AndaluciaReal Estate

We are Willy and Annemie, both in our mid-50s with 2 children, in their mid-20s. My “dada” was always to have something in the mountains and both our summer and winter leave went to Alps in 50% of the cases. After a search of more than 2 years, I realized that this dream is not affordable.  In addition, Annemie also started to appreciate the warmth and light of the south more and more. The crisis (money in the bank only costs money) and an ambitious son who nevertheless pushed to invest has accelerated the decision to take the step.

Southern Spain has come out because we are mainly looking for the light and warmth in the winter months. The Axarquia Mountains are a beautiful nature reserve, a mecca for hikers (me, biker, and sporty other people). The villages are still typically Andalusian with friendly people, no too expensive prices and above all no mass tourism but still within reach of the coast. An ideal combination.

Then we started searching real estate websites and compiled shortlists that fit our limited budget. Until I ended up on the site of Patricia and Geert. It immediately became clear that the combination of knowledge of the language, but also of local customs and the red tape of a purchase, gave them a huge advantage over everything else. A first contact was sought and we connected immediately. Geert the somewhat calmer but very correct and clear person who says what he does and does what he says, Patricia who took on our case with energy and enthusiasm.

It must now be said that I am a buyer by profession and so the impression of beeing well prepared (region, type of house, budget, rental potential, etc.) was set with our shortlist. Patricia has been very patient with this and during the first viewing she managed to clear up  our idea of what we are actually looking for (and believe me that you do not always want to be between the preferred differences of men and women (especially with such stubborn guy like me and a wife who absolutely wants wooden ceiling beams in the house, red tiles and above all no bumpy and steep access road … congratulations Patricia)) If you plan such a purchase then it should just be right (budget, type of house, region and environment) ) and there Patricia and Geert managed to propose that shortlist so that in the end we had 2 houses that (important) fit our budget (incl the 10% additional costs)

Once chosen after the second visit (and I really recommend making no less than 2 visits) we cut the knot and closed the sale… and then the red tape follows. Here again you get value for money… Patricia introduces you to your lawyer (no obligation but highly recommended and also a very correct man), proposes a notary in Belgium (no obligation) to arrange the powers of attorney and from then your lawyer actually does the bulk of the work (NIE numbers, check everything, bank account, notary, etc.). Our pool and BBQ house was not registered but my concern (given the construction freeze in Spain) was taken to heart so that we also received the necessary registration the week before signing with the notary.

And so when everything was finished we started with the furnishing. But here again you can fall back on the advice of Geert and Patricia: addresses for rental or where you can buy stuff, for maintenance, prices for renovations … if you had to figure it all out yourself, you would waste a lot of time and unpleasant surprises. 

We have just discussed a number of renovations with Geert (in his known correct, clear style) and what is important … you just have a good feeling, and can trust these 2 treasures of people. The renovation was finished within budget and even a little earlier and the result is impressive. A real added value for the house!

The house is now in the rental and is already booked from June to the end of September, so that we probably come from our fixed costs. We are very satisfied because that was our intention.

In summary, I can only recommend them if you are in the same situation as we were a few months ago. Getting to know Andalucia Real Estate and especially the people behind it does not cost any money and the correctness, approach and especially enthusiasm of these people will convince you quickly. Good luck!!!

Hello, we are Bart and Sabrina. Together with our 2 children, Lotte and Senne, we had been dreaming of having our own holiday home for a few years. Preferably in an area with beautiful nature, warm temperatures and a pleasant population. We came across that dream in October 2017. Thanks to the good guidance of Geert and Patricia and after visiting a few houses, we fell in love with our current holiday home. Everything suddenly went very quickly. Geert and Patricia have helped us on the way with the process of purchasing and paperwork. Even after the sale, they were still at our disposal. No question was too much

We were very proud to be able to tell the world that we were the owners of VILLA CASA SIEMPRE VERDE in ALCAUCIN.

In the crocus holiday of 2018, we started to give our house a personal “touch”. Here too, Geert and Patricia helped us with the realization of some necessary renovation works. This too was always done in a professional manner.

You can admire our villa with its beautiful surroundings on our website www.casasiempreverde.be

We hereby like to say thanks to Patricia and Geert again for the smooth and pleasant cooperation with this purchase.

Hello everyone!  Our story starts 33 years ago when we met through an aunt of mine.My husband, André, had one more wish and that was moving to the Ardèche! In the meantime I have seen the Ardèche region 33 times over the years.

It remains a beautiful area of course, but at the end of August the tourists return home and it is not nearly as cozy on the markets anymore and sitting on a terrace is not nice either. The restaurants are understaffed … and in the winter months it is also drizzly and cold, … At the beginning of January 2014 we went on holiday to Gran Canaria for the sixth time. Oooooh that sun! That blue sky !! Always being able to eat outside… .perfect!

As always, we rented a car and noticed signs with “se vende” everywhere. We went to look at some objects, but those houses turned out to be so small. No, this was not for us!

My husband then planned the next vacation, I wanted to see something different … while surfing the web, I noticed a site: Andalucia Real Estate. Here we saw properties with twice as much space for the same price?!

I sent an email in my best English,… ..the next day we received an answer in Dutch! I immediately called, Geert on the phone … without pushing he asked to come and look, because the prices would rise again in the coming years.

During the Easter holidays my husband went on a prospecting: After looking at 13 properties in 2 days, my sweetheart called me …. he had taken an option on an apartment! So fast?!

And what color are the tiles of the bathroom ?!

What are you asking now? … he didn’t know that anymore! .. from then on it went really fast.

Signed in June at the notary, our apartment in Mechelen was sold, and on October 15, 2014 we lived in our new home !!! Speaking of turbulent times!

Really a “jump in the dark”! Dear people, if someone is walking around on whom you can count on “anything and everything”, then that is “the one and only” Geert Grommen! What have we arranged through him!?

Everything for the purchase, arrangement and appointment at the notary, all necessary documents, the builder and lawyer were there at the signing.

We would have liked “TV Vlaanderen…the satellite dish was placed before we moved. All contacts with the companies for water, electricity, gas, from technical inspection to commissioning … everything went perfectly!

The construction had been empty for a few years: a layer of paint was really necessary and in the living room I wanted a different color. Furthermore, the bathroom: “wouldn’t we opt for a walk-in shower?” “And who chooses the right tiles?” I was thinking about an outdoor kitchen. Would that be feasible? And on the outside wall I would have liked a storage space and a sunblind in front of and behind the terrace.

Just a question by e-mail, you will receive the price quote almost every time, ok, agree.!. Everything is placed as agreed and is neatly left behind.

Geert solves everything, and how ?! And for a reasonable price!

So, mid-October we arrived, with a small heart …. what am I going to find there?

Unbelieveable!!!! Geert even found a cleaning team at the very last moment!

With the opening of Bed & Breakfast Los Montes in May 2011, we realized our long-standing dream. After consultation with our youngest son, Robin, we decided to take the step. It gradually became now or never.I had built up a great career in the insurance world, while Dirk had been working continuously for many years in a chemical company in the port of Antwerp. More and more we longed for a different kind of life. A life without stress, where we have time for each other and for our family.

After a long search, including in Australia, southern France and northern Spain, we found everything we dreamed of in Andalusia. We immediately fell in love with the wonderful climate, nature, space, tranquility, the cultural splendor and the casual atmosphere. After crossing all of Andalusia, we decided that we liked the Axarquía in Malaga best.

We came into contact with Hogar Creativo through a TV program about Belgians who were looking for a property in Andalusia. Geert and Patricia have helped us enormously to explore the region. We were looking for a place that was well located, easily accessible, not too far from the coast, but still a place where you can relax. In addition, we had to take into account our son, Robin. A 14-year-old boy, who was drawn from his world in Belgium, also had to go to school.

We found our finca in July last year. It was actually the first house we visited in the Viñuela area and which seemed suitable for us to start a B&B. Our dream came true.

After consultation with Geert and Patrica, a lawyer was hired to start the paperwork. We also approached a contractor via Hogar Creativo to carry out the necessary renovation works.

In September the purchase of our finca was completed and we could start planning to move to Viñuela. At the beginning of January we came here permanently. Robin went to his new school a few days after our arrival. He is now well integrated and has a good time here. He already speaks quite a bit of Spanish. We have had a busy period with the renovation works, but the B&B is gradually taking shape. A few more weeks and we can start.

A dream come true.

Dirk and Martine

www.losmontes.be

Hello, we’re Ron and Marijke…

At the end of April 2018, we were still musing under a palm tree at a swimming pool in Malaysia about our future as retirees. Inspired by the sunny decor, we both thought that the Netherlands was often wet and cold and that we would feel better at home in a warmer climate. But why wait until retirement? Maybe we should already orientate and enjoy!

We formulated our basic requirements; not too long flying, sunny, good food, nice people, little corruption and after a bit of marking we ended up with the destinations: Spain.

At home we searched the internet, found the nice website “Andalucía Real Estate” by Geert and Patricia and we made contact. In the summer of 2018 we stayed in Viñuela and visited Geert in Frigiliana. With our wish list he (Geert) went to work, provided us with a lot of information and mediated in making contact for home visits.

We can safely say that without the help of Geert we would never have bought such a beautiful house, never got such a reliable lawyer who helped with all the necessary papers and could never have done the minor renovations and painting with a well-known contractor of him. Everything without problems and with all help.

So if you plan to buy a house in Spain, do not think about it and contact Geert!
He takes a lot of work off your hands and protects you from thoughtless steps.
Thank you very much Geert! We are happy every day with your help!

Elke and Guy

Hola! We are Elke and Guy and run a bed and breakfast under the Andalusian sun: Casa Utopia in the “real” Spanish village of Alcaucin. Our search started in 2015, in fact we had a bed and breakfast in the Ardennes that we operated as a secondary occupation. We were only open on weekends, during the week we each had our job.  After first visiting several regions in Spain we came to the conclusion that the region of East Málaga, the Axarquia, was really our thing. In the mountains and close to the sea. In the meantime, we went to evening school to master the Spanish language.
Gerda, a classmate, introduced us to take a look at the website of Patricia and Geert, after all, she and her husband Herman had found their dream place through Andalucia Vastgoed. Out of all the houses that were there, 1 stood out for us, large, 20 ares, and also with a second small house that we could for ourselves so that we had our own place next to the b & b.
Meanwhile our b & b in the Ardennes was sold and we could start our new project. We were assisted by Geert and Patricia to arrange all paperwork in collaboration with the local lawyers and notary.
The buildings were given a thorough makeover by a Spanish contractor, Geert was our project manager who coordinated everything and every Wednesday we received an update and 30 photos, which was a nice surprise for us every time to see how everything evolved.

In June 2017 we participated in the TV program “4 in one bed”, the icing on the cake was that we ended the Andalusian week as winners!

Bienvenidos en Casa Utopia! www.casaruralutopia.com

Elke and Guy

Hello, we’re Mireille and Patrick and we live in Zemst.

All our lives we have held the dream of having our own place ‘somewhere’ in the south of Europe.  We browsed the internet for several years, looking for a nice place to stay.  Destinations such as Portugal, France, Greece and the like have been discussed. Until we arrived at the Hotel La Viñuela in 2012, due to an unforeseen circumstance.  This was an area we immediately fell in love with. The mountains, the lakes, the sea: all within reach.

Once back home we started looking again, but more focused, on the internet for Immo offices in Axarquia.  One address immediately caught our eye. Andalucia Real Estate! A Belgian couple and one of the owners had worked as an architect for several years in Mechelen (our home base).  In 2014 we went back to Viñuela in October. This with the intention of getting to know the region a little better.  On a drizzly day we contacted Andalucia Real Estate asking if we could visit in order to obtain more general information.  An hour later we already sat with Patricia and Geert around the table.  We made an immediate connection. The next day we went to see some houses with them.

Our search took about 2 years and eventually we ended up in Cómpeta where we found a cute holiday home.  And oh, how lucky we were when the lawyer called us and said that for this house all the paperwork was in order.  It has been a long and bizarre quest with lots of beautiful moments but also with moments of disillusionment when it turns out that sometimes the paperwork doesn’t work out.  However, we have always continued to believe in it with the idea ‘perseverance pays off’.

In the meantime, we are a few years away and we have already experienced a lot of nice holiday moments in our house in Cómpeta.

We also thank Patricia and Geert for this. They have continued to support us and continued to help us in our search for our dream home, even though we have had to visit a whole series of houses with them.

Thanks for everything,

Mireille en Patrick

For years we have been thinking to start en new adventure and move to Spain, preferably the region of Andalucía.  A big step, one you don’t decide on overnight but more then once has been put aside because of other more important matters, personal, work etc.

September 2006 however was the moment we dediced to start our dream of emigrating to spain.  In the meanwhile, 2 years have past and we did make the big move.  After looking for over a year we signed on our house on 5 May 2008. Since then we are proud owners of a house in Arenas, a small town 45’ away from the airport of Málaga.

In June that year we said goodbye to our home in the Netherlands and left for our new life in Spain.  We are currently working hard to renovate the house and would like to start our own B&B later this year.  Because of that we haven’t had many opportunities to go and discover the area or to practice our Spanish yet.

We decided to focus on our priorities first and we will catch up with the ‘damages’ after everything is finished.  At this point we are experiencing just a small part of the Spanish life but have no regrets at all.

We do miss the family and friends but can keep our heads cool looking forward to future planned visits. 

www.casagradable.com 
Hans en Anne-Loes Schellekens

Hello, we met Geert and Patricia in 2013, when we were looking for an apartment.

After a busy 3-day search we had already found our dream apartment in Torrox Costa which later rented out very well. We were very well supervised, everything was arranged for us while we were in Belgium.

5 years later we decided to permanently move to Torrox Costa and sell the apartment. We wanted a bigger house where we could live in ourselves and rent out rooms or apartments. Now again we found the perfect home together with Patricia. A 3-storey house, each with a separate entrance and terrace with sea view 2 km from the beach, in El Morche. Exactly what we were looking for! There was still a lot of work to be done, which scared us off a bit at first, but thanks to Geert, Ramon and his workmen this also went very smoothly. After 1 month we were already allowed to live on the top floor, where we could follow everything very closely. And just 6 weeks later, the complete renovation was already done. Which was certainly not easy for them as we changed our minds quite often. The aftercare also went very smoothly, if there is a problem they are immediately here to help us further. We’ve called the apartments ‘Pura Vida el Morche’, you can view the pictures on www.puravidanerja.com  Here you can also see other apartments that we rent out and manage.

Yannick en An

How did we find Geert and Patricia to achieve our dream?  The idea of having our own place in the sunny south became reality when we started looking at a few properties on the internet.

We made contact with Geert and Patricia in order to obtain some more information.  We found a good selection of interesting properties in the region of Alicante.  In April 2017 we had planned some visits, both in the region of Alicante but also in the region where we now have lost or hearts…Andalucia!

It was a busy period, from one house to another, everytime with new ideas en posibilities!  We had looked at beautiful properties but never had the right feeling, until the last day. On that day we saw two interesting houses, suitebale to convirt into a B&B.  Geert had given us a lot of information about the posible construction works and the additional costs. The buying proces and the other appoint,ents we later had went very smooth. Also because the lawfirm thet work with was very good.

In October 2017 the constructions on our B&B had finally started.  The project was given to a local contracter Geert works with and of which we received a very clear and detailed price offer.  The cooperation went very smooth. We got al the necessary help in choosing the equipment, materials, professional advise in where to place sockets and lighting points etc…
The most modern techniques such as solas panels, heatingm gas tanks etc were discussed.

We always got perfect information, different posibilities and their price,  Nothing felt imposed on.  We were always well informed and could make the right choice at any given point.
The works started when we were in Spain but then we had periods that we we back in Belgium.  During that time we could always folow the works from closeby as Geert would send us weekly updates with pictures and comments. That was very cool!
With Geert and Patricia you can count on a full service.  They even ensured we had internet connection and helped us with many other things…
If we had any questions or problems, we would mail Geert and he would always answer these very quickly.
 In short, nothing was too much. We would do it all over again, Top Service!

ALWAYS WELCOME AT B&B: LA VIDA TRANQUILA IN CAJIZ, MALAGA (COSTA DEL SOL – ANDALUSIA)

HTTP://LAVIDATRANQUILA.BE/

We are Ingrid and Johan and our two children Ricky and Mercina. Due to the often chilly and rainy weather, we were tired of our apartment in Ostend for some time already. For a long time we were quietly dreaming of a house somewhere in a beautiful spot under the sun. Croatia seemed interesting to us after a few holidays, but we had not yet discovered the spot to our liking. We’d often browse the internet to see what was on sale around the world, from Florida to Greece.

Strange but true, France and Spain were the last places we thought of. Southern France and Northern Spain did not appeal to us at all. We really are not the type to spend our holidays in a god-forsaken place in France, or to stay between the built-up coasts on the Costa Brava.

Until we ended up in Andalusia last year. You can find the peace of a small village with beautiful views, beautiful nature and the friendliest local people. And if you want that real holiday feeling, just take the car and go to the hustle and bustle of the big cities such as Malaga, Seville, Granada, etc. A tourist or a quiet beach; the choice is yours. We were really convinced that this was what we had been looking for for several years. Even during this short holiday in Andalusia, we already decided to sell our apartment in Ostend.

We decided to take Spanish classes together with the firm conviction to buy something in Andalusia. Pretty soon we ended up with Geert and Patricia. Our apartment was soon sold and we contacted Andalucia real estate again. A viewing appointment was made in November. Meanwhile, we searched the internet for houses in the region. Our preferences and some of the houses we wanted to see were emailed to Andalucia Real Estate. In November it was finally time and we met Geert and Patricia. At the office we first received a full and pleasant explanation of what is involved in buying a house. After this we went out with Patricia to visit houses. However, the choice did not become easier. Coincidentally, the last day we ended up in the mountainous village of Mondrón. This was also the region we had previously visited. There were two beautiful houses that we really liked. The viewings were closed on a terrace, where we could already discuss our choice with Patricia. After consultation with Patricia, we quickly came to an interesting offer and Patricia contacted the seller. Only an hour later we received an answer. We could slightly increase our offer or drop our first choice, but the difference was still too small to let our dream villa go. Therefore, we accepted the seller’s counteroffer. The next day we already had an appointment with the lawyer to arrange everything. These people also gave us a correct explanation of how everything would work. After a down payment, they checked that there were no construction violations, that everything had been built legally, that the papers were in order and that there were no more debts attached to the villa. Three months later we were the proud owner of our dream villa. The house was fully furnished, and we did not have much work. In February we were “boss in house” for the first time at our dream place. After a week of controlling everything, we returned home, tired, but satisfied. We really long for the next stay in our second “home” in this beautiful region. Our greatest thanks in all areas to Geert and Patricia. From the first to the last day they assisted us with everything, with cordiality, good advice and professional knowledge.

Thank you Andalucia Vastgoed for helping us realize our dream!

We Renate and Peter, parents with 2 big children, have been the proud owners of “Casa Arboleda Sayalonga” since December 2016, a luxury holiday home with swimming pool on 3200 m2 of land in the municipality of Sayalonga.

We want to thank Geert, Patricia and Charlotte of “Andalucia real estate” for our search for this property. Not only for the search with expert and reliable advice, but especially also for taking practical and complicated matters out of your hands about buying and transferring a home afterwards.

We were very pleasantly surprised with their method and reliable handling. Agreements were met on the day of the viewing. Beautiful tours with fantastic views. What an adventure. A unique way to make the best choice. And “no cure, no pay”.

Architectural: After the purchase in December of Casa Arboleda Sayalonga, we had the wish to give the house a little new look. What a fantastic and accurate work has been done. As agreed, we maintained in direct contact with Geert and received photos after every work that finished. The requested work was delivered “punctually” to the day. And here one can really speak of AFFORDABLE!!

We also want to thank the Axarquia Solicitors team. A reliable and experienced team with which Andalucia real estate cooperates for all subsequent settlements.

We have had a great start in beautiful sunny Andalusia. To never forget. Thank you Geert,

We , Filip and Valerie and our son Cédric, now live in Spain since January 2011. Before that we both had our full time job in teaching.In Belgium we had the perfect life, but we wanted to travel more. At one point we were so enthousiastic that we decided that one day we would to make the big transition to build a new life in warmer climates.

‘One day’ came faster that expected! Without telling anyone of our plans, we travelled to Portugal in February 2010.  We have build a house twice already in Belgium and wanted to build again. During the Easter holiday we went back to Portugal. Adn then got stuck because of the ash-cloud. We could not get home in time to start teaching, our colleague didn’t even know we were away travelling…

Our first idea was to convirt and old ruin into a beautifull new building.  These plans were quickly put aside when we heard how long this could take. Paperwork and building could last up to 2-3  years. We didn’t want to wait that long, our son is 10 and we do not have to wait 2 more years to emigrate. He would be a teenager by then and will be more attached to friends and his environment than now.

We continued looking for houses that needed small renovations.  After months of searching we didn’t really find what we were looking for. Untill one evening, on TV, they said it was a good time to buy a house in Spain. From then on all went very fast. We chose a new destination: Andalucía!  We went there on our honeymoon in 1994, so this wasn´t a completely new area for us. Already than, I remember we played with the idea of moving to Spain, romantic or not…

On the website of geert and Patricia we found a lot of properties that appealed to us and without thinking we starten talking to them. We booked our flights and went on a 3 day tour of ‘househunting’
The second to last property we saw was the one, all three of us were blown away from the moment we entered the house on the edge of the Riogordo village. Everything was just perfect. The house, the land, the views, easily accessible, nearby facilities… 

Our choice was made and very soon we exchanged our belgian lives for a new spanish one..

BIENVENIDO EN ESPAÑA!

WWW.HACIENDA-RIOGORDO.COM

Hello

We are José and Frans, Our story begins in 2015.
We were looking for another destination to spend our holidays.  In September we rented a detached house in the mountains between Torrox and Competa, we loved it!!!

Afterwards we flew several times in May and September to Andalusia and rented several houses and enjoyed the amazing views and the natural surroundings.  We already got more jitters and had already said to each other: ‘if we were ever going to do something with our ideas the Axarquía region certainly enjoyed our preference.

In the spring of 2018, we decided to look very carefully for a nice detached house in the vicinity of this beautiful area.  Through an acquaintance we got in touch with Patricia and Geert van Andalucia Real Estate and quickly passed on our wishes.  We also started looking very actively on all housing sites and were able to pass this on to them, so that they could assess the possibilities.

Finally, in September 2018, we met at their office and then went to see some of the houses they had selected for us.  We were going to tour and look at the first object in the village of Iznate.  It was something different than our expectation and this certainly wouldn’t be it, we were aware that we wouldn’t find our dream home at once. We had given ourselves a few years.

Because we had fixated a little too much on the distances and the travel times to airport and the beach, we kept looking up to a certain height in the area, until they pointed out to us that there was, slightly higher, a villa for sale that would be interesting. Also, the road to it was a little longer but much faster. (Region around Lake Viñuela)

We were surprised, the house with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and a swimming pool exceeded all expectations. The view from the terrace extends far beyond Lake Vinuela with a beautiful mountainous area.  After the visit we agreed that they could negotiate for us, we were kept informed day by day and you guessed it, within a few days the sale was closed… We just couldn’t believe it, but our dream became reality!

We were then excellently advised in the follow-up process and like that we also came, through Andalucia Real Estate, in contact with an excellent lawyer and notary.

In December 2018, the lawyer had sorted out and corrected everything where necessary and we received the key! Now the place has been transformed into Villa Vinuela by lake Vinuela

We are very grateful to the entire super team of Andalucía Real Estate for this guidance!

Greetings from José & Frans

We had enough of the drizzly winters and especially the drizzly springs (and often summers, etc.).  For some time the plan had matured to have a warm place where we could recharge our batteries and perhaps remain permanent later in life.The Spanish real estate market started to pick up again and if we still wanted to enjoy interesting real estate prices, we shouldn’t keep dreaming about it.  All winter of 2013 and spring of 2014, we closed every evening with an episode of ‘A place in the sun – Home or away’ in which cheerful Jonnie Irwin took a couple to visit 3 houses in some area of England. (that part went straight into fast forward) and the radiant and busty Yasmine Harmann did the same in a warm southern country. We recorded all the broadcasts about Spain and watched them all … That way we traveled a bit through Spain night after night and certain regions were preferred. After a visit to the ‘Second Home’ fair at the Flanders Expo in Ghent in March, this narrowed to the region around Moraira (Costa Blanca) and Andalusia (Costa del Sol). It was funny how often we heard the term “micro-climate” from all those different exhibitors. Every Costa apparently has its own micro-climate in Spain!

We then extended an already planned summer holiday in the Barcelona region with a week of searching houses. 3 days in Moraira and 3 days in Andalusia. Moraira quickly dropped out because it was too densely built up for our taste, so we looked for real estate agents in the south and so we happened to stumble upon the website of Andalusia Vastgoed / Hogar Creativo. They mainly work east of Malaga, in the Axarquia. We received an extensive informative conversation about their working method in their office, where nothing had to be signed at all.
I found their approach very original and, above all, reassuring: they also have their own real estate offers, but in addition they are mainly intermediaries between the (German / English / Spanish) real estate agents who we would not have easily contacted ourselves, but which they have already years of trouble-free work with, and that they can trust. Since Patricia is an architect and her husband is a project manager, it is very valuable to have someone like them on your search.

They are no longer blown away by the sometimes-fabulous locations on top of a mountain, but on the contrary they look closely at possible problems, construction faults, swimming pool, insulation, etc. All that extra advice, warnings and tips do not cost you as a buyer. After all, Andalusia Vastgoed gets their compensation because the local broker shares his commission with them because they have brought in clients. A win-win situation that has made us feel safe all the time. Because real estate agents who mainly want to sell and speak for the benefit of the sellers and of course Andalusia Vastgoed also has an interest in selling, but only if everything is in order, because they really have an excellent reputation to defend.

Moreover, it was a real pleasure to cruise through beautiful Andalusia next to Patricia (despite the sometimes spine-chilling dirt tracks!). We learned a lot and she quickly had an idea of what we were looking for. We had invested some time in this beforehand. You can check the websites they recommend from home and try to make choices: what budget, with or without sea view, in the mountains or on the coast, etc. Then they make the agreements with the broker and the owners and then you will drive around for a day (or 2).

In our case, we saw 15 houses in July, 2 of which were the best. One fell off because it was in the mountains with lakeview and we preferred sea views, but because the other house actually exceeded our budget (you still have to add about 10% costs) we let it rest for a while . In the meantime we had fallen in love with the Axarquia region because it is still so rough and untouched. Yet there is plenty of bustle in the seaside resorts. But once you drive into the mountains with all those beautiful white villages in Moorish style, it is all peace and quiet.

We returned in October. We had a trip planned to celebrate our 20th anniversary and stayed with Hans and Anneloes from B&B Casa Agradable. Two wonderful people who can also be found in these “Testimonials from expats” because they too found their place via Andalusia Vastgoed.

I can be quite emotional and often tense, but I never forget how relaxed Hans walked around there and with a pat on the back and a broad grin constantly repeated “it will be okay, Hannelore, it will be okay”. That actually became our motto here with everything that threatens to go wrong in our busy family 

On day 1 we visited our “top house” in Sayalonga again. It was still there, still beautifully situated, but still as expensive. On day 2 we visited some houses that we had previously pointed out on the websites, but also a few that Patricia had found in Arenas and suddenly our dream house was among them!

Perfect location on the tip of a hairpin bend, with a very spacious terrace around the pool and very sober and Spanish in construction (we have seen sooo much kitch!), With its own well, well-constructed mountain road and only 4 à 5 neighbours (really by chance all Belgians!) a short distance away so that we do not feel too isolated.  In addition, Velez-Malaga with its huge shopping center and everything you need is a 10-minute drive away and the nice coastal town of Torre Del Mar fifteen minutes.

Just what we were looking for and the sale was concluded that day. Thanks to Patricia, quite a bit of the price has gone down, but the most important thing was that we were referred by them to a law firm with which they have been working with to their full satisfaction for years and in our case that was a blessing. The house was completely in order, but apparently it also included 4400 square meters of mountain land that were not indicated in the land register. We would never have discovered such a thing ourselves, now there is a solution in the making. These were nerve-racking days and at some point the sale also threatened to jump off, but in those days we kept in mind another statement that we found in this section (see Luc’s report): “aqui no hay estrés, no hay problemas, solo soluciones y por fin todo se resuelve… ”That’s right. The contract was signed last week and we will receive the house keys at the end of January!

Thank you Patricia and Geert and Charlotte. You are worth gold! I wrote this testimony with pleasure because, when things went hard, I always kept to that one thought: someday we will also stand there among all those testimonies 

Marnix & Hannelore

Our Spanish story…. We had dreamed about it for a number of years, a house in Spain, as a holiday home and eventually when we would retire, to stay more often, or possibly permanently Only, it was not yet clear where exactly and whether it would be affordable. The crisis ultimately played to our advantage here…
For several years we regularly went on holiday to Spain. Our preferences for nature went to the green north. Basque Country, Asturias and Cantabria with the Picos de Europa, Galicia …Only drawback: the weather there is a big question mark, a lot of rain in the summer, snow in the winter, in terms of climate not much better than with us.

We started to focus more and more on Andalucia… In the spring of 2009 we had mapped out a tour of lesser known white villages such as Gaucin and Ubrique and some smaller towns such as Priego de Cordoba, Antequera, Ubeda and Baeza and here and there our eye dropped on some urbanisations, but there was always something that made us doubt. For example, there was the urbanization in the unknown Velez de Benaudalla, ideally located just off the motorway between Motril and Granada, with an original Moorish tower with restored hammam, gym and baths, beautifully landscaped Moorish-inspired courtyard garden with water channels and fountains, beautiful view the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada, but… the apartments themselves were disappointing: tiny kitchen, dark, small spaces with a roof terrace that you could only reach via a spiral staircase. So typically Spanish in concept, but not what we had in mind as a dream home…

Same story after a trip to Cadiz, Puerto de Santa Maria and Jerez de la Frontera that fall. Often super small apartments with roof terrace and little attention to light, views,…. Beautiful dune areas and cozy towns, but otherwise not very interesting in terms of landscape. Apparently, the real estate companies we ended up with had not yet sold much to foreigners. They heard thunder in Cologne when we talked about a NIE number (or didn’t want to deal with it) and sent us for a walk at the local Guardia Civil.

When surfing the Internet in the winter of 2009 – 2010, in search of the ideal match for us, we accidentally came across the website of Geert and Patricia “Hogar Creativo”, a couple of Flemish people, which inevitably already generated more confidence. They turned out to have their office in Frigiliana, near Nerja, in the Axarquia.

From all that touring in Andalucia in the spring of 2009, the Axarquia had stayed with us as an area with many advantages: mountains, sea, pleasant climate, white mountain villages not too far from the coast, beautiful, still quite untainted coastline between Nerja and Almuñecar , few high-rise buildings, Malaga and Granada in the vicinity …

Hogar Creativo seemed to us the ideal formula: based on a number of criteria that we had determined ourselves (Nerja or Frigiliana, apartment or house with large terrace that adjoins the living room, preferably new construction, parking space for the car or garage, 2 to 3 bedrooms, sunny, sea and / or mountain view, within walking distance of a village center, bakery, restaurants …) they sent us an initial selection of a number of houses by mail.

A few months later, in April 2010, we agreed with Geert to view and compare some of the selected houses. It was immediately hit, the first day already when we came on the terrace of the house in Frigiliana: in front of us the gorge of the Rio Higueron, on the left the mountains of the Parque Natural Sierra de Tejeda y Almijara. Actually, the decision was as good as made, but Geert had taken 3 days and made agreements and we also wanted to be sure that we made the right choice… but nothing of a comparable price range appealed to us.

After the 3 days we made an offer for the house in Frigiliana, the offer was accepted, Geert went with us to the Guardia Civil in Torre del Mar to apply for a NIE number, to Nerja for a lawyer and to Idecocina for a kitchen. In June we came back to finalize the sale in Malaga. As soon as the purchase was finalised, we started looking for furniture stores, a joiner for the finishing of the cupboards, an installer of sun blinds …

In the meantime, we are a good year later and we have furnished our apartment cosily and transformed it into a second home.

When we have learned one thing from our Spain adventure, it is: aquí no hay estrés, no hay problemas, sólo soluciones y por fin todo se resuelve…