Phil & Chele

We currently live in Poole in Dorset, we have just sold our house and the one we were buying has just fallen through. We are considering saying sod it and move to Spain, it is something we have been considering for a while. Supposed to be going on a recci in the summer, are we mad? should we look into it more? any pro's and cons we may have missed, HELP!!!!!!!!!!

Kind Regards Phil.....

Mitzyboy

Yes you need to do a great deal of research, spend some time on here, make some visits. Maybe consider renting here for a while. Read the free beer sticky above

rugbymatt

As the Pajero boy said, I would say to do as much research as is possible, before you commit yourself to an area or even a region and then find that you don't like it of it isn't for you, there are tales of long waits to re sell property and you will only end up miserable if you end up living where you don't want to.

You are in an enviable situation, you are cash buyers and have that power behind you, make the most of it and enjoy the experience, you have more freedom than most.

glad 2 b back

I moved to Spain on a whim it was great I don't regret going. Perhaps put your money in a high interest account where you can not touch it for a year. And head off, travel around, rent, work in bars, see if you like the lifestyle before committing yourself.

jandy44

Hi Phil and chele, I would go for it,but has everyone else has advised, do some research,I would invest your funds from the sale of your house leaving yourselves a budget for at least six months then rent a appartment or villa and have a good look into where you would like to settle.
Best of luck with whatever you decide.........

Rosemary

Lovely to see you posting positively about your experince in Spain after your previous postings. Looks like you have regained your life and everything has settled down.

Rosemary

MAKSN

Di you move out to Spain buy or did you rent first, have you come arcoss any problems moving on a whim.

Eve

Hi there, good luck with whatever you decide, but do your research first, have a look round and then think about how you would deal with anything negative that will be thrown at you, then when you feel you are ready to deal with anything then go for it. All the best , i wish we were ready to move but family commitment is stopping us at the moment but one day we will be out here. I must add though I am here at the moment and inland CDS is blazing, it was 35 in the shade on my terrace this afternoon, texted OH and he replied with "only 12 in uk" , I felt very sad for him as I poured myself yet another cold drink and slapped on some more sun cream!!
Anyway enough of my ramblings, wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide, only you can make the decision but you will get lots of useful tips on here, evryone is great.
Luv Eve,

glad 2 b back

I rented for the first 6 months which was good as I didn't like the area I first moved too. Then I bought an apartment in Fuengirola, then a year and half later I sold it and made a small profit. The vender wanted the deal closed in 4 days so is was a bit of a rush to find a place and thats how we ended up in Coin for a few months. Then I bought the place I own now.

It was great at first a good experience all around, I don't like Spain now and wouldn't live there again for all the tea in china but I don't regret going. It taught me a lot about myself, I lived within a different culture. Living without electricity and running water has made me appreciate the things you take for granted in life. It has been an experience for my daughter she can speak Spanish fluently. When her mates at school are moaning about it she's not long putting them in her place as she knows that she has it good now.

So as I said I don't regret going just staying as long as I did. My advice for Anyone who is thinking of going is rent first, travel around to different areas and see what suits (same as anywhere). Check out work situations but don't take someones word on a forum that such and such place is great especially if they have only lived there for a few months themselves.

glad 2 b back

Also I would just like to add moving on a whim for me personally was a good choice. As I didn't have any expectations whatsoever. I never dreamt of moving to Spain but I'd lived in Galway for 8 years previoulsy and hadn't seen any sunshine for quite a while so it was quite nice.

I've met a lot of people whose life long dream has been to move to Spain. Many of them are a lot older than me they've worked hard to get there but are let down when they do get there. As its not the life they were expecting. Many people I met have lost a lot of money, but stick it out not because they love their new life so much, but because they don't want to lose face by returning home.

When I moved I didn't plan it to be forever. I told all my friends I'd be back in 6 weeks I stayed for 6 years (and actually didn't go back to where I had left). So at first I wasn't let down by my expectations. I lived my life and slowly but surely realised that Spain wasn't for me for many reasons. (most of which have been discussed in great detail on here and another forum).

So moving on a whim may not be ideal in some peoples eyes but planning researching and dreaming about it for years doesnt necersarily mean that it will work out either.

If you have a chance take it, go see if you like it. If you don't move on at least you've got it over and done with. I'm 31 now and if I hadn't gone when I did and decided to save, if, but, and research for years on end and waited till I was 50 I would be gutted if I didn't like it.

Phil & Chele

Hi...

Moving to Spain hasn't been a lifelong ambition for us, it is just something that we think we fancy... We have looked into different countries inc Australia but Big Spiders i do not fancy....... lol also my 18 yr old son would not have moved over with us...

The weather is a big pull for us and the older children aged 15 & 18 are all for it - which helps.. My husband is a Diesel Engineer ( marine & industrial ) and would be wanting to start his own business over there.. We are lucky enough to be able to buy a place (mortgage free) and have enough cash to start the business and at least 18 months worth of basic income.. We have decided that we are going to go over and tour Spain for 4 weeks in August..

We ahve just committed ourselves to buying another house in England but this time we are purely going to buy to do up and put back on the market... This we are hoping will give us enough extra money to put down a deposit on a house in England that we will be able to rent out if we move to Spain ( at least this will keep us a step on the property ladder here if ever needed to move back.. Our 18 yr old son has til next May left at college where he is currently studying Outdoor Pursuits and our 15 yr old finishes school also next year so we have decided to make the move in July next year which is going to give us plenty of time for research etc...

MAKSN

Thanks Glad to be back I am 54 and still not sure if its the right thing to do as I will be going out alone also have to find work which I am worried about.

Rosemary

Finding a job will very much depend on what type of work, which area you are planning to move to and of course the old chestnut of whether you can speak Spanish.

Rosemary

SueG

"Many people I met have lost a lot of money, but stick it out not because they love their new life so much, but because they don't want to lose face by returning home."


That was the only thing our whole family made us promise!! If we changed our mind about living in Spain and wanted to go home then come home and don't worry about losing face. Mind you I am not sure what we would go home to!!!

Rosemary

It is such a shame that people see it as losing face because if you moved to a different area in the UK and did not like it you would just say so and move elsewhere when and if it was feasible.

We all make our choices throughout our lives and they are not always the right choices so we change something about them and move on so why not the same about moving to another country.

Some people never take up a challenge whilst others seek challenges everywhere and neither are viewed as 100 percent right.

People are all different and have a variety of reasons for moving to either a different area or a different country and therefore all also have a variety of reasons for moving on again and there should never be any feelings of shame attached.

Rosemary