THERE are indeed lots of foreigners here who have made their move in Spain and permanently erected settlements here. These foreigners mostly come from Britain and similar places such as the Isle of Man, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland. Others come from Scandinavian countries such as the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Greenland, Iceland and even Germany. They have loved to stay here following their retirement at about age 40 after marrying a Spanish local.

It’s too cold out there in Northern Europe while the climate in the British island is too erratic. There are thunderstorms even in the middle of summer so they have come the relatively temperate Mediterranean climate in the Iberian Peninsula where Spain is located. There are several kinds of properties here. There are properties in urban areas such as Madrid and Barcelona. Some here are considerably the condominium type. However, don’t undermine these condominiums because they have lots of amenities such as 24-hour alarm system, cable television and high-speed Internet connection, heaters and air conditioners in every suite provided.

Another factor in the burgeoning of expatriates here in Spain is that the real estate policy in Spain is friendly to foreigners. There are only two taxes that you have to pay. The first one is the annual income tax. Most of the foreigners who buy properties here either live in them or lease them out to other holiday goers. This is where the income tax comes in. The second kind of tax is the monthly garbage collection tax and it goes directly to the local government where your property is erected.

In the rural areas, there are various villas, manors, estates, structures in the shape of medieval castles and mansions up for sale. These are either located in the countryside or by the beach in the Mediterranean. Those ones in the countryside beware. Do not force yourself or live by yourself in a remote house if you don’t have a butler with you. Something may happen to you that is why you need to have company. That’s for your own protection anyway.

Spain is not located in a ring of fire or in any area that is easily a target of cyclones or tsunamis so it must be considered a paradise here on earth. There are several places in Spain that are yet to be discovered. Spain is not just the Iberian Peninsula. They also own two archipelagos – the Balearic group of islands and the Canary Archipelago. One of these islands that need a little more push is Tenerife. Although it has extensive olive plantations and a booming tourist industry at El Teide Natural Park, it’s still considered a remote place and urbanization is still catching up there.

Likewise, Spanish properties have high rental yields and low property transaction costs. Also, Spanish properties here are very affordable. Pretty soon, there will be Eurostar service connecting London and Spain so watch out for that. There is already an existing Eurostar service from London to France but already, Spanish authorities are claiming that they are not threatened certainly with this development.