CNN
—

Als John Flores und Michael Leitz nach einem Zuhause für den nächsten Lebensabschnitt suchten, stellten sie fest, dass ihr Wohnort in San Francisco zu teuer war.

Stattdessen begannen sie, weiter in die Ferne zu schauen – und kauften schließlich ein wunderschönes, 120 Jahre altes, dreistöckiges Haus im ländlichen Spanien für weniger als 50.000 US-Dollar.

Sowohl Flores als auch Leitz arbeiteten vor ihrer Pensionierung im Bildungswesen in den USA – Leitz war Geschichtslehrer an einer High School, während Flores Verwaltungsangestellter an der UCLA war.

Obwohl sie sagten, dass sie beide ihren Lebensstil in San Francisco genossen, erkannten sie, dass es unbezahlbar wäre, in einer Mietwohnung zu leben und deren Renten weit unter ihrem Gehalt lägen.

„Europa war für uns eine naheliegende Wahl“, sagte Leitz. „Ich bin teils Deutscher, teils Ire, daher hatte die Familie europäische Wurzeln. John ist zum Teil Mexikaner, was für eine spanische Verbindung sorgt, und er spricht auch fließend Spanisch.

„Der kalifornischen Lebensart kommt man in Europa am nächsten, man kann sie in Spanien finden, daher fiel uns die Wahl leicht.“

Gonzalo Azumendi/Stone RF/Getty Images

Das Paar begann seine Wohnungssuche in der spanischen Stadt Valencia, fand es aber zu teuer.

Leitz und Flores sind nicht allein. In den letzten Jahren sind immer mehr Amerikaner aus geschäftlichen Gründen und im Ruhestand nach Europa gezogen – wobei sich Spanien laut einem Bericht des Migrationsberatungsunternehmens Global Citizen Solutions zu einem Top-Reiseziel entwickelt hat.

Ein Teil der Attraktivität ist wahrscheinlich auf Spaniens ganzjährig mildes Klima und einen entspannten Lebensstil gepaart mit relativ günstigen Grundnahrungsmitteln, einschließlich hochwertiger Speisen und Weine, zurückzuführen.

Auch Visa- und Aufenthaltsbestimmungen wurden in den letzten Jahren deutlich erleichtert. Spanien möchte ausländische Staatsangehörige zum Leben und Arbeiten anlocken, um einem enormen Entvölkerungsproblem, insbesondere in ländlichen Gebieten, entgegenzuwirken, und heißt digitale Nomaden ebenso willkommen wie wohlhabende Privatpersonen, Rentner und Ferienhausbesitzer.

Den richtigen Ort zu finden und in ein anderes Land zu ziehen, war für Flores und Leitz keineswegs einfach.

„Wir waren uns bewusst, dass der Umzug nicht ohne Hindernisse verlief“, sagt Leitz. „Ich hatte noch nie ein solches Unterfangen unternommen, aber viele Jahre bevor ich ihn traf, hatte John etwas Ähnliches in Phoenix gemacht, deshalb hatte er mehr Ideen als ich.“

Bei dem Umzug musste das Paar zwangsläufig zahlreiche Herausforderungen meistern. Der Kauf und Verkauf von Immobilien in Europa unterscheidet sich stark von den USA. Der gesamte Prozess ist viel formeller und umfasst Notare, Grundbuchämter und Beamte wie vereidigte Übersetzer.

Und dann sind da noch die Sprachbarrieren und Kulturschocks. Als Rentner mussten sich Flores und Leitz keine Sorgen um Schulen und Bildung machen – ein wichtiger Aspekt für angehende Expats, die mit Kindern nach Europa ziehen.

Siestas und verschlafene Sonntage

Stefano Politi Markovina/Alamy Stock Foto

Schließlich ließen sie sich in der charmanten Marktstadt Xatavia nieder.

Da beide als Lehrer tätig waren, hatten sie reichlich Urlaub und nutzten diesen, um im Vorfeld ihres Umzugs Spanien und Europa zu erkunden.

Spanien ist ein riesiges Land mit vielen verschiedenen Regionen, von schneebedeckten Bergen im Norden bis zu den Stränden und Inseln des Mittelmeers. Es gibt ländliche Täler, kleine, romantische Dörfer und große Städte wie Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Sevilla und Malaga.

Flores und Leitz nahmen sich Zeit und reisten über mehrere Jahre hinweg überall hin, um kulturelle Veränderungen wie die langen Siestas in Spanien, zahlreiche Feiertage und die Tatsache, dass Geschäfte sonntags nicht geöffnet sind, einzuschätzen.

Nachdem sie sich für Spanien entschieden hatten und der Ruhestand noch einige Zeit entfernt war, begannen sie mit den Vorbereitungen, indem sie die Landessprache auffrischten – etwas, das sie bereits aus ihrem Leben in Kalifornien kannten.

„Mein Spanisch zu perfektionieren ist jetzt eigentlich meine Priorität, da alles andere geklärt ist“, sagt Leitz. „Für den Alltag ist es einfach so wichtig, mit den Arbeitern und den Einheimischen kommunizieren zu können.“

Als es um die Wohnungssuche ging, war ihre erste Station Valencia, eine wunderschöne Stadt und Hafenstadt am Mittelmeer im Südosten Spaniens.

Valencia – berühmt für Orangen, das Nationalgericht Paella, Architektur, Keramik und Kultur – wurde für drei Jahre ihre Heimat, da sie in Mietwohnungen lebten.

Michael Leitz

Das Paar beschloss, das Erdgeschoss seines neuen Zuhauses zu öffnen, um einen offenen und luftigen Raum zu schaffen.

Allerdings lag die Stadt außerhalb ihrer Preisspanne, wenn es um den Kauf einer Wohnung für ihre Renten ging. Sie waren auch auf der Suche nach einem ländlicheren Ort – am liebsten nach einem besseren Ort, den sie nach ihren Wünschen restaurieren konnten.

„Unsere Hobbys sind Geschichte und Kunst und wir wollten einen Ort, an dem beides sowie Natur und Wald vorhanden sind“, sagt Flores. „Eine weitere Überlegung waren öffentliche Verkehrsmittel und gute Zug- oder Busverbindungen in andere Teile Spaniens.“

Als sie die ländlichen Dörfer rund um Valencia erkundeten, entschieden sie sich schließlich für eine historische Kleinstadt namens Xativa, die über eine beeindruckende Burg und einen Wachturm sowie Museen, Kunstgalerien, Bars und Restaurants verfügt.

Entscheidend ist, dass es auch eine Schnellzugverbindung nach Valencia und darüber hinaus gibt.

Was das Paar wirklich anzog, waren die engen Gassen mit vielen älteren Gebäuden, die dringend renoviert werden mussten – einige ziemlich heruntergekommen, andere in einem vernünftigen Zustand.

Auch die freundlichen Bewohner – Einheimische wie auch andere Expats, die sich dort bereits glücklich niedergelassen hatten – überzeugten sie. Sie sagten, sie hätten ein Gemeinschaftsgefühl gespürt, das sehr ansprechend sei.

Nachdem sie sich für einen Wohnort entschieden hatten, galt es nun, eine passende – und bezahlbare – Immobilie zu finden.

Anstatt zu einem Immobilienmakler zu gehen, wandten sie sich an Idealista, eine der beliebtesten Immobilienverkaufs-Websites in Spanien, und fanden fast sofort einen Ort, der ihnen zusagte.

Händeschütteln und Hürden

Michael Leitz

Sie haben auch eine überdachte Terrasse voller Pflanzen angelegt.

Es war ein dreistöckiges Steingebäude, groß genug für ihre Bedürfnisse und zu einem vernünftigen Preis angeboten. Sie sagten, sie seien überrascht, wie niedrig die Preise im Vergleich zu Valencia und anderen Orten in Spanien seien, die sie sich angesehen hatten – und natürlich im Vergleich zu den USA.

Es bestand aus mehreren kleinen Räumen im Erdgeschoss, nur einem Badezimmer und zwei Schlafzimmern. Sie konnten das Potenzial erkennen.

Der nächste Schritt waren Inspektionen, um sicherzustellen, dass das Haus baulich einwandfrei und wetterfest war.

Dann war da noch die rechtliche Seite des Kaufs – etwas kompliziert durch das Alter des Gebäudes – es ist etwa 120 Jahre alt. Wie so oft im ländlichen Spanien gingen im Laufe der Jahre viele Aufzeichnungen verloren. In früheren Zeiten wechselte Eigentum häufig per Handschlag den Besitzer.

Schließlich handelten sie mit dem Verkäufer einen Preis von 45.000 Euro inklusive Steuern aus. Es gelang ihnen, eine Hypothek aufzunehmen, was bedeutete, dass die Bank einen Teil des Papierkrams erledigte.

Nachdem der Kauf abgeschlossen war, begannen sie, Pläne zu schmieden. Sie beschlossen, die Innenwände im Erdgeschoss herauszureißen, um einen großen, hellen Raum zu schaffen. Das Obergeschoss würde ebenfalls umgestaltet, um ein weiteres Schlafzimmer und ein Badezimmer zu schaffen. Sie wollten auch eine Klimaanlage installieren, was angesichts der hohen Sommerhitze in Südspanien eine Notwendigkeit war.

Nachdem ein lokaler Architekt und Bauunternehmer gefunden wurde, der bereit war, die Arbeiten für 40.000 Euro (ca. 44.000 US-Dollar) zu übernehmen, begannen die Arbeiten im Erdgeschoss.

„Hier fanden wir die meisten Probleme“, sagt Flores.

Sehen Sie sich diesen interaktiven Inhalt auf CNN.com an

„Es gab vier kleine Zimmer und der Raum fühlte sich ziemlich eng an. Außerdem war die Decke ziemlich niedrig, also haben wir den Architekten gebeten, nachzusehen, ob darüber feste Balken vorhanden sind. Es gab welche, und keine davon erwies sich als faul. Dennoch sprühten die Arbeiter alles mit einer speziellen Lösung ein, um zu verhindern, dass Holzwürmer in die Balken gelangen.

„Nachdem die Trennwände entfernt worden waren, hatten wir einen großen, luftigen und sonnigen Raum und die Decke wurde um 3 bis 4 Fuß angehoben. Das machte den Unterschied.“

Darüber hinaus entfernte das Paar das eine Schlafzimmer im Erdgeschoss und erweiterte das Hauptschlafzimmer im zweiten Stock um einen begehbaren Kleiderschrank, ein Gästezimmer und ein weiteres Badezimmer mit Badewanne und Dusche.

Dann folgten die letzten Handgriffe. Es gab keinen Garten, sondern eine überdachte, geflieste Terrasse.

„Wir haben darüber nachgedacht, die Terrasse zum Himmel hin zu öffnen“, sagte Leitz. „Aber man muss den Einheimischen zuhören, die Bescheid wissen. Sie rieten uns dringend, die Terrasse geschlossen zu halten, da es manchmal zu starken Regenfällen kommt und das Haus überflutet werden könnte. Deshalb ist es jetzt mit einem transparenten Dach bedeckt, das viel Sonnenschein hereinlässt.“

Michael Leitz

Das Treppenhaus vor der Renovierung.

Sie verfügen nicht nur über eine Terrasse, sondern auch über eine Terrasse mit vielen Topfpflanzen. Um ihren künstlerischen Interessen nachzugehen, richteten sie im Dachgeschoss ein Atelier ein. Leitz sagt, dass er gerne malt, während Flores farbenfrohe Keramik herstellt. Ihre Werke sind im gesamten Anwesen ausgestellt.

Die Einrichtungsgegenstände sind eine Mischung aus aus den USA gelieferten Artikeln und lokalen Akquisitionen.

„Einige Dinge haben wir aus Kalifornien mitgebracht, darunter einen Perserteppich, der schon lange in Familienbesitz war, andere haben wir bei Ikea gekauft, aber unser bester Fund war ein Möbelgeschäft, das auf Immobilienverkäufe spezialisiert ist“, schwärmt Leitz. „Wir haben dort die schönsten antiken ländlichen spanischen Möbel gekauft.“

Die Renovierungsarbeiten am Haus dauerten etwa sechs Monate, doch es dauerte noch lange, bis die örtlichen Behörden eine Baugenehmigung erhielten.

Michael Leitz

Das neue, offene Treppenhaus.

Nachdem der Architekt Pläne, Anträge und andere Unterlagen eingereicht hatte, wurde das Paar bald mit dem Konzept von „mañana“ vertraut – ein Wort, das wörtlich „morgen“ bedeutet, in Spanien aber eigentlich jede Zeitspanne bedeuten kann.

„Das Schwierigste war das lange Warten auf die Genehmigung und der bürokratische Aufwand“, sagt Flores „Aber die Bauarbeiten selbst dauerten nur etwa sechs Monate und verliefen ohne größere Probleme, außer der Suche nach dem besten Platz für die Klimaanlagen.“

Nachdem die Arbeiten im Sommer 2022 abgeschlossen waren, konnten sie einziehen und sagen, dass sie nun vollständig in die Gemeinschaft integriert sind.

Sie haben viele Freunde gefunden, darunter Einheimische und andere Ausländer, und sagen, dass sie es lieben, wie sich alle auf der Straße begrüßen.

„Sogar unsere Katze, die mit uns aus Kalifornien kam, ist glücklich“ sagt Flores.

Sie haben sich auch an das Leben in einer kleinen, verschlafenen Stadt gewöhnt, in der zwischen 14 und 17 Uhr alles geschlossen ist

„Je älter wir werden“, sagt Leitz, „das ruhigere Leben passt zu uns.“ Wir brauchen keine Nachtclubs und Bars, obwohl wir manchmal Konzerte und Theater vermissen. Aber dann ist Valencia nicht mehr weit.“

The post San Francisco was too costly so that they moved to Spain and purchased a fantastic home for $50,000. Right here’s how they did it appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Eventually they settled on the charming market town of Xatavia.
(Stefano Politi Markovina/Alamy Stock Photo via CNN)

By Inka Piegsa-Quischotte | CNN

John Flores and Michael Leitz. (Michael Leitz via CNN) 

When John Flores and Michael Leitz were looking for a home in which to spend the next stage of their lives, they realized that where they lived in San Francisco was too expensive.

Instead, they began looking further afield – eventually buying a beautiful 120-year-old, three-story home in rural Spain for less than $50,000.

Both Flores and Leitz worked in education in the US before retiring – Leitz was a high school history teacher while Flores was an administrator at UCLA.

While they said they both enjoyed their San Francisco lifestyle, they realized that it would be unaffordable to live in rented property on pensions much lower than their salaries.

“Europe was an obvious choice for us,” said Leitz. “I am part German and part Irish, so there were European roots from the family.  John is part Mexican, which makes for the Spanish connection, and he is fluent in Spanish too.

“The closest you can come to the Californian way of life in Europe is in Spain, so the choice was an easy one for us.”

Finding the right place

The couple began their home hunt in the Spanish city of Valencia, but found it too expensive.(Gonzalo Azumendi/Stone RF/Getty Images) 

Leitz and Flores aren’t alone. In recent years an increasing number of Americans have moved to Europe for business and retirement – with Spain emerging as a top destination according to a report by migration consultancy Global Citizen Solutions.

Part of the appeal is likely down to Spain’s year-round mild climate and a laid-back lifestyle paired with relatively cheap essentials, including high-quality food and wine.

RELATED: What’s the Bay Area’s most competitive rental market?

Visa and residency requirements have also been made much easier in recent years. Spain wants to attract foreign nationals to live and work to help counter a huge depopulation problem, especially in rural areas, and welcomes digital nomads as well as wealthy individuals, retirees and vacation homeowners.

Finding the right place and relocating to another country was by no means easy for Flores and Leitz.

“We were well aware that the move was not without obstacles,” says Leitz. “I had never undertaken an enterprise like this but, many years before I met him, John had done something similar in Phoenix, therefore he had more ideas than I had.”

Inevitably, the couple needed to navigate numerous challenges in making the move. Buying and selling property in Europe is very different to in the US. The entire process is much more formal, involving notaries, land registries and officials like sworn-in translators.

And then there are the language barriers and culture shocks. As retirees, Flores and Leitz didn’t have to worry about schools and education – a major consideration for would-be expats moving to Europe with kids.

Siestas and sleepy Sundays

Eventually they settled on the charming market town of Xatavia.(Stefano Politi Markovina/Alamy Stock Photo via CNN) 

Since they both worked in the teaching profession, they had plenty of vacations and used them to go exploring Spain and Europe in anticipation of their move.

Spain is a huge country with many different regions, from snow-covered mountains in the north, to the beaches and islands of the Mediterranean. There are rural valleys, tiny, romantic villages and big cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Malaga.

Flores and Leitz took their time and traveled everywhere over several years, sizing up cultural changes like Spain’s long siestas, numerous public holidays and the fact that shops don’t open on Sundays.

Having decided on Spain and with retirement still some time away, they started preparations by brushing up on the local language – something they were already familiar with from living in California.

“Perfecting my Spanish is actually my priority now, that everything else has been resolved, “says Leitz. “It is just so important for everyday life to be able to communicate with workers and the locals.”

RELATED: California Exodus: Once growing rapidly, state population projected to remain the same through 2060

When it came to house hunting, their first stop was Valencia, a beautiful city and port on the Mediterranean in southeast Spain.

Valencia – famous for oranges, the national dish paella, architecture, ceramics and culture – became their home for three years as they lived in rented accommodation.

Fixer-upper

The couple decided to open up their new home’s ground floor to create an open and airy space.(Michael Leitz via CNN) 

The city was, however, out of their price range when it came to buying a place on their pensions. They were also looking for somewhere more rural – preferably a fixer-upper that they could restore to their liking.

“Our hobbies are history and art and we wanted a place where both were present, as well as nature and woods,” says Flores. “Another consideration was public transport and good train or bus connections to other parts of Spain.”

Exploring the rural villages around Valencia, they finally decided on an historic small town called Xativa, which has an impressive castle and watchtower as well as museums, art galleries, bars and restaurants.

Crucially, it also has a fast train connection to Valencia and beyond.

The couple says what really appealed was the narrow streets filled with plenty of older properties crying out for restoration – some quite rundown, others in reasonable shape.

They were also won over by friendly residents – locals as well as other expats who had already happily settled there. They said they sensed a feeling of community that was very appealing.

Having decided on a place to live, they now had to find a suitable – and affordable – property.

Instead of going to a realtor, they turned to Idealista, one of the most popular property vending websites in Spain, finding somewhere that appealed to them almost immediately.

Handshakes and hurdles

They also created a covered terrace filled with plants.(Michael Leitz via CNN) 

It was a three-story stone building, big enough for their needs and offered at a reasonable price. They said they were surprised how low prices were compared to Valencia and other places in Spain they’d looked at – and of course as compared to the US.

It consisted of several small rooms on the ground floor, just one bathroom and two bedrooms. They could see the potential.

The next step was inspections to confirm the house was structurally sound and weatherproof.

Then there was the legal side of the purchase – complicated slightly by the building’s age – approximately 120 years old. As is often the case in rural Spain, many records had been lost over the years. In times gone by, property frequently changed hands with a handshake.

Eventually, they negotiated with the vendor a price of 45,000 euros (about $48,000) including taxes. They managed to secure a mortgage, which meant that the bank took care of some of the paperwork.

After finalizing the purchase, they began to make plans. They decided to rip out internal walls on the ground floor to create one large, light space. Upstairs would also be reconfigured to produce another bedroom and bathroom. They also wanted to install AC, a necessity given southern Spain’s high summer heat.

RELATED: 841,065 left California. Where will you find them?

After finding a local architect and builder willing to take on the work for 40,000 euros (about $44,000), work began on the ground floor.

“This is where we found the most problems,” Flores says.

“There were four small rooms and the space felt rather cramped. Also the ceiling was quite low, so we had the architect look and see if there were any solid beams above. There were, and none of them turned out to be rotten. Nevertheless, the workers sprayed everything with a special solution to prevent woodworm getting into the beams.

“After the dividing walls were removed, we got one big, airy and sunny room and the ceiling was lifted by 3-4 feet. This made all the difference.”

In addition, the couple removed the one bedroom on the ground floor and extended the master bedroom on the second floor, adding a walk-in wardrobe, a guest bedroom and another bathroom with tub and shower.

Then came the final touches. There was no garden, but a covered tiled patio.

“We considered opening the patio up to the sky,” Leitz said. “But you have to listen to the locals in the know. They strongly advised us to keep the patio closed because there are sometimes strong rainfalls and the house could be flooded. So, it is now covered with a transparent roof which allows lots of sunshine.”

The quiet life

The staircase before the renovation.(Michael Leitz via CNN) 

Not only do they have a patio but also a terrace with plenty of potted plants. To indulge their artistic interests, they installed a studio in the attic. Leitz says he loves to paint while Flores makes some colorful ceramics. Their works are displayed throughout the property.

Furnishings are a mix of items shipped from the US and local acquisitions.

“Some things we brought back from California, among them a Persian rug that had been in the family for a long time, some we bought in Ikea, but our best find was a furniture shop that specializes in estate sales,” Leitz says enthusiastically. “We bought the most beautiful antique rural Spanish furniture there.”

Work to renovate the house took about six months, but that followed the considerable time taken to get building permission from local authorities.

The new, open plan staircase.(Michael Leitz via CNN) 

After the architect submitted plans, applications and other paperwork, the couple soon became familiar with the concept of “mañana” – a word that literally means “tomorrow,” but in Spain can actually mean any length of time.

“The most difficult part was the long wait for the permit and the red tape,” says Flores  “ But the building work as such took only about six months and went without major problems except to find the best place for the AC units.”

With work completed in summer 2022, they’ve been able to  move in and say they are now fully integrated in the community.

They have made many friends, including locals and other foreigners, and say they love how everyone greets each other in the street.

“Even our cat that came from California with us is happy,” says Flores.

They’ve also gotten used to life in a small, sleepy town where everything shuts between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

“As we get older, “ Leitz says, “the quieter life suits us. We don’t need nightclubs and bars although we sometimes miss concerts and theaters. But then, Valencia is not far away.”

The-CNN-Wire
& © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

View more on
The Mercury News

The post San Francisco was too costly so that they moved to Spain and purchased a lovely home for $50,000. appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

We have some of the worst air quality in the world: Did you enjoy your smoky hell weekend? No? Me either! The Air Quality Index in Seattle reached around 190 at one point Sunday evening. Being outside felt like being a chimney sweep trapped inside a chimney in Victorian England. Changing winds started moving into the region Monday morning. Hopefully, the smoke will leave pretty soon. Wish for a strong onshore flow. Wish for rain.

Tell us when the smoke leaves, weather people of Twitter: According to the Seattle Weather Blog’s crystal ball, the smoke might linger most of Monday before it starts clearing out. However, the AQI was already down to 100 as of Monday morning. That’s still bad, don’t get me wrong, but it’s better than 190! It’s all about perspective. 

Best guess is that the Seattle area endures one more day of smoky conditions before influx of ocean air clears us out late Mon/early Tue.

— Seattle Weather Blog (@KSeattleWeather) August 21, 2023

Tokitae goes belly up in Miami: Tokitae, also known as Lolita, was the last remaining southern resident killer whale in captivity. She was supposed to make her journey home to the Pacific Northwest after 50 years, but she died Friday from a renal condition. Ted Griffin, the man who first started capturing killer whales to have them perform in captivity, bagged Tokitae and greatly depleted the southern resident orca population. He said he had “no regrets.”

Mass shooting in Mount Baker: A shooting in a hookah lounger along Rainier Avenue South in Mount Baker at 4:30 am Sunday killed three people and injured another six. Police recovered five guns from the scene. So far, in 2023, the Seattle Police Department has seized 869 guns, the highest amount in 13 years, KING 5 reports.

South King County has brain worms: Elected officials in Des Moines and Federal Way are working to shut down existing homeless shelters or deny permits to fully funded shelter projects because, as the Seattle Times reports, they “think shelter and housing exacerbate the effects of the homelessness crisis in their neighborhoods.” What???? I’m going to hazard a guess that giving people no shelter or housing will actually increase the visible signs of homelessness in your neighborhood and will not help find a solution to end homelessness at all! The state is investigating whether these practices are illegal since they may violate a 2021 law that requires cities have a certain number of shelter beds before regulating shelters or housing projects. 

Earthquake, hurricane tropical storm strikes California: A 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck Ojai, California on Sunday right as the tropical storm Hilary struck. Hilary’s path took her through the Inland Empire and then into the heart of Los Angeles, where she hovered above Dodger Stadium and Compton for a while. Then, she went back on her path up the border of LA and San Bernardino. The deserts are flooding, San Diego had the most rain in a single day since 1873, flash flood warnings abound. More storm updates here. 

Soggy Dodgers:

Dodger Stadium is an island. pic.twitter.com/g2mQrKzgS3

— Don Van Natta Jr. (@DVNJr) August 21, 2023

Here comes the mud: 

A wall of mud surged through California’s Sheep Canyon, carrying wood and debris along with it, as Hilary, then a tropical storm, dropped heavy rain across the region. https://t.co/Hlf8MSlN9S pic.twitter.com/mdtj3yWBEp

— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 21, 2023

Is your package late? I’ll tell you why. A historic drought hitting the Panama Canal means lower water levels and lower capacity for heavy ships. To conserve water, the Panama Canal Authority “reduced maximum ship weights and daily ship crossings.” The line to get through the canal earlier this month was “backed up 160 vessels and delayed some ships by as much as 21 days.” So crazy when climate change interrupts the profits of capitalism, the very thing standing in the way of stopping the impacts of climate change. 

Russia crashed into the moon this weekend: Russia bungled its first lunar landing attempt since 1976 when it lost contact with its unmanned Luna-25 craft and it crashed into the moon. 

In case you forgot, here’s yesterday’s hell sun: This apocalypse sun knows that things can only get worse from here if we don’t figure our shit out: 

Just an orb on the horizon for sunset tonight. And that’s not dust on the camera lens. The thick smoke is making sun spots readily visible without a filter. #wawx pic.twitter.com/Dk86n2j34y

— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) August 21, 2023

Don’t read this if you’re a nervous flyer: The US hasn’t had a major plane crash in over a decade, but close calls are happening way more often than we think, and the problem seems to be getting worse. Just last month, the New York Times found “at least 46 close calls involving commercial airlines.” These close calls seem to all be potential collisions with other planes taking off or landing from airport runways. They’re the result of human error likely caused by understaffed and over-stretched air traffic controllers. “The close calls have involved all major U.S. airlines and have happened nationwide.” Air traffic controllers interviewed by the Times said “they feared it was only a matter of time until a deadly crash occurred.”

In Maui news: There are 114 confirmed dead from the Lahaina fires, with only 27 people identified so far. However, 850 people are still missing. 

Frugals in Tacoma linked to listeria deaths: Three people in Tacoma have died and three others have been hospitalized after drinking milkshakes from a contaminated ice cream machine at Frugals restaurant in Tacoma. 

Big news for organ lovers: Surgeons transplanted a pig’s kidney into a brain-dead man to see if the pig kidney would function. For a month, the pig kidney has worked like a normal human kidney and produced urine. Scientists will continue to monitor the kidney for a second month, but this is a huge scientific step for potentially easing shortages of transplantable organs with animal organs. 

Spain wins Women’s World Cup: Spain’s La Roja vanquished England’s Lionesses 1-0 to take home the Women’s World Cup trophy, the country’s first Women’s World Cup win. Olga Carmona, 23, was one of the breakout stars for Spain. She scored the game-winning goal in the final. Carmona’s father died from a battle with cancer two days before the match, but her family didn’t tell her until after she played. “I know you have been watching me tonight and that you are proud of me. Rest in peace dad,” Carmona wrote on social media. 

23-year-old Olga Carmona loves scoring a game-winner

Spain’s captain nets our Goal of the Day to secure La Roja’s first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup title pic.twitter.com/Lb5AoZt2t2

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 20, 2023

In other sports news: The Mariners are on a six-game winning streak and just finished a full sweep of the Houston Astros. Julio Rodriguez is so hot right now he’s had 17 hits in four games—that’s more than the entire New York Yankees team. Rodriguez broke a Major League Baseball record set in 1925.

The post Slog AM: Seattle Smoke Will Clear Quickly, Tokitae Kicks the Bucket, Spain Wins Ladies’s World Cup appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

By Inka Piegsa-Quischotte, CNN

(CNN) — When John Flores and Michael Leitz were looking for a home in which to spend the next stage of their lives, they realized that where they lived in San Francisco was too expensive.

Instead, they began looking further afield – eventually buying a beautiful 120-year-old, three-story home in rural Spain for less than $50,000.

Both Flores and Leitz worked in education in the US before retiring – Leitz was a high school history teacher while Flores was an administrator at UCLA.

While they said they both enjoyed their San Francisco lifestyle, they realized that it would be unaffordable to live in rented property on pensions much lower than their salaries.

“Europe was an obvious choice for us,” said Leitz. “I am part German and part Irish, so there were European roots from the family.  John is part Mexican, which makes for the Spanish connection, and he is fluent in Spanish too.

“The closest you can come to the Californian way of life in Europe is in Spain, so the choice was an easy one for us.”

Finding the right place

Leitz and Flores aren’t alone. In recent years an increasing number of Americans have moved to Europe for business and retirement – with Spain emerging as a top destination according to a report by migration consultancy Global Citizen Solutions.

Part of the appeal is likely down to Spain’s year-round mild climate and a laid-back lifestyle paired with relatively cheap essentials, including high-quality food and wine.

Visa and residency requirements have also been made much easier in recent years. Spain wants to attract foreign nationals to live and work to help counter a huge depopulation problem, especially in rural areas, and welcomes digital nomads as well as wealthy individuals, retirees and vacation homeowners.

Finding the right place and relocating to another country was by no means easy for Flores and Leitz.

“We were well aware that the move was not without obstacles,” says Leitz. “I had never undertaken an enterprise like this but, many years before I met him, John had done something similar in Phoenix, therefore he had more ideas than I had.”

Inevitably, the couple needed to navigate numerous challenges in making the move. Buying and selling property in Europe is very different to in the US. The entire process is much more formal, involving notaries, land registries and officials like sworn-in translators.

And then there are the language barriers and culture shocks. As retirees, Flores and Leitz didn’t have to worry about schools and education – a major consideration for would-be expats moving to Europe with kids.

Siestas and sleepy Sundays

Since they both worked in the teaching profession, they had plenty of vacations and used them to go exploring Spain and Europe in anticipation of their move.

Spain is a huge country with many different regions, from snow-covered mountains in the north, to the beaches and islands of the Mediterranean. There are rural valleys, tiny, romantic villages and big cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Malaga.

Flores and Leitz took their time and traveled everywhere over several years, sizing up cultural changes like Spain’s long siestas, numerous public holidays and the fact that shops don’t open on Sundays.

Having decided on Spain and with retirement still some time away, they started preparations by brushing up on the local language – something they were already familiar with from living in California.

“Perfecting my Spanish is actually my priority now, that everything else has been resolved, “says Leitz. “It is just so important for everyday life to be able to communicate with workers and the locals.”

When it came to house hunting, their first stop was Valencia, a beautiful city and port on the Mediterranean in southeast Spain.

Valencia – famous for oranges, the national dish paella, architecture, ceramics and culture – became their home for three years as they lived in rented accommodation.

Fixer-upper

The city was, however, out of their price range when it came to buying a place on their pensions. They were also looking for somewhere more rural – preferably a fixer-upper that they could restore to their liking.

“Our hobbies are history and art and we wanted a place where both were present, as well as nature and woods,” says Flores. “Another consideration was public transport and good train or bus connections to other parts of Spain.”

Exploring the rural villages around Valencia, they finally decided on an historic small town called Xativa, which has an impressive castle and watchtower as well as museums, art galleries, bars and restaurants.

Crucially, it also has a fast train connection to Valencia and beyond.

The couple says what really appealed was the narrow streets filled with plenty of older properties crying out for restoration – some quite rundown, others in reasonable shape.

They were also won over by friendly residents – locals as well as other expats who had already happily settled there. They said they sensed a feeling of community that was very appealing.

Having decided on a place to live, they now had to find a suitable – and affordable – property.

Instead of going to a realtor, they turned to Idealista, one of the most popular property vending websites in Spain, finding somewhere that appealed to them almost immediately.

Handshakes and hurdles

It was a three-story stone building, big enough for their needs and offered at a reasonable price. They said they were surprised how low prices were compared to Valencia and other places in Spain they’d looked at – and of course as compared to the US.

It consisted of several small rooms on the ground floor, just one bathroom and two bedrooms. They could see the potential.

The next step was inspections to confirm the house was structurally sound and weatherproof.

Then there was the legal side of the purchase – complicated slightly by the building’s age – approximately 120 years old. As is often the case in rural Spain, many records had been lost over the years. In times gone by, property frequently changed hands with a handshake.

Eventually, they negotiated with the vendor a price of 45,000 euros (about $48,000) including taxes. They managed to secure a mortgage, which meant that the bank took care of some of the paperwork.

After finalizing the purchase, they began to make plans. They decided to rip out internal walls on the ground floor to create one large, light space. Upstairs would also be reconfigured to produce another bedroom and bathroom. They also wanted to install AC, a necessity given southern Spain’s high summer heat.

After finding a local architect and builder willing to take on the work for 40,000 euros (about $44,000), work began on the ground floor.

“This is where we found the most problems,” Flores says.

“There were four small rooms and the space felt rather cramped. Also the ceiling was quite low, so we had the architect look and see if there were any solid beams above. There were, and none of them turned out to be rotten. Nevertheless, the workers sprayed everything with a special solution to prevent woodworm getting into the beams.

“After the dividing walls were removed, we got one big, airy and sunny room and the ceiling was lifted by 3-4 feet. This made all the difference.”

In addition, the couple removed the one bedroom on the ground floor and extended the master bedroom on the second floor, adding a walk-in wardrobe, a guest bedroom and another bathroom with tub and shower.

Then came the final touches. There was no garden, but a covered tiled patio.

“We considered opening the patio up to the sky,” Leitz said. “But you have to listen to the locals in the know. They strongly advised us to keep the patio closed because there are sometimes strong rainfalls and the house could be flooded. So, it is now covered with a transparent roof which allows lots of sunshine.”

The quiet life

Not only do they have a patio but also a terrace with plenty of potted plants. To indulge their artistic interests, they installed a studio in the attic. Leitz says he loves to paint while Flores makes some colorful ceramics. Their works are displayed throughout the property.

Furnishings are a mix of items shipped from the US and local acquisitions.

“Some things we brought back from California, among them a Persian rug that had been in the family for a long time, some we bought in Ikea, but our best find was a furniture shop that specializes in estate sales,” Leitz says enthusiastically. “We bought the most beautiful antique rural Spanish furniture there.”

Work to renovate the house took about six months, but that followed the considerable time taken to get building permission from local authorities.

After the architect submitted plans, applications and other paperwork, the couple soon became familiar with the concept of “mañana” – a word that literally means “tomorrow,” but in Spain can actually mean any length of time.

“The most difficult part was the long wait for the permit and the red tape,” says Flores  “ But the building work as such took only about six months and went without major problems except to find the best place for the AC units.”

With work completed in summer 2022, they’ve been able to  move in and say they are now fully integrated in the community.

They have made many friends, including locals and other foreigners, and say they love how everyone greets each other in the street.

“Even our cat that came from California with us is happy,” says Flores.

They’ve also gotten used to life in a small, sleepy town where everything shuts between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

“As we get older, “ Leitz says, “the quieter life suits us. We don’t need nightclubs and bars although we sometimes miss concerts and theaters. But then, Valencia is not far away.”

The-CNN-Wire
& © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

The post San Francisco was too costly so that they moved to Spain and purchased a stupendous home for $50,000. Right here’s how they did it appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

CNN
 — 

When John Flores and Michael Leitz were looking for a home in which to spend the next stage of their lives, they realized that where they lived in San Francisco was too expensive.

Instead, they began looking further afield – eventually buying a beautiful 120-year-old, three-story home in rural Spain for less than $50,000.

Both Flores and Leitz worked in education in the US before retiring – Leitz was a high school history teacher while Flores was an administrator at UCLA.

While they said they both enjoyed their San Francisco lifestyle, they realized that it would be unaffordable to live in rented property on pensions much lower than their salaries.

“Europe was an obvious choice for us,” said Leitz. “I am part German and part Irish, so there were European roots from the family.  John is part Mexican, which makes for the Spanish connection, and he is fluent in Spanish too.

“The closest you can come to the Californian way of life in Europe is in Spain, so the choice was an easy one for us.”

Gonzalo Azumendi/Stone RF/Getty Images

The couple began their home hunt in the Spanish city of Valencia, but found it too expensive.

Leitz and Flores aren’t alone. In recent years an increasing number of Americans have moved to Europe for business and retirement – with Spain emerging as a top destination according to a report by migration consultancy Global Citizen Solutions.

Part of the appeal is likely down to Spain’s year-round mild climate and a laid-back lifestyle paired with relatively cheap essentials, including high-quality food and wine.

Visa and residency requirements have also been made much easier in recent years. Spain wants to attract foreign nationals to live and work to help counter a huge depopulation problem, especially in rural areas, and welcomes digital nomads as well as wealthy individuals, retirees and vacation homeowners.

Finding the right place and relocating to another country was by no means easy for Flores and Leitz.

“We were well aware that the move was not without obstacles,” says Leitz. “I had never undertaken an enterprise like this but, many years before I met him, John had done something similar in Phoenix, therefore he had more ideas than I had.”

Inevitably, the couple needed to navigate numerous challenges in making the move. Buying and selling property in Europe is very different to in the US. The entire process is much more formal, involving notaries, land registries and officials like sworn-in translators.

And then there are the language barriers and culture shocks. As retirees, Flores and Leitz didn’t have to worry about schools and education – a major consideration for would-be expats moving to Europe with kids.

Siestas and sleepy Sundays

Stefano Politi Markovina/Alamy Stock Photo

Eventually they settled on the charming market town of Xatavia.

Since they both worked in the teaching profession, they had plenty of vacations and used them to go exploring Spain and Europe in anticipation of their move.

Spain is a huge country with many different regions, from snow-covered mountains in the north, to the beaches and islands of the Mediterranean. There are rural valleys, tiny, romantic villages and big cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Malaga.

Flores and Leitz took their time and traveled everywhere over several years, sizing up cultural changes like Spain’s long siestas, numerous public holidays and the fact that shops don’t open on Sundays.

Having decided on Spain and with retirement still some time away, they started preparations by brushing up on the local language – something they were already familiar with from living in California.

“Perfecting my Spanish is actually my priority now, that everything else has been resolved, “says Leitz. “It is just so important for everyday life to be able to communicate with workers and the locals.”

When it came to house hunting, their first stop was Valencia, a beautiful city and port on the Mediterranean in southeast Spain.

Valencia – famous for oranges, the national dish paella, architecture, ceramics and culture – became their home for three years as they lived in rented accommodation.

Michael Leitz

The couple decided to open up their new home’s ground floor to create an open and airy space.

The city was, however, out of their price range when it came to buying a place on their pensions. They were also looking for somewhere more rural – preferably a fixer-upper that they could restore to their liking.

“Our hobbies are history and art and we wanted a place where both were present, as well as nature and woods,” says Flores. “Another consideration was public transport and good train or bus connections to other parts of Spain.”

Exploring the rural villages around Valencia, they finally decided on an historic small town called Xativa, which has an impressive castle and watchtower as well as museums, art galleries, bars and restaurants.

Crucially, it also has a fast train connection to Valencia and beyond.

The couple says what really appealed was the narrow streets filled with plenty of older properties crying out for restoration – some quite rundown, others in reasonable shape.

They were also won over by friendly residents – locals as well as other expats who had already happily settled there. They said they sensed a feeling of community that was very appealing.

Having decided on a place to live, they now had to find a suitable – and affordable – property.

Instead of going to a realtor, they turned to Idealista, one of the most popular property vending websites in Spain, finding somewhere that appealed to them almost immediately.

Handshakes and hurdles

Michael Leitz

They also created a covered terrace filled with plants.

It was a three-story stone building, big enough for their needs and offered at a reasonable price. They said they were surprised how low prices were compared to Valencia and other places in Spain they’d looked at – and of course as compared to the US.

It consisted of several small rooms on the ground floor, just one bathroom and two bedrooms. They could see the potential.

The next step was inspections to confirm the house was structurally sound and weatherproof.

Then there was the legal side of the purchase – complicated slightly by the building’s age – approximately 120 years old. As is often the case in rural Spain, many records had been lost over the years. In times gone by, property frequently changed hands with a handshake.

Eventually, they negotiated with the vendor a price of 45,000 euros (about $48,000) including taxes. They managed to secure a mortgage, which meant that the bank took care of some of the paperwork.

After finalizing the purchase, they began to make plans. They decided to rip out internal walls on the ground floor to create one large, light space. Upstairs would also be reconfigured to produce another bedroom and bathroom. They also wanted to install AC, a necessity given southern Spain’s high summer heat.

After finding a local architect and builder willing to take on the work for 40,000 euros (about $44,000), work began on the ground floor.

“This is where we found the most problems,” Flores says.

View this interactive content on CNN.com

“There were four small rooms and the space felt rather cramped. Also the ceiling was quite low, so we had the architect look and see if there were any solid beams above. There were, and none of them turned out to be rotten. Nevertheless, the workers sprayed everything with a special solution to prevent woodworm getting into the beams.

“After the dividing walls were removed, we got one big, airy and sunny room and the ceiling was lifted by 3-4 feet. This made all the difference.”

In addition, the couple removed the one bedroom on the ground floor and extended the master bedroom on the second floor, adding a walk-in wardrobe, a guest bedroom and another bathroom with tub and shower.

Then came the final touches. There was no garden, but a covered tiled patio.

“We considered opening the patio up to the sky,” Leitz said. “But you have to listen to the locals in the know. They strongly advised us to keep the patio closed because there are sometimes strong rainfalls and the house could be flooded. So, it is now covered with a transparent roof which allows lots of sunshine.”

Michael Leitz

The staircase before the renovation.

Not only do they have a patio but also a terrace with plenty of potted plants. To indulge their artistic interests, they installed a studio in the attic. Leitz says he loves to paint while Flores makes some colorful ceramics. Their works are displayed throughout the property.

Furnishings are a mix of items shipped from the US and local acquisitions.

“Some things we brought back from California, among them a Persian rug that had been in the family for a long time, some we bought in Ikea, but our best find was a furniture shop that specializes in estate sales,” Leitz says enthusiastically. “We bought the most beautiful antique rural Spanish furniture there.”

Work to renovate the house took about six months, but that followed the considerable time taken to get building permission from local authorities.

Michael Leitz

The new, open plan staircase.

After the architect submitted plans, applications and other paperwork, the couple soon became familiar with the concept of “mañana” – a word that literally means “tomorrow,” but in Spain can actually mean any length of time.

“The most difficult part was the long wait for the permit and the red tape,” says Flores  “ But the building work as such took only about six months and went without major problems except to find the best place for the AC units.”

With work completed in summer 2022, they’ve been able to  move in and say they are now fully integrated in the community.

They have made many friends, including locals and other foreigners, and say they love how everyone greets each other in the street.

“Even our cat that came from California with us is happy,” says Flores.

They’ve also gotten used to life in a small, sleepy town where everything shuts between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

“As we get older, “ Leitz says, “the quieter life suits us. We don’t need nightclubs and bars although we sometimes miss concerts and theaters. But then, Valencia is not far away.”

The post San Francisco was too costly so that they moved to Spain and acquired a good looking home for $50,000. Right here’s how they did it appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

(CNN) — When John Flores and Michael Leitz were looking for a home in which to spend the next stage of their lives, they realized that where they lived in San Francisco was too expensive.

Instead, they began looking further afield – eventually buying a beautiful 120-year-old, three-story home in rural Spain for less than $50,000.

Both Flores and Leitz worked in education in the US before retiring – Leitz was a high school history teacher while Flores was an administrator at UCLA.

While they said they both enjoyed their San Francisco lifestyle, they realized that it would be unaffordable to live in rented property on pensions much lower than their salaries.

“Europe was an obvious choice for us,” said Leitz. “I am part German and part Irish, so there were European roots from the family.  John is part Mexican, which makes for the Spanish connection, and he is fluent in Spanish too.

“The closest you can come to the Californian way of life in Europe is in Spain, so the choice was an easy one for us.”

Finding the right place

Leitz and Flores aren’t alone. In recent years an increasing number of Americans have moved to Europe for business and retirement – with Spain emerging as a top destination according to a report by migration consultancy Global Citizen Solutions.

Part of the appeal is likely down to Spain’s year-round mild climate and a laid-back lifestyle paired with relatively cheap essentials, including high-quality food and wine.

Visa and residency requirements have also been made much easier in recent years. Spain wants to attract foreign nationals to live and work to help counter a huge depopulation problem, especially in rural areas, and welcomes digital nomads as well as wealthy individuals, retirees and vacation homeowners.

Finding the right place and relocating to another country was by no means easy for Flores and Leitz.

“We were well aware that the move was not without obstacles,” says Leitz. “I had never undertaken an enterprise like this but, many years before I met him, John had done something similar in Phoenix, therefore he had more ideas than I had.”

Inevitably, the couple needed to navigate numerous challenges in making the move. Buying and selling property in Europe is very different to in the US. The entire process is much more formal, involving notaries, land registries and officials like sworn-in translators.

And then there are the language barriers and culture shocks. As retirees, Flores and Leitz didn’t have to worry about schools and education – a major consideration for would-be expats moving to Europe with kids.

Siestas and sleepy Sundays

Since they both worked in the teaching profession, they had plenty of vacations and used them to go exploring Spain and Europe in anticipation of their move.

Spain is a huge country with many different regions, from snow-covered mountains in the north, to the beaches and islands of the Mediterranean. There are rural valleys, tiny, romantic villages and big cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Malaga.

Flores and Leitz took their time and traveled everywhere over several years, sizing up cultural changes like Spain’s long siestas, numerous public holidays and the fact that shops don’t open on Sundays.

Having decided on Spain and with retirement still some time away, they started preparations by brushing up on the local language – something they were already familiar with from living in California.

“Perfecting my Spanish is actually my priority now, that everything else has been resolved, “says Leitz. “It is just so important for everyday life to be able to communicate with workers and the locals.”

When it came to house hunting, their first stop was Valencia, a beautiful city and port on the Mediterranean in southeast Spain.

Valencia – famous for oranges, the national dish paella, architecture, ceramics and culture – became their home for three years as they lived in rented accommodation.

Fixer-upper

The city was, however, out of their price range when it came to buying a place on their pensions. They were also looking for somewhere more rural – preferably a fixer-upper that they could restore to their liking.

“Our hobbies are history and art and we wanted a place where both were present, as well as nature and woods,” says Flores. “Another consideration was public transport and good train or bus connections to other parts of Spain.”

Exploring the rural villages around Valencia, they finally decided on an historic small town called Xativa, which has an impressive castle and watchtower as well as museums, art galleries, bars and restaurants.

Crucially, it also has a fast train connection to Valencia and beyond.

The couple says what really appealed was the narrow streets filled with plenty of older properties crying out for restoration – some quite rundown, others in reasonable shape.

They were also won over by friendly residents – locals as well as other expats who had already happily settled there. They said they sensed a feeling of community that was very appealing.

Having decided on a place to live, they now had to find a suitable – and affordable – property.

Instead of going to a realtor, they turned to Idealista, one of the most popular property vending websites in Spain, finding somewhere that appealed to them almost immediately.

Handshakes and hurdles

It was a three-story stone building, big enough for their needs and offered at a reasonable price. They said they were surprised how low prices were compared to Valencia and other places in Spain they’d looked at – and of course as compared to the US.

It consisted of several small rooms on the ground floor, just one bathroom and two bedrooms. They could see the potential.

The next step was inspections to confirm the house was structurally sound and weatherproof.

Then there was the legal side of the purchase – complicated slightly by the building’s age – approximately 120 years old. As is often the case in rural Spain, many records had been lost over the years. In times gone by, property frequently changed hands with a handshake.

Eventually, they negotiated with the vendor a price of 45,000 euros (about $48,000) including taxes. They managed to secure a mortgage, which meant that the bank took care of some of the paperwork.

After finalizing the purchase, they began to make plans. They decided to rip out internal walls on the ground floor to create one large, light space. Upstairs would also be reconfigured to produce another bedroom and bathroom. They also wanted to install AC, a necessity given southern Spain’s high summer heat.

After finding a local architect and builder willing to take on the work for 40,000 euros (about $44,000), work began on the ground floor.

“This is where we found the most problems,” Flores says.

“There were four small rooms and the space felt rather cramped. Also the ceiling was quite low, so we had the architect look and see if there were any solid beams above. There were, and none of them turned out to be rotten. Nevertheless, the workers sprayed everything with a special solution to prevent woodworm getting into the beams.

“After the dividing walls were removed, we got one big, airy and sunny room and the ceiling was lifted by 3-4 feet. This made all the difference.”

In addition, the couple removed the one bedroom on the ground floor and extended the master bedroom on the second floor, adding a walk-in wardrobe, a guest bedroom and another bathroom with tub and shower.

Then came the final touches. There was no garden, but a covered tiled patio.

“We considered opening the patio up to the sky,” Leitz said. “But you have to listen to the locals in the know. They strongly advised us to keep the patio closed because there are sometimes strong rainfalls and the house could be flooded. So, it is now covered with a transparent roof which allows lots of sunshine.”

The quiet life

Not only do they have a patio but also a terrace with plenty of potted plants. To indulge their artistic interests, they installed a studio in the attic. Leitz says he loves to paint while Flores makes some colorful ceramics. Their works are displayed throughout the property.

Furnishings are a mix of items shipped from the US and local acquisitions.

“Some things we brought back from California, among them a Persian rug that had been in the family for a long time, some we bought in Ikea, but our best find was a furniture shop that specializes in estate sales,” Leitz says enthusiastically. “We bought the most beautiful antique rural Spanish furniture there.”

Work to renovate the house took about six months, but that followed the considerable time taken to get building permission from local authorities.

After the architect submitted plans, applications and other paperwork, the couple soon became familiar with the concept of “mañana” – a word that literally means “tomorrow,” but in Spain can actually mean any length of time.

“The most difficult part was the long wait for the permit and the red tape,” says Flores  “ But the building work as such took only about six months and went without major problems except to find the best place for the AC units.”

With work completed in summer 2022, they’ve been able to  move in and say they are now fully integrated in the community.

They have made many friends, including locals and other foreigners, and say they love how everyone greets each other in the street.

“Even our cat that came from California with us is happy,” says Flores.

They’ve also gotten used to life in a small, sleepy town where everything shuts between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

“As we get older, “ Leitz says, “the quieter life suits us. We don’t need nightclubs and bars although we sometimes miss concerts and theaters. But then, Valencia is not far away.”

& © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

​THE-CNN-WIRE (TM) & © 2023 CABLE NEWS NETWORK, INC., A TIME WARNER COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The post San Francisco was too costly so that they moved to Spain and purchased a stupendous home for $50,000. Right here’s how they did it | Life-style appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

FILE – European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde delivers a speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. Leading global central bankers reassured on Wednesday 28 June 2023 that they would not back down. Their sharp hikes in interest rates suggest inflation is more stubborn than expected but still downplays recession fears stemming from their rate hikes.Jean-Francois Badias/AP

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) – Inflation is moving in different directions in Europe, rising in Germany and falling again in Spain, official figures said on Thursday.

German consumer prices rose 6.8% year-on-year in June, compared with 6.3% in May, state statistics office Destatis said. Analysts say the number was boosted in part by a widespread sale of cheap public transport tickets last summer.

The surge in Europe’s largest economy comes a day ahead of the release of inflation figures for the entire 20-nation area that uses the euro. Eurozone inflation fell to 6.1% in May from a peak of 10.6% in October.

But that’s still well above the 2% target set by the European Central Bank. ECB President Christine Lagarde warned at the bank’s July 27 meeting that inflation was so stubborn that it warranted at least one more rate hike.

Higher interest rates are central banks’ main anti-inflation tool.

Meanwhile, lower food and energy inflation meant Spain’s consumer price index rose just 1.6% yoy in June, compared to 2.9% in May.

Adrian Prettejohn, European economist at Capital Economics, said that the low Spanish interest rate is unlikely to affect the ECB’s decision-making, “as country-specific factors mean that inflation in Spain is much lower than in other countries.”

The post Inflation is transferring in numerous instructions in Europe. It hit 6.8% in Germany and 1.6% in Spain appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.