If you are contemplating moving to Spain, you need to know that the system of selling property is very different from that in the UK. Estate agents do not provide house particulars, often do not show prices of properties, and in many cases do not even display photographs.

Selling is normally done by interview, where the agent will ascertain your requirements, before showing you details of houses which may suit you. As you can imagine, this becomes very difficult if you don't speak Spanish, and they don't have employees who speak English! This is where we come into the picture.

Early in 2002 the author was touring Spain looking for an inexpensive area in which to settle. Property in the more 'anglicised' parts of the country is now reaching high prices, and he was attracted to the Valencia area through the Web site of a company specialising in sales to the British. Having viewed a number of their properties, he was passing a local Spanish estate agents when he saw a photograph of a house in which he was already interested. He was not surprised at this, as agencies are often not exclusive, but was shocked to find on enquiry that the English-speaking agents were asking 32% MORE for the same house. Naturally, he bought the house from the Spanish agents!

He also realised that, without a working knowledge of Spanish, such savings were denied to most British people.