Buying a Hamlet in Galicia

[Elle Bieling]

Just had to share this most interesting article, of a group friends buying an entire hamlet along the Camino Primitivo! Hmm, time to gather the friends??
Group of friends buy entire abandoned Spanish village to fulfil retirement dream

 

[rappahannock_rev]

First I win the lottery, second I buy Hornillos....

 

[Caligal]

First I win the lottery, second I buy Hornillos....

I could buy in with you in Hornillos one of my favorite places

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

First I win the lottery, second I buy Hornillos....

Sometime ago I posted an American NPR (National Public Radio) article about Galician hamlets for sale with at least one of them free. Still, you might need to win the lottery to put a roof on all those buildings.

 

[TMcA]

I believe all who have posted so far are from the U.S. Maybe we are all thinking, and I am one of them, that right now we'd be better off living elsewhere.

Anyway, I don't think purchase of a home in Spain brings with it any kind of temporary residence visa. There is still the Schengen visa requirement (for U.S. citizens and many/most non-Schengen countries.) Then there is healthcare if this is a retirement home. The Brit who bought the village and is developing it will probably "luck out" and find that the BREXIT negotiations provide some form of reciprocal coverage for UK citizens to at least partially replicate what they have previously enjoyed. Meaning visiting a doctor or having a procedure in Spain will be partially covered by some post-BREXIT reciprocity. Maybe... this has yet to be decided. Brits buying places in his village will join the earlier emigration of Brits who have moved to southern France and southern Spain.

My newsfeed has had a recent stream of breezy articles about retiring in desirable and cheaper countries...Italy was the last such place. Don't know for sure, but I would guess the same impediments exist for those outside of the Schengen Area - residency authorizations and healthcare.

But dream on, U.S, citizens.

 

[KinkyOne]

...
Anyway, I don't think purchase of a home in Spain brings with it any kind of temporary residence visa. There is still the Schengen visa requirement (for U.S. citizens and many/most non-Schengen countries.) Then there is healthcare if this is a retirement home. The Brit who bought the village and is developing it will probably "luck out" and find that the BREXIT ...

Three different things here.

1) If you own an apartment or a house in EU you are eligible for long term visa no big problem,
2) You can arrange your health care security quite easily in country of residence but of course you would either have to pay for it through taxes (from your salary) or pay for it independently,
3) Brexit and possible glitches re "rights" is completely something else.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

But dream on, U.S, citizens.

Residency in the EU for Americans could probably be handled by alternating 90 day periods in Spain and Ireland (or Poland under a special visa). Having medical coverage could be handled too if, like in @rappahannock_rev's dreams, you win a lottery.

 

[KinkyOne]

Residency in the EU for Americans could probably be handled by alternating 90 day periods in Spain and Ireland (or Poland under a special visa). Having medical coverage could be handled too if, like in @rappahannock_rev's dreams, you win a lottery.

Wrong and wrong.

Read my post above. Owners of a property are eligible for residential visa! And members of their close family too.

I don't really have to move a muscle to have minimum pension and basic health insurance in Slovenia if I pay 370€ per month. Don't know for Spain but we are (at least from the OP perspective) talking about retirement. So I guess you would already have these things covered. And you definitely don't need to win a lottery although ...

 

[Robo]

I dream about buying a village often as I'm walking a Camino. But then reality sets in and the wise words of one of our most valued members......... "There is a reason many of those hamlets are empty"

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Someone once said...There are those who "make things happen", those who "watch things happen", and those who "don't know anything is happening at all". Probably for many who make things happen...it often starts out with a pipe dream.

 

[Pelegrin]

I think that the place in Vilalba is closer to Norte than Primitivo.
The group of friends are from Madrid.
I am sure that they like the place because the landscape is green and beautiful but I hope that previously had checked how would it be the life in winter by renting a house in the area.

 

[Kathar1na]

The Brit who bought the village and is developing it will probably "luck out" and find that the BREXIT negotiations provide some form of reciprocal coverage for UK citizens to at least partially replicate what they have previously enjoyed.

See previous message: the village was bought by a group of Spanish people. They are retired, just watch the video ... the British man mentioned in the article has nothing to do with this village. He runs an agency that sells real estate and he has renovated an old house himself. He has married a Galician and has lived in Galicia for over 40 years. So none of them have to cope with additional issues like moving to a foreign country they know only from a few visits and the conditions for qualifying for residency.

 

[Lirsy]

"There is a reason many of those hamlets are empty"

The main reason is that people have to work and take care of their family.

If you have children, would you like to raise them away from other children?

For most people, finding work in such isolated places is really difficult. I knew a painter, from Slovakia, I think, who moved to live in an amazing house in Grajal de Campos (next to Sahagún) ... but this guy had the advantage of having a liberal profession ... I hope I can make him a visit on my next Camino!

By the way, the Albergue in Grajal de Campos ... just amazing !! Unfortunately it has no hospitalero, but the building is amazing! I really enjoyed exploring the building, the tunnels, ...

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Wrong and wrong.

Read my post above. Owners of a property are eligible for residential visa! And members of their close family too.

Kinky, first let me say that my post was being written when yours was sent so, although my reply came after yours I hadn't a chance to read yours first.

I'll stand corrected on the facts but let me quibble about the practicality. I knew that Portugal had a Golden Visa program but hadn't heard about Spain's. Spain too has one but €500,000 for a house is a bit much for me.

I don't really have to move a muscle to have minimum pension and basic health insurance in Slovenia if I pay 370€ per month. Don't know for Spain but we are (at least from the OP perspective) talking about retirement. So I guess you would already have these things covered. And you definitely don't need to win a lottery although ...

American retirees's government health care, Medicare, doesn't pay anything for care outside of the States. And the government's "pension" plan for the masses, Social Security, has a minimum payment of $0.00. That's not a typo.

 

[Elle Bieling]

Wow, I never expected my post to create such a maelstrom of practicalities. Yes, it was a utopian dream only. Unless an entire community was created of retirees, living in an isolated fashion as would be required, in a foreign culture would be difficult at best. Cheers to the dream!

 

[VAtoNC]

I believe all who have posted so far are from the U.S. Maybe we are all thinking, and I am one of them, that right now we'd be better off living elsewhere.

Anyway, I don't think purchase of a home in Spain brings with it any kind of temporary residence visa. There is still the Schengen visa requirement (for U.S. citizens and many/most non-Schengen countries.) Then there is healthcare if this is a retirement home. The Brit who bought the village and is developing it will probably "luck out" and find that the BREXIT negotiations provide some form of reciprocal coverage for UK citizens to at least partially replicate what they have previously enjoyed. Meaning visiting a doctor or having a procedure in Spain will be partially covered by some post-BREXIT reciprocity. Maybe... this has yet to be decided. Brits buying places in his village will join the earlier emigration of Brits who have moved to southern France and southern Spain.

My newsfeed has had a recent stream of breezy articles about retiring in desirable and cheaper countries...Italy was the last such place. Don't know for sure, but I would guess the same impediments exist for those outside of the Schengen Area - residency authorizations and healthcare.

But dream on, U.S, citizens.

Yes, I think many in the US are contemplating becoming expats. I've thought about Spain for a long time and buying a hamlet in Galicia sounds perfect but for the Schengen requirements and, of course, healthcare.

 

[lindam]

Having retired to Spain (from Canada), I am quite familiar with the requirements for residency. Owning a property here does not guarantee residency unless you are prepared to spend 500,000.00 euros. However, there are other ways to acquire residency (e.g., on a non-lucrative visa). Private heath care in Spain (at least here in Barcelona) is top notch and very affordable. As an added bonus, it offers easy to access many Camino routes! I might also add that living here began as a pipe dream (see Camino Chrissy's post above) following our first Camino.

 

[Pelegrin]

Wow, I never expected my post to create such a maelstrom of practicalities. Yes, it was a utopian dream only. Unless an entire community was created of retirees, living in an isolated fashion as would be required, in a foreign culture would be difficult at best. Cheers to the dream!

For the people from Madrid, rural Galicia is also a very different culture (and weather). Of course, they will be able to comunícate with locals in Spanish but are going to hear at bar and shops conversations in Galego that they don't understand. Also their own conversations with locals in Spanish will be difficult because they don't know anything about agriculture, forests and cows and the locals nothing about urban issues.

 

[ortemio]

I saved this the other day for future reference, maybe it can help answer some of the questions ...

Non Lucrative Visa for Spain: How I Applied in Just 1 Week

My application for the Spanish non-lucrative visa has been submitted. It took me only 1 week to gather all of the paperwork and get it done. Here's how...

www.wanderingearl.com

 

[Robo]

Wow, I never expected my post to create such a maelstrom of practicalities. Yes, it was a utopian dream only. Unless an entire community was created of retirees, living in an isolated fashion as would be required, in a foreign culture would be difficult at best. Cheers to the dream!

A previous thread It led to me talking to a couple of members living in Spain, on the Camino......

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/the-camino-addict-ark-project.59083/

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I saved this the other day for future reference, maybe it can help answer some of the questions ...

Non Lucrative Visa for Spain: How I Applied in Just 1 Week

My application for the Spanish non-lucrative visa has been submitted. It took me only 1 week to gather all of the paperwork and get it done. Here's how...

www.wanderingearl.com

Thanks for posting that. It looks like sometimes you can win.

 

[Pelegrin]

Hahaha.
Yesterday I watched a TV program about fortune tellers in Spain and to my surprise most of them told that they were autonomous workers and pay taxes. So, the papeleo must not be so hard now.