Enjoy our quick guide to Barx – whether you are taking a short trip there or even thinking of moving to Barx and become an expat.
Below we interview Richard Gibson-Brown from GeeBee Properties who covers the Barx area.
In particular we wanted to find out from him why people might consider moving to this area of Spain and what they could get for their money.
Richard thanks for helping our readers, I guess we should start off by asking when you moved to Spain and why?
We first started looking at Spanish properties 4 years ago. Deana had spent many years out here in a variety of areas and villas, had strong links to the property business, and eventually dragged me out here to show me what a great place to live the La Safor region would be.
Over the years I had been used to the inevitable golf trips to the South, and had very little knowledge of this area, but I was probably converted after my first visit.
While I still split my time between the UK and here, Deana is pretty much full time in the area, and the pull that it has makes it harder to leave every time!
Where did you move to and how did you come to choose that area over others?
We had already decided that we wanted to be close to Gandia. It is such a vibrant, and typically Spanish city, with many great communities within a short drive. We probably looked at 10 or so houses in areas within striking distance of the city, but finally settled for the first house that we had looked at in an Urbanisation called La Drova, in between two mountains, and just outside the village of Barx.
There is a great mix of nationalities who either live here permanently, or have second homes, and even though Barx is a very sleepy village (about 1200 residents) it has every facility that you may need, Doctor, Dentist, supermarkets, pharmacy………..and the locals are a really friendly bunch, and as you will find anywhere in Spain, even the most feeble attempts at speaking Spanish will be welcomed and encouraged!
What insights from buying yourself did you learn in terms of giving important advice to others following in your footsteps?
The most salient advice I could give is take your time. There is a wealth of property for sale so don’t get pressured into buying the first house that takes your fancy. That may sound a little like a Turkey voting for Christmas, but you would not rush into a house purchase in the UK, so try to use the same logic here. There are many intricacies to the Spanish property market, although it isn’t hugely different to the UK, and a good Lawyer will be able to walk you through what you need to know. We have a fantastic Legal company that we use ourselves, so are more than happy to recommend them.
Perhaps you could give us an overview of your area and explain the terms La Safor region and La Drova area so readers get a better picture?
The La Safor region is the area of the coast that stretches from the bottom of the Costa del Azahar (Orange Blossom Costa) down to Denia in the South. Within this area there are many villages and Urbanisations, La Drova, Marxuquera, Monte Pino, Santa Marta to name but a few. La Drova is essentially an area that sits on an old herding route between Gandia, and the monastery town of Simat, and lies about a mile away from Barx.
Taking Barx, what would you say would be the advantages to living there?
Barx is the most wonderful, sleepy Spanish Village. While there is little English spoken here, in fact there isn’t a great deal of Spanish either, the local dialect is Valenciana, which I gather is akin to Catalan, but don’t tell the locals I told you that!
The Village has everything you need on a day to day basis. There are several bar restaurants, with another couple that are just outside of the Village. And while Barx is not really on the way to anywhere, Valencia is 45 minutes away, and Gandia about 15. It is surrounded by mountains and spectacular scenery, and is slightly cooler than further down towards the city, and is a real oasis of calm. The cost of living is really low too. Your weekly food bill is a fraction of the UK, you will probably only need heating for 3 months of the year, and the council tax for the year is between €300 and €400. It may not surprise you to hear that we sold our house in La Drova in March, and rushed into Barx to buy an idyllic village house.
Would the area not suit certain types of people, i.e. are there any possible downsides?
Although there are many facilities locally, it is a great advantage to have a car. There is so much to see and do if you can get out and about. Having said that, there is a fantastic community spirit in the area, and a great deal going on within a very short distance.
How does your area compare to well-known towns on the Costa del Sol or Costa Blanca?
This is really like comparing Apples to Oranges. The Costa del Sol and the more popular parts of the Costa Blanca are more populous, and a little busier as a result. The La Safor region remains very Spanish, and if you choose to learn even a little of the language, you will find so much more open to you than in the more southerly areas. If you are considering renting your home during the holiday season, the area is still very popular, and you should be able to cover the costs of your house, and maybe make a few quid into the bargain. We are happy to advise on the best way of maximising this. The area is also a little more temperate, and not as arid as many of the more southerly destinations, and it can get quite chilly in the winter.
What are your favourite things to do in the area?
The key to this part of Spain is the outdoor living, the scenery is spectacular and is just waiting to be explored. Gandia is steeped in history, has fantastic shopping areas, and is fabulous for people watching from any of the large number of cafes or bars along the Passeig or in the many small squares. However, the best part must be the nearly 5 miles of stunning, white sandy beaches that you find in and around Gandia, forget Florida, this is real, and you don’t have to queue to get a space.
On a personal level, I am a qualified Hockey Umpire, so travel up to Valencia whenever I can to umpire in the regional league. (makes my hockey colleagues in the UK very jealous) The facilities are amazing, and they host top level competitions every year. Last year saw the World League semi-finals which were won by Team GB, and qualified for Rio as a result. The area is a mecca for cyclists of all ages, and there are some great mountain climbing areas too.
Can you give us some insider tips to the best bars or restaurants?
Locally you will not find a bad restaurant. If you like Pizza, Bar la Font is amazing, and they do takeaways too. For steak there is none better than Bar Bon Mosset, and a little further afield are Bar Puig Mola and La Vistetta, both are fantastic for Paella. In Gandia, our favourite is Visconte, a wonderfully airy and bright place for drinks, and wonderful food too.
Are there smaller villages nearby that you might also recommend?
There are countless villages and small towns, far too many to name, but if you are thinking of buying over here, give us a call, we will be more than happy to show you around.
Getting there – what are the roads and airports like?
We prefer to fly into Valencia, but there are also flights into Alicante too from most major UK airports. The road links are great, Valencia is about 55 minutes away, with Alicante just over an hour. Forget the M25, the roads are normally very quiet, even in peak times.
What are the nearest internationals schools and how good are they?
You will find that every major city in the area will have an international school. Most of these will follow either the UK or US curriculum, but again a bit of research will pay dividends, but on the whole, the education standard is fairly good. Gandia also has a University Campus that is attached to the University of Valencia.
Is crime an issue for expats?
I would not say it is an issue, but you would not leave your doors and windows open in the UK if you went out, so why do it here. There are isolated incidents, but very few and far between. If you are going to leave your villa unattended for long periods, it may be worth installing an alarm, or asking someone to pop by on a regular basis to check all is ok. We can help with this with our after sales services.
Coming onto buying property – what is the market like now in terms of prices going up, down or staying the same?
The property market is becoming busier year on year, but as yet, no huge rise in prices. Some sellers are now becoming more realistic, and coming to the realisation that their house may not be worth what they paid for it. I would not by a house here with a view to making money, but as a place to live, there are few better locations.
Is this a good time to buy and are there any repossessions or very cheap properties still available to buy?
Forget what the Estate Agents tell you!! There is that Turkey again! This is a buyers market. There are some price ranges that are a bit thin on the ground, but on the whole, there are bargains to be had. While Barx does not have too much in the way of re-possessions, the prices for the area are a little lower than you may pay in Denia or Javea, so still great value for money. One small point, I am writing this before the EU referendum, whatever the outcome, there may be an impact on the GBP-Euro exchange rate.
How much are typical property prices in Barx for apartments, villas etc?
Roughly speaking, and I mean very roughly, a three bed Villa with Pool, and a reasonable plot will range from around €210000 to €290000. Village houses without pools peak at around €200000, and apartments in the Gandia area can be picked up for as little as €50,000. There are also some great development opportunities available if you fancy a project, but some are not for the faint-hearted.
Any tips and advice to people looking to buy in Barx or surrounding area?
Do your homework, fix your price range and remember that you will need 10% purchase tax on top of the purchase price. Legal fees will cost another 2 – 3%.
Decide what you are buying. Are you looking or a holiday home perhaps with rental income, or somewhere where you are going to live now, or in the future.
Richard thank you so much for taking the time to help our readers with your experiences in Spain. If you want to contact Richard you can find his details below.
GeeBee Properties
- Email: sales@geebeeproperties.com
- Phone: +44 7808 476032
“What you will get from us is good honest advice, access to a great legal team, and aftersales service that is not always offered. We want to welcome you into the area as friends, not as former clients.” – Richard Gibson-Brown
Contact us to be featured – we want more expat interviews for our newsletter and website. You don’t need to be an estate agent, we want to hear from anyone who lives in Spain whether you are working or retired.
Crime in Barx, Valencia, Spain Questionaire:
From: Des Smith
Where do you live in Spain?
Barx, Valencia
Is there crime in your town?
very little
What type of crimes have you heard about?
Burglary
Do you feel safe in Barx?
yes
Is the area safe for children?
Very
Is crime more or less in Barx compared to the UK (or wherever you lived before)?
Far less
If someone was thinking about moving to Barx, would you recommend they move?
Definitely
Favourite thing about living in Barx?
The clear mountain air and the friendly Spanish people
Additional comments We have had some burglaries in the area, but they have all been of unoccupied houses and no violence has occurred at any time. The residents have formed a group which will respond in case of any more to protect each other´s property
Crime in Barx Spain Questionaire:
From: Estelle
Where do you live in Spain?
Barx, Valencia
Is there crime in your town?
Yes
What type of crimes have you heard about?
House break ins
Do you feel safe in Barx?
Fairly
Is the area safe for children?
Yes
Is crime more or less in Barx compared to the UK (or wherever you lived before)?
About the same
If someone was thinking about moving to Barx, would you recommend they move?
Yes
Favourite thing about living in Barx?
The Spanish way of life and the wonderful views.
Additional comments I think that one needs to be more vigilant in larger towns. I would describe Gandia as being reasonably safe but my husband had money taken from his wallet by two girls purporting to be charity workers and I caught a woman with her hand on my bag! They were part of a group but fortunately I was on my guard.
For Sale By Sally In Spain – Estate Agent Selling Properties in Barx
Calle LÈsparterola 30
Urb La Drova
46758 Barx
Valencia
Telephone: 636869430
Email: forsalebysallyinspain2@gmail.com
Type of Business: Estate Agency
Towns or Areas Covered: Gandia, Oliva, Xeraco, Xativa and inland 45 mins from Gandia
Best Features:
We select the best properties for our clients requirements We create professional videos and drone photos of all our properties We hold your hands throughout the process We don´t charge our buyers for any pre and post sales advice and help Our ethos is to be totally transparent and honest We are an S.L registered real estate agency company in Spain
Main Description:
FOR SALE BY SALLY IN SPAIN, WE ARE AN ENGLISH ESTATE AGENCY, BASED NEAR GANDIA ,SELLING SPANISH PROPERTIES IN THE BEAUTIFUL VALENCIAN REGION OF COSTA AZAHAR (The Orange blossom Coast). WE ARE EXPERIENCED AT HELPING CLIENTS BUY, SELL AND RENT PROPERTIES, THIS ENABLES YOU TO PURCHASE THROUGH US WITH SAFETY GUARANTEED!! Our company is a legally registered estate agency in Spain called Smart Move 2 Spain, S.L (B98647670) trading as FOR SALE BY SALLY IN SPAIN (Watch out as many companies are not S.L registered estate agencies like we are and are not registered with the tax authorities, as anyone can set up an estate agency in Spain you should be careful who you deal with!). Myself and my team are here to help you purchase the most suitable property for your needs (please read our customer testimonials on our website). We cover a wide area (Gandia area within a 60 minute radius and inland. After a sale has been agreed we will be your contact through to completion and help with any after sales queries or help that is needed with services, recommended tradesmen etc. So we offer a complete service from start to finish .We are focused on providing a high quality service and customer satisfaction is important to us, whether buying or selling! We will do everything possible to meet your expectations. Our belief is that our clients needs are of the utmost importance and we are committed in meeting those needs. As a result, a high percentage of our business is from word of mouth and referrals along with our extensive advertising on all the main national and international web portals along with social media.
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