Hi all

I'm new to the forum and just wanted to say hi and tell you a bit about myself and my plans and then hopefully soak up all your fantastic advice and experiences

I've been a musician for 25+ years and I make a reasonable amount of money on the side through performing and songwriting. I'm also a graphic and web designer and make some extra cash that way. However, it's got to the point where I'm having to work damn hard in a day job I hate in order to meet my rising costs (mostly a very painful mortgage after a divorce :curse and it's eating into my time, creativity end energy. My needs are simple, I've never had a lot of money and i'm used to a frugal lifestyle so I figured if I can lose the mortgage completely and move somewhere where I can carry on doing what I love the most and what I'm best at while still being able to come back to the UK to continue gigging the odd week tour and the odd festival, then i'd be a fool not to consider it.

I'm currently looking online at properties within an hour or so from airports and the coast, with a view to selling up here and coming over to live and work. The areas I'm looking at currently are around Tarragona, Alicante and Malaga. I don't want to pay the coastal prices but most of my gigs will naturally be in bars and hotels along the coast hence my location choices. I was originally looking at fincas for all the obvious reasons - quiet, lots of space, etc - but after reading all the horror stories here and elsewhere about illegal dwellings I'm more keen on a town house, preferably one with an outbuilding that I can make into a small recording studio/office or at least a spare room that will do the same job. A roof terrace would be nice. I'm pretty good at DIY so I'm looking for a renovation project, maybe with a little bit of reforming - but definitely not a shell!

I may come over mid October for a look around (if a trip to Mississippi gets postponed) and if not then probably later in the year or early next so I'm sure that will open my eyes to what I'm letting myself in for!

I know I have lots of investigation to do re: work, best locations, rent or buy, etc, but I'm looking forward to the journey with all it's twists and turns and hopefully I will have some knowledgeable navigators - all of you that have already done it

Hi Bluesman, only just seen your first thread as a newcomer so welcome to BE!

Have you tried www.kyero.com
Property sales and rentals

Yep, I've looked there and thinkspain.com. There seems to be plenty of available property. A sign of the times I guess.

Would I be right in thinking that I should take the prices on those sites with a pinch of salt, not contact the agency online but get the 'real' asking price from the agency when I drop in on a visit? preferably with a local who speaks the language?

Everything is negotiable.
The market is not so good here at the moment so I guess if you make an offer you just never know