Planning a life-changing move to Spain…here’s my personal views on what’s most important.

Moving to Spain does not have to be as daunting as many people think it is, with the right planning and the right steps taken it can be as smooth as moving round the corner. People often wait till retirement age to make the move, and whilst this a great way to spend your later years, the resources are also available for younger people to take advantage of all this wonderful country has to offer and build a great life working in Spain as well.

My top tip is to take the time to learn Spanish in Spain, especially if you intend to start a business or look for employment, job opportunities will dramatically increase if you can speak the language, as will business opportunities. Even for those not looking to work, speaking Spanish will ease the settling in process, making the move abroad is obviously a stressful period so in my opinion you should do all you can to make acclimatising to your new community as straight-forward as possible. Understanding the local culture, appreciating cultural expectations is all made is easier by speaking Spanish…please don’t be one of those people who move to Spain and keep themselves separate from the locals, what makes Spain special is the locals, so you are sure to miss out if you choose not to get involved with them and their way of life.

As well as taking advantage of language schools Spain, if you are planning to look for work, my advice to you would be to find rental accommodation initially then maybe look for something more permanent once you have the security of full time employment. The last thing you want to do is throw all your savings into a long term investment then find you have no income from employment to live on. This also gives the flexibility of trying different areas of Spain; you may find the job opportunities are better elsewhere. There are a wide variety of rental properties all across Spain.

If you plan your move effectively I am sure Spain will be all you expected and more. Embrace the culture, learn Spanish, and give yourself the best chance of succeeding in your new life in the sun. Try not to let rash decisions spoil the chance of a lifetime.