A wise guide to buying Spanish property

Thinking of turning your fantasy of owning property in Spain into reality? Make sure it's a dream rather than a nightmare by planning wisely and investing well. Go to the Times Online for a region-by-region guide to Spain, relocation advice, reports from ex-pats and a guide to investing in a buy-to-let property.
Times Online >

Advice from the Embassy

The British Embassy in Spain has compiled a wealth of information for British nationals wishing to move to Spain. The aim is to explain regulations that will affect you, and to smooth the transition from foreign visitor to resident. There's advice for pensioners, and sections applicable to people just getting started in the process as well as information about what you will encounter further along the way.
The British Embassy in Spain >

Relocation checklist
If you are moving abroad but keeping a property in the UK, you need to inform your mortgage lender and insurer. This is vital, especially if you are leaving the property uninhabited or renting it out.

If the property is remaining empty, get advice on how to keep it secure. Your local police can help you.

Tell your local council that you are moving abroad so that council tax records and the electoral register can be updated.

Give your bank, building society and any other institutions with whom you have financial arrangements details of your move and a forwarding address.

Arrange for your mail to be forwarded. Pick up a redirection form from your local post office in good time.

Spanish tapas...
The following morsels of information are rather like Spanish tapas - bite-sized, tasty pieces. You might find them useful.

Language: Spanish, obviously, along with Catalan, Basque and Galician in some regions. You can generally expect English if you are talking business, and it is very common in tourist areas. After all, 45 million tourists visit Spain each year, and a lot of those are English-speaking.

Health: you don't need any extra inoculations to visit Spain. Your main risk in the summer is too much sun, so be prepared with protection.

Climate: very hot in summer. Very pleasant in spring and autumn. Snow in the mountains in winter.

Food: famous for tapas (see above!), paella (seafood and chicken with saffron rice and other tasty ingredients), gazpacho (a delicious cold, garlicky tomato soup).

Spanish wine: rioja (rich, oaky taste), cava (sparkling white - the "champagne" of Spain!), and of course sherry from Jerez, its native city.

Buy: Spanish liquor (see above), boots of Spanish leather, dramatically hand-painted pottery and ceramics.

The Spanish Embassy in the UK:
39 Chesham Place
London
SW1X 8SB
(020 7235 5555).

The British Embassy in Spain:
C/ Fernando el Santo, 16,
28010 Madrid
(34 91 700 82 00).

Visas: UK and EU citizens do not need visas for visits of less than three months.

Currency: euros (roughly 1.45 euros to the pound sterling)

International airports: Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante, Santiago de Compostela, Bilbao, Seville and Valencia. Ryanair, Easyjet and others offer good flight deals. Ferries from Plymouth to Santander and from Portsmouth to Bilbao.

Latest Product News
Do you have news about products or services that might
interest ourreaders? We'd love to hear about it ... more