Living on La Palma

House 403 in Tazacorte

2010-05-14T17:01:00.003+01:00

House on the cliff in Tazacorte, La Palma
This house is in a unique position on the cliff tops of Tazacorte, with views south to La Bombilla and north to Tazacorte and El Time. It really is in one of the best climate zones on the island, with warm temperatures all year round and very very little rainfall.
The house is on 2 floors, it has a small separate apartement, a terrace and a small garden.

House number 403.
More information:
http://www.livingonlapalma.com/403-8g2-tazacorte/

Property 518 has been sold

2010-04-28T22:00:00.000+01:00

Puntagorda, La Palma
A large Canary style house on 8000m2 of land below the village of Puntagorda, La Palma, Canary Islands.
The house is 145m2 with a partly covered terrace facing west. It is in a very quiet area looking out over agricultural land towards the sea.
The house has wooden floors and wooden ceilings throughout with an imporessive 50m2 living room.

Situation report April 2010

2010-04-20T18:39:00.001+01:00

The winter period has been much quieter than in previous years as the financial situation seems to have affected confidence and the ability to get a mortgage.

Some owners have reduced their prices slightly or are willing to negociate a little more than in previous years. On the other hand houses on La Palma are still being sold for prices close to the asking price.
Puntagorda has been very popular in the first months of 2010, with a sudden flurry of serious interest. The sales have been completed on 3 houses and 3 more are under offer, some via us and some with other agents.

We have houses to suit most pockets and wishes.
Not all our houses are shown on our website. It is therefore a good idea to let us know what type of house you are looking for, the price range and location so that we can see if we have other properties which may be suitable for you.

House 621 in Arecida, Tijarafe

2010-04-20T16:15:00.002+01:00

House in Arecida, Tijarafe, La Palma
A group of 4 old buildings which have been well restored in Tijarafe, La Palma, Canary Islands.
The main building is the living room, there is a seprate building with a kitchen and a third building with 2 bedrooms and a bathroom.
The forth building is a workshop and storage area.
The area between the buildings is covered with a glass roof and is part of a larger sheltered patio area. It would be possible to enclose part of the terrace with a conservatory type structure which would extend the covered living area considerably.
The land is terraced, has many fruit trees, an established garden and space for growing crops.

House number 621.
More information:
http://www.livingonlapalma.com/621-uy-tijarafe/

Starting a business or being self-employed

2010-04-20T12:26:00.006+01:00

If you have a talent which other people find useful then perhaps you could set up your own small business of offer your services as a self-employed person.
There are possibilities for anyone with a trade to be able to make a living on La Palma.
Don't expect to get rich, but getting enough work to be able to live should be possible.

Most of the carpenters (wood or aluminium) , plumbers and electricians that we know have such a backlog of orders that there should be plenty of work around to be able to get started. People with welding and metalwork skills should also have no problem starting a business.

Fresh vegetables have been a booming area in recent years. The traditional Palmero diet does not contain many vegetables, just potatoes, sweet potatoes, avocados and tomatoes and ingredients for soup which include beans. In recent years more variety has been introduced via the supermarkets, but the quality is below the locally grown produce and there is little variety.
Since about 2002 Farmers markets have been growing in popularity. The permanent markets in Santa Cruz, Los Llanos and Mazo have always had some vegetables but since the introduction of the weekend Farmers market in Puntagorda selling produce grown locally in the rich soils of the North-West of the island people have discovered the difference in quality and the will drive miles to get good quality fresh vegetables. More recently other places have opened weekend markets.
When in season the Puntagorda strawberries are sold out within a couple of hours.
There must be a market there for this and other produce.

Teachers, doctors and dentists are in demand, but you would need to speak the Spanish language. You may be able to give private English lessons but again, speaking reasonable Spanish would be important.
There is a small foreign community on the island, mainly German but also some English, Dutch, Belgians and other nationalities. You may be able to find some work in this 'market' but in practice these markets are already saturated.

Don't expect to come to La Palma to make a quick killing with some new concept or with the gap-in-the-market that you have found. That 'gap' maybe because there is just no demand.
You may find that you cannot charge the rates that you are used to because the wages are lower than elsewhere.

If you have experience with computers there are also opportunities, teaching people to use them, installing and updating software, arranging Internet connections and resolving computer problems.

You can almost always find casual work as a gardener or cleaner, or as an odd-job man or on a building site. Of course you will need to know someone who can introduce you to the employer, just walking in off the street probably won't work. This type of work is not well paid and can be hard, but it can give you enough to live on.

Finding a job on La Palma

2010-04-20T10:45:00.008+01:00

Working on La Palma.
We are often asked how people can find work on La Palma.

The simple answer is that it is not easy to find a job on the island.
There are very few large companies on the island so there are very few office jobs.
There are some hotels but jobs there are not easy to find or are poorly paid.
Most companies, bars and restaurants are small family businesses employing just a handful of people.

Speaking Spanish is essential for almost every job, without it you are unlikely to find work.
If you speak several languages you stand a much better chance in the tourist industry.

It is unlikely that you will get a fixed employment contract, certainly not until your employer gets to know you. Most jobs are on a casual basis.
La Palma has a population of just under 90,000 people. In any area that you are seeking work people tend to know everybody, so integrating is not always easy. Employers always know people who know applicants, it gives an element of trust which as a new arrival you cannot compete with.
Bear in mind that many foreigners who ask for jobs tend to come and go so local employers will take a lot of convincing that you are still going to be here in 6 months time. We know people who have stayed less than 2 months. It helps if people that they know and trust will recommend you for a job.

There is very little point in applying for a job by email, post or phone. You have to be here. It might be worth contacting hotels or car hire companies beforehand, but don't expect them to be enthusiastic about you. They will need to meet you and talk to you before they make any sort of commitment.

Only having a casual job means that banks will not accept your mortgage application.

For most people it is easier to start a small business or to be a self employed freelance worker.

House number 705 reduced in price.

2010-04-20T10:05:00.003+01:00

Las Manchas, La Palma, Canary Islands

House number 705 has been reduced in price to 195,000 Euros.

A 66m2 one bedroom house with 2000m2 land in La Manchas, a short drive from the beaches at Puerto Naos and Tazacorte and to the towns of El Paso and Los Llanos.
The house was built in 2004 and has good views.

More details at:
www.livingonlapalma.com/705-m5-lasmanchas/

House 501 in Puntagorda has been sold

2010-04-10T19:00:00.001+01:00

Puntagorda, La Palma, Canary Islands

House 501 is probably the best investment opportunity that we have on our books at the moment.
The house is livable at the moment. The ideas for renovation and extension that we would suggest could mostly be done in phases whilst still living in part of the house.

Property 528 has been sold

2010-03-25T10:00:00.000Z

Typical canary island house close to the center of Puntagorda village (El Pilar).

Property 529 has been sold

2010-03-20T12:00:00.000Z

An old Canarian style house with a newer addition, outbuilings, large water tank and 4500m2 of agricultural land. The old house is on 2 floors, the more recent part contains a kitchen and bathroom.There is a small triangular building was used for pressing grapes, and a pajero (stables) which is used for storage.

House number 904 reduced in price.

2010-03-19T17:38:00.000Z

Las Tricias/El Castillo, Garafia, La Palma, Canary Islands

House number 904 has been reduced in price to 249,000 Euros.

A 154m2 two bedroom house with 3500m2 land between Las Tricias and El Castillo area of Garafia.
The original part of the house is fully restored in the original traditional style with wooden floor and ceiling. The extension is built to a high quality. It should be possible to create one or two extra rooms in the covered patio area.
Good views.

More details at:
www.livingonlapalma.com/904-garafia/

House number 901 has been sold.

2010-01-05T12:00:00.002Z

El Castillo, Garafia, La Palma, Canary Islands

House number 901 has been sold.

Buying a house on La Palma but you need a mortgage?

2009-09-21T15:59:00.005+01:00

Summary.
It is not easy getting a mortgage in Spain, but it is possible provided that you can convince the bank that you are a safe bet.
In general Spanish banks will give no more than 60% or 70% mortgages.
As a basic rule, if your bank in your home country won't give you a mortgage then a Spanish bank won't either.

The banks
Banks in Spain are no different to banks in the rest of Europe.
There are 2 basic rules that they apply.
1. You have to have security.
2. You have to show that you can make the repayments.

Where should I get apply for a mortgage?
Ideally you should apply for a mortgage in the country where you can prove your security and your income which is usually where you also pay tax.
If you are intending to move lock, stock and barrel to La Palma with no income or property in your (old) home country then obviously you will need to apply to a bank in Spain.
If you have security (property) in your home country and income in your home country then the best option is to ask a bank there. It will be a lot easier to convince them that you are a safe bet than it would be to convince a Spanish bank. Your 'foreign' pension or benefits may not carry much weight in Spain.
In other cases it will depend on which is easiest to prove.

Security using a property on La Palma.
If you apply for a mortgage in Spain with a property in Spain as security the banks will base their offer on the valuation of an official valuer which a Spanish bank will usually arrange. This valuation is often lower than the market value.
Special care has to be taken with older properties. Roughly speaking, the Spanish banks require that a property has been registered with the Land Registry for at least 2 years. Older properties may not be registered in the correct way, especially if they have not changed hands in the last 10 years. Whilst the ownership may not be in doubt the banks are super careful and will insist on waiting for 2 years after a first inscription before considering a mortgage.

Income requirements.
As with all banks you will need to prove to a Spanish bank that you have a regular source of income in the future. They will base their judgement on your financial history and prospects of continuity.
Euro-based pensions are usually acceptable. Non-euro based pensions may be valued lower to allow for currency fluctuations.
Usually the bank will ask for tax and bank statements for the previous 2 financial years. They will also ask for proof of continuity, so if your income will change or stop because of your move to La Palma your mortgage application may not be accepted.
If you are 'starting again' on La Palma with a new business or a new job it is unlikely that a bank will accept a mortgage application in the first 3 years. This is because you have no proof of continuity of income and no banking history with them. If you are not self-employed then only a permanent salary with a long term contract will suffice. Self-employed people have to show 2 successful financial years with adequate income and profits to be entertained as potential applicants.
Bear in mind that the banks know that many people who dream of an easy life on La Palma leave within a few years. You have to prove that you are not one of them.

Tell the estate agent.
It is very important that you tell the estate if you will need a mortgage before you start looking at houses. The bank rules may prevent you getting a mortgage on a specific house, or other requirements may rule out a mortgage in the first few years. Please tell us before we spend time and effort looking for suitable houses and arranging visits to houses. We need to check suitability for mortgage purposes.
It can lead to disappointment on your side and irritation with sellers and estate agents if you do not.

How can LivingOnLaPalma help.
We cannot change the bank rules and regulations.
We can help you to prepare the presentation of your application to a bank, find a bank which may accept your application and be there when you talk to the bank to explain your situation.

Forest fires on La Palma in August 2009

2009-09-21T13:11:00.004+01:00

The news stories.
La Palma was in the news in August 2009 due to forest fires on the southern tip of the island.
Many of the news reports of the extent of the damage were greatly exacurated, many were wildly inaccurate.
The press reported 4000 people evacuated from the island, hundreds of houses destroyed, most of the forests destroyed, they said that the observatory was threatened and the island was consumed by flames. There were even reports of mass evacuations by boat.

The damage
In fact the fires only burned in the very southern part of the island and damaged less than 2% of the pine forests on the island. Somewhere between 500 and 1000 people left their homes temporarily and returned the following day. No one had to leave the island. Only 30 houses were damaged, plus some outbuildings. No people died or were injured but a few dozen domestic animals were killed, some grape vines and lots of weeds were burnt. Nobody was evacuated from the island.
A handful of tourists missed their flights and one hotel had a smokey 24 hours.
For the people directly affected it was a disaster and very frightening, but for the majority of the island it was business as usual.
See www.islalapalma.com/en/forestfires.html for more details.

The pine forests
People talk about the forests being destroyed but that is not accurate. The grass, shrubs and pine needles on the ground burn, as do the dead pine needles hanging on the trees. The trees themselves get scorched but not burnt. The grass recovers after the next rain, the shrubs may take a few years to recover but due to their deep roots the pine trees start to sprout green shoots within weeks and recover substantially after the first winter.

The danger period?
Forest fires can occur in July and August when the vegetation is dried out and the weather is hot. A major fire occurs about once every 5 years, almost always they are high up in the pine forests on the hills up above the villages. Usually no houses are affected.

Fire protection services.
The forest fire protection services are active all year round cleaning up the forests and improving installations. From mid-june to mid-october their numbers are increased dramatically. In the north of the island large networks of high pressure water pipes have been laid and fire-breaks have been made. This helps to contain the fires and allow the fire services to bring them inder control quickly.

Preventative action
House owners take simple precautions to prevent their houses being damaged.
There are 2 dangers, one is fire creeping along the ground, the other is sparks blown by the wind.
The main precautions are:
- make concrete and gravel areas directly around the house, make a fire proof border of about 2 to 5 metres,
- make sure the house has no exposed wood,
- plant a garden with flowers, cactus and shrubs around the house,
- clear all grass and wild shrubs within 20 metres of the buildings,
- don't leave piles of wood near the house,
- when you are not there (in july and august) put all burnable objects (plastic garden furniture!) in a protected area away from the house, inside the house or in a shed.
- insist that any neighbours do the same, help them if needed.

With these simple precautions the risk of fire damage is very small.

House 515 has been sold

2009-08-10T12:00:00.002+01:00

Puntagorda, La Palma, Canary Islands

House number 515 has been SOLD.

For other houses on La Palma see http://www.livingonlapalma.com/

House with swimming pool near Tazacorte

2009-05-01T20:28:00.000+01:00

Tazacorte, La Palma

A magnificent house with a well established garden and a swimming pool.
Centrally situated between Tazacorte village and La Laguna within easy reach of shops and beaches at Tazacorte and Puerto Naos.
House number 402.
More information:
http://www.livingonlapalma.com/402-p8-tazacorte/

Situation report April 2009

2009-04-14T16:16:00.006+01:00

Despite the economic dip we are still getting many enquiries about houses for sale on La Palma.
Many of the dreamers are gone and most enquiries that we have are from people who have real money in the bank or have already sold a property.

For some people the crisis has given them a reason to invest in property in a stable market, and La Palma is a lot more stable than neighbouring Tenerife and the Spanish Costas.

For other people the downturn has encouraged them to move forward their plans to leave the chaos, pressure and grey skies of Northern Europe and to make their dream of a house in the sun come true now rather than later.

Of course, we have our share of enquiries from people who think that a 10% downturn in some areas means that sellers on La Palma will accept offers of 40% below the asking price, but the difference in asking price and selling price is no different to previous years and the asking prices are only dropping by a few percent.

La Palma is still a good place to buy property. The island is not dependent on tourism and is therefore pretty much imune from the huge effects that a drop in tourism has had on many other locations.

Most Spanish banks are not keen on giving mortgages to foreigners these days but with proof of income and a good property valuation motgages of 60% to 70% are sometimes possible.

House and pajero in Puntagorda village

2009-01-02T12:00:00.004Z

Puntagorda, La Palma

House 525 has been put on the market by the owners at 152,000 Euros

It is EXCLUSIVE to LivingonLaPalma.com

It is a largely restored typical Palmero cottage with 1 bedroom, living room, kitchen and dining room, small bathroom, covered terrace. When the new plan is approved the house can be extended.

There is a separate pajero (stone shed) has a traditional canary-pine floor and roof which could be renovated and extended to serve as a second house, office, workshop or tourist accommodation.

The 2200m2 land is flat, has fruit trees and parts can be cultivated. Close to the road and just a short walk from the shops and bus stop. It is ideal for people wanting to enjoy La Palma and integrate with the villagers of Puntagorda.
Reason for sale: owners moving to a larger house.

Full details at:

http://www.livingonlapalma.com/525-b1-puntagorda/

The Phases of buying a house on La Palma

2008-09-06T13:20:00.004+01:00

We get requests from people in all stages of their search for a new life and new house on La Palma.
It helps us enormously if you can tell us at the start what stage you are in. It might also help you!
Generally there are 4 phases. Dreaming, Orientation, Planning and Buying.

Dreaming. 'I would love to live on La Palma'
The La Palma Virus is something that affects very many people who have visited La Palma for a holiday. They fall in love with the island and its people and the relaxed lifestyle.

So what do we suggest that dreamers should do?
Stop dreaming and take some action.
Read the dreaming section ...

Orientation. 'Would we realistically be able to live on La Palma?'
In this phase you should be thinking about the lifestyle, costs, your income and personal limitations.
The costs are basically the costs of buying a house, the cost of the move, living costs, cost of services and future costs.
How do you get that information?
Read the section on Orientation ...

The planning phase. 'We are going to live on La Palma!'
So you have decided it is feasable to live on La Palma.
The next thing you need is to plan the most important aspects of such a move in more detail.
- How do we arrange the move?
- When do we want to move?
- What houses are available?
- How do we make the money available?

How can we help in this phase?
If we have not already met in the Orientation phase then it is better if we can talk face to face the next time you are on La Palma.
We can discuss your detailed requirements with you before you arrive and tell you about the available properties. Not all of the properties are on our website www.livingonlapalma.com

When you are here we can meet you to discuss your wishes and walk through a list of possible houses.
Read the planning section ...

The house purchase phase. 'We are buying a house on La Palma'
Now you have found a property to buy on La Palma.

How can we help you?
Helping people to buy houses and land on La Palma is our business.
We can help you through the entire process, including checking papers, preparing pre-contracts, arranging bank accountsa nd NIE numbers and arrange the appointment with the Notary and support you throughout the whole process.
Read the buying section ...

Phase Zero: Dreaming

2008-09-06T13:15:00.001+01:00

Dreaming. 'I would love to live on La Palma'

The dream of a life in a warm climate within Europe is a dream that infects many people once they have visited La Palma. They fall in love with the island and its people and the relaxed lifestyle. La Palma being within the Europe Union makes life a lot easier for EU residents. Visitors often get infected with what we call the La Palma Virus.

At this stage the ideas are vague and people wonder what it would be like to live on La Palma. We sometimes get asked this impossible question .. what is it like to live on La Palma.
There are as many answers to that question as there are people on the island.
It depends on who you are, what you like, your age, what you are expecting, how good you are at adapting, whether you have to work or travel and whether it works out the way you wanted. Its a bit like asking what its like living in Cornwall. If you don't have any income its bad everywhere, if you work in Glasgow and like visiting Harrods every week its a real pain and if you hate tourists then don't live in St.Ives or Newquay.

Somewhat surpisingly we also get enquiries from people who ask for details about a specific house who have never been to La Palma.

So what do we suggest that dreamers should do?

Either stop dreaming and take some action or hold on to your dreams until you are ready to take action.
99% of all dreamers just keep dreaming, which is fine except when they expect estate agents to wave a magic wand to create jobs for them, reduce house prices by 70% and shorten the traveling time to Northern Europe.

Ready to take action? Move on to the orientation phase ...

Phase One: Orientation

2008-09-06T13:10:00.003+01:00

Orientation. 'Would we realistically be able to live on La Palma?'

So you have decided, together with your partner, that it is worth spending a bit of time seeing if there is a way that you could actually manage a move to, and live, on La Palma.

In this phase you should be thinking about the costs, your income, the logistics, lifestyle and personal limitations.

You need to sort out the possibilities and impossibilities of:
1. leaving your current location and
2. moving somewhere else and specifically
3. moving to La Palma.

The first part of this feasability study is deciding what you want; to identify your requirements.

The second is seeing if it is feasable for you to realise those requirements on La Palma.
Note: If you want to buy a second home for renting and occassional own use then other factors are involved and some of the information below may not apply to you.

We suggest that you start by looking at the personal aspects, because they are the commonest reasons for not moving abroad. Among many other things consider ...
- Will I miss my friends and family?
- Can I settle in a place where few people speak my language fluently?
- Will I miss my work?
- Will I be able to support myself (us)?
- Will I miss the pub, football, bridge club, theatre, etc?
- Will I miss the BBC and ITV?
- How will I feel if I miss the birth of a grandchild, or the funeral of an uncle?
- Can I live without fish and chips, Cumberland sausage, Pickled Onions and Mr. Kipling cakes.
- Do I have ambitions which are not yet fulfilled?
- How would I keep myself busy?
- What would be the consequences for my (young) children?
If you still want to live on La Palma than move on to the logistical and financial aspects.

There are the interrelated isuues of location and lifestyle.

- Which area would you like to live in? Near the beach? Near the shops? Near the airport? Or just the opposite, somewhere quiet and well away from the bustle, growing your own vegetables, or sipping cocktails by the pool all year round? Do you want to be isolated, or close to a village, or near to other foreigners? Do you want to be able to walk to a bar or high class restaurant? Do you have children who need to go to school? Do you need to work? Do you expect to collect people from the airport regularly?

- What lifestyle are you anticipating. This might sound a bit personal but you would be surprised how many people have contradictory wishes. Contradictory in the sense of wanting to live in a traditional cottage in the woods but within walking distance of beach, shops and restaurants. (This particular combination does not exist on the west side of La Palma). Contradictory wishes between partners are also very common. You will need to answer all of the above questions for youselves, and more, in order to find out if it will be possible on La Palma.

- If you need to work, what could you do and would it be enough to live the lifestyle you anticipate?
- Do you have children who would live with you and need to go to school or find work?
- Do you have family and friends who would expect to stay with you and expect a certain level of accommodation and facilities?
- Do you have special needs? For example, wheelchair access or a Harley-Davidson dealership or specialist medical assistance.
- Do you want a country life, or village life, or a town life, or a beach life?

Then you should look at the financial aspects.

On the outgoings side:

- What does property cost on La Palma? The short answer is that buying a reasonable house on La Palma will cost between 150,000 euros and 300,000 euros. For more luxury and size the prices go up to about 500,000 euros and there are properties all the way up to 2 million euros.
Add about 10% for the cost of buying a property.
Buying land and building might save a little money but you will still arrive at roughly the same prices as buying an existing property and have spent 1 to 2 years waiting for permissions and the building work.
Buying an old tumbled down house and renovating it is becoming much more expensive. That 'bargain' which you may have seen is probably cheap for a reason. The reason is often due to location, lack of permissions and possible unresolved boundary or ownership issues.
- Do you have cash available to buy a house outright? Would you come to La Palma and rent an appartment while taking time and look for a house? Would you need a mortgage? If so would you need a mortgage on the new house on La Palma? A mortgage requirement places demands on the type and legal status of the property you would need.
- What is the cost of living on La Palma?
- What is the cost of the health services etc

Consider the income issues:
- How would you maintain your lifestyle on La Palma, do you have enough income (pension?) or do you have the expertise or experience to earn a living on La Palma?

Suggestions for getting the relevant information?
The personal aspects of moving to La Palma are something that you can only resolve yourselves, perhaps with some help from us and Internet.
There is a wealth of information on Internet if you take the time to look for it.
- Read the other posts on this blog and on the main LivingonLaPalma.com website.
- Read the archives of several of the internet forums related to Spain and emigration. There is a huge amount of useful information in these forums.
- Look on Google for general information about emigrating to Spain.
- Look for government and other official websites, you countries embassy in Spain may have a website.
- Write down a list of things that you would no longer be able to do.
- Think about the lifestyle you expect and whether it is attainable for you.
- Learn about La Palma and its towns and villages and the different social and climatic areas.
- Visit La Palma again.

How can we help you in the orientation phase?
We can't make any decisions for you. We can help you through the process if you give us enough information. Tell us as much as possible about your plans, requirements and limitations so that we can make suggestions and give feedback which may help you.

We can indicate and give information about some houses which may suit your needs, or are in your price range.
When you next visit La Palma we can meet you and talk about your plans.
We may also be able to show you some candidate houses from the outside. This is usually enough to give you an idea of the types of houses and locations that are available. At this stage it is not fair to the owners, their keyholders, maybe their renters, or indeed to us to make arrangements to see the inside of a house when you are not yet in a position to buy.

We can't find you a job. We might be able to make suggestions, and may be able to help with some aspects of starting a business.

If your ideas seem to be possible, if the financial plans would work then Read about the planning phase ...

Phase Two: Planning

2008-09-06T13:08:00.002+01:00

The planning phase. 'We are going to live on La Palma!'
So now you have decided that you are going to live on La Palma.
In the orientation phase you should have got a good idea of where you want to live and what type of house you can afford.

Now its down to practical issues of buying a house.

How can we help in this phase?

Helping people find and purchase a house on La Palma is our business.
We specialise in the La Punta, Tijarafe, Puntagorda and Garafia areas but we do have houses or contacts in other areas on the West side of La Palma.

Our estate agent website is www.livingonlapalma.com

If you can tell us as much as possible about your plans, requirements and limitations we can tell you more about suitable houses that are on our website and several others which, for various reasons, are not on the website.

If the combination of house and location that you are looking for is currently not available we will make a note of your wishes and keep you informed of any new properties and price changes of existing properties.

When you are on the island we can can talk about the current selection of houses available and show you candidate houses from the outside. This gives a very good idea of the location and type of house and we can discuss most aspects of the property and its price.

If one or more of the properties falls within you criteria we can arrange a viewing and be present at the viewing to discuss the positive and potential negative aspects of the property.

When you have found a suitable property and want to negotiate a deal we can guide you through the process and arrange the paperwork.

At this stage you will also have to make a financial plan so that you have money available for a deposit and the full payment on the date of the sale.

Found a house? Read about the buying process ...

Phase Three: The sale

2008-09-06T13:02:00.001+01:00

The sale: 'We are buying a house on La Palma.'

Once you have seen a house that you would like to buy we will negociate with the owner on the price.
In some cases the price is fixed and the owner will not, or cannot, negociate.
In other cases the owners are sometimes prepared to accept a slightly lower price.

We will acquire relevant official information about the property to check that the information presented by the owner or his representative is correct. Where available we will check future plans for the area.

Once all parties have reached agreement the normal procedure is to sign a pre-contract.

The pre-contract is your security that the owner will sell to you, and his security that you will actually buy the property. A 10% deposit is normally a condition of the pre-contract. A sale date is stipulated in the pre-contract, this is usually within 2 months but sometimes a longer period can be agreed.
This period enables you to set up a bank account, obtain a NIE number, make money available and move it to your bank on La Palma.

Prior to signing the pre-contract we will have checked all documentation of the owner and the property to ensure that the property is correctly registered and that the owner is the sole legal owner. In the case of older properties some extra documentation may be required, this will be done before the actual sale at the notary.

We will arrange the paperwork for the final sale and check it through with the notaries office, we will make the appointment at the notary and be there to guide you through the sale. Where needed we can translate and explain the documents.

We can provide some after sales services, such as arranging telephone connections, changing names and bank details for amenities and making contact with builders, gardeners and cleaners.

Our estate agent website is www.livingonlapalma.com

House 504 has been sold

2008-09-02T16:59:00.005+01:00

House number 504, a house in Puntagorda has been sold at the asking price of 135,000 Euros.

For more houses for sale on La Palma, Canary Islands visit http://www.livingonlapalma.com

Setting up a Bed and Breakfast

2008-09-02T09:40:00.014+01:00

Setting up a Bed and Breakfast sounds easy and fun.
Those British television programs make it sound an attractive and a reasonably cheap exercise leading to a relaxed and profitable business.

The reality is somewhat different.
If you need to make a living out of the business and support yourselves solely from the income then you will be working 7 days per week and 12 to 16 hours per day, getting up early, being pleasant to customers and continually interrupted while trying to complete the daily cleaning, maintenance, shopping and booking tasks. A B&B is a people oriented business requiring patience, a constant good humour and the ability to handle difficult situations with ease and with a smile. It also demands skills in cooking, cleaning, maintenance, decoration, emergency repairs, gardening, administration, marketing and communication. If you don't have all these then you probably will not succeed in a running a B&B.
Read the full post ...

To be able to run a profitable B&B business you need to have at least 5 rentable rooms, either with a couple of common bathrooms or with en-suite in every room. With less than 5 rooms the general cost of maintenance and taxes etc are unlikely to be covered by the income.
You will probably need to live in the building yourself or have accommodation for yourselves close by.

The interior and exterior of the building are covered by La Palmas strict building regulations, planning laws, fire regulations and health and safety regulations. Additionally the building has to be in a planning zone where tourist accommodation is permitted and the Cabildo (island government) has to be persuaded to give you permission to open a tourist-establishment and then the required number of 'bed-allocations'. Bed allocations are in very short supply and are not easy to get.
The regulations determine aspects such as room sizes, the material used in doors, windows and curtains and especially to food preparation areas and bathrooms.

To ensure a continuous flow of guests the property needs to be accessible by road or bus or be in a popular walking area or just have something very special.

So how much would it cost to buy an existing B&B on La Palma?
A Pension in El Paso with 6 rooms is currently on sale for 1,200,000 Euros.
You should expect to pay at least 400,000 Euros for a building with enough rooms that would still need to be converted to conform to all the building, fire, safety, hygiene and health regulations.
Building a B&B from scratch will cost almost the same amount of money, but take about 2 years to get built, furnished, decorated and approved by several authorities.
Finding suitable land is not easy on La Palma because of planning regulations.

There are a hand full of pensions on the island, some of which make a profit for the owners, others provide a secondary income and currently (summer 2008) 2 are for sale.
If you are looking for a return on investment in the holiday industry then a better option is to buy or build a group of holiday homes. The rates per night that you can charge for a holiday home are higher than for a B&B, there are fewer regulations because you are not preparing food, and it is far less work for yourselves.

We strongly suggest that you use the Internet to research the pros and cons of starting a bed and breakfast before starting to look for a suitable building. There are web sites with checklists and tips and warnings.
They say that many B&B owners burn-out after 5 years because of the stress and the long working hours, often without days off and without holidays. Those that don't burn out usually have family and friends living nearby who can help out and take off some of the load.
They say that most aspiring owners never get as far as purchasing a property because they cannot get enough money together, or realise that they won't get rich or realise how many hours they will be committed to or just how multi-talented they need to be able just to break even.

If you are still interested in starting a B&B on La Palma then perhaps we can help you find a suitable property. Once you have done the viability calculations and decided how many bedrooms, public rooms and owners accommodation and the all-important required location please let us know and perhaps we can find a property which may be convertable into a bed and breakfast or pension.

House number 705 reduced in price.

2008-08-21T17:12:00.006+01:00

Las Manchas, La Palma, Canary Islands

House number 705 has been reduced in price to 215,000 Euros.
A well built modern house with 1 bedroom on the sunny side of La Palma.
The west facing terrace gives a good view over the lava landscape and down to the sea.
Convenient for the shops in Los Llanos and the beaches at Tazacorte and Puerto Naos.
More details at:
www.livingonlapalma.com/705-m5-lasmanchas/

Crisis, what housing crisis?

2008-08-19T23:38:00.006+01:00

We often get enquiries from people who are surprised that house prices on La Palma have not dropped in line with the massive drops in the USA, UK and the Spanish Costas.
It may seem surprising but it appears to be true that houses on La Palma, Canary Islands are maintaining their value.
La Palma seems to have escaped the 'crisis' in the housing market. The market has remained fairly stable so far for cottages, holiday homes and detached houses.

Perhaps it is because the young palmeros are more prosperous then ever before and no longer want to follow tradition and live with their parents. They are buying up property.

Perhaps it is because owners are prepared to wait a couple of years as they are generally not in a hurry to sell and do not want to lower their price.

Perhaps it is because people from the Spanish Peninsula and Northern Europe want to leave their own countries and move to a better climate and live a more relaxed life, creating a continued demand for houses on La Palma.

Perhaps it is because there really isn't much property for sale on the island at any one time.

Of course, some property owners are still overly optimistic, but in our experience there is still enough demand for houses to be sold at prices fairly close to the asking price.

In any case the property prices on La Palma do not seem to have dropped significantly in 2008