You've made your decision, the house is secure, contracts are signed, funds are in place - now it's time to organise the move! Moving home in your own country can be worrisome enough; moving to another country can be quite daunting. If you intend to move furniture and personal effects we advise the following: always check with your local Spanish Or Italian Consulate regarding likely costs, bonds, customs clearance etc.

This is normally quite straightforward if you are travelling from another part of Mainland Europe or the U.K. - simply a door-to-door move - but if your goods will be entering the country through a port, this can be a little more complicated as there is a fair amount of paperwork involved.

We will be happy to supply you with as much information as possible; remember, we have handled this type of move many times before.

If you are looking to bring pets, again check with the Spanish or Italian consulate to know which vaccinations and certificates will be required. Your pet will not have to be quarantined.

Call us on 0845-7023908 or e.mail us : We will be happy to put you in touch with a Removal Company who has handled thousands of clients moves abroad.

If you have school-age children, one of the most important things is to research the schooling possibilities as early as possible. Decide whether you’d prefer for them to attend a Spanish school (state or private) or an international school where the teaching will be in English or may be in both English and Spanish. 

National Association of British School in Spain (NABSS) has links to the websites of all schools that are NABSS members. You can do a little initial research this way. Once you decide on the type of school, contact a few of them for a prospectus and line up some visits when you come to view property

Although English is widely spoken in southern Spain, it’s important that you know the basics before you arrive. It will help to smooth your path tremendously if you can communicate in Spanish, particularly if you’re going to be working.

Spanish isn’t a difficult language to learn and technology makes it even easier with the excellent BBC Languages website. The site allows you to test your own level, find out more about Spain and its people and learn a little about the working environment in Spain.

If you have a pet that you plan to bring with you to Spain, it pays to be well prepared, particularly if you plan to take it backwards and forwards to the UK. You need to make sure your pet will be allowed to enter Spain but also that it will be allowed to re-enter the UK without quarantine.

The UK has strict entry regulations for pets and even if you think you won’t want to take your pet back, it pays to be prepared in case of an emergency. Pets travelling within Europe can usually avoid quarantine as long as they fulfil certain health requirements. The will need an EU Pet Passport (no photos required!) and to qualify for one is a long process which can take up to eight months, even if everything goes straightforwardly

While public transport is generally excellent here in Spain, if you plan to live and work here, it will help if can get around by car. You'll be more independent, you can explore the area more easily and of course, you'll be able to get to those beautiful hidden away spots that the region is so famous for!

Before you get into the driving seat, make sure you're driving legally, that you have all the correct paperwork and try and get to know some of the main areas. It'll help to avoid any panics when you're driving to that important interview! The Costa del Sol runs along one main highway, so as long as you can find that and the sea, you can get practically anywhere

If you are moving to Spain then you will need to make the decision on whether you bring your existing furniture with you or whether you decide to furnish your new Spanish property from scratch.

Depending on your intended use of the property it may well be worth considering a company that specialises in furniture packages. It will save you time and cuts out all the stress!

Only Spanish residents who sell one property and purchase another are exempt from capital gains tax. The current rate has recently changed 18% . This liability may be reduced by effecting certain allowances. If you do not have a residential permit for Spain when you eventually sell your property, the Spanish Tax Authority will retain a % of the sale price until they have ascertained that all taxes have been paid. This retention will be released to you via your Solicitor once the process has been completed.

A Spanish Will can be made quickly and inexpensively and signed before a Public Notary without fuss. Your Solicitor can draft your Will for you – our office will be happy to make the arrangements for you if required.

If you do not make a Spanish will, your property may not be disposed of in the manner in which you would have wished.

Should you need finance on your property in Spain or Italy, Blue Sky Homes are able to help you.

There are two ways of doing this –

• Releasing equity in your uk property.

We are unable to provide specific information with regards to mortgages.  However there are a number of independent brokers who specialise in financing for property abroad. Through them, you are able to access literally thousands of mortgage schemes currently on offer to get the best deal for you. You will need to provide some information, i.e. income, equity available in your uk home etc and they can work out what is the maximum that you can borrow against your house. It is a simple process and provided that the credit check is clear, you could have the money available in principle to purchase your home in within a few weeks.

• Financing your home through a Spanish Bank or Italian Bank

We are able to offer, through the Local Banks, upto 70% of the purchase price of your property in (subject to status). Again, you will need to provide proof of earnings – if you are self employed, passport, three years accounts and latest tax statement or if you are employed, passport six months payslips showing that you are able to make the repayments and your P60. Should you purchase a property though Blue Sky Homes, we can assist in arranging the mortgages for you.

You could have the money available to buy your home within a few weeks!

Once you have found a property that you wish to purchase, you will need to buy Euros to pay for it. Blue Sky Homes can guide you through the whole process through our associate office, Global Currency Exchange Network. We aim to provide the very best exchange rates therefore saving you money on your property purchase. You will have a designated currency dealer who will guide you through the whole transaction and explain the various methods of purchasing foreign currency to help you get that better exchange rate!

Through Global, we are confident that we can save you money on other dealers, offer a fast, simple and efficient service.

Global Currency can offer :

The Best Commercial Exchange Rates
No Fees of Commission
No Telegraphic Transfer Costs
Forward Buying
Regular Monthly Payments for Mortgages and Pensions at Corporate Rates

Why not get a quote from your bank and then give Blue Sky Homes/Global a call – if we can get a better rate for you, use us!!

Protect yourself from the fluctuations in the exchange rate

Forward buying allows you to agree a rate and buy your currency today but only pay a small deposit

You then pay the final balance at the time that you need to send your currency abroad

You can agree an exchange rate up to a year in advance.

To start with, Spain is a healthier place to live but it does also offer an extremely high standard of medical care.

Britain and Spain are full members of the European Union (EU) and you are entitled to receive free general medical treatment in Spain (the Spanish NHS!)

For people staying for upto three months, they must complete the Form E111 which your local Post Office can provide.

If you are going to live in Spain permanently, you will need to Form E121 – again, this can be obtained from the Post Office.

If you working in Spain, you will need to pay social security contributions to be eligible for medical care. Over three million people in Spain have private medical cover and this entitles you to private treatment with the bills being settled by the insurance company.

If health care is a consideration for you, it is sensible to purchase your home within close proximity of hospitals and health care centres. Blue Sky Homes and our associate offices will be happy to show you the locations of the hospitals etc during your inspection trip with us.

Buying property in Spain should be an enjoyable experience and for this reason, Blue Sky Homes strongly advise you to employ an English speaking Lawyer (Abogado) when you have decided to purchase a property.

They will make the necessary searches to ensure that the land belongs to the vendor or construction company, is free of charges, has the necessary planning and building permission and that the contract is fair and legal.

Once you have found a property to purchase, we will be pleased to introduce you to an independent english speaking lawyer who will be able to answer any queries that you have and can be instructed to act on your behalf to handle your purchase and any associated matters that you might require.  You are, of course, completely free to instruct your own lawyers if you wish.

Our staff in Spain will arrange for your NIE numbers free of charge.