LIVE - It is tough to get stressed out, sitting in the shade of a café’s parasol, gently brushed by a warm sea breeze and unburdened by prickly jumpers and thermal socks, knowing that you can escape the confines of your four walls without the risk of being slapped in the face by a cold wet gust of wind.
The lower half of Spain benefits from a variation between 300 and 350 days of sunshine a year and scientists have proven that blue skies and bright sunshine increase the release of endorphins, quite simply, it makes most people happier. As long as you choose carefully and employ the right advisors and experts, moving to Spain can be quite smooth and simple, meaning you can get right down to increasing your quality of life in a very short space of time.

WORK - With the onset of more flexible communication methods, more and more people can mount a virtual office anywhere in the world and their clients need not know where they are actually based. There are more resorts in Spain now offering the infrastructure for broadband internet connection and as long as you are near an airport, you can fly back to the UK or Ireland for meetings for very little money. Being a member of the European Union, business regulations in Spain are very similar to those of the UK. Setting up your own business in Spain is fairly easy even if you don’t know the language. A lot of banks, accountants and lawyers in the more touristically developed areas have English speaking staff and can advise you as to the best way to go about it.

PLAY - Spain is one of the most varied countries in Europe for leisure activities. It is no surprise then, that Spain is the second most visited country in the whole world! In Spain, you can ski and sunbathe in the same week! You can also play on a wide variety of different golf courses, and the best thing is, you are very unlikely to be rained off! You could also see lions, tigers, zebras and giraffes on safari or hire a boat and explore coves and islands. Soon, you can also watch the Americas Cup in Valencia. You can play football, tennis or paddle or satisfy your need for speed in Jerez, Ronda, or Barcelona. You can visit some of the best marine reserves in Europe snorkelling or scuba diving in Spain’s warm Mediterranean waters or visit the old Spaghetti Western villages in Málaga. You can be a culture vulture in Seville or Madrid or go on an artistic trail in Barcelona. Really, Spain has so many opportunities open for any type of personality that you need not go anywhere else.

INVEST - The economic forecast for Spain is healthy. Consistent growth in property prices over the last 13 years coupled with low interest rates make Spain the ideal place for a low risk investment. In 2005, capital appreciation in Spain averaged at 17.2%. Spain, for a multitude of reasons, will always be popular with the UK market, whether they are just looking for a holiday or to buy a property. There is no other European country with a sunny climate that is so accessible from the UK. Whilst other emerging markets can offer cheap property, no other property market can offer such a steady history of growth as well as an ever-increasing synergy with European law and flexible financial options. A recent survey by Barclays shows that the quantity of Brits who own property abroad is set to double to 4.4M and 30% of those that will buy, will buy in Spain. This augurs well for the health of the resale market and means that the correctly chosen property can not only offer you significant capital appreciation, but also healthy rental returns.