Moving to the Balearic Islands
21 September 2011
Moving to a new country can be a daunting process but also the start of an exciting chapter in your life. When the move goes well it's easy to become enamoured with the Balearic Islands, but if you are badly prepared you could soon be left feeling alone, disheartened and longing to return.
There are a variety of reasons why people chose to relocate. Traditionally, it has been for work or retirement, with the Balearics it is a magnet for those who want to spend their seasoned years in the sun. But these days, an increasing number of people are relocating for lifestyle reasons and these islands are attracting more and more young families who might ask questions about schooling, drug problems and crime, rather than the distance to the nearest golf course.
Research:
The first step in the relocation process is deciding to take the plunge. As a new home and the cost of setting up again entail substantial investment, it goes without saying that a little "home work" is paramount. People who have taken the plunge before will tell you not to base your decision on one great holiday, but explore different areas and visit at different times of the year. Communicate to people who have made the move, and if you plan to work, make sure there is a demand for your skills or services. When you have found your ideal property, don't be too shy to ask the seller 101 questions either. "Where are the local re-cycling points, what day is the local market, where do you get your gas refilled, can you recommend a garden service, pool cleaning company, laundromat, etc." Ask them to leave emergency numbers for gas, telephone, electricity and water and maybe even introduce yourself to your neighbours.
Finding the right agent/broker:
There are no shortage of respected estate agents in Mallorca, and you will probably get to know some of them pretty well as they drive from home to home. Hopefully, you will find an agent who is a source of local knowledge and won't mind sharing it with you.
If you are considering relocating but time is paramount and you find frequent property-hunting trips too time-consuming, you might want to consider the services of Balearic Estates to help with your search.
Many of our clients want a second home in the Balearic Islands because it is so accessible from the UK, but don't know too much about the islands themselves. They do their viewings over their hard-earned holiday and don't want to be wasting time seeing anything that isn't suitable.
The most common concerns of relocating clients tend to be about legal issues, building and access rights of neighbours, losing views or green belt land. For this reason it is always advisable to use local Mallorcan or Spanish lawyers who speak good English."
Using the Internet:
For people wanting to relocate, the Internet is a wonderful tool, not just as a source of information on everything from entertainment to buying Insurance, but also as a means of finding a property. It's also great for perfectionists who like to double-check and research things themselves.
The only problem is that there is such a mass of information, and so much of interest to read, you'll stay glued to the computer for hours! An obvious starting place would be www.balearic-estates.com website as it has a useful property and information search site.
Better still, contact us and allow us to do the hard and time consuming work for you.
Above all, you should enjoy the process (if you do it the right way!) and we look forward to help smooth the path to finding that perfect property.
Property of the week
Spectacular VillaAndratx and Puerto de Andratx, Mallorca
Incredible location for this villa for sale in Port Andratx, Majorca. Situated almost on the water with direct access to the small beach...
