Do your research before you buy property in Spain, Foreign Office advises

Consular staff from Spain were on hand to provide more than 1000 Britons with impartial advice on things to think about before moving abroad.
British Consul Paul Rodwell said: “We offered clear advice that helps people to think more carefully about planning their move. We made them aware of potential pitfalls when buying property overseas, as well as thinking about other important issues such as access to healthcare and how they're going to integrate into local life by learning the Spanish language.” Potential buyers are encouraged to visit the wealth of information on living abroad within the UK Government's new www.gov.uk website, as well as to look at the property advice on Spain at www.gov.uk/how-to-buy-property-in-spain . New official figures show that last year some 4'148 Spanish homes were purchased by British nationals, an increase of 3.5% compared with 2011, though still far from the peak of more than 17'000 British buyers in 2007.

Rodwell, Consul for the Alicante region, and Bernadette Gallagher, property expert for southern Europe, attended the London property show as part of a continuing drive by the Foreign Office to ensure that Britons who are thinking about moving abroad have all the information they need before making final decisions.

Six out of ten people who spoke to Foreign Office staff were thinking of Spain as their place in the sun, showing that the country continues to be the most popular destination for Britons thinking about moving overseas.