If you are thinking about making the move to Spain, a permanent one and you have children, one of your primary concerns maybe for their education.  If the children are very young, many suggest that it is beneficial to enter them immediately into the Spanish education system, as this will give them an unprecedented opportunity to learn their adopted language fluently.  This is also by far the most economical option.  Once they get older, you may choose for them to carry on in the Spanish system or to move them to the international system for exams, such as GCSE's and A levels.

Decide what the Property is for

Whether you wish to live the glitzy, jet set lifestyle of Spain's swish sporting marinas or you have an overwhelming ambition to re-live the rustic simplicity of the novel "Driving over Lemons", the decision will depend on your intended use of the property.

You need to consider if it is for holidays only, a permanent residence, to rent out, or simply to buy and sell purely as an investment.

Communication Matters

Telephone and Internet for Everyone

I would guess the first question to be answered is "why it is so difficult to get a normal telephone line in your house or office?"

Well, here are some reasons (there are others) :

1. The telephone network here in Malaga was designed many years ago. It was sized to cope with the population demands of the time with spare capacity to grow at normal rates. What happened was 3 million foreign people and a few 1,000 new companies came to Malaga and all wanted a telephone line.

2. The terrain and the constant construction is also a major issue. Telefonica would have to spend millions in road digging, laying cables and would have to drill through some very big mountains (for inland) to install new cables to deliver the connectivity to all the houses. Without a "return on investment" this is not a viable option for any company.

3. The majority of people that have houses here in Malaga do not live here full time, Telefonica could never expect to make a "return on the investment" - if you are not here you do not use the telephone, which means they make no profit (simple economics).

Can I bring my pets to Spain?

The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) allows cats and dogs resident in the UK to visit other countries and return to the UK without quarantine, provided that certain conditions are met. There needs to be proof of all necessary inoculations and relevant microchips along with the pet passport.

Can I bring my car to Spain?