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Some Questions!
Some Questions!
Hi - I am a new member and have found your site to be very useful. I have just made an offer on an apartment in Carvoeiro on Estrada do Farol (at the top of the hill over a few restaurants). I have loads of questions and hope that you will be able to help!
I am having a surveyor to visit the property on Thursday, but if anyone knows the property at all I would be grateful for any advice you can give. This is the first time I have purchased abroad and the whole thing is pretty daunting!
The apartment is around 20 years old and has recently been rennovated. It does not have telephone or internet access at the moment. Is this relatively easy to sort out?
There is an enormous satellite dish on the roof terrace. Do I really need a dish to be so large (that it could easily seat 6 people if it were a table) in order to receive the standard Uk Sky channels?
Is it easy to find someone who can do some cleaning on a fairly regular basis i.e. prepare the apartment for us, plus visit once a week to keep things ticking over.
It currently has really yucky mosquito nets over the newish windows. Can I find cleaner replacements for these or are they tricky to find and fit?
It currently has a gas cooker. WOuld I be better off replacing this with an electric one? There is no mains gas, just bottled. I am worried about the condition of the gas pipes as they are obviously covered up. Has anyone ever had a problem with the condition of gas pipes in older buildings?
Is it essential to have heating and air conditioning? Currently the building just has an open fire place. People have recommended that we get some wafer heaters to take the edge of the damp. Again, does anyone have any recommendations?
Think this is it for the moment. Thanks for any help you can offer.
I am having a surveyor to visit the property on Thursday, but if anyone knows the property at all I would be grateful for any advice you can give. This is the first time I have purchased abroad and the whole thing is pretty daunting!
The apartment is around 20 years old and has recently been rennovated. It does not have telephone or internet access at the moment. Is this relatively easy to sort out?
There is an enormous satellite dish on the roof terrace. Do I really need a dish to be so large (that it could easily seat 6 people if it were a table) in order to receive the standard Uk Sky channels?
Is it easy to find someone who can do some cleaning on a fairly regular basis i.e. prepare the apartment for us, plus visit once a week to keep things ticking over.
It currently has really yucky mosquito nets over the newish windows. Can I find cleaner replacements for these or are they tricky to find and fit?
It currently has a gas cooker. WOuld I be better off replacing this with an electric one? There is no mains gas, just bottled. I am worried about the condition of the gas pipes as they are obviously covered up. Has anyone ever had a problem with the condition of gas pipes in older buildings?
Is it essential to have heating and air conditioning? Currently the building just has an open fire place. People have recommended that we get some wafer heaters to take the edge of the damp. Again, does anyone have any recommendations?
Think this is it for the moment. Thanks for any help you can offer.
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Michael Crane
- CVO Oracle
- Posts: 11216
- Joined: Tue Feb 18, 2003 5:51 pm
- Location: Lincoln
- Contact:
-
Michael Crane
- CVO Oracle
- Posts: 11216
- Joined: Tue Feb 18, 2003 5:51 pm
- Location: Lincoln
- Contact:
If you intend renting your apartment or using it your self during the winter then heating is a must.
The algarve winter nights can be cold ( frost is not uncommon ) and in high summer temps exceed 40degrees C so install a combined aircon heating unit.
WE purchased our albufeira apartment 3 years ago and now visit 4-5 times/year and have no regrets.
We like the algarve so much that we are having a vila built which should be ready some time in 2007.
The algarve winter nights can be cold ( frost is not uncommon ) and in high summer temps exceed 40degrees C so install a combined aircon heating unit.
WE purchased our albufeira apartment 3 years ago and now visit 4-5 times/year and have no regrets.
We like the algarve so much that we are having a vila built which should be ready some time in 2007.
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DaGi
- CVO Senior
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2005 8:23 pm
- Location: Carvoeiro & Ridderkerk, Netherlands
fmm, together with the airco for cooling and heating when you are in the house, I would advise to buy a few air-dryers. They keep the place dry and free of mould when there's nobody there. We have'em running from October to May and every time we enter our house we miss the awful smell of damp and mould. Of course the dryers have to be emptied regurarly, by the villa-management for instance.