Is campasol a good place to live

It's actually Camposol NOT Camposol.

And yes it is.

Many thanks, I already have property  in Albox which I'm going to rent out.Coming to look around  this week. Thanks again 

Hi there,

Here is a response I put together to try and answer some questions about D sector, however most other than the Rambla issue is relevant to B and C sectors.

Most recently, the town hall has announced that it will be taking over the role of the developer of Camposol in an attempt to finalise the urbanisation and adopt it in its entirety. No one really knows what that means, however it should be good news. 

Most people talk about the “great community”, however there are some things you may like to consider before buying here, as they may affect you in the future. 

Check if the property is built on the Rambla de Los Aznares? (The Rambla runs across the entire length of the streets just above the length of Calle Nogales/ Calle Piteras on D sector. Banks have refused mortgages on some of the 450 houses built on the Rambla. This may not affect you when buying but sellers have lost their sale as their purchasers needed a mortgage. There are plans to reroute the Rambla (but nothing confirmed yet).

Is the property registered as Touristico? (Many properties were listed as touristico meaning they can only be rented not lived in permanently. Most of these have been resolved). It is expected that the remainder will be resolved once the Rambla is rerouted.

Is the property on a public or private road? (The council said about 5 years ago that they will not and cannot legally carry out works on private roads. The two main issues are lighting and road surfacing. So if it is a private road, your lights will not be maintained. If turned off, the council will not turn them on. Several streets have got together and bought their own solar lights.

Your lawyer should ensure that all permissions for work carried out are registered, they normally arrange for your utilities, electricity and water to be continued and will, if you ask set up direct debits for these and your annual IBI (council tax), which will be taken from your account around 6th October each year. The lawyer usually keeps a retention from the vendor to deal with any issues, such as unpaid utility bills and licences for works carried out. Discuss this with them. The lawyer should also explain that each property has a “cuota” which is a % of costs that you may be liable for, should any issues arise in your sector or poligono. 

You may also like to ask them if the property has a fin de obra or a habitation certificate. It is unlikely if it is on D sector, worth discussing with the lawyer what the effect of this is, for future reference.

I am sure others will give you more answers, based on their personal experience, have you had or considered a survey in the property? Should be about €400.

Many people now use online banks such as Wise or Revolut these days, as these are easier to manage when you are not here. You can set up all your direct debits and manage them online.

Many people recommend using a lawyer that is not recommended by the estate agent. Your lawyer can arrange your NIE, which you will need to make your purchase. You will pay non residents tax all the time you own here. Your lawyer can arrange to deal with this for you. A Power of Attorney(POA) is a good idea to let the lawyer deal with things when you are absent and during the purchase process.  Make sure you get an estimate of costs from your lawyer before you buy. You should allow 11 - 13% on top of your purchase price. Don’t forget that you will pay nonresidents tax each year, unless you are a resident. 

And very finally, Camposol is a bit like Marmite, so it would probably be worth renting a property here for a few weeks so that you can see if is what you are expecting your life in Spain to be. The Spanish call Camposol “Little Britain, the “British ghetto” or the “Salvaje Oeste”, the Wild West😇. Other than a small number of Spanish who live here, the demographic is about 85% British, with an increasing number of mainland Europeans moving here, many of whom are not fans of the Anglification of the urbanisation. If you don’t speak Spanish, you won’t have any issues, however if you do, there are very few places on Camposol where you can use it. None of the issues mentioned would prevent you buying a property here. It’s just that some like to buy with their eyes open and with information that the agents and lawyers are unlikely to tell you if you don’t ask. 

Good luck and welcome to Camposol😇