# New here - considering moving to Marbella



## NeverDull (Apr 24, 2014)

Hi there! I currently live in the USA in Washington state and am considering expanding my business to Marbella. I do high-end wedding videos that start at $5,000 here in my area. The research I've done so far indicates that there are a LOT of very expensive weddings in Marbella, so I have my fingers crossed that this market will work well for me. I'm also considering Barcelona as well. I will be visiting in less than two weeks to do some "recon". I hope to set up some times to meet with local wedding photographers, wedding planners and possibly some venues to see what the market is like and hopefully begin to get a network of business peers started. 

My boyfriend of three years has been back in Moldova for the last year (long story), so part of the reason I'm looking at Spain is so we can be closer together and also be somewhere warm and beautiful. Once I make the big move, the plan is to be in Spain for three months, then back in the USA for three months, back to Spain for three months, etc...that will help me get established but also be here in the USA during busy times while I get my staff here up to speed on running things while I'm gone. So I'm thinking part-time for the first year or two. I THINK that it will also be beneficial to me tax-wise in the beginning (is that true...since I won't be a resident??). Ultimately the goal would be to become a resident in Spain and we get married there. After that we would live in Spain 100% of the time then and I might just come back to the USA on smaller and less frequent trips. 

Sooooo...my questions are: 

1. Should I be looking at places to live in Marbella or Malaga? I imagine most of my weddings would be in Marbella so it would be most convenient to be close. However in the first few years I anticipate that money will be tight so I'm worried about the cost of living. Will I be able to rent an apartment for three months at a time, twice per year? What about Barcelona? What are your opinions about those different areas for expensive weddings? BTW, I do not speak Spanish (yet!) but my boyfriend does speak some Spanish and he also speaks Russian (I've heard there are a lot of Russian weddings there too)

2. Are there Post Office Boxes like we have in the USA where I can use an address for mail since I will most likely be renting different apartments the first year or two? 

3. How about a car??? Yikes...I will definitely need to be able to drive...are there places that do inexpensive longer term car rentals for three months at a time? 

4. Does anyone have a referral for an accountant that understands BOTH Spanish and US taxes for personal and business income. I need to make sure I maximize my money legally so I need someone that knows all the ins and outs so I'm not getting completely screwed over by TWO governments with taxes. 

I understand this will not be easy. I'm OK with that. I've been through MANY tough things in life before and I'm more than willing to do the hard work to make our dream a reality. I just need some guidance in what directions to go since this is new to me! 

I will be in Marbella for a few days, then meeting my boyfriend in Barcelona for a few days, then head back to Marbella for several more days before heading back to the USA. As much as I would love to hang out at the beach and get some sunshine, this will be a working trip so I can gather as much information and make a decision if this will be a good move or not. 

Any help is GREATLY appreciated!


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

Have you got your immigration visa/work permit situation worked out? It's complicated for Americans! This should be your first objective, before you start looking into housing, cars, etc.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

NeverDull said:


> Hi there! I currently live in the USA in Washington state and am considering expanding my business to Marbella. I do high-end wedding videos that start at $5,000 here in my area. The research I've done so far indicates that there are a LOT of very expensive weddings in Marbella, so I have my fingers crossed that this market will work well for me. I'm also considering Barcelona as well. I will be visiting in less than two weeks to do some "recon". I hope to set up some times to meet with local wedding photographers, wedding planners and possibly some venues to see what the market is like and hopefully begin to get a network of business peers started.
> 
> My boyfriend of three years has been back in Moldova for the last year (long story), so part of the reason I'm looking at Spain is so we can be closer together and also be somewhere warm and beautiful. Once I make the big move, the plan is to be in Spain for three months, then back in the USA for three months, back to Spain for three months, etc...that will help me get established but also be here in the USA during busy times while I get my staff here up to speed on running things while I'm gone. So I'm thinking part-time for the first year or two. I THINK that it will also be beneficial to me tax-wise in the beginning (is that true...since I won't be a resident??). Ultimately the goal would be to become a resident in Spain and we get married there. After that we would live in Spain 100% of the time then and I might just come back to the USA on smaller and less frequent trips.
> 
> ...


:welcome:

it all sounds very complicated & exciting!



but..........you sound as if you're thinking of coming over using the visa waiver scheme? You aren't allowed to work when you're here using that - it's for holidays only


kalohi said:


> Have you got your immigration visa/work permit situation worked out? It's complicated for Americans! This should be your first objective, before you start looking into housing, cars, etc.



there *is *the new 'investors visa' - but you have to invest something like half a million euro & employ some locals to get that .........

sounds like rather a huge investment for someone who wants to do wedding videos - no matter how high end - but perhaps that's what NeverDull is planning


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## MCarmen (Apr 26, 2014)

To receive your postal mail you can obtain a post office box. The price ranges from 31,68 to 73,10 euros (quarterly or anual payment).

And if you rent a car many days/months you can obtain good discounts, you can have a look to spanish rentcar pages from USA.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

MCarmen said:


> To receive your postal mail you can obtain a post office box. The price ranges from 31,68 to 73,10 euros (quarterly or anual payment).
> 
> And if you rent a car many days/months you can obtain good discounts, you can have a look to spanish rentcar pages from USA.


:welcome:

good info

let's hope NeverDull manages to get a visa to be able to take advantage of it


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## tammy1202 (Apr 6, 2014)

That sounds very exciting I hope it works out for you. Here's my 50 cent input:

Barcelona is a big, famous, must-see city with it's fair share of wealthy population and visiting celebrities etc. Thus there would be demand for high-end weddings there. However as a large city, apartment rental, traveling and living costs might be considerably higher!

Marbella is a famous destination for the rich & famous and is a noticeably wealthy community, particularly Puerto Banus with it's yacht-filled marina and lined with designer shops. Plus the expat community is predominantly English speaking so a bonus if your Spanish level is a little low. The old town of Marbella itself is extremely pretty so a lovely wedding photo destination. 

Malaga is about 45mins away so I would recommend staying closer to the Marbella area if possible. If Marbella prices are a little too high try looking into the nearby towns of Estepona or Fuengirola. 

In winter rental prices should be considerably lower and easier to find even for a short-term let. However summer will be more difficult as vacation/short-term rental prices sky rocket! That being said, Spain is one of those places where word-of-mouth is key, and if you build up contacts and ask around you might find a private owner prepared to make you a deal (of course Spanish would help here!).

Best of luck!


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## chocodip (May 7, 2014)

*Marbella*

Hi NeverDull,

I'm in a similar predicament and am considering a move to Spain, but most probably it would be Barcelona. However, I am looking at setting up a business (catering for the wedding and honeymoon segment) in the travel & tourism industry. Perhaps we could share our contact details in private to discuss further! Good luck with your move!


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