With its mix of sand, sea and sunshine, together with the laid back lifestyle and the low cost easy access it is no surprise that Spain has always been a popular destination with its mix of beautiful beaches, narrow streets, old villages, ancient churches and architecture combined with the modern. Spain has it all and this is the reason for its popularity.

Climate
Clear hot summers in the interior and coastal regions and cold winters in inland Spain. Cool, cloudy and moderate on the coastal areas. Highlights: Spain has for decades been the favourite destination for the British to purchase property with over 500,000 people having already taken the plunge and predictions that over the next ten years this will rise to two million. The Costa del Sol and The Costa Blanca are the main areas for the Brits to settle and purchase property, however the appeal of Spain has meant that the interest has grown to other areas such as Costa de la Luz, Costa Calida, Costa Dorada and even further inland.

Accessibility
Spain has easy and low cost flights from virtually every UK Airport and wherever you live in the UK you are guaranteed a cheap flight to the main airports. The advent of the low cost airlines such as Ryan Air, and Easyjet mean you can fly in the early shoulder months for less than £60 return whilst on BA or Iberia in June a return flight to Madrid or Malaga is only around £120 if booked early enough.

Permanent Move
There are no restrictions on living and working in Spain for EU Nationals who can freely enter, exit and live there ,however you must obtain a European Community registration card if you are residing for more than 90 consecutive days. This is the only formal requirement for EU citizens to establish their residence within the country.

Buying Property
When buying any property in Spain you will definitely need the services of an English speaking Spanish lawyer (an attorney) as unlike the UK procedure, it involves many legal issues, the payment of insurances, taxes, mortgages and paperwork. The regulations are very different from what we are used to when buying and selling a home. Buying a second hand property i.e. one that has already been built and lived in can be easier than purchasing a new one from plan.