Why invest in Spain?

Beautiful weather, excellent food and wine, world-famous art and culture and low living costs are just some of the reasons you should invest your money in a property in 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 generally enjoy a Mediterranean climate of hot, dry summers and mild, rainy 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, Fundación 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!

5 reasons to buy property in Spain

Many people dream of changing their lives for the better and moving to warmer climes, but the reality of making it happen can seem a little daunting. There’s plenty of advice available on homes-abroad.com about the process of buying a property, but what about the reality of living there? What will it be like? Well, if you need a little inspiration and a dose of encouragement to finally make that move, here are five very persuasive reasons to move to Spain:

1. Food

The Spanish diet features lots of olive oil, fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, meat and cereals. People tend to cook from scratch and don’t rely on processed food or ready-made meals.

Each region brings something different to the table. Local dishes are influenced by local traditions and the availability of produce. On the coast people eat light, cool dishes during the day, like gazpacho or tapas and feast late into the night on rice and grilled seafood dishes. Whereas in the mountains they specialise in slow-cooked roasts, bean casseroles, unctuous cured meats and hard cheeses.

2. Wine

You can’t swing a cat in Spain without knocking some grapes off a vine. There are over 60 official regional types of wine. (denominations of origin).

The grassy northwest is most famous for Alberino, a white grape and zesty wine. Along the Mediterranean coast, you’ll find mega-wines like Cava and Sherry but also lesser-known regional red and white varieties. The Ebro River Valley serves the famous vineyards of La Rioja and Navarra growing Tempranillo grapes. The Duero River region makes several very drinkable whites and reds. Dessert wine is a speciality of the Canaries and most of the most affordable table wine comes from the interior, near Madrid.

By far the best thing about Spanish wine is the way Spanish people drink it; most bars and cafes will have decent wine lists to match any budget, and it’s usual to drink and dine out late in the balmy summer evenings.

3. Sunshine

Yes, Spain is sunny, but not all sunshine is born equal. We’ve all had that awkward weather conversation, cosied up next to a stranger on the sun loungers, about the type of heat that day. Dry heat, humid heat, mild heat, tropical heat - Spain has it all.

Officially, there are three climate zones: the Mediterranean climate on the south coast, the continental climate in the middle and the maritime climate in the Atlantic-facing north.

The Mediterranean weather is hot and dry in the summer with a little rain in the mild winters. The middle of Spain has four definite seasons: spring and autumn are often wet, summers are guaranteed to be sun-baked, and in the cool winters you’ll find snow in the mountain region. The north has the coolest summers in Spain, the winds from the open ocean can carry misty squalls in winter. Even so, the weather is still on a par with south-east France.

4. Cost of living

The cost of living in Spain is generally lower than in other European countries. However, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that everywhere is the same. Some areas attract the highest spenders in the world - the Balearics, Sotogrande and Marbella are playgrounds for the super-rich. But Madrid, for example, is 43% cheaper than New York and 39% cheaper than London as a place to live, not bad for an internationally renowned capital. The beautiful coastal regions around Valencia, Seville, Barcelona, Malaga and Alicante are even cheaper than that.

Costs such as house prices and rentals do fluctuate by region. Amenities like gas and electricity, taxes, dining, leisure facilities and public transport are usually half price of what we are used to in northern Europe. Most importantly there is a state education system and state provided health care.

The term ‘cost of living’ is a bit of a misnomer, because what Spain offers is incredible value for money. Free vitamin D from the sunshine, a slower pace of life, beautiful scenery that encourages outdoor activities, brilliant services for its citizens, friendly communities and excellent food and drink. Even on a tight budget, your lifestyle will be transformed.

5. An al fresco life

Whether you like serene coastal walks, a round of golf or adrenaline-fuelled extreme sports, Spain offers enough vast open spaces, brilliantly long and light days and eclectic natural environments for you to do something different outdoors every day for the rest of your life.

Here are just a few suggestions:

• If you like adrenaline: take your pick from kite surfing, skateboarding, paragliding, white water rafting, surfing, jet skiing, diving, parachuting, rock climbing and canyoning.
• If you like mountains: hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, quad-biking, canoeing or skiing.
• If you like the coast: golf, swimming, mud bathing, beach football, beach volleyball, water parks, birdwatching, sailing and fishing.
• If you like sport: football, tennis, volleyball, handball, roller hockey, road biking, basketball.

On top of all that activity, there’s plenty of time for arts and culture too. There are open-air theatres, beachside music festivals, concerts in caves, beautiful parks and gardens, historical squares filled with cafes to sit around in, miles of cobbled streets to walk and artisan markets to visit.

Failing all that, you could choose to simply watch the sunset from your balcony.

If you’d like to get acquainted with the different regions of Spain, it’s worth browsing our detailed location guides before taking the plunge and delving into the thousands of properties on the homes-abroad.com site. Go on - Live your dream. You know you want to ?

Are you thinking about moving, or have you already moved, to Spain? Would you be willing to share your story with us? Please do get in touch if so, we’d love to hear from you.