanted to invest in for her own use, and also friends. So, perhaps you can take a little time to go to Santiago and work your way around in a circumference to check out if you would really be comfortable there. Some of the respondents have moved to live in Spain, perhaps you could also find them and have some conversations with them. It will happen for you, as you sound sure of what you want. Wishing you the very best, and I hope that your sore heart heals in the process.
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
Also, in case nobody has mentioned it so far, I would suggest you first rent for a few months before you buy. That way you can be sure(r) that you really like the neighbours (and they you!), the location etc. Also, winters in Galicia are long, dark and rainy, something you might want to experience before you commit to a place. BC SY

Yes wet cold and dark much like UK :):) BUT only an hours flight away from Santiago is Malaga. :):):)
and if your lucky you can pick up a return flight reasonably cheap.
Great for a few days warm up and dry out in the Sun. Also there are Hostels in Malaga for very good prices
 

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