So we are a few weeks later, a few years wiser. Life is slow enough that you need to learn quick. It's interesting that time is as challenging to manage whether you have it, or not.
As I write we have not signed the final deed for the villa, because there is a piece of paper missing and this takes time. We live at our villa and we have renovations lined up and ready, but we still do not own it... so....maybe Friday?
The sale of our house in Luxembourg took a while longer than planned and we ended up being a week late on the Portugal side of transactions. This was nerve wracking for both Sylvie and I because we had feared this situation and actually started well in advance to take steps to avoid it. But we got nowhere meeting only dead ends. Until the last minute we found a business angel to buy a few months time. So we are positioned in Portugal and ready to go and within days the house is sold. Ironically to the very first person who visited. The lady had told me she wanted the house and would buy it. But then no news for weeks. So we didn't really believe her. Now everything is aligned. Signature ceremony is scheduled in Luxembourg and I trust that will happen.
Now in Portugal, that's another story. Sylvie and I met with the sellers, our and their lawyers, our and their real estate agents, and our banker, at the notary, on Monday to sign the final deed. Finally after being postponed already 3 times, with each time our promissory contract to purchase having to be extended, but no. A piece of paper is missing. A neighbour not notified. Our nearest neighbours in fact, 100m down the road. Big villa. Have not met them yet. They spend a lot of time on their yacht we've heard. And now they have an option to buy out the property under our feet. I doubt it happens, but until we get that paper, we don't get a loan, we don't get the villa etc. But we still went out with the lovely sellers M & Mme Dexter for a celebration dinner. Our moving van is scheduled for the end of the month. More nerve racking?
We are told it might happen this week. Who knows?. Everybody seems a bit embarrassed by the situation, but nobody is nervous. And aren't we. A good line I saw somewhere here read "in Portugal everything is possible, maybe tomorrow, and then the details..."
In the meantime we are soaking up the area and the villa. A lot of planning and coding. Anyone who knows me will not be surprised that the whole business, bookings, billing, accounting and mail is an MS-Excel beast of my own creation. And our new web site is almost ready to publish.
This is where connections become critical again. Not only for Google maps navigation, but Google translate everything. The project generates a small load of email that I would not want to manage with my thumbs. And here again the Portuguese connection is broadband in heart, but not always in strength, it can be patchy: We are using a local mobile connection generously loaned to us by the Portuguese owners of a rental apartment villa, just like us but in 'agrotourismo'. Monte da Ribiera. We recommend.
We stayed there on a couple of our villa / due diligence visits and found the price rather nice for new well equipped small apartments. The day Sylvie started telling them about our plans to come do the same in a villa only a few km away I had some apprehensions as to how they would take it. That was probably from my 'North American' competitiveness. There is more than too much business for everyone. In fact the warmth of their welcome only grew brighter, offering help, tips, tricks, support, referrals, contacts, addresses, and yes, even a mobile Internet connection while we set up our own. As soon as we sign.
Maybe Friday?
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