Moving to Spain - Reboot for 2014!

If Moving to Spain is your idea of Quality of Life welcome! Spain came up 17th on the International Living list of the Best Places to Live back in 2010- only 17th? But who doesn't love Spain or at least the idea of living in Spain? Today Spain is even more attractive particularly for expats. Real Estate is at an all time low as is the cost of living and yet the Spanish people remain some of the most friendliest and hospitable in the world. For 2014 I.L. upgraded Spain to 5th spot for the best place to retire. 

We recently visited Spain and it's now top of our list for places we're seriously thinking of moving. Check out the great checklist below courtesy of SpainExpat for.....

How to move to Spain

If you're seriously considering a Move to Spain then there are quite a few things to take care of before you go like: learning at least a bit of Spanish; obtaining a visa; gaining residency; health insurance; opening a new bank account; and finding Property in Spain. I discovered a convenient checklist of 'Things to do before Moving to Spain' on SpainExpat.com and summarized it below:

Click Here!

SpainExpat suggested Things to do before moving to Spain:

1. Print this check-list for your move to Spain.
2. Take at least a 'Basic Spanish' language course - anyone who has moved to Spain will tell you this!
3. If you aren't retiring to Spain then you will need a job. Unless of course you're in a position to retire. With Spain's ultra low cost of living and Real Estate bargains you may find early retirement in Spain a real possibility. It's a good idea to have employment locked down before you move to Spain.
4. Maybe you're considering opening your own business in Spain. Be sure to find an English speaking lawyer in Spain and get as much done by email and phone before you move.
5. Apply for your Spanish Visa. This needs to be done in your home country before you go. Look up the nearest Spanish Consulate and get the ball rolling - it may take some time.
6. Do you plan on making this a permanent move to Spain? If so you may need to change your residency. This can also have some tax advantages particularly if you are Canadian.
7. Check into health care. What are the costs health costs and how will you pay? Make sure you have this set up before you change your current residency or cancel any insurance coverage you now have in place.
8. If you are not sure whether this will be permanent plan on sharing residency between home and Spain.  Keep some ties and in particular keep a bank account and credit card in your home. Find a bank that offers special accounts and perks for travellers and international residents. Many have low fee plans for example when it comes to taking money out in a foreign country.
9. Make certain your drivers license or passport are up to date. If they are getting old then renew them now before you go.
10. Remember living in Spain means most things will come with Spanish instructions. Computers and cell phones will have different, Spanish language keys etc. You may want to consider buying items like this at home before you move to Spain. Trust me, learning how to use a Spanish keyboard and settings can be very frustrating and time consuming. On another note make certain any electronics you buy at home will work in Spain.
11. If you are buying Property in Spain and need to move household items be sure to make your flights and arrival dates convenient for being there when your furniture arrives.
12. Will you be moving a car too (not recommended) or buying one once you settle in? If so you want to be familiar with the Spain Car Hire Agencies in particularly ones that offer long term car rental rates.  Also check into public transit. In Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia this is a great way to get around.
13. Is Fido moving to Spain too? You may be surprised what it takes to move a pet out of your country and into a new one. Allow time to get all the required paperwork done.
    
14. Go to your local post-office and arrange for your mail to be redirected to your new home for at least 6 months.You may even want to consider keeping a permanent post box at home and have your mail forwarded indefinitely.

How to Buy Property in Spain

Property For Sale in Spain

Our last Best Places to Live visit was to Spain and it raised quite a stir! Perhaps it's the time of year but many people are interested in Spain and almost all of them want to know how to buy property in Spain. You may be looking at cheap property in Spain, a retirement home or even a rental property in Spain. Regardless of the type of properties in Spain you are considering the buying process is pretty much the same.

First you need a - Nota simple informativa
This is a document you get from the Registro de la Propiedad - Property Registry. Basically it's like doing a title search. This document will tell you about the property and if it has any financial encumbrances - mortgages or loans against it. It's also your way of making sure the title and description of the property is exactly what the seller has told you. Next comes -

Pre-Agreement
Sometimes this is referred to as a 'Buy-Sell Agreement'. The public deed for purchase cannot be prepared until this contract of sorts is made between you and the seller. It's a pretty simple document which outlines what may seem like the obvious - the buyer wishes to buy and the seller wishes to sell at a specified price and also with any conditions both have agreed to. Once you've settled these matters you may need to arrange -

A Spanish Mortgage
You will need to visit a bank in Spain and get a list of all the things they require. Allow some time to prepare - it's not a simple matter of dropping into the bank and walking out an hour later. Banks in Spain have quite a lengthy list of things you need to do and provide. Be prepared to pay some fees too - you will need to pay to have your property appraised and by law in Spain the appraiser has to be a licensed architect. Now, the title and registry is clean and clear; you have an agreement; the property has been appraised and your mortgage money is ready to go, you are ready to -

Close
At this stage the title to your property Spain is ready to be transferred and certified by a notary. The property is now yours but your not quite done yet! There are a few more items to take care of. You will need to pay Transfer Taxes and make sure the seller pays the local taxes, known as 'plusvalia'. You need to have the deed with you for both of these. Finally as a safety precaution just to make certain you are protected and your deed is valid it's a good idea to register your title at the local registry office.

Because Spain is so popular a discussion we will continue to cover some other things to help if you're considering a Move to Spain. OR as it's commonly called - Removals to Spain - Funny term, huh?