Why now have we been enlightened with this information?
One last question who buys property in cash? So if they had cash it is not for that reason.
In Spain you can still encounter property owners who would like to receive a piece of the property sale in cash. Therefore it’s possible they had cash for a deposit or for a piece of the price.
This practice is less and less but it still exists. I know this first hand, because one owner we were negotiating with last year wanted half of the price in cash.
Now I’m not saying this is what they did, only that this is not out of the realm of possibilities. This is also illegal, so this could also explain a sort of secrecy around their journey.
If they were traveling with a greater amount of money to pay in black (cash) maybe someone found out and they could have become a victim of a robbery.
You are correct. When I sold my house in Madrid, the buyers paid me half in a mortgage loan from the bank and the other half in “black cash” under the table which they deposited in Mexico for me. It’s the way things were done in Spain back in 94 and I’m sure it still happens. No one wants to pay all the taxes and many properties are subsidized by the local governments so one cannot sell legally for more than a specific amount. Spain has a huge black money market.In Spain you can still encounter property owners who would like to receive a piece of the property sale in cash. Therefore it’s possible they had cash for a deposit or for a piece of the price.
This practice is less and less but it still exists. I know this first hand, because one owner we were negotiating with last year wanted half of the price in cash.
Now I’m not saying this is what they did, only that this is not out of the realm of possibilities. This is also illegal, so this could also explain a sort of secrecy around their journey.
If they were traveling with a greater amount of money to pay in black (cash) maybe someone found out and they could have become a victim of a robbery.
You are correct. When I sold my house in Madrid, the buyers paid me half in a mortgage loan from the bank and the other half in “black cash” under the table which they deposited in Mexico for me. It’s the way things were done in Spain back in 94 and I’m sure it still happens. No one wants to pay all the taxes and many properties are subsidized by the local governments so one cannot sell legally for more than a specific amount. Spain has a huge black money market.
No. I’m in California now. I go back often as do my kids. Daughter did her Masters in Spain and is living in Cambridge (UK one) now.Do you still live in Spain, Suglo?
Yes, still part of the EU thankfully, but also yes, we still need passports to travel as we are not within the Schengen agreement countries. I have no idea how easy it would be to travel to, say, Portugal as a Brit without a passport. Does anyone know?
Traveling without a passport would not be a problem, but buying the property would.
If they wanted to buy a property, they would need to formally identify themselves, even if part of the price was paid under the table.
Not much in the south of Spain where they landed. There are a ton of British expats living in that area. Most Spaniards learn English as a second language in school also. I don’t see that being an issue at all.How much of a deficit would one be at if they were lost in Spain without speaking the local language? I have no idea whether either one of them could speak or understand Spanish.
Not much in the south of Spain where they landed. There are a ton of British expats living in that area. Most Spaniards learn English as a second language in school also. I don’t see that being an issue at all.
Not much in the south of Spain where they landed. There are a ton of British expats living in that area. Most Spaniards learn English as a second language in school also. I don’t see that being an issue at all.
I agree. On and around the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol there are everywhere English tourists or expats, many Spaniards can speak English and there are a lot of tourists of many different nationalities who would be able to communicate with them too.
Not ignorance! I would ask the same about language barrier if this happened in any other countryThank you, and apologies for my ignorance on the topic
I was just thinking the sameNot ignorance! I would ask the same about language barrier if this happened in any other country
It's looking less likely to be a drug deal gone wrong and more like they jumped a sinking ship! I feel for the family but I don't like the police thinking they can use the public while offering no information. People have been sharing this all over the Costa and no doubt looking for these two in the usual holiday places...when they were never likely to have been found there.