Buying in Spain was a pipe dream for years, but after a trip to A Place in the Sun Manchester, it happened so quickly /articles/2025/08/buying-in-spain-was-a-pipe-dream-for-years-but-after-a-trip-to-a-place-in-the-sun-manchester-it-happened-so-quickly

John and Cath from Newcastle had watched A Place in the Sun on TV for years, often talking about how amazing it would be to buy their own home in Spain. “It was a bit of a pipe dream for a long time,” says Cath, 59, a family support worker in a schoo…

How easy is it to retire to Almería in Spain? Our house hunters share their story /articles/2026/02/how-easy-is-it-to-retire-to-almeria-in-spain-our-house-hunters-share-their-story

Why retire to Almería in Spain? Do you dream of moving somewhere with a slower pace of life, 3,000 hours of sunshine a year and a three-bedroom house for less than £150k? Maybe consider the Spanish region of Almería, where there are wild volcanic lan…

Why Gran Alacant is a hit with our house hunters with a budget of £100k /articles/2026/04/why-gran-alacant-is-a-hit-with-our-house-hunters-with-a-budget-of-100k

Looking for a holiday home in Spain that is easy to reach and doesn’t require having a car, but with lots to do to keep the extended family happy, Marcia chose Gran Alacant, just south of Alicante on the Costa Blanca. Marcia, who lives in Wandsworth…

Look away from the big ski resorts for value for money chalets /articles/2014/01/look-away-from-the-big-ski-resorts-for-value-for-money-chalets

You will pay a premium for properties in good locations in fashionable ski resorts so why not look at some lower-profile examples if you seek an affordable ski home? One Dutch-owned Alpine agent/developer has found that two smaller French resorts pro…

Tips From Our Overseas Property Buyers: Part 2 /articles/2017/06/tips-from-our-overseas-property-buyers-reliable-agents

Welcome to the latest instalment of our 13-part series, Tips From Our Overseas Property Buyers, where we catch up with homeowners from all over the world who share their experiences exclusively with A Place in the Sun. Next up we have Tim Robinson an…

Five Minute Focus | Moncarapacho, East Algarve /articles/2020/05/five-minute-focus-moncarapacho-east-algarve

Where is it? A place where calm and tranquility are permanent but where activity is constant. Located right in the centre of the eastern Algarve, southern Portugal, Vila de Moncarapacho is in the parish of Moncarapacho and Fuzeta and is one of the mo…

Be my guest in Spain /articles/2010/08/be-my-guest-in-spain

The Townsends from Norwich celebrated 25 years of marriage by treating themselves to a holiday home in Spain, which they also rent out for extra income. We are: Dave and Bev Townsend. We run a property-finding business for the Costa Blanca and Costa…

Any Questions - Currency /articles/2009/05/any-questions-currency

The expert Stephen Hughes is Associate Director at foreign exchange provider Foreign Currency Direct. For further information, visit www.currencies.co.uk. Will the pound get stronger? Q. What are your predictions for the pound over next few months?…

Any Questions - Currency /articles/2009/05/any-questions-currency-1

The expert Stephen Hughes is associate Director at foreign exchange provider. Why are the values of different currencies yo-yoing? Q. I see exchange rates moving on a daily basis in my newspaper. Why do they change so frequently and what moves them?…

Making your French property eco-friendly /articles/2009/10/making-your-french-property-eco-friendly

The basics There are a number of grants, loans and tax relief on eco-friendly improvments to an existing property in France in adition to a lower VAT rate of 5.5% on materials and services relating to restoration and home improvement - the standa…

Understanding the Italian tax system /articles/2008/06/understanding-the-italian-tax-system

Property tax There are two local property taxes in Italy which are both based on the property's theoretical rental value according to the local land registry, and is adjusted in line with inflation. The rates of tax will vary from region to region d…

Land guarantees and the buying process in Croatia /articles/2007/03/land-guarantees-and-the-buying-process-in-croatia

E. U. citizens may, under condition of reciprocity, acquire property in Croatia. Reciprocity is presumed to exist unless proof to the contrary becomes evident.Citizens need to obtain the approval of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of…