Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:09am
Morning Ernie and Karen,
My wife and I moved from London 2 years ago to set up our Architectural practice and were in very similar situation and did exactly the same, rented before purchasing.
Its worth noting, that during the off peak season (September - Start of June) you can find very nice rental properties all around Chiclana even along La barrosa (beach front) for around €400 per month. However during the peak seasons (June-August) that rental rates increases by circa €1000 per week.
In terms of finding a property to purchase that is legal, be careful as you will receive a lot of offers that some might seem to be legal but on further inspection they might have land zoning or planning issues. Many residents over the years bought and built in areas such as 'Pago de Humo' (outskirts of Chiclana) their dream holiday homes only to find out years later, they were building illegally and now subject to non compliance by the planning authority. Recently the planning authority has taken a hard line approach with demolishing illegal properties along with heavy fines.
Another item that is a problem here in Chiclana is the Humidity. Chiclana is not a desert because of the early morning and late evenings humidity. Although It is the life line for the natural parks in and around Chiclana, but is detrimental to the properties, especially in conjunction with the poor construction practices here in the south of Spain. 99% of the time, properties built before 2000 do not have insulation, cavity construction or robust water proofing details, leading to the majority of properties during the winters months plaqued with moisture and dampness issues. The majority of our Conditions Reports services is finding our Clients reliable solutions to mitigate these problems to their existing properties.
In terms of finding a property in Chiclana, Los Gallos region is becoming a popular area, as it still feels like a country side 'community' being next to the wet land areas with beautiful walks looking towards the coastline, and only a short 5minute drive to the beach areas and town centre in the other direction. Los Gallos also has a cluster of small commercial areas, with cafes, restaurants, bars, pharmacies, and larger stores, such as Lidl and mercandona. If thats the type of environment you are looking for, I would recommend starting there or in that area. If you are looking for a country (country) be cautious as stated before, many lands outside chiclana are not zoned for development.
My wife and I , as part of our Architectural services assist many families in recommendations on properties that they are interested in purchasing through an letting agent. For instance we would inspect the property (representing our clients interests) and undertake a Conditions Reports which will give our client an opinion on the buildings external, internal & services conditions before purchasing. Furthermore we also offer the service of reviewing the 'planning legality' of the site and property to view independently from the agents, and whether extension would be permitted on the site in the future. These Reports are then often used in the price negotiation process between our Clients & letting agents for the betterment of our clients.
If you would like further information on Chiclana or of our service we offer, please do not hesitate to contact us.
[email protected]
https://www.conceptarchitecturalworkshop.com/
All the best, stay safe and well,
Adrian.