A Dream That Can Come True

Sitting on the porch, in the evening, holding a glass of wine, watching the sun setting over the sea, soon to be followed by a visit to the local tapas bar for some food and drinks. A holiday home or a retirement home in the sun is a dream, but one that can come true.

Whether your dream is a country house enveloped in vines, a secret retreat for golfing holidays, or a cosy apartment for the family to enjoy and drink too much Sangria, all you need is the courage of your own convictions. Whatever the goal, question not the sunny days ahead, merely your ambition to succeed.

Common Perceptions

The Spanish dream is normally based on a number of perceptions. Most people have a preconceived idea of Spain. These perceptions are based on personal knowledge and experience. Telling people will not change their perception of a situation. It can only be altered by giving ‘facts’ in a learning situation.

Here are a few common perceptions about Spain.

Holidays

This first thought was probably gained during holidays on the Costas or on the Islands of Spain. It is a very positive perception with lots of sun, excellent wine and food, new friends, mixed up with a different culture. The formula is so good that repeat prescriptions are required and taken.

Life At Home

The second perception, probably slightly negative, is of life and work at home. Long dark cold winters, only seeing daylight at the weekends. Rain, rain and more rain. When will it stop? Work seems to be getting more and more stressful.

Computers, e-mail, faxes and the internet seem to have added to meetings, the telephone and the office memo. Company politics seem to have reached new levels. Playing politics used to be for advancement, now it’s for survival. There is a feeling of being in a rut with a change necessary.

Practical Thoughts

Of course the desire for change is coupled with a sense of pragmatism. One cannot just uproot oneself, avoid responsibility and dash off to sunny Spain. What about the finances? What about the willpower to succeed? What about parents and children; how will they feel? These issues need to be addressed before any move can be considered.

A Big Issue

The last perception is a complex summary of the previous three. One that says that the purchase of a property in Spain, either as a holiday home or a permanent residence, is a big, big issue, one that needs many questions answered before coming to a conclusion. But, providing the motivation is there, this quest for knowledge will continue by reading books, looking at adverts in newspapers, going to property exhibitions, visiting Spain and talking to friends. The result will be an overall picture, enabling a true perception of the country to be obtained.