Despite being bordered by only one other country (Spain), Portugal has an intercontinental feel. The culture, architecture, language and cuisine have all been influenced by centuries of global travel. Living standards are high due to the advanced economy, peaceful governance, and emphasis on moral freedom for its citizens. The weather is uniformly warm in the summer months, while temperatures in winter vary depending on location. For example, you’ll find snowfall in the mountains, mild microclimates by the coast and subtropical islands. But it’s the stunning variety of terrains that draws so many tourists and expats to the country. You can hike in the national parks, walk the cobbled streets of the historic villages, search the Atlantic horizon for glimpses of North America from dramatic cliffs or lounge on one of the many glittering beaches. The Portuguese have a hospitable nature and you can expect to eat freshly sourced ingredients cooked simply and served with a flourish. Fish, squid, smoked meats, olives, cheese, bread and local wines are plentiful and you’ll find produce markets and restaurants at every turn. Feasts are central features of many of the festivities but you’ll also find music, dancing and night-time revelries at the frequent celebrations throughout the year. The north of Portugal is rocky and rugged and famous for the port wine-growing region, the Douro Valley. Rising up from the rural interior are wild mountains dotted with hunks of granite and flowing from them, the wide, fertile Tagus, Guadiana and Douro rivers. Lisbon is the most densely populated city, closely followed by Porto, and the southern Algarve region is a tourist hotspot. The Madeira archipelago is made up of 8 volcanic peaks, only two of which are inhabited and there are 9 islands in the Azores offering pale beaches, thermal lakes, geysers and black lava fields. This land has been fought over by Celts, Goths, Greeks, Romans and Moors, each of whom have left their architectural marks. Modern property development tends towards spacious, open-plan homes with echoes of these historical styles. The people of Portugal revere a rural life and as a result, there are a lot of villas or plots of land for development available in the countryside. In contrast, the cities and coastal regions are filled with affordable apartments. The road networks are good, air travel is quick and easy from northern Europe and America and there are high-speed international trains from connecting cities in France and Spain. Children are legally required to be in education from six to eighteen years old and there is a range of schooling options for international students, from public state schools, private faith schools or international schools. There is a state healthcare system in Portugal too. EU citizens can access it for free once they’ve registered and received a healthcare number (cartão de utente).

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Are you looking for a change of scenery? &nbsp;If this is the case, France should be at the top of your list! This magnificent country is a treasure trove of stunning landscapes with a wide range of settings to suit everyone's tastes and a rich history that will captivate you. Starting with the southern part of the country, the warmth of the people will greet you at every turn. This region is well-known for its sunny weather, sun-kissed beaches, outdoor celebrations, vibrant markets, and music festivals. Over a glass of wine, people gather to celebrate life, exchange cultural traditions, and foster an environment that is warm and welcoming to visitors from all over the world. As a matter of fact, the <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/france/places-to-live/occitanie-0l58192">Occitanie</a> region in the southwestern part of France is truly a one-of-a-kind destination with its diverse offerings of landscapes and activities. With direct access to the Mediterranean coastline and the majestic mountains and ski resorts of the Pyrenees. &nbsp;Coastal cities such as Montpellier also offer a rich historical and cultural heritage, this region is an ideal choice for those looking to enjoy the nature, history and culture of France. A little further north, nature enthusiasts will find a peaceful haven in the renowned French Alps, known for their breathtaking alpine scenery and outdoor activities like downhill skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and sleigh rides. With the largest skiing area in the world, the <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/france/places-to-live/auvergne-rhone-alpes-0l60750">French Alps</a> offer unforgettable experiences for all kinds of nature lovers, all year long. Finally, with their world-famous cuisine and vibrant arts scenes, French cities such as Paris, Lyon and Bordeaux offer an unforgettable experience that combines the best of urban living and cultural heritage. Regarding the cost of living, France is a great place to call home. Although prices have increased in recent years, it remains more affordable compared to other European nations like the UK. With a strong economy and an excellent quality of life, &nbsp;You can experience a comfortable lifestyle without overspending. Also, the French culture offers a more relaxed and laid-back way of life that will have you feeling right at home in no time. Why not seize the moment and fall deeply in love with a property in France? Start living your dream today by preparing for your move and reading our location guides on different regions and provinces in France. &nbsp;

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Beautiful weather, excellent food and wine, world-famous art and culture and low living costs are just some of the reasons you should pack up and move to Spain. Spain is one of the largest countries in Europe and also one of the most geographically varied. With some of the cleanest and most beautiful beaches in the world, breath-taking mountainous regions, fertile plains, and sun-drenched isles, there is something to suit every preference. Visit Spain and you’ll enjoy a Mediterranean climate of hot, dry summers, mild winters, with snow in northern and mountainous regions. If you love art and culture you’ll have much to discover in Spain, which is home to some of the finest architecture in the world. There are ancient marketplaces, Moorish palaces, and the fantastical structures of Antoni Gaudi, not to mention the Dali museum, Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim, Fundacio Joan Miro, and the numerous festivals which regularly take place throughout the country. Spanish food is as varied as its landscape; the Spanish are absolutely passionate about their local cuisine. Tapas is popular worldwide, and you’ve probably sampled at least one of these delicious little dishes. The variety of tapas offered in Spain is huge, and varies from region to region and also according to season. Spanish markets are abundant with huge fruits and vegetables, thanks to the long months of sunshine. The great news as a prospective buyer, is that food, like the cost of living generally in Spain, is very affordable and of excellent quality. Moving onto more practical matters, the healthcare system in Spain is ranked among the best in the world, spending 10% of its GDP on healthcare. There are also excellent transport links throughout the country, with modern metros, high speed trains connecting most cities, long distance coach services between major cities, and bus services in all major cities and towns. It’s no wonder that Spanish public transport is known to be some of the best in Europe. For those wishing to venture further afield, it’s easy to travel from Spain to other parts of Europe by plane, train or bus. And of course, with 36 international airports, it will be easy for friends and family from back home to come and visit!

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If you’ve not made up your mind yet where you want to buy a property, explore our <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/places-to-live/regions">region guides</a> for a broad overview of an area. Or if you have your eye on a particular area of Spain, take a look at our <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/places-to-live/provinces">province guides</a>. Find out what it’s like to live there, where the top locations are to buy a property, and discover what services and amenities could be on your doorstep.&nbsp;&nbsp;Or perhaps you already know which city / town you want to move to, and want to find out more about what it’s like to live there, things to do for expats, healthcare options, schools, jobs, and transport services. If so, check out our <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/places-to-live/cities">town and city guides</a>, which offer a deep dive into all these topics and more.&nbsp;For further location inspiration, check out our blog posts on the top destinations to buy property in Spain for <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/where-to-buy-cheap-property-in-spain-in-2024">budget hunters</a>, <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/where-to-buy-property-in-spain-2024">investors</a>, <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/11-best-destinations-to-live-in-spain-for-families">families</a>, <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/11-best-destinations-to-retire-in-spain">retirees</a>, <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/11-best-destinations-to-live-in-spain-for-digital-nomads">digital nomads</a>, <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/best-golf-resorts-to-buy-a-property-in-spain">golf lovers</a>, <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/lights-camera-spain-spanish-movie-locations-where-you-can-buy-a-property">movie fans</a>, <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/best-food-and-wine-destinations-in-spain-to-buy-a-property">foodies</a>, and <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/best-heritage-destinations-in-1">history buffs</a>.

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Buyer Stories

Episode 15: Kal who bought in Fuengirola, Malaga

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Episode 14: Martin who purchased in Montroy, Valencia

&nbsp;<h2>Intro</h2>Welcome to the Kyero.com Spanish Property podcast where we interview people who recently purchased a home in Spain.They tell us what worked, what didn’t and what they’d do differently next time.I’m Beth Davison and today I’m speaking with Martin, originally from Verwood in Dorset, who along with his wife Sharon purchased a villa in <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/montroy-property-for-sale-0l53462">Montroy, Valencia</a>.This is their second property abroad but this time around Martin and Sharon were keen to have more land, due to both their love of gardening and to have space for their pets! Just wait until you hear the all the differences in planning when it comes to a permanent relocation.Martin and Sharon worked with estate agent <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/spain-property-for-sale-0l55529?agent_id=2231">Azahar Properties</a> to find their dream home in Spain.Check out the show notes at <a href="https://kyero-production-advice.herokuapp.com/en/podcasts">kyero.com/podcast</a> to find links and resources mentioned in this episode. &nbsp;<h2>Body of Transcript</h2>Martin: &nbsp;My name is Martin and myself and my partner, Sharon, we are retired, and originally from Dorset. We bought a property in Montroy, which is about twenty-five kilometres from Valencia City. It’s a three bedroom bungalow with a two thousand square metre plot.Beth: &nbsp;Lovely, so how did the whole process start for you?Martin: &nbsp;Well, we owned a property in Turkey for seven and a half years. At the beginning of last year we decided it was time to move out of Turkey.We like sunshine and Montroy, this area, has three hundred days of sunshine, so that ticked a box. We wanted similar to what we had in Turkey – a bungalow type villa with a pool, etc. but we wanted a bit more land.So, we just started to look on the Kyero website and we came across Azahar Properties who are based in Montroy. They had quite a few properties that needed some love and attention, which is what we were looking for, really - something that we could put our mark on. We contacted Azahar Properties, a guy called Simon Creed, and met up with him.Beth: &nbsp;It’s great that that didn’t scare you then. The idea of a bigger project was kind of exactly what you wanted. You wanted to get more stuck in this time around.Martin: &nbsp;Yeah, the problem was that the house in Turkey was a new build. It was brand new. And it was very lovely, but it was very clinical and after a fashion you haven’t really got much that you can do to it.We’re after a bit more land as well, because we’ve got pets and we just wanted a bit more garden. So, it’s just something that we felt we’d like to do – modernise and put our own mark on it rather than having a very clinical finish like it was with a new build.Beth: &nbsp;Absolutely, so, this for you was a permanent relocation if you were going to the pets over there, or was this a holiday?Martin: &nbsp;No, this is a permanent relocation. We lived in Turkey for seven years.Beth: &nbsp;Oh, fantastic, so that was permanent as well. Oh, exciting! So, why Spain then, was it always Spain from Turkey, or did you look around at other European countries?Martin: &nbsp;Well, Spain originally was the country we wanted to go to before Turkey. But, at the time, the times were all regarding house prices, etc. and affordability for what we were looking at and in Turkey, the cost of property was very, very, cheap. So, we decided that we’d go there, and the standard of living is very good.Then when we decided, seven and a half years later, that it was time to go, we went back to our original plan. As it happened, because of the Spanish property market slump we got into a position where we could afford to buy in Spain where we couldn’t before.Beth: &nbsp;Fantastic, yeah, that makes perfect sense. So you had done the relocation seven and half years previously. So, all of that initial leaving Britain stuff wasn’t really relevant for you at this point. How was the second move different?Martin: &nbsp;Ah, it was rushed, unfortunately. Well, unfortunately and fortunately because it forced us to get a move on, really. What happened is that we sold the property in Turkey. Although we were sort of ready for it, and we had all the pet passports and stuff set up, it was a bit of a shock when the second person to look at the house bought it. We negotiated, when he bought it, that we could stay there for two months. So, we basically had eight or nine weeks to find another property which is a bit scary.Beth: &nbsp;Yeah, totally. So what were you looking at? How many viewings did you go on? How speedy was this process?Martin: &nbsp;It was very speedy. We originally contacted I think it was three different agents and it was in the region of between nine and ten properties that we had earmarked to see. We came over and we saw the first people. It was what we were looking for, but just not quite right. Then the second person that we met was Simon Creed of Azahar Properties.He showed us four or five properties that we had earmarked, and yeah, he was very good. He told us about the good and the bad side of the properties - what would need to be done to them, etc. So, he didn’t keep us in the dark. He said that this would need doing and that would need doing, and it was very good.Beth: &nbsp;I presume that that amount of transparency was really important for you.Martin: &nbsp;Yes, and since I’ve gotten to know him, he’s a very trustworthy person. As I’m sure you’re aware, when you go into any house purchase, especially in a foreign country, you have to be very careful or try to be. He made us feel very relaxed and is a very nice guy. He answered all of our questions.Then what happened is that we shortlisted, after the first two days of looking, we shortlisted. We went back for a second viewing that Simon had on his website. Yeah, we decided it was the right one.It’s a bungalow. It’s got two thousand square metres of land. It’s all fenced in so our cats are happy and, yes, we’ve been here since November the ninth we moved in.Beth: &nbsp;Fantastic. I mean it’s still really new then, you’re still settling in.Martin: &nbsp;It’s amazing what we’ve got through, as well, in that short space of time. We’ve now got our residency – our residence here. Simon helped us with getting our padron. He took us to the council to get our padrons so we’re now on the council register.He introduced us to local tradesman. So, we’ve had our electricity upgraded. We’ve had double glazing put in. He’s helped us all the way along. At the end of the day, in this area of Spain, the local people don’t really speak a lot of English, so he’s been very, very helpful. I’ve got very pigeon Spanish, so Simon has been helping me out, no end, with that as well.Beth: &nbsp;I’m sure that will improve over time, as well, if you’re in an area where you’re being forced to use it a lot.Martin: &nbsp;Yeah, yeah, my intention is to learn to speak Spanish. The year we decided, the beginning of last year I decided we were coming I started to learn the basics so at least I can say hello and goodbye.Beth: &nbsp;With those things like the residency, and all of that, those are things that I just don’t think about, but actually there must be a long list, if you want to be a permanent residence in Spain, of things that you have to go through. Where did you find the initial information for that? Was it all Simon?Martin: &nbsp;Some of it was Simon. A lot of it we got from Citizens Advice Bureau Spain, and off the internet as well. There’s an awful lot of information available on the internet. It’s just about finding the correct information. So, CAB in Spain are very good.Beth: &nbsp;I just wanted to ask a little bit about the area. You said that it’s very Spanish, no tourists or minimal tourism, was that the aim for you, originally?Martin: &nbsp;Yeah, so twenty-five K from the seaside, so it’s not a holiday place. There’s quite a few Expats here. We haven’t gotten involved with any of them yet. It’s probably too soon. We’ve been too busy.We wanted the Spanish feel. Like you said earlier, it will force us to try and integrate and speak the language, so that’s something that we wanted. We love the countryside and we love the sunshine.The place is spot on. The area is in Montroy and it’s got three villages: Real, Montroy, and Montserrat. So there’s quite a nice spread and we’re about three kilometres away from the nearest town.Beth: &nbsp;Lovely, and with that additional land what kind of stuff have you done with it at the moment?Martin: &nbsp;Well, we’ve cut the trees down because they were very tall. So they’ve come down to a decent height. We just seeded some grass which is now starting to come up and is quite satisfying. There’s quite a lot of the front garden that is going to be grass and we’re going to grow our own veg, hopefully, next year once we’ve renovated the house a little bit.Beth: &nbsp;Yeah, perfect. I was going to say that you’re a keen gardener. You sound green fingered.Martin: &nbsp;Well, yes and no; I am. It’s on the list of things that need to be prioritised. We just thought we’d get the main garden grassed, at the front, and the driveway done. Then, I can proceed with painting the house and stuff like this.It wasn’t in disrepair, the house. The guy who owned it had looked after it. It’s just that it needs to be brought into the twenty-first century. That’s basically it.Beth: &nbsp;Right, fantastic. Do you get lots of people visiting? Have you got friends and family who come over?Martin: &nbsp;Not, yet, not yet, we will once it gets into May time. My parents and my children will come over. So yeah, people will come and visit us, yeah.Beth: &nbsp;For the sunshine.Martin: &nbsp;Yeah, we’re just trying to make sure that it’s OK for them when they come over.Beth: &nbsp;So, of the whole process, which parts did you find the most challenging?Martin: &nbsp;I don’t want to be disrespectful to the Spanish, but they love the siesta here and that’s quite frustrating when you want to make appointments, you’ve got a limited amount of time to do things, and then they say, “Well, come back at five o’clock.”Beth: &nbsp;That’s long isn’t it, their break in the middle of the day?Martin: &nbsp;Yeah, two to five, and that’s very frustrating. This is a different thing dealing with Azahar because Simon is British. He doesn’t do siestas, so I said to him, “Would you be OK with seeing me at two o’clock?” He said, “Yeah, no problem.” I sort of explained to him and he said, “No, we don’t do siestas. We’ll get on and show you what you want to see.”That’s another side to it, another bonus to it. We were, we had eight weeks, nine weeks, to get this sorted out.Beth: &nbsp;Yeah, so if you take out a chunk in the middle of every day I’m sure that can be really stressful.Martin: &nbsp;Yeah, but then it’s their way of life, and you have to accept that. Now that we’re here we do accept it. If you want to buy something, if you go to a shop, you’ve got to make sure that you’re out in the morning to get what you need, or come back later. It’s a very relaxed way of life. I like that. It’s nice.Beth: &nbsp;Totally, and what advice would you give to friends or family who, if they were saying, “Yeah, we’re thinking about buying in Spain,” what would be your advice to them?Martin: &nbsp;Try and make sure that you pick the right area. This area is not everybody’s cup of tea, so you need to make sure that you’ve got the right area. If you’re not prepared to integrate, if you’re looking for more like a holiday home, then you need to find exactly the right area. Don’t just jump into it.We had an idea of where we wanted to be because it took us about eight or nine months of looking on the internet; just many of hundreds and probably thousands of properties. So yeah, investigation is the key and to make sure it’s the right area.Beth: &nbsp;And for you the agent sounds really important.Martin: &nbsp;Yes, the agent was. Although each Spanish agent that we used, they spoke English and they helped us, but he just came across as exactly what we wanted. The other bonuses were that, Azahar Properties, as a purchaser, doesn’t pay commission, so we saved some money there as well, which was, at the time, very helpful.Beth: &nbsp;Yeah, fantastic. Lastly, then, what is your favourite bit about Spanish culture? We’ve talked about siestas, what else do you like the best?Martin: &nbsp;Well, we love the food: Paella, and all the Spanish food. We love seafood, so prawns and muscles. We love the sunshine and we love the relaxed way of life here. As we say, because of the siesta you have a relaxed way of life. As long as you accept that and don’t want to be rushing around expecting the Spanish to do the same, it’s fine, it’s fine.Beth: &nbsp;Sounds lovely to me. It’s been snowing here this week so I’m very jealous.Martin: &nbsp;My children, they live in England and it’s full of snow. I don’t miss the weather at all.Beth: &nbsp;Yeah, fantastic. You know, that’s all of my questions. Thank you so much for chatting to me today, that’s perfect.Martin: &nbsp;OK, that’s great. It was nice to speak to you.<h2>Outtro</h2>Thank you for listening and thanks to Martin for sharing his experiences along with Azahar Properties for their help to make this episode possible.I particularly like the sound of all that land, and how sweet it was that they prioritised their pet’s needs during the property hunt!Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode.This podcast is produced by Kyero.com and our mission is to connect you with estate agents and properties throughout Spain.Whether your dream home is a rustic farm house surrounded by olive groves or a lock-up-and-leave apartment on the seafront, you’ll find everything you need at Kyero.comIf you’ve enjoyed this episode, we’d really appreciate your 5 star rating on iTunes. &nbsp;It helps us reach and connect more people with their dream home in Spain.And, whenever you’re ready, here are four ways we can help you:<ol><li>Ask a question by emailing <a href="mailto:beth@kyero.com">beth@kyero.com</a>. &nbsp;We’ll try and answer them all in an upcoming Q&amp;A episode</li><li>Get a location guide also by emailing <a href="mailto:beth@kyero.com">beth@kyero.com</a>. &nbsp;We’ll reply with the latest data and information on the areas you are interested in.</li><li>Calculate your budget. Simply visit <a href="https://www.kyero.com/budget">kyero.com/budget</a>, enter two numbers and you’re done!</li><li>Be our guest. If you’ve already purchased your home in Spain, we would love for you to share your story on the podcast. &nbsp;Just email <a href="mailto:beth@kyero.com">beth@kyero.com</a> and we’ll take it from there.</li></ol>Tune in next week when I speak with Kal originally from Temperley.He purchased an apartment in Fuengirola, Malaga and, having bought off plan, is slap bang in the middle of the building process as we speak!I’m Beth Davison and you’ve been listening to the Kyero.com Spanish property podcast. I’ll see you next week!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Episode 13: Peter who purchased in Villamartin, Alicante

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Episode 12: Henry who purchased in Playa Flamenca, Alicante

&nbsp;<h2>Intro</h2>Welcome to the Kyero.com Spanish Property podcast where we interview real people who recently purchased a home in Spain.They tell us what worked, what didn’t and what they’d do differently next time.I’m Beth Davison and today I’m speaking with Henry, originally from Scotland, who purchased a quad in <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/alicante-province-property-for-sale-0l3">Playa Flamenca, Alicante</a>.Just wait until you hear about how, for Henry and his wife, the most important part of their purchase became finding a good school for their five year old granddaughter.Henry worked with estate agent <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/spain-property-for-sale-0l55529?agent_id=8760">Easyads</a> to find his dream home in Spain.Check out the show notes at kyero.com/podcast to find links and resources mentioned in this episode.<h2>Body of Transcript</h2>Beth: If you wouldn’t mind just starting by introducing yourself and saying what you do and whether you bought a property or rent a property and where abouts it is.Henry: OK, my name is Henry and I am a retired journalist and my wife and I bought a property in September. We began looking last year after a holiday in Torrevieja and my wife had a very good idea of the property that we wanted and where we wanted to stay. Having friends over here that lived in Playa Flamenca, that was our number one choice. We had seen the area and we liked what we saw. We started to look on the Kyero website to find properties that matched our requirements.My wife and I are bringing up a granddaughter who is nearly five. So, the great thing was that there were plenty of properties. We looked and we narrowed it down to the type of property that we wanted.We wanted a three bedroom. We wanted an urbanisation. We wanted it near shops and schools, especially schools, especially schools, and a property that was secure. Having looked on the Kyero website, we then got a call from Easy Ads. We had no idea, at that point to be honest, who Easy Ads were, but they got in touch and they arranged to come and meet us after we arrived in Spain.One of the Easy Ads representatives came and picked us up. He had identified five properties that tallied with my wife’s idea of what we wanted to buy here. Believe it or not, the third property that we looked, in Playa Flamenca, was the property that we ended up buying.It’s obviously a daunting prospect buying a new house. Anytime you’re buying a new house in a different country is something that is almost off the scale.However, we found that Easy Ads did make it quite simple for us. They provided us with lots of information. They provided us with plenty of backup. They provided us with legal advice with their in-house lawyer. The whole process, although it was nerve-wracking (of course it is), we completed the deal and everything in seven weeks of having seen the property.We moved into the property on September the 15th of this year. We’ve been living here ever since. It was a great choice and everything has been remarkably smooth. We’re still going through the process of getting residency here and staying, but the way that we have been treated and the way that we have been looked after has been absolutely terrific.Beth: That’s amazing. So, the whole thing spawned from a holiday and falling in love with the area.Henry: It did, yes.Beth: So, was it the location? Is it the weather? What is it that drew you to that part of Spain?Henry: My wife and I have always wanted to spend more time in Spain, but when we took on our granddaughter, that changed the circumstances. It also changed what we needed to have. The priority became education.Again, with Easy Ads, two of the people who worked at Easy Ads had sent, or are sending their children to the school that we eventually chose to send our granddaughter to. So, why did we come to live here? We wanted a different way of life and I retired, finally, in April of this year. We wanted to enjoy the benefits of better weather and a more family friendly society and we wanted to give our granddaughter the opportunity to be brought up in a bilingual environment.Beth: And what an incredible opportunity that is, as well. So, your agent actually gave you firsthand experience and help because people working there had kids of their own.Henry: Absolutely, the advice that we were getting wasn’t something that was coming from tourist data, it was actually practical, on the ground experience of people who had trusted a specific school to give their children the sort of education that they wanted given that their children’s original language wasn’t Spanish. With one it was German and with the other it was English.So, it gave us the idea to look at that school. We, in turn, went to see the school and we were actually thrilled by it. Our granddaughter has been going there and she absolutely loves it.She settled in fantastically well. Her friends are all Spanish and she’s speaking a little bit of Spanish now. It’s just beyond our wildest dreams. At the same time we have settled into the house so, so well. My wife has done a great job in terms of putting her own personal touches to it.It’s gone from the idea, originally, that we had of spending part of the year in Spain, when it was just my wife, Leslie and I, and it’s now gone to spending a life here and we have absolutely no regrets about having moved here.The lifestyle is actually better than we thought it would be; it’s not only the benefits of the weather, but different things in terms of culture and it’s just terrific. We have landed on our feet and we are absolutely delighted.Beth: That’s so great, and if she’s only five, she’s starting right at the beginning of it. She must be going into year one, or something, and it’s just the perfect time.Henry: She is, yeah, the ages for schooling, for education in Spain, are slightly different from that in the UK so she’s still at what would be the equivalent of like half into Nursery and half into Primary One. So next year she will start, in essence, Primary One here, in Spain. As I say, she actually has settled down so, so well and now has Spanish friends and speaks a little bit of Spanish and they speak a little bit of Scottish, so it’s quite good, really.Beth: Fantastic, so when you first went in and chatted to your agent did you have a budget in mind? Did you know the amount you wanted to spend?Henry: We did, we had very fixed ideas of the budget and we had been made aware, before we came to Spain, of the costs over and above that of actually buying the house. Again, with the representatives,at Easy Ads. They helped us to work out a very specific budget early on about how much the house would cost and how much we’d have to pay in terms of fees and taxes and so on. Having chosen a house which was within budget and having allowed for a certain amount over and above the cost of the house, we actually came in slightly under budget, which, of course, was a big bonus.Beth: Do you mind me asking what the budget was?Henry: Our budget for the house was going to be around €145,000. Then we had a budget of around €20,000 for the additional fees and the cost involved in moving into the house. In total it came in around €165,000 and in return we got a three bedroom house which is very secure and it’s in a very established and attractive urbanisation.Beth: Fantastic, and how many did you see? You did mention, how many viewings did you actually go on before you found this one?Henry: It was viewing number three. It was a third house. It was the third house because of what David, at Easy Ads, had done here. He had listened very closely to what my wife’s specifications were and had done, I suspect, a fair amount of research.When he met us that day we had really just been in Spain, at that point, for two days – just to Playa Flamenca. The first two properties my wife rejected out of hand, just by seeing them, but when we came to property number three, it was different. She went and just immediately said that was the house that she and us wanted to stay in. It’s been a terrific choice.Beth: Brilliant. You mentioned how daunting it is, not just to move, but to move countries, and to move with a child, and everything like that. So, what about the process of understanding the language and the language barriers, but also understanding the legalities and the different taxes, how did you do that? Did you research it, did you get help?Henry: Both, both, we did our own research and we used the services that were provided by the staff at Easy Ads. They were able to help us with various things such as setting up a bank account, which you need in Spain if you’re going to buy a house or if you’re going to buy a car. They helped us with the paperwork to get an NIE number, which, again, you need in Spain if you’re going to buy a house or a car. They’re helping us with the process of completing all the various forms and technicalities and requirements so that we can apply for residency here, in Spain, which will give us access to health care and state education.Beth: That’s interesting. So your contact with them hasn’t stopped at completion. They’re actually still around months later helping you do things?Henry: Yes, it’s still ongoing. Because of where their office is, and because we’re on a first name basis with all of the staff, if we’re ever passing by their office (which is about five minutes drive away from here) we will quite often just go in and just say hello, and say how we’re getting on, and say that there’s still to do this and there’s still to do that. And, perhaps ask, “Do you know a place where they sell really nice lampshades?” Somebody always says, “Oh yeah, there is a place, there is a place!”We still feel very welcomed when we go in. As I say, we’re going through the process of applying for residency. It is daunting with a different language and there are various papers which we need to be translated and all that stuff. I speak a little Spanish, but not enough to do that with any confidence.So, the ongoing process isn’t there just because we have been clients and we bought a house through Easy Ads. It’s almost like we’ve become a member of their family. We’ve met a number of people, since then, and we have recommended that, definitely, if they want the kind of service we got, then Easy Ads would be a good place to look because it was beyond our wildest dreams - the way they were able to make it so, so smooth.Beth: Fantastic, now you might not have an answer to this one, but I was going to ask you what would you do differently next time?Henry: Well, the answer to that is that there won’t be one. But I wouldn’t do anything differently.There is a bit of jumping into the unknown. Of course there is. We were making a big decision; we were doing it with a child, so there was a lot of jumping into the unknown. But, we had faith that it would be OK and it’s done even better than that.Would I do anything differently? No, I don’t see what I could do differently. We didn’t want to buy a place while we were still living in the UK. We wanted to be here, on the ground, and get a feel for what we were going to buy, in terms of what the area was like, in terms of what the people were like who lived there. I’m very, very glad that we did it.When we came to Spain at first we stayed in a hotel for five weeks just to get an idea of what life was actually like in Spain. I don’t think it’s possible to do that, simply by looking at pictures or videos, you actually need to be here. I can’t think of anything else, as I think back. As I say, we won’t’ be doing it again, so it’s not the answer, you perhaps want, but that’s the only answer I can truthfully give.Beth: It’s perfect. Honestly, it sounds like you’ve had such a positive experience. You’re very brave, I think. Would that be your piece of advice to give to people is bravery and just dive in?Henry: It was OK for us but I think you have to be practical as well. We had the kind of benefit of knowing that it was going to be OK and if things hadn’t worked out that we would have been able to do something about it. I think everybody has their own requirements, everybody has their own background, everybody’ got their own circumstances. I think it’s that if you feel that something is right, it probably is. If you feel that something isn’t right, then it probably isn’t. We always felt, as I say, we very much landed on our feet here and we’ve been very fortunate.Beth: Fantastic, my last question is about lifestyle in Spain. You mentioned the culture that you’re a part of now, so what is your favourite part about the Spanish culture?Henry: It’s laid back. It’s not so hectic. It’s more family aware with a very strong sense of family when you go out for meals. It’s quite often you’ll be sitting next to a table where there are three generations: it’s children, it’s the parents, and it’s the grandparents. That’s a fantastic thing. I think the children here grow up with a greater sense of family and I think that’s a good thing and it will be a good thing for our granddaughter to grow up with as well.Beth: Fantastic, and have you got any more plans to have people come and visit? Do you have a busy calendar?Henry: Yes, we have. We’ve got a list of people who’ve either asked us, or would like to come out. We’ve had a few friends out already and my own daughter’s coming out again next summer. To be honest, with people asking to come out, it’s quite the shock to family life. We’re more than delighted to see people and, as long as they stay nearby it’s OK, but it’s not so good when you’ve got a child who has be out of the house to go to school by half past eight in the morning and she can be a bit hostile about getting out of her bed, “I don’t want to get up! I want to stay in bed?” And we’re, “Come on.” (laughter)Beth: Fantastic, thank you so much for chatting to us. We’ve got everything that we needed.Henry: And thank you, too.Beth: Brilliant, you have been wonderful, thank you Henry, have a lovely day.Henry: Thanks very much, OK. Enjoy your day, bye bye just now.Beth: Cheers, bye.Henry: Bye.<h2>Outtro</h2>Thank you for listening and thanks to Henry for sharing her experiences, and Easy Ads for their help to make this episode possible.I particularly liked how much Henry got to know the people at the agency to the extent where he got recommendations for his granddaughter’s school, and how for him and his family it was both bravery and practicality that made the purchase possible.You can search this agent’s properties and more on Kyero.com  .Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode  !This podcast is produced by <a href="https://www.kyero.com/">Kyero.com</a>, and our mission is to connect you with estate agents and properties throughout Spain. Whether your dream home is a rustic farmhouse surrounded by olive groves or a lock-up-and-leave apartment on the sea front, you'll find everything that you need at <a href="https://www.kyero.com/">Kyero.com</a>. If you've enjoyed this episode we'd really appreciate your five star rating on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/kyero-spanish-property-podcast/id1332034550">iTunes</a>. It helps us reach and connect more people with their dream home in Spain, and, whenever you're ready, here are four ways we can help you:<ul><li>Ask a question by emailing <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a>. We'll try and answer them all in an upcoming Q&amp;A episode</li><li>Get a location guide by emailing <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a>. We'll reply with the latest data and information on the areas you're interested in</li><li>Calculate your budget, simply visit <a href="https://www.kyero.com/budget">Kyero.com</a>, enter two numbers, and you're done</li><li>Be our guest, if you've already purchased your home in Spain we would love for you to share your story on the podcast, just email <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a> and we'll take it from there</li></ul>That was the last in this series of Kyero’s Spanish Property Podcast.A big thank you to all of the participants and agents that made this series a success.We’ll be back very soon to share more insights from buyers who found their dream home in Spain.In the meantime, we would love to know what you thought about this series - please email your questions, comments and feedback to podcasts@kyero.com and subscribe to the podcast to ensure you don’t miss an episode.I’m Beth Davison and you’ve been listening to the Kyero.com Spanish property podcast. I’ll see you in series 2!&nbsp;

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Episode 11: Linda who purchased in La Torre Golf Resort, Murcia

&nbsp;<h2>Intro</h2>Welcome to the Kyero.com Spanish Property podcast where we interview real people who recently purchased a home in Spain.They tell us what worked, what didn’t and what they’d do differently next time.I’m Beth Davison and today I’m speaking with Linda, originally from Hull, who purchased an apartment in <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/murcia-province-property-for-sale-0l30">La Torre Golf Resort, Murcia</a>.Just wait until you hear about how quickly it all happened and how the buying process led to contacts for Linda which would later help her set up her own business in Spain.Linda worked with estate agent <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/spain-property-for-sale-0l55529?agent_id=5890">Murcia Services</a> to find her dream home in Spain.Check out the show notes at kyero.com/podcast to find links and resources mentioned in this episode.<h2>Body of the Transcript</h2>Beth: So, if we start, would you mind just letting me know what you do, and how you came to be looking for a property abroad.Linda: OK, I’m partly retired, but I’m also an interior designer. We decided that, having to release some capital from sales of properties here in the UK, we would look in Spain. We did a lot of research and ended up with our eye on Murcia, in particular.That’s why we started to look because we felt that we would enjoy the sunshine, we’d enjoy the different lifestyle, and it would be good for the children and the grandchildren. That’s why we decided to purchase in Spain.Beth: Lovely, did you know the area already? Did you know Spain pretty well?Linda: I’d been to that part of Spain ten or twelve years ago on business, looking at properties abroad I was helping a company develop. I actually went to the site where we’ve actually bought and it was really, really, sold as being a luxury resort, etc. But I’ve actually never been on holiday in Spain.I’d only been across for business. So this is quite a big thing for me because I had never purchased property abroad and I had never been to that part of Spain or anywhere on holiday. So, it was a really big deal for me and it was… We’re comfortably off, but we’re not well off, so the money was important that we found the right property in the right place.Beth: Yeah, of course. So, where was it that you ended up? Tell me, geographically, where it is.Linda: We started to look around the Mar Menor area. We’d looked around Alicante / Torrevieja as well. We found some new properties that were for sale, near the Mar Menor, and decided that we’d go have a look.We contacted Murcia Services, at that stage, and from that moment on, yeah, we were quite, gosh, excited but also quite sort of, not concerned, but you know, wary because of all the stories that you hear and everything else. We made an agreement that we would pay our flight, but they would pick us up from the airport. They would put us up in one of their apartments. They would look after us.So, within a very short time, within a few days, we’d flown across and we’d got a taxi and then they covered all that cost and everything else and deposited us in this very nice apartment on La Torre Golf Resort.We looked at a couple of areas. What was nice about Murcia Services was that, although we were looking at properties that they had advertised, we had said that we had been looking around at Torrevieja and Guardamar and she said, “If you don’t find anything that we’ve got suitable, we will arrange for colleagues of ours (further up the coast) to meet you and show you some properties there.”So, it wasn’t just that they were looking after us to sell us one of their properties; they really did look after us. They listened to what we wanted. But, we had done our research so I think because we did our research we knew what we were looking for, but they really listened.We were staying on the Torre so I said, could we have a look at some on the Torre and that was… We arrived the Monday afternoon. We looked at things on the Monday afternoon and viewed other places that we’d asked to look at around Sierra Golf. Tuesday morning they took us to see properties around La Torre. They took us into the local villages: Roldan, Balsicas, etc and down to Mar Menor to show us the area so that we could see where we were looking.We found an apartment on LaTorre on Tuesday lunchtime, and they didn’t stop there, they organised for a local solicitor. They came with us on the Wednesday to meet the solicitor. They came with us to the notary and they sorted out the offer and we flew back on the Thursday knowing exactly what we’d bought, knowing it was all set up, and they helped us all the way through. They kept in touch, and it was completed within six weeks.Beth: That is incredible. So, the whole thing was four days, basically, Monday to Thursday?Linda: Yes, and they organised everything. We didn’t have to do a thing. They even took us down to the Mar Menor so that we could stay for lunch down there and have a walk and look and then came back and collected us. So, we knew exactly what was around.They took us into Roldan and Balsicas and by the time we got home, and on the Friday, it was all emails and that concern. It was absolutely fantastic and it doesn’t really stop there because Nick and Kay take a very active part in the local area as well.So, if you needed to know anything or got stuck with anything they were there to ask. They’ve been fantastic, absolutely brilliant, and now I’m hoping to work with them on my interior design business that I’m launching over there.Beth: Oh wow. So you kind of made proper friends, proper contacts in a kind of really business trusting way?Linda: Absolutely yes, Kay and Nick, they’re partners, but the staff are lovely and I think the thing is that they listen and they respond. You send an email or a message on Facebook, or whatever, and they instantly get back to you. You don’t feel that you’re in the dark.When you’re first time buying abroad and you’re investing a chunk of money and a chunk of your life, you want to feel that you’ve got somebody who is solid, that knows the area, knows people to contact and not just sell you a property, and that’s what Murcia Services do.Beth: Incredible. So, how did you know that the house that you saw was your dream house when they took you to it?Linda: We just walked in and I looked at Graham, my husband, and he looked at me, and I said, “This is just us.” He had not wanted an apartment. I had said, “I don’t want an apartment.” But, I said, “I’m willing to look at apartments.” I think that what was really good is that they showed us a wide range of them so we got a really good idea of what was available and at what price, so that when we walked into the one that we liked it was, “Great, this is it.”I don’t know, we just walked in and you know you get that sense of feeling that this is it. We just did. But I think the nice thing about it is that they weren’t obtrusive, they answered questions, they talked through things.I know for a fact, (from other people who had bought) that when they bought something like this and something comes up where that that’s not quite right. They (Murcia Services) will help them to see how it should look and they have got the team behind them to help them to do that as well.So, it’s not just the sales service, they do have people behind. When we bought we needed to get our boiler serviced, we just rang Nick up, “Oh, I’ll tell so and so to contact you.” And they contacted us and the boiler got serviced.Beth: So they just seem to care a lot more. There seems to be a level of care, it’s not just about money.Linda: No, it isn’t not just about money. You know, we had just sold two properties in the UK and we had gone through hell with it. We were really, really stressed out and the thought of, “Oh God, buying another property… but come on, let’s do it, let’s see what we can do.”And they made it such an easy journey and such fun! We had a good time; we had a good laugh when we went there. They made sure they took us to lunch and met up with us regularly and the whole team is like that, it’s not just Nick and Kay, the team is like that as well.Beth: Amazing. Tell me a little bit about the property itself.Linda: OK, the property is a two bedroomed apartment. It’s got a lovely sized and shaped sitting/dining area which is lovely, with patio doors out onto a really lovely south facing terrace.It’s got a fully fitted kitchen. It’s got a utility area. It’s got a lovely fitted bathroom with shower and everything, and the two bedrooms have got fitted wardrobes and there’s loads of storage space.The second bedroom has got the patio doors going out onto the terrace. It was in good condition and they were very honest about things. We looked at a couple that were a little bit you know… They were honest, they said. “Yes, it’s not as nice as the other one, but it’s got this and it’s got that going for it.”They were very fair I think that… They let you make your own minds up and you didn’t feel like you couldn’t say, “Oh God, I don’t like this.” You could say that, you know, this is not for us. There was one particular apartment where we just went, “Ugh, as an interior designer I know I could do with it, but it was ugh, no,” and they were fine with it.Beth: Fair enough though. I think it’s important that you can say that.Linda: We didn’t’ feel restricted or that we had to pretend it’s alright. We didn’t.Beth: Do mind me asking what your budget was? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.Linda: We had a budget of £80,000. That was our budget and we came in exactly about £300 under budget.Beth: Oh wow, well done. See that’s impressive isn’t it?Linda: That was all our expenses and everything. They were clear about it. They told us what we needed to keep back to pay for taxes, fees, etc. So we knew, we had a good idea of what our top budget was when buying the actual property. Yes, we had a budget, but that budget had to include everything else.Beth: Yeah.Linda: So, that was absolutely brilliant.Beth: So, if you were giving advice to friends or family who were going to start the process from scratch, just like you did once upon a time, what advice would you give them?Linda: Do your research. Really look at the areas. Get on the internet; compare prices, knowing what you want. Do you want one, two, three bedrooms? Be realistic, get onto the internet and see what things cost.It’s no good going out there saying I want a three bedroom detached villa and I’ve got £60,000 because it’s not going to happen, and I want a sea view, and I want this, that, and the other, You need to be realistic, although there are some good bargains. Prices are still keen, at the moment; there appear to be a lot of people buying. So, you need to know what you want and where you want to be. Be clear with whoever you’re trying to buy through that this is what you want.Beth: Fantastic. Lastly, just talking about the lifestyle in Spain, what do you enjoy most about owning a property in Spain, and the Spanish culture, and all that stuff?Linda: The weather, even if it’s cool it’s usually bright and sunny, so one’s mood lifts, you instantly lift. It’s also, everything is much slower. People are very friendly. But, it’s just a much more relaxed lifestyle and you don’t feel that you’ve got to rush around here there and everywhere.People are generally very friendly and we’ve made friends already there. We’ve got two or three sets of friends that we’re going to get together on the New Year because we’ve made such good friends. People look out for one another. We get there and we just go, Ugh, this is nice. We get back and my husband says, within three days, “I need a holiday.”Beth: Yeah, you get too used to it. It’s lovely to have that option of just popping over for some nice weather.Linda. Oh, we are lucky. Again, I always said that I would never live abroad if we didn’t have the family and friends that we have here in the UK I’d happily live there.Beth: Well, maybe one day. I suppose you never know. You’ve got the option.Linda: When they all grow up. Well, they’re all in their thirties now. The grandchildren are there. What it does, when you come back home it makes you concentrate, the time that you’re here, and makes you realise that you want to see people, you want to be in touch, you want to be part of it. Then, when you go there, you can just relax and say, “Goy, it’s just us.”Beth: Totally, presumably do you bring them over for holidays and stuff?Linda: They haven’t been yet, but there will be. We’ve had one daughter go across with her family, and they loved it, absolutely loved it.Where we are, the facilities, we’ve got a gated community. We’ve got beautiful communal pools. Our communal pool is literally a two minute walk from our terrace.We’re surrounded by superb restaurants. There’s a great social life, but you don’t have to be inundated and do everything if you don’t want it. So, we just love that lifestyle.Beth: Lovely and when are you next heading out?Linda: Four nights on Tuesday.Beth: Very nice, avoiding the cold weather.Linda: Yes well, the thing is as well is that it’s not just about lifestyle. The word, from a lot of people that have gone out there, is that they’ve started new careers, they’ve started doing new things because suddenly you’re in sunshine and people are nice and friendly and there’s lots of opportunities. I decided, then, that I might actually look at doing some small interior design projects. It’s actually opened other avenues as well.Beth: Yeah, incredible. Well, I hope it all goes really, really, well. Thank you so much for chatting to me today. Enjoy your trip in a couple of weeks when you head back out there.Linda: Thanks Beth. I hope it’s been OK for you.Beth: It’s been perfect. Thanks Linda.Linda: Thanks Beth.Beth: Bye.Linda: Bye.<h2>Outtro</h2>Thank you for listening and thanks to Linda for sharing her experiences, and Murcia Services for their help to make this episode possible.I particularly liked the sound of her communal pool and how much her grandsons have been able to enjoy the property as well not to mention how exciting the interior design business sounds.You can search this agent’s properties and more on Kyero.com  .Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode  !This podcast is produced by <a href="https://www.kyero.com/">Kyero.com</a>, and our mission is to connect you with estate agents and properties throughout Spain. Whether your dream home is a rustic farmhouse surrounded by olive groves or a lock-up-and-leave apartment on the sea front, you'll find everything that you need at <a href="https://www.kyero.com/">Kyero.com</a>. If you've enjoyed this episode we'd really appreciate your five star rating on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/kyero-spanish-property-podcast/id1332034550">iTunes</a>. It helps us reach and connect more people with their dream home in Spain, and, whenever you're ready, here are four ways we can help you:<ul><li>Ask a question by emailing <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a>. We'll try and answer them all in an upcoming Q&amp;A episode</li><li>Get a location guide by emailing <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a>. We'll reply with the latest data and information on the areas you're interested in</li><li>Calculate your budget, simply visit <a href="https://www.kyero.com/budget">Kyero.com</a>, enter two numbers, and you're done</li><li>Be our guest, if you've already purchased your home in Spain we would love for you to share your story on the podcast, just email <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a> and we'll take it from there</li></ul>Tune in next week when I speak with Henry, originally from Scotland.He purchased a quad in Playa Flamenca, Alicante and I can’t wait to tell you all about how much Henry’s granddaughter influenced his purchase and, as they have now relocated permanently, for him it was all about finding a good school for her to go to.I’m Beth Davison and you’ve been listening to the Kyero.com Spanish property podcast. I’ll see you next week!&nbsp;

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Episode 10: Ivan who purchased in Formentera del Segura, Alicante

&nbsp;<h2>Intro</h2> Welcome to the Kyero.com Spanish Property podcast where we interview real people who recently purchased a home in Spain.   They tell us what worked, what didn’t and what they’d do differently next time.   I’m Beth Davison and today I’m speaking with Ivan originally from Newcastle, who purchased a two bedroom apartment in <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/alicante-province-property-for-sale-0l3">Formentera Del Segura, Alicante  </a>. Just wait until you hear about how a change in budget affected the options available to Ivan, and how his dream property has meant holiday options for the whole family  . Ivan worked with estate agent <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/spain-property-for-sale-0l55529?agent_id=8863">InterProperty Sales &amp; Lettings</a> to find his dream home in Spain. Check out the show notes at kyero.com/podcast to find links and resources mentioned in this episode.<h2>Body of Transcript</h2>Beth: Hi, is that Ivan?Ivan: It is, yes.Beth: Hello, it’s Beth here, calling from Kyero to talk about your property ventures.Ivan: Hello Beth.Beth: How are you doing?Ivan: I’m very well, thank you.Beth: Good, if you wouldn’t mind, just tell me what you do and whether you buy or rent your property and when that all happened.Ivan: I’m a European sales manager for a healthcare company and my wife and I decided that we wanted to buy somewhere abroad, possibly in the future, to retire to. At the moment we don’t rent it out because we have just purchased it last month. We plan to use it for six months a year in 2018 and then rent out as a long term let for six months, and keep it for three or four months at a time for the family, and that’s where we are at the moment.Beth: Fantastic, OK, so it all closed a couple of months ago did you say?Ivan: Yeah, we closed the deal and made the final payment to the property at the end of October.Beth: Brilliant. So, it’s all kind of quite new for you guys. How long did the whole process take?Ivan: Oh, seven weeks.Beth: Oh, wow, super fast.Ivan: Yeah, seven weeks, yeah.Beth: Fantastic. So why did you first decide on Spain?Ivan: We’ve always liked Spain. We like the Spanish culture. We like getting into their way in Spanish villages and small towns and trying to mingle with the locals and we… The Costa Blanca itself, it’s got a microclimate, it’s nice and warm most of the year round. There’s very little rain. The people are just lovely, and that’s the sort of thing we want to eventually retire into.Beth: Lovely, OK, so where abouts exactly is it, explain to me?Ivan: It’s in Formentera Del Segura, which is in the Costa Blanca. It’s a half an hour from Alicante airport and forty minutes to Murcia airport, so it’s in-between easy transport links, it’s five minutes from the motorway by car. So, really it’s a medium sized town, it’s four thousand people and it’s eighty per cent Spanish and twenty per cent English. It’s a really nice place.Beth: Lovely, so there’s a nice mix. You said it wasn’t originally where you were thinking or you had something slightly different in mind.Ivan: Yeah, we thought we’d look at Torrevieja, but when we went to Torrevieja it was too busy, there were too many British I suppose and many other nationalities. We also looked in a few other places, namely Villamartin, places such like Playa Flamenca but they just weren’t for us. They were too British for us and we wanted something more secluded.Beth: Fantastic, and when you go over there how long to you tend to stay for?Ivan: Well in the next two or three years we plan to spend three or four months at a time there because I can base myself there in my job, as well.Beth: Oh that’s great, so you’d work from there as well?Ivan: I can do, yes, yes. Because I cover Europe I can actually establish that as my base as well and just fly from Alicante to different places in Europe.Beth: Brilliant. Your job must give you a great understanding of Spanish culture anyway?Ivan: Yeah, I see many cultures and everyone is different. But the Spanish people are just nice, nice, people and their acceptance of people trying to learn languages with them and speak to them in their tongue rather than just being English and speaking English, they appreciate that more.Beth: Yeah, fantastic. So, when you first started the search for your dream home what did it look like in your head, what were you looking for?Ivan: We were looking for, possibly, a one or two bedroom apartment I suppose, or whatever we could get for our budget. We started looking at places online on the internet through different people.Beth: Fantastic, so, was it difficult to find that specific property? You said you went on some viewings, how many do you think you saw before you found your dream place?Ivan: Well, we visited about eleven different properties. We visited four in Torrevieja and then we visited around another seven with InterProperty Sales and decided we had to up our budget and upping our budget by a few thousand Euros actually made a big difference. We actually stumbled upon this place. As soon as we walked in we thought, “This is it!” That’s how that concluded.Beth: OK, so the budget thing… obviously you went in with a specific number in mind and you told your agent that number and then they looked around that total?Ivan: Yeah, he took us to places within the budget originally which was, I think it was fifty thousand pounds it was. We increased up to sixty thousand pounds. The ones at fifty thousand and just below they were very, very small and then they said, “Oh, OK, realise that you only get what you pay for at the end of the day.”Beth: Yeah.Ivan: Then they showed us a couple of others, when we increased the budget. When we walked into the apartment that we now have it sprung out and said, “Yeah, that’s the place for you” and that’s what we did.Both my wife and I were totally decided. We never said anything to each other. As soon as we came out and we discussed things it was evident that that was the place for both of us.Beth: Lucky you agreed.Ivan: Yeah, very lucky, very lucky.Beth: It sounds like it’s nice when you find the right place and it just fits and you know.Ivan: It definitely is, yeah, it makes a big difference. We walked into the property and everything was done. The people that had the property, which we bought from, had it immaculate and there was nothing to do to it at all. When we got it he left everything in place for us. There were guarantees for TVs and things and it was fantastic.Beth: Oh brilliant. So, there was a minimal hassle just from a practical perspective as well.Ivan: Yeah, there was no hassle whatsoever. The price was agreed. Went to the solicitors, made the down payment and on to the notary at the end of October there where it was all done and dusty within a couple of hours. It was fantastic.Beth: I was going to ask about the process. I think for some people, possibly, it seems quite intimidating. You’ve got different languages and language barriers, different taxes, finances, how did you find grappling with all of that?Ivan: Well, initially I had printed something off from the internet about buying in Spain that laid out that sort of thing. Once you have a purchase price and you agree on a purchase price, it said you should add between thirteen and fifteen per cent on top to take in with taxes. Ten percent of your sale actually goes in tax to the government.Then there are you’re estate agent fees, lawyer’s fees, land registry, and your NIE numbers which you have to obtain as well before you can actually purchase a property and also a Spanish bank account. So we had a solicitor that was lined up with InterProperty Sales (who suggested this solicitor). That solicitor was Sun Lawyers in La Zenia who were very, very efficient and did everything from start to finish for us. In-between they kept us up to date with the progress that was being made by email and it was fantastic, it was absolutely fantastic.Beth: Brilliant, I think I know the answer, but I was going to ask you what your agent was like. You’ve mentioned them a few times, InterProperty Sales and they sound like they were really, really, helpful.Ivan: He went above and beyond what anyone else was doing. We had met another agent, as I say prior to that, who was showing us around in Torrevieja. But, they were more interested in getting a sale, and saying, “We’ll take care of things if you sign a power of attorney and we’ll deal with it all,” and we were, “Now, hold on,” you know?Then we had InterProperty lined up as another agent and they asked plenty of open questions as to what we were looking for, our budget, what our lifestyle was, why, where we wanted to be and everything else. It culled out some properties and took us, initially, to see the ones at the lower end of where we were and it was evident, and he said, “These are small, but you’ve asked for these,” so he showed us. And we said, there and then, “Not good enough, Nigel, we want more.” He said OK, he says I’ll line up some more properties and we instructed him to go ten thousand pounds more. He showed us some more and he said, “These are the sort things that you get.” But he also went out of his way to pick us up in the morning, staying with us all day. He was even buying us lunch. He did everything.Beth: It seems so different from the buying process in this country. Did it feel very different?Ivan: It felt very, very different. It felt very, very different. In the UK you deal with the lawyers, you sign papers, and that’s it, it’s done. But, over there you need someone to take care of… We didn’t know about the Spanish bank accounts and that, and InterProperty took us to the bank. He made the appointment for us to sit and go through all the process of opening a bank account, which is very labourious in Spain because they get through other things.There’s lots of signatures to make and lot of paperwork. I would never have known that that was the process you had to go through. Then there are the NIE numbers for your Spanish identity. This was all sorted out, as I say, through InterProperty and the solicitor. So everything was taken out of our hands and dealt with by InterProperty on our behalf and at no extra cost. He had his fee at the end of day and he went above and beyond what I’ve ever seen by any estate agent. I was really, really impressed with him.Beth: Wow, fantastic. My next question is what did you find the most challenging? But is sounds like you might not have had too many challenges.Ivan: There weren’t too many challenges at all. As I say, we were introduced to Formentera Del Segura. InterProperty said that it was a nice village, but because it’s more inland you get more for your money. To be fair, it’s pretty central to everywhere. It’s ten minutes from the beach, if you want, in the car. There’s bus routes. The motorway is there as well. There’s plenty of restaurants and everything in the village. The whole place and everything is fantastic. I’m still over the moon. I’m still quite ecstatic about it. It’s hard to believe. I keep pinching myself.Beth: If you were giving advice to someone doing what you’ve done what would your strongest bit of advice be?Ivan: To research properly. Don’t just jump into any estate agent. Make sure you know the process before you go as well and have an outline of exactly what you want to spend and a better idea of where you want to reside at the end of the day. But my recommendation, if I can make one, would be don’t look past InterProperty Sales because it goes above and beyond anything I’ve ever seen, even in the UK to help. He’s just a fantastic guy and his team is fantastic as well, they do everything for you.Beth: Brilliant. And lastly I want to talk about Spanish culture which obviously was important for you and that was something that you wanted to be a part of. So, what do you love most about being a part of that culture?Ivan: The gala, the fiestas - everyone gets together every month or so and there’s different fiestas. Everyone talks to one another. We, actually, the week we spent there after buying the property, we’re walking in the street and the locals are saying hello to you walking down the street in Spanish, “Hola.” It’s just a totally different way of life, relaxed. They know how to live and that’s what we want to be a part of.Beth: Fantastic. Do you get to take your friends and family over there? Is this something that you’ve introduced to other people?Ivan: Yes, we will be taking one of our sons over in March when we go. In January just myself and my wife will go. Then, in March, we’ll take one of our sons, and then in May my son and his girlfriend are going on their own. In June, my other son is going with his girlfriend. In May my Mother and Father-in-law are coming with us, so yeah, the whole family will be treated to this.Beth: Brilliant. I’m glad you get to share it with so many people. Well, I think that is pretty much it, unless there’s anything you’d like to add, but I think we’ve covered everything.Ivan: No, that’s fantastic, and I’m glad you phoned and it’s nice to tell other people about it.Beth: Brilliant. Thank you so much, Ivan. I will let you go. Have a lovely rest of your day.Ivan: You’re very welcome and thank you for calling.Beth: No worries, cheers, bye.Ivan: Cheers, later, bye bye.<h2>Outtro</h2> Thank you for listening and thanks to Ivan for sharing their experience and InterProperty Sales and Lettings for their help to make this episode possible  I particularly liked the sound of the fiesta atmosphere and how often Ivan is able to share his property with his sons.You can search this agent’s properties and more on Kyero.com  .Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode  !This podcast is produced by <a href="https://www.kyero.com/">Kyero.com</a>, and our mission is to connect you with estate agents and properties throughout Spain. Whether your dream home is a rustic farmhouse surrounded by olive groves or a lock-up-and-leave apartment on the sea front, you'll find everything that you need at <a href="https://www.kyero.com/">Kyero.com</a>. If you've enjoyed this episode we'd really appreciate your five star rating on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/kyero-spanish-property-podcast/id1332034550">iTunes</a>. It helps us reach and connect more people with their dream home in Spain, and, whenever you're ready, here are four ways we can help you:<ul><li>Ask a question by emailing <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a>. We'll try and answer them all in an upcoming Q&amp;A episode</li><li>Get a location guide by emailing <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a>. We'll reply with the latest data and information on the areas you're interested in</li><li>Calculate your budget, simply visit <a href="https://www.kyero.com/budget">Kyero.com</a>, enter two numbers, and you're done</li><li>Be our guest, if you've already purchased your home in Spain we would love for you to share your story on the podcast, just email <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a> and we'll take it from there</li></ul>Tune in next week when I speak with Linda from Hull  She purchased an apartment on La Torre Golf Resort, Murcia, and I can’t wait to tell you all about just how fast the buying process was for her despite never having even been on holiday to SpainI’m Beth Davison and you’ve been listening to the Kyero.com Spanish property podcast. I’ll see you next week!&nbsp;

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Episode 09: Denise who purchased in Entre Naranjos, Alicante

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Episode 08: Daniel who purchased in Playa Flamenca, Alicante

&nbsp;<h2>Intro</h2>Welcome to the Kyero.com Spanish Property podcast where we interview real people who recently purchased a home in Spain.They tell us what worked, what didn’t and what they’d do differently next time.I’m Beth Davison and today I’m speaking with Daniel, originally from Minster on Sea, in Kent, he purchased a three bedroom Duplex in <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/playa-flamenca-property-for-sale-0l1296">Playa Flamenca, Alicante</a>.Just wait until you hear about how straight forward his whole process was and how he boldly bought the first property he viewedDaniel worked with estate agent <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/spain-property-for-sale-0l55529?agent_id=8863">InterProperty Sales and Lettings</a> to find his dream home in Spain. &nbsp;Check out the show notes at kyero.com/podcast to find links and resources mentioned in this episode<h2>Body of Transcription</h2>Beth: Well, if we get started, you can just let me know what you do for a living and the kind of property you bought.Daniel: I’m a company director for a civil engineering company, and we bought a three bedroom penthouse duplex.Beth: Fantastic, and where about was that?Daniel: In Playa Flamenca.Beth: Awesome, so talk me through the choices, when it all first started, why did you first decide to buy in Spain?Daniel: We’ve got friends over there who’ve got a property out in the same complex as we purchased. Obviously, we visited them a couple of times and loved the place, so.Beth: Great, so how did it all start? Whose was the first idea? Who said let’s do this?Daniel: Mine.Beth: And who was that to, so was that your partner?Daniel: Yeah, the wife, yeah.Beth: Lovely, alright, and so how many properties did you view? How did you first start that process?Daniel: How many properties did we view? One…Beth: Really, wow, and you just knew it was the right one?Daniel: Yeah, online we were viewing loads; just viewing, viewing, viewing, and then came across that one and when we viewed it and said, “That’s the one for us – that’s it.”Beth: How similar is it to your friend’s place?Daniel: They’ve got a one bedroom penthouse apartment, obviously, we’ve got the duplex and that’s over two floors.Beth: OK.Daniel: So, ours is just bigger, I suppose.Beth: Yeah, I wondered if that made it easier to not go on too many viewings because it was similar.Daniel: Yeah, because we holidayed there about three times, so, we already knew the complex; we knew it was safe; we knew the area; we knew what was around… So, yeah, pretty much we knew we wanted to be on that complex. That was it.Beth: Great. And how did it work with the agent? What was your agent like?Daniel: Nigel was, he was superb from start to finish he, literally, did everything. He was great.Beth: Which probably also made it easier to not have to view things.Daniel: Well, yeah, I mean you don’t know who to trust, really, because you hear so many horror stories, but he was great. He was really good.Beth: Did you know what sort of budget you were thinking about using?Daniel: Roughly, yeah, we knew around about €100,000.Beth: And then Nigel was able to show you things around that mark? Did he show you anything more expensive or less expensive?Daniel: Yeah, he had a list of properties to show us, actually, that day, but we viewed that one and just said, “This is the one. So, don’t worry about the others. We’ll put an offer in now.”Beth: Fantastic, I love it. That’s brave! Did that feel brave at the time to just go with your gut, go with the first one?Daniel: Yeah, it felt alright, it was all good, it was good.Beth: Perfect. So, I think I know the answer, but how easy or difficult did you find that whole process?Daniel: Very easy.Beth: Was it different to what you expected going in?Daniel: I didn’t know what to expect, to be fair. It’s the first time I bought a property, obviously. I didn’t know what to expect or what we had to do. Nigel just did it. He was was me. He did some bits on his own that he could take away from us. It was just smooth. Within six weeks it was ours.Beth: Wow, then how long before you were moving in and doing it up and whatever?Daniel: We only use it as a holiday home, so it went through in six weeks; within six weeks, then we flew out for the kid’s holiday and stayed there six weeks.Beth: Great stuff. So does that tend to be what you do? Do you match up with the kid’s holidays in this country, and go for longer stints like six weeks, how does it normally work for you?Daniel: So, next summer the wife will be out there for six weeks with the kids then I’ll just go to and fro. So, basically it’s a summer home.Beth: That’s so nice, but it’s nice that you don’t just use it for one or two week holidays, you guys tend to go for longer amounts of time.Daniel: Yeah, that’s it, yeah, that’s right, yeah.Beth: What’s it like for a family, is it a good complex for that? Are there other kids there?Daniel: It’s superb, it’s superb.Beth: So the kids are going to make friends, right, and then be able to revisit them every holiday?Daniel: Yeah, they’re seven and five so they’re obviously young, but over time I’m sure. They’ll make some friends this year and be back next year, obviously, that’s relationships and people, you know.Beth: Yeah, totally. So, how did you find the whole process of buying with the language barriers and different legal systems and things like that?Daniel: The estate agent, he was brilliant, spoke perfect English. Everything was done through email, just clicked into place and it was done. It was perfect. It couldn’t have gone any better.Beth: Wow, fantastic. So, I was going to ask you which bit you found the most challenging, but were there no challenges?Daniel: No, there weren’t any challenges at all. Nigel picked up us from the airport and took us back and gave us the keys. That was good, no hiccups at all, nothing.Beth: Incredible. So, if you were going to give some advice to family or friends doing what you’ve just done what advice would you give them?Daniel: See Nigel. It’s that easy.Beth: Great, OK fine, that’s brilliant. Well, it’s good to hear that you had such a great experience.What’s your favourite part about owning a property in Spain?Daniel: The weather and golf.Beth: So, what kind of stuff do you do out there? What does a typical day look like for you?Daniel: Golf.Beth: All day?Daniel: Beach, swimming pool, golf, swimming pool, we’ve got loads to do, going down to the Boulevard restaurants. There are plenty of nice restaurants.Beth: Yeah, lovely, so drinking, eating - all the Spanish things that you would expect.Daniel: Yeah, it’s great. It’s all good.Beth: Do you feel like there’s a lot of Spanish culture where you are? Or is it more touristy and holiday? How does it feel when you’re there?Daniel: It’s quite nice, really, slightly leaning towards more English, but there’s still some Spanish… A lot of Spanish, actually, around in the houses and within the complex there’s some Spanish. It’s just quite nice, honestly, because that’s why you go to Spain – for the different culture.Beth: Yeah, totally.Daniel: Yeah, it’s a nice mix, there’s a nice mix. It’s just a lovely atmosphere out there.Beth: Fantastic, and do you have many people to visit from the UK? Do you bring family over there or anything?Daniel: Yeah, yeah, we’ve had friends over. We’ve had loads of friends come over throughout the six weeks.Beth: That’s nice. I bet they love it.Daniel: I do, yeah, it’s great.Beth: And your friends who live in the same complex? Are they still there?Daniel: Yes.Beth: Oh great, so there can be a whole crowd of you that go out.Daniel: Yeah, yeah, like last time there were a few of us. So, it’s all good, it’s all good.Beth: Fantastic, alright Daniel, well thank you very much for chatting with me.Daniel: Thank you very much.Beth: Cheers Daniel, bye.Daniel: Cheers, bye bye.<h2>Outtro</h2>Thank you for listening and thanks to Daniel for sharing their experiences and InterProperty Sales and Lettings for their help to make this episode possibleI particularly liked how Daniel was inspired by his friends and ended up buying a place on the very same complex, also, how confident he must have been to have bought the very first place he was shown.You can search this agent’s properties and more on Kyero.com.Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode.This podcast is produced by <a href="https://www.kyero.com/">Kyero.com</a>, and our mission is to connect you with estate agents and properties throughout Spain. Whether your dream home is a rustic farmhouse surrounded by olive groves or a lock-up-and-leave apartment on the sea front, you'll find everything that you need at <a href="https://www.kyero.com/">Kyero.com</a>. If you've enjoyed this episode we'd really appreciate your five star rating on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/kyero-spanish-property-podcast/id1332034550">iTunes</a>. It helps us reach and connect more people with their dream home in Spain, and, whenever you're ready, here are four ways we can help you:<ul><li>Ask a question by emailing <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a>. We'll try and answer them all in an upcoming Q&amp;A episode</li><li>Get a location guide by emailing <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a>. We'll reply with the latest data and information on the areas you're interested in</li><li>Calculate your budget, simply visit <a href="https://www.kyero.com/budget">Kyero.com</a>, enter two numbers, and you're done</li><li>Be our guest, if you've already purchased your home in Spain we would love for you to share your story on the podcast, just email <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a> and we'll take it from there</li></ul>Tune in next week when I speak with Denise from Tyne and Wear, about her purchase with husband EddieThey purchased a three bedroom quad in Entre Naranjos and wait until you hear about how much living in Spain has helped with Sally’s asthma, and also how actually lowering their budget helped them find what they wanted.I’m Beth Davison and you’ve been listening to the Kyero.com Spanish property podcast. I’ll see you next week!&nbsp;

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Episode 07: Phil who purchased in Pinoso, Alicante

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Episode 06: Erik who purchased in Javea, Alicante

&nbsp;<h2>Intro</h2>Welcome to the Kyero.com Spanish Property podcast where we interview real people who recently purchased a home in Spain.They tell us what worked, what didn’t and what they’d do differently next time.I’m Beth Davison and today I’m speaking with Erik, originally from Holland, who purchased a chalet in <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/alicante-province-property-for-sale-0l3">Javea, Alicante</a>.Just wait until you hear about how Erik dealt with the challenges of refurbishment, along with his top tips about finding the best people to help your purchase run smoothly.Erik worked with estate agent <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/spain-property-for-sale-0l55529?agent_id=6217">Villas Leon Javea</a> to find his dream home in Spain.Check out the show notes at kyero.com/podcast to find links and resources mentioned in this episode.<h2>Body of Transcription</h2>Beth: If you wouldn’t mind just introducing yourself, and letting me know what type of property you bought and where it was, and what you do, that would be great, thank you.Erik: OK, I bought a property in Javea, Spain. My name is Erik and I’m from Holland.Beth: Lovely, OK, so, how long have you had the property?Erik: Like two years now…Beth: OK, so, quite a little while. So, why did you decide on Spain?Erik: It’s an area which was known to us by friends, so we’d visited the area before and we liked it very well.Beth: OK. Did you know what type of house you were looking for; did you already have an idea in mind?Erik: Rustic, good view, and a lot of… we have 3,000 square metres of land around the house which was one of the things we were looking for.Beth: Wow, OK, why so much land? What were you hoping to do with it?Erik: To be there and not to have too many neighbours.Beth: OK, good, seclusion.Erik: Yeah.Beth: Very nice. So, when you go, what kind of trips do you do? How long do you go for?Erik: We normally go around Easter, then there’s a small holiday in Holland during springtime, and we’re often there during Christmas and New Year.Beth: Oh lovely, so you are going quite soon?Erik: Yup, yup, we’re going like three or four times a year.Beth: Very good. OK, awesome.What is the house like? Can you describe it, how many bedrooms, and the type of building it is?Erik: We’ve got four bedrooms, nice kitchen, living room, dining room – 160 square metres, very nice. I have a very nice view and a big pool – six and twelve metres.Beth: Lovely, that sounds great, and the perfect place to escape to over the winter. Is it warmer there than it is in Holland over Christmas?Erik: (laugh) Yup, yup, that’s the question. It’s like, “Is water wet?” Yes it is.Beth: Yes, OK, good, we’re certain of that.When the whole process started, and you began looking for your house, what kind of research did you do?Erik: Not a lot, not a lot frankly speaking. We were looking a bit around, and we were introduced to this property, and we fell in love with the property and that’s where it started.Beth: Was that the only one that you viewed?Erik: No, it was the first one that we viewed and all the others later on, we saw, were not as good as the first one that we saw.Beth: OK, that sounds nice and easy.Erik: Yup, yup, yup.Beth: And what was your agent like?Erik: Great, she understood what I was looking for. So, that is why the first property she showed was that good.Beth: Yeah because they just listened to you and knew what you wanted.Erik: Yup, yup.Beth: Did you go in with an exact budget?Erik: No.Beth: So you told her a vague area, or you were just were literally were going to see what you saw.Erik: We were looking at what was on the market.Beth: OK, so you had complete flexibility?Erik: Not complete, huh? That sounds like it could be a million (laugh). No, no, we had a sort of… it can’t be over, I believe we said, 350,000.Beth: OK, because of that do you think that made the whole process easier? Did you find it quite easy?Erik: Yeah, we were lucky that we found it right away.Beth: Fantastic. Did you find it challenging buying in Spain?It’s different for UK buyers because there are very different laws in Spain and there are different currencies. Obviously, coming from Holland, there was going to be some overlap on that. Was it difficult?Erik: Even there, we were introduced to a very good lawyer and that made us feel very comfortable.Beth: And I think it’s important.Erik: That’s very important. So, he dealt with a lot of things where we were unfamiliar. They were, then, in contact with a very good bookkeeper, and you have a sort of a full network.Beth: Yeah. So, was this all through your agent? Did they put you in touch with the lawyer and bookkeeper and everything else?Erik: Yup, she did.Beth: Great, so, which part did you find the most challenging?Erik: After we bought the property there was a lot to do on the property. There was a lot of refurbishing. That is a hard thing to do in Spain. Like, mañana is never mañana. That was incredibly hard having workers there, on time, with the products we bought, that was the hardest thing, I believe.Beth: Yeah, OK, and how is your Spanish?Erik: So, so, or hardly.Beth: OKErik: But, I did good enough to understand what I want to know.Beth: Yeah, fair enough.What advice would you give your family and friends if they were going to do the same thing as you?Erik: I would never, ever buy without a lawyer, like we were helped. He helped us a lot. I think he took away a lot of the stressful situations, like, there was another claim from somebody who thought it was their land, and you can all pass it on to him and say, “OK,” (in this case it was Raúl), “Raúl, this, this, and this is going on, how do you think about it? What do we need to do?”Beth: Right and you trusted him?Erik: Yup, yup, yup.Beth: Brilliant, I think that is really, really important.Do you have family and friends coming to visit, by the way?Erik: Yup, we do.Beth: When your family and friends come and visit how many people, what types of holidays are they, what sort of stuff do you do?Erik: It depends on who is coming with us, but, if it’s like family we would just spend our time there, go to the beach, have lovely dinners, be there as a holiday.Beth: Yeah, totally, and Spanish culture, do you like Spanish culture?Erik: We had not enough time to really absorb that.Beth: OK, fair enough.Erik: But we love to be in Spain. We love to go to the restaurants, but that’s not the culture is it? No, it’s not really the culture. No, there would be much more to develop or to look for or to search for. No, we didn’t do that yet.Beth: Fair enough. So, for you, what is a typical day like in Spain when you’re at your house?Erik: Wake up, have breakfast, have a swim, go into the city and have lunch, and come back and enjoy the house and the company of family that we have.Beth: It sounds very relaxed and perfect. I think that’s pretty much all of my questions, unless there’s anything that stands out to you, from the whole process, that we haven’t talked about.Erik: Nope, nope, thanks.Beth: Alright, brilliant, thank you so much for being involved on the call.Erik: Wonderful, Thanks.Beth: Great, cheers, Erik. Bye.Erik: Bye bye.<h2>Outtro</h2>Thank you for listening and thanks to Erik for sharing his experiences and Villas Leon Javea for their help to make this episode possible.I particularly liked the sound of the privacy Erik found amongst his 3,000 square metres, and clearly, you should never underestimate the importance of a good lawyer.You can search this agent’s properties and more on Kyero.com.Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode.This podcast is produced by <a href="https://www.kyero.com/">Kyero.com</a>, and our mission is to connect you with estate agents and properties throughout Spain. Whether your dream home is a rustic farmhouse surrounded by olive groves or a lock-up-and-leave apartment on the sea front, you'll find everything that you need at <a href="https://www.kyero.com/">Kyero.com</a>. If you've enjoyed this episode we'd really appreciate your five star rating on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/kyero-spanish-property-podcast/id1332034550">iTunes</a>. It helps us reach and connect more people with their dream home in Spain, and, whenever you're ready, here are four ways we can help you:<ul><li>Ask a question by emailing <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a>. We'll try and answer them all in an upcoming Q&amp;A episode</li><li>Get a location guide by emailing <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a>. We'll reply with the latest data and information on the areas you're interested in</li><li>Calculate your budget, simply visit <a href="https://www.kyero.com/budget">Kyero.com</a>, enter two numbers, and you're done</li><li>Be our guest, if you've already purchased your home in Spain we would love for you to share your story on the podcast, just email <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a> and we'll take it from there</li></ul>Tune in next week when I speak with Phil from Redditch, WorcestershireAlong with his wife Vickie, he purchased a Villa in Pinoso, Murcia, and I can’t wait to tell you all about how they built their property from scratch, not only amongst the almond groves, but also well placed for wine trails.I’m Beth Davison and you’ve been listening to the Kyero.com Spanish property podcast. I’ll see you next week!&nbsp;

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