# absolute noob



## sampedro (Feb 5, 2014)

Hello all, Im Chris.
I live in Cornwall UK and have just sold my home with the intent of moving to Spain. I have a wife and daughter and litttle doggy, we are all very keen to leave the uk and after several jollies around spain have decided we'd choose the south east of the country.
We need somewhere to stay while we sort out the necessary paperwork and permissions to become resident. maybe around the huercal overa area.
i realize this might sound very amateurish, but everyone has to start somewhere.
hope you can help
all the best
Chris:fingerscrossed:


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

sampedro said:


> Hello all, Im Chris.
> I live in Cornwall UK and have just sold my home with the intent of moving to Spain. I have a wife and daughter and litttle doggy, we are all very keen to leave the uk and after several jollies around spain have decided we'd choose the south east of the country.
> We need somewhere to stay while we sort out the necessary paperwork and permissions to become resident. maybe around the huercal overa area.
> i realize this might sound very amateurish, but everyone has to start somewhere.
> ...


Use the search facility on here for every subject you want info on, plus google info and visit sites such as Anglo Info, UK in Spain, Spain made simple-there are many.
Then you will feel so overwhelmed and confused, you will spend the next few days sifting all the info, and getting more and more confused at the sometimes conflicting advice.
3 subjects need Special attention- TAX, HEALTH,FINANCE.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

sampedro said:


> Hello all, Im Chris.
> I live in Cornwall UK and have just sold my home with the intent of moving to Spain. I have a wife and daughter and litttle doggy, we are all very keen to leave the uk and after several jollies around spain have decided we'd choose the south east of the country.
> We need somewhere to stay while we sort out the necessary paperwork and permissions to become resident. maybe around the huercal overa area.
> i realize this might sound very amateurish, but everyone has to start somewhere.
> ...


:welcome:


yes, everyone has to start somewhere - & this is a pretty good place!

you don't, as EU citizens, actually need 'permission' to become resident

what you have to do is register as resident, & for that you'll need to prove that you have sufficient income/funds with which to support yourselves, and healthcare provision


take a look at our http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/2725-faqs-lots-useful-info.html


the main thing you need to consider is income - do you have that sorted out?


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## sampedro (Feb 5, 2014)

Thanks for the welcome. 
since i have sold my home and a business i have a bit of cash saved.
would this count as an income?
I also own/run a couple of websites. one is a plant trading forum and one is an online shop selling cacti.
one site offers advertising and gives me a bit of an income, the other site is an online shop. I'd like to take my cacti with me so they can soak up the sun.
I sell them on line around the world, this provides us with a fair wage however i expect the move will ****** things about a bit and take its toll on sales untill we are settled.
what are your thoughts on this?
nice to meet you all.
chris
:fingerscrossed:


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## ANNIE100 (Oct 3, 2013)

Hi Chris - welcome - I am like you trying to get all the info together for my move to Gran Canaria in the next six months. Even though my parnter is canarian I didn,t realise here was so much to do so I am reading all the threads on here to get the info I need. Good luck x


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

extranjero said:


> Use the search facility on here for every subject you want info on, plus google info and visit sites such as Anglo Info, UK in Spain, Spain made simple-there are many.
> Then you will feel so overwhelmed and confused, you will spend the next few days sifting all the info, and getting more and more confused at the sometimes conflicting advice.
> 3 subjects need Special attention- TAX, HEALTH,FINANCE.


I'd put EDUCATION some where near the top of that list. Depending on the age of your daughter and the type of education that you want it might go hand in hand with FINANCES!!
There's some interesting info in the FAQ's, number 3 I think it is, and lots of info in general threads here. You can go to the search and look for schools, education, international schools, concertados etc


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## sampedro (Feb 5, 2014)

Thanks annie.
We have just sold our houseboat in Cornwall. We've been planning this move for about a year now and still seem to only be at the bottom of a huge moutain of 'stuff'!
Have to leave our current accomodation by the end of April, so thats when we are going.
I dont want to get to 80 and regret all the things ive never done. my family feel the same too.
it does seem like sooo much logistical stuff to try and overcome. storage, driving, somewhere to stay while we sort out residency etc etc. we plan to stay for 6 months or so to see if it suits us. if it does we will look for somewhere to buy. 
if t dosent we can come back to the uk with most of our finances still intact. life's too short to get stuck in a rut as so many people seem to do.
all the best
chris


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## sampedro (Feb 5, 2014)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I'd put EDUCATION some where near the top of that list. Depending on the age of your daughter and the type of education that you want it might go hand in hand with FINANCES!!
> There's some interesting info in the FAQ's, number 3 I think it is, and lots of info in general threads here. You can go to the search and look for schools, education, international schools, concertados etc


couldnt agree more sir. tbh, education is one of the most important things for us.
our daughter is 12 (she speaks _much _better spanish than us) ive looked into international schools. since i went to a private school in the uk i really dont want her to. i appriciate they are prolly much different now but i think that if she is going to live in an area with us, it would benifit her to immerse herself in the schoolwork and children we live close to. i went to school for a year in france when i was 12. i was pretty much fluent after 2 months. by the end of the year i had an accent! 
like i said b4 tho, if it dont work out after 6 months or so, we come back to the uk.
all she has lost is 6 months of school (worst case scenario) and since she is way ahead of her class here it wouldnt be too detremental. she will come back with a language and a life experience that you cant put a price on.

thank you all for your kind and useful imput tho!
chris:fingerscrossed:


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

sampedro said:


> Thanks annie.
> We have just sold our houseboat in Cornwall. We've been planning this move for about a year now and still seem to only be at the bottom of a huge moutain of 'stuff'!
> Have to leave our current accomodation by the end of April, so thats when we are going.
> I dont want to get to 80 and regret all the things ive never done. my family feel the same too.
> ...


Don't buy for a couple of years. Prices are still dropping and you could end up with a property you simply can't sell. Its a renters market, look at sites like Spanish property for rent in Spain properties for rent Spain real estate Renting will eat into your cash pile but better that than leaving after a few years without a pot to pee in. When your really sure your going to stay long term then think about buying...but be sure.


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

bob_bob said:


> Don't buy for a couple of years. Prices are still dropping and you could end up with a property you simply can't sell. Its a renters market, look at sites like Spanish property for rent in Spain properties for rent Spain real estate Renting will eat into your cash pile but better that than leaving after a few years without a pot to pee in. When your really sure your going to stay long term then think about buying...but be sure.


That's not what I've heard. In this area, Murcia prices have stabilised.


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## sampedro (Feb 5, 2014)

well since the sort of thing im thinking of buying would be in need of total restoration (i restore houseboats, they never have power or water etc) and the prices im looking at would be only around £20k i wonder if they are likely to go much lower?


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

sampedro said:


> well since the sort of thing im thinking of buying would be in need of total restoration (i restore houseboats, they never have power or water etc) and the prices im looking at would be only around £20k i wonder if they are likely to go much lower?


Just make sure that it's legal. If not, you will not be able to restore it at any cost!


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## sampedro (Feb 5, 2014)

yes, thanks for that. ive found that in a few of the things ive looked at. the FAQs & lots of useful info[/URL] link posted further back in this thread has proved most handy too.
glad i joined this forum.
thanks.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

extranjero said:


> That's not what I've heard. In this area, Murcia prices have stabilised.


Lets for a moment assume your right, how many empty properties are available now? How long will it take for them to sell? Even if property prices did level out the likelyhood of you buying now and selling quick should things go pear shaped are still slim. To be honest, anyone buying now who is not absolutely sure they are staying for a minimum of ten years is either a: very wealthy and doesn't mind taking a hit on a sale, or b: an idiot who won't listen to common sense.

I've earned far far far more money from property rentals and sales in the UK than I ever did in my army or nursing careers but then I grew up in the property arena with my parents and I've just carried on after their deaths and using what they taught me. I've always made money from UK property.

Unfortunately these days we have a lot of people in their 50's or who've come to a pensionable age, maybe who are 'brick wealthy' in the UK, mortgage free, or maybe inherit a UK property/have a nice pension lump sum and think "Ohooo, lets retire to Spain (or Cyprus et al). They've been to Spain many times on holiday, its lovely but when the reality of daily living, missing the family or poor health kicks in they have a pile of bricks they can't sell, no £300k or more in the bank and go back to blightly with not a lot of sympathy from the DHSS. All of a sudden their £1500 a month pension means they get little or no support from the government and their dreams are shattered.

If you have money in the bank then go and rent for a year or so, really be totally confident the move is for you and don't burn all your UK bridges.


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