Lucky you, sounds fantastic. Perhaps you should ask in the Ex-pats and Owners Abroad section, after all these are the folk that have actually done it. Good luck.

Thanks Joolz

It looks like a kind mod has moved it for me - thank you

I had hoped people could give us their thoughts and advice as it's such a big decision to make. So if you can give us your views and any tips, help etc.. we would be very greatful!!!

Freeda77

I will be in pretty much the same situation as you come July. We have bought a villa in Tenerife and myself and youngest two children are going to be living there permanently and my husband who is self employed as an electrician will still be working in the UK due to the fact that he has some great crontracts here that can afford us the move. He will only be visiting Tenerife for a long weekend perhaps every two weeks but every couple of months for a bit longer. We are hoping that while he is on his visits he can build up a customer/contract base so that sometime in the future he can also make a permanent move. All of our friends and familiy are supportive of our decision it had just been the odd person who has said 'But you will be out there on your own'. My reply to them is that hopefully I will soon make some new friends and I am also sure that while I am out there on my own I will have plenty of visitors from the UK. I know this is not the same as being at 'home' with you friends, family and neighbours that you have known for years but to achieve the lifestyle that we are aiming for my husband and I are prepared to make this sacrifice. If it does prove to hard and we can't cope with living like that then at least we can say we tried. Like yourself our main concerns are for our children. As much as I am proud to be English there is nothing left for us here. We accept that it will be hard living apart but have decided that if we want a better life for our kids and ourselves we have got to go for it. Hopefully all will work out fine. Go for it and enjoy.

Regards Jackie

Thank you for the encouragement Jackie

Your situation does sound very similar, i'm glad we are not alone in our thinking. We are planning a trip in June to view property we spotted in March and have since found some more on the internet. We're really excited, but i'm still a teeny bit scared i must admit.

The number one reason for this move though is for the sake of a better future for our (much wanted) children. I really don't see anything positive about staying in the UK for them.

Thanks again

Hi Girls, my advice to you both would be to go for with out any doubt my wife and I are in the same situation with my business being in Scotland but each time we visit Spain we don't want to come back fed up with the bad weather and the high taxes we will definitely be going to Spain to stay in the future if all is well and I hope you both do the same. Good luck. Stephen.

Thanks for that Stephen

It's just nice to hear that other people feel the same and don't think we're mad!

Most people feel like us but its not always possible to make that move so when you are in the position to be able to take the plunge then I would say go head on. I am just trying to strengthen my position at the moment and then when its time I'm off.
Stephen.

Freda77

120,000 Britons leave our wonderful country every year to move abroad so I don't think it is just us who have the same opinion. . Like you I am a bit scared due to the fact that my two children who will be coming with me are a 14 year old son and a 16 year old daughter; my eldest son who is 20 is unsure what he is going to do as yet, but my main concern at the moment is my daughter. I think due to her age and the fact that she will be leaving her friends behind she is a little unsure. Unlike my 14 year old son who is very confident and will make friends very quickly, my daughter is quite shy until she actually gets to know people well. I think you are in an ideal situation not having children at the moment; I wish we had taken the plunge to move abroad before we had children or when they were a lot younger. My daughter has been studying Spanish for her GCSE's for the last two years in preperation for our move so has a good understanding of the language. My youngest son and myself are teaching ourselves with the CD and book that was free with the Independent a couple of months ago and are not doing too bad and my husband; well I won't even bother to mention how much Spanish he can speak at the moment - zilch. The good thing for you is that when you have children they will be brought up from birth in a wonderful environment and once they start talking and go to school they will be bi-lingual without even thinking about it. I am also very excited at the prospect of moving abroad knowing that the kids and ourselves will have a better life without the fear that when the kids go out they are going to get mugged for their phones or punched in the face because someone else decides they want a fight. Like yourself we have been travelling to the place we are moving to at least twice a year for the last 20 years and I can honestly say that I feel more relaxed and at home when there and although I still have the normal parental concerns about my kids I don't have the fear for their safety that I do in the UK. Unlike you we will not be keeping our property in the UK for the simple reason that we feel if we did and things got a bit tough it would be too easy to come back instead of sticking it out. A few people we know who have moved abroad have said that the first year is the hardest because obviously you're missing family and friends, and the different lifestyle takes a bit of getting used to when on a permanent basis and apparently it is within the first year that most people return to their own country. We felt for us it was better not to have that bolt hole. What sort of property will you be looking for Will you move onto a complex or buy something independent.

Stephen01 - Hope you get to your dream destination in the near future. We have been planning our move for almost five years and two years ago we finally found ourselves in the position to be able to do it . We have looked at a number of properties over the last two years but none came close to our dream home. You know the one I mean; the one that you can see in your head which you think is just a figment of your imagination and you will never find for real. Finally while we were out there at christmas our agent took us to see a property that he told us was just what we were looking for (just like he had so many times before). After looking around it I had to pinch myself because we were actually standing in our dream home. You know how the story finishes

Regards Jackie

Hi Jackie,

We are keeping our UK home, due to the fact my husband will be spending the majority of his time here and it makes sound financial sense. I certainly won't be bothered about moving back to it, especially if we start a family as it's just not suitable for children.

We are looking at a 2 or 3 bed apartment to start with as i want to be quite central to town. We could get a villa in a quiet backwater for the same money, but while i will be spending a lot of time alone, i want everything accessible on foot. We will buying a car, but i don't want to be relying on a vehicle out there for everything as it's one of the things i dislike about my lifestyle here in the UK. The car will be most valuable for the commute to pick hubby, friends and family up from the airport and the odd supermarket run.

If or When we ever get financially secure out there and my husband can make the move too, we will i'm sure look at houses but until then, i would prefer something more 'town' based.

Hi Freda77

We have bought an independent villa which is six years old. It is in a dead end road with about twenty other independent villas in the area. It is probably a ten/fifteen minute walk from the nearest town which is a fishing village. It sounds small when you say village but it is in fact quite a nice size place with bars and restaurants and you've guessed a fish market every morning. I did not want to be on a complex as we felt you are quite restricted as to what you can do and can't do with regard to alterations etc. The villa we have bought already has the licences to allow us to build another level on the top if we want to. A few people in the area have done so already and they look stunning. I think with the amount of people that have told us they will be coming out we'll need to build two levels on top. Anyway I hope the search in June goes well and you find what you are looking for. Keep us posted

Regards Jackie

Freda 77,

Follow your dreams and achieve all your goals in life. If you try anything and it does not work, then what is the worst that can happen?

If it fells right for you and your husband then do it!!!!!!! Never look back, always look ahead and you will succeed. If you ever get it wrong its not a failure, its another lesson you have learnt in life.

Good luck

Wise words Danazcurt

Hi Danazcurt,

Thank you for the kind words, yes you are right we don't really have anything to lose.

I am actually thinking along the lines of a suggesting a 'sabbatical' from work to see if we can make it a success. It would be a great chance to try it and see if we like it before i leave my job (which i love). I think we would love it, but if we gave it a six month trial it may just cement everything. Food for thought.

Whether my firm will go agree to it though, i don't know??? (:lol:)

Has anyone else tried a Sabbatical from work? I'd love to hear from you if you have.... :wink:

Hi

Just wondered if you hd made the move from Uk.

We came as a family just over a year ago near Moraira 30mins from Benidorm and would never go back.