FIRST STEPS: WHERE DO I START?!

When we start dreaming about relocating to another country the first thing that we all do is to go to our favourite house hunting website. 

WRONG!

Why? Because if we do that we are going to fall in love with that amazing house that looks absolutely incredible on the pictures, that we are ever so lucky that it is within budget and that ticks all our boxes and more. And what happens next? The property is in the middle of nowhere, or in a damp town, or your neighbours are squatters and you only find out afterwards because the estate agent didnt tell you about it...

For example, I have just seen a flat in Seville, with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, terrace, near the city center for 37,000€, and you think, WOW! However, what do you know about the neighbourhood called "the 3000 houses"? It is a place were not even police ventures to go. 

What should we be doing first then?

RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH. Research of what?

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.

Locations is paramount. Do not start looking for houses until you know exactly where you want to be. How do you find out about it?

Write a list of your must have, grab a map of Spain and choose several places that match your requirements on paper. Then book a few holidays on that place: in winter, in summer, high season, low season... 

Rent a car a drive around the areas you like at different times of the day. Some urbanizaciones look really good during the day, but then at night time might have unwelcomed visitors.

Estate agents normally won't tell you the bad things of any given area, as of course their business is to sell you a house. It is on you to do the due diligence of checking the place out.

Even if on paper you think you want to be off the grid, for example, try and spend sometime off the grid on the region you like to see if it really works for you. It might be too much of a hassle or your will realize it is exactly what you were looking for.

If you like the place every time that you visit, then is when you can start looking for properties.

And then is when the real journey begins.

BARGAIN!!! OR BARGAIN???

You know that saying that if it looks to good to be true is because probably it isn't true?

It cannot be truer when you are searching for your dream home.

A couple of years back I found THE bargain of the century. Fully refurbished detached villa, I think it was 3 bed property, with plot of land and a swimming pool, only 10 minutes drive away from the coast for 25,000 €.

25,000 €? 25,000€????????? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?

Yeah, exactly my reaction. So I carried on reading. The property was illegal. It was built/refurbished without asking the relevant planning permission to the relevant authority and it was built in rustic land, which a type of land where is not allowed to build anything. Which means that the relevant authority can decide to knock it down at any time. You might be able to change the status of the land and to ask for retrospective planning permission, but that will cost time and money.

Therefore you have to be veeeeeeeeeeery careful when looking at buying a place anywhere. Research the area as much as you can, even if possible go and spend some holidays in your chosen destination. And please, ALWAYS use professionals such as local solicitor or "asesor" (consultant/adviser).

When I am watching programs like "A place in the Sun" (which I am addicted to, by the way) I cannot believe when people go for the first time ever to a place, see a house they like for their budget and they decide to make an offer! Come on! What do you know about how the place really is in winter? Or what do you know of the neighbourhood, or the town itself? If there are no real facilities/amenities closed by, how are you going to cope with that?

Because, my friends, one thing is the dream and other is the day to day living reality.

So it is very good to have a dream, but you wouldn't want it to become a nightmare, would you?