At home on the Costa Blanca: November 2008

Monday 10 November 2008

The Gardens of our Time, a parable

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 18: The unofficial 'Nati...

The background to this parable.
The breakdown of the financial systems in the USA and Europe in 2008. Starting with the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in September, 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bankruptcy_of_Lehman_Brothers
and leading to disasters such as the failure of the Royal Bank of Scotland and other banks in UK. As a result the UK Government by guaranteeing their solvency made a burden of debt the responsibilty of taxpayers well into the future. A shaming feature of the incompetent investment industry was that its leaders held on grimly to the perks, the possibility of which had itself caused part of the problem. For example, Sir Fred Goodwin of the Royal Bank of Scotland was one of these leaders -
http://www.tutorialhell.com/index.php?option=com_hwdvideoshare&task=viewvideo&Itemid=1&video_id=2

- who had led the bank into excessive and unwise expansion and was forced (!) to retire with a pension and property worth more than eight million pounds. And had the nerve to declare that he had more than earned it!!

Finding your kind of place

Do you want a new house built to your own specifications, or a house already built, or would you prefer an apartment or a town house? There are wonderful examples of all four types available and it is a good time to buy. There are sites (parcelas) for new houses often on existing urbanisations. Houses built since the late 1980s may already be double-glazed and have wall and roof insulation. Older houses might need these things done. It is always worth checking with any house wherever you buy. Buying an older villa for its location and then renovating it is another option.
Hundreds of apartments and town houses have been built in this area in the last five years, some bought as investments for rental, some as second homes by both Spanish and expatriate buyers, and some by local residents including expatriates selling their villas.

Finding your kind of place, continued

Would you like a garden of Mediterranean fruits, flowers and shrubs? And include favourites from temperate climates? Or do you want to live in or near an orchard of oranges, almonds, olives or even beside a vineyard?
Remember that every site has its own particular climate. You need to work out when the sun reaches a location and at what times of day through the year before you buy. In a mountainous country you want to be sure that you do not live on the wrong side of the hill. Sunlight may be more important to you in the winter than the summer.

More on finding your own kind of place...

Is a swimming pool necessary?

The treatment of the water by filtration does mean that you seldom if ever need to completely refill your pool unless repairs are needed. You will need to top up the water level to replace water lost to evaporation caused by sun, wind, and enthusiastic swimmers. There are modest costs for the electricity needed to run the pump, and for chlorine or salt treatment to keep the water hygienic.
But do you really need a pool? Before building the house, I questioned whether one was really needed when there were beaches within a short drive. In addition, for most of the year it is rather cool for swimming outdoors. My wife argued that a pool was pleasant to look at. I was persuaded and have never regretted it. What you get is a mosaic under water, glinting in the sunlight for around three hundred days in the year!