Neida and her husband Bob recently bought a two-bedroom apartment in San Pedro, on the Costa del Sol. We recently caught up with Neida who explains why moving to Spain has been the best decision that she’s ever made!
What were your main motivations for buying a property in Spain?
“I don’t want to start with some sad story, but in the past, I’ve suffered from depression and didn’t know why. After meeting my husband Bob, we travelled abroad a lot and in warmer, sunny climates I somehow began to feel much better!
However, when returning home to the UK in the autumn or winter my mental well-being suffered again. With no logical explanation available, I consulted my GP who concluded I was suffering from S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder), which is a type of depression that comes and goes in seasonal patterns and is sometimes referred to as ‘winter depression’. Following my diagnosis, Bob said it was time to act and told me there and then we should buy a property abroad.
Having now bought our apartment in San Pedro on the Costa del Sol, I am able to spend the winter months in Spain which has massively improved my condition! I feel so lucky that I can now experience the best of both worlds; I can see my family in the UK during the summer months and escape to Spain to enjoy some much-needed winter sun."
Why did you choose to buy a property on the Costa del Sol?
“Bob and I had holidayed in the Sol many times with some of our favourite destinations being Marbella, Estepona and Malaga. We love the lifestyle, pace of life, stunning cuisine and friendly local people. You’re pretty much guaranteed sun all year round and there are so many places to enjoy a leisurely walk, bite to eat or even a few drinks with friends.
As I’m not getting any younger (sad truth!), I wanted to make sure our apartment was close to shops, restaurants and with hope, the beach. In San Pedro, there are regular buses to all the best areas in the Costa del Sol and airport transfers to and from Malaga are affordable and easy to book.
Our lovely apartment has a lift, communal pool and is walking distance to the centre of town and a gorgeous beach with a well maintained, level promenade.”
Are you glad that you made the choice to buy?
“In short, yes! We love our apartment and having improved my condition, Bob and I can enjoy life as we planned to. We can fly out last minute and at a cheap price, plus the short flight is a massive bonus. Sometimes I fly out a couple of days earlier to get some peace and quiet and just lie on the beach. Who knew you could be two and a half hours away from utter paradise?
When we know we’re not going to be using the apartment for a while, perhaps whilst seeing the family, we try to rent the apartment out. The excellent rental income we receive helps pay the communal fees and provides a great secondary income.”
What advice would you give to others who are thinking of moving to Spain?
“Firstly, just do it! If you know you want to buy, don’t wait around. Some of the properties we planned to see were snapped up within days of coming onto the market.
I recommend doing your research on the areas you want to live in. For example, San Pedro and Marbella are only 10 minutes from each other but have hugely varying property prices and amenities to offer.
If you can, get out to Spain via a viewing trip, this way you get to see lots of properties and experience the local areas all in 3-4 days. Some estate agents offer great viewing trip packages and we got ours for only £99 per person – bargain!
The trip meant we didn’t have to worry about booking property viewings, dinner, hotels or transfers. They looked after us and showed us multiple properties that were suitable for us, introduced us to UK speaking solicitors and assisted us through the entire buying process.”
Three words to sum up the overall experience?
“Life-changing, exciting and revitalizing.”
This case study was written by Jessica Shield on behalf of Spanish Legal Homes.
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