THE CLUELESS GENE JOURNAL
There’s a story behind every decision.
Buying, renovating and sometimes walking away. Real property experiences, from Spain and beyond.
Use real buying lessons, practical checks and BUY IT · RUN IT · SELL IT calculations before you commit.
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Spain
Buying Property in Spain: 100 Questions I’d Ask Before Buying Again
Buying property in Spain? Here are 100 questions I’d ask before buying again, covering costs, legal checks, mortgages, rentals, viewings and rural property.
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PROPERTY STORIES · FLORIDA · PART 1
I Own Land in Florida. So Why Don’t I Want to Develop It?
I own land in Florida, but I love my life in Europe. Owning an asset does not oblige me to build a life around it.
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PROPERTY STORIES · FLORIDA · PART 2
Selling U.S. Property as a Foreigner: The FIRPTA Surprise
FIRPTA withholding is generally based on the amount realised, not simply profit. That can create a large cash-flow surprise for a foreign seller.
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PROPERTY STORIES · FLORIDA · PART 3
Can You Sell Florida Property While Living Abroad?
A remote sale can be possible, but identity checks, signatures, tax forms and raw-land liquidity need organising before the last minute.
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Spain
I Bought an Apartment in a Town I Once Called Ugly
My first assessment of Torrevieja was not “investment opportunity.” It was “What an ugly town.” Years later, a Facebook Marketplace advert brought me back.
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Spain
There Were Already Two Beds in the Room. So Why Didn’t Mine Fit?
Two beds fitted comfortably when I viewed my Spanish apartment. My new beds fitted too—except suddenly there was barely room to move. Ten centimetres taught me a lesson I now take to every property viewing.
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Philippines
Why I Didn’t Buy a Condo in the Philippines — The Numbers Never Convinced Me
The glossy facilities were tempting. The unanswered question was what I would actually keep after vacancy, association dues and every other cost.
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Georgia
Why I Didn’t Buy Property in Georgia — Even Though I Went There Looking
Georgia looked interesting on a screen. Visiting Tbilisi and Batumi—and twice failing to reach Gudauri—made the investment feel very different.
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Albania
Why I Didn’t Buy Property in Albania
Tirana made sense, Sarandë interested me and Ksamil was beautiful—but travelling there showed me why none of them felt right for me to own.
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Spain
Why the Cheapest Property Can Become the Most Expensive
A low asking price can make a property feel like an opportunity—especially when nearby homes appear much more expensive.
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Spain
The Renovation Lesson I Learned Too Late: Memory Is Not Evidence
Renovation disagreements rarely begin with someone planning to cause a problem.
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Spain
Five Questions I Now Ask Before Viewing Any Property
Buying property can feel surprisingly emotional. You walk into a bright room, see a terrace or imagine your future there, and suddenly you are already arranging the furniture in your head.
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Multiple countries
What Buying Property Abroad Taught Me
Buying property looks simple from the outside. Find a place you like, agree on a price, sign the paperwork and collect the keys.
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