Yzabelle Bostyn
EVER thought about moving abroad? GB News has lauded Spain’s cheapest town, but failed to mention the numerous reasons why even locals are leaving.
Many Brits dream of moving to sunny Spain thanks to its warm weather, relaxed lifestyle and friendly locals.
But if you decide to save a few pennies and move to Spain’s cheapest area, you might be in for a nasty surprise.
Following data from property website Idealista, GB News recommended Brits on a budget could buy property in Alcaudete de la Jara, Toledo.
Starting at just €284 (£244) per square metre, property in the town is a steal compared to England and Wales, with an average price per metre of £2,954.26 according to Right Move.
However, there’s a good reason for this.
According to El Español, high crime rates, squatting and little to no police presence has meant ‘no one wants to live here’.
You can buy a flat for €17,000, a detached house for €36,000 or a terrace for €26,000 but you run the high risk of being invaded by belligerent squatters.
In fact, the latest new builds constructed in the town were reportedly never put up for sale due to the swift arrival of illegal tenants.
Despite being ‘very pretty’ and having ‘lovely locals’, a 29-year-old resident told El Español she lives in constant fear.
She said: “They rob you in your home, in bars, in local council buildings.
“A man set up a bar at the start of this month. A week later, thieves took everything. He went to the Guardia Civil but they weren’t there, he had to go to the next town just to report the crime.”
Police presence in the town, she said, is ‘awful’ and officers do ‘almost nothing’ to protect the town’s 1,700 inhabitants.
GB News, it seems, confused Alcaudete de la Jara with the municipality’s capital city, Toledo.
An hour and 15 minutes drive away, they describe Toledo as ‘a museum city with lots of culture’.
They also quote a Spanish tourism site’s impression of Toledo city.
It said: “Visitors to the city should be sure to see its views, visit the Alcázar, walk around its winding streets, or see a sunset from the Alcántara or San Martín bridges.
“Less than 80 kilometres from Madrid, it’s worth spending more than a day to see the city lit up at night and explore it in more depth.”
While Toledo city is indeed full of history and culture, it is the province, not the city itself, that is ‘home to some of the cheapest properties’ in Spain.
Brits will be severely disappointed if they ‘take on renovations’ and invest in one of Alcaudete’s ‘three-bed propert[ies] for as little as 12,500 euros (£10,771)’, only to find a town plagued by crime and squatting.
READ MORE:
- DISPATCH: This idyllic Andalucian retreat favoured by expats is being torn apart by excessive water bills which threaten British property owners with ruin
- Brits are providing a big boost to Spain’s property market: THESE are their most sought after areas
- Where are Brits and other foreigners buying property in Spain? New data reveals the hottest locations
