Beautiful Spain, if only this haven in the sunshine came without problems.

I guess the reality is wherever you buy a property there is the potential for problems, yes even in the UK. Buying a property in the UK or indeed anywhere in the world is rated as one of the three most stressful things we can do in our lives alongside divorce and changing jobs. So why do so many people still dream of buying a property overseas? Could it be the sunshine, the more relaxed lifestyle, the improved quality of life or maybe it is more of an escape from all the bad things at home.

The politicians, the weather, the crime rate, the increasing tendency for the Government to scrutinise everything we do, the lunacy that is political correctness and the sheer pressure of living in a country where the normal upstanding tax paying member of society is increasingly marginalized and ironically made to feel like a foreigner in their own country. Where the unemployed and the so called disadvantaged and minority ethnic groups seem to get all the help our Government can muster yet our indigenous pensioners are unable to afford to heat their homes during the winter.

I am afraid that buying a dream property overseas away from all the madness that is the UK in the 21st century will remain a major goal for many Brits as evidenced by the National Office of Statistics figures for emigration in 2005, which tells us that more 300,000 people migrated from the UK to seek a better life elsewhere.

I wonder what the figure will be for 2006. With more and more budget airlines opening more and more routes all over Europe travel is becoming more affordable to more and more people.

With prices as low as 15 pounds one way to Malaga with British Airways this summer the cost of travel becomes less and less of an issue. Southern Spain has probably the best climate in the World, maybe not as exotic as the Caribbean or Thailand but then there are no earthquakes or tsunamis to worry about no cyclones or tornados. So is Spain really a paradise virtually on our doorstep, well unfortunately Spain does have some problems like in Marbella where most of the local administration are in prison for dodgy real estate deals and issuing illegal planning permission to corrupt developers. Like in the region of Valencia where innocent Brits find that there home is suddenly subject to a land grab and they are in danger of losing their dream retirement home.

Inheritance Tax Laws which can mean when your partner dies you are suddenly saddled with a demand to pay or your home will be snatched back or sold at auction. These are the sort of issues which can turn a dream into a nightmare.

The good news is that these issues can be understood and with careful forethought and good advice, in the most part, avoided. The problem is that too many Brits jet off to Spain and leave their common sense and their brains behind. In Spain you need to seek advice, you need to get help and information from those who know Spain and have lived there and understand the issues. Buying a property is a major investment, no matter who you are, and buying in another country needs careful consideration, yet all too often buyers are seduced by fast talking salesman interested only in a quick buck and high commission fees and fail to take proper and sensible precautions.

By taking good advice and understanding the issues a lot of pain and stress can be avoided. New companies based in Spain are emerging like OLG or Overseas Living Group who provide advice for those hoping to buy in Spain. They are not estate agents but British advisors whose staff have lived and worked in Spain and so understand the local issues. They provide good independent advice and point you in the right direction for estate agents, developers and mortgage brokers in fact for anything you want in Spain. They scrutinise suppliers and only when they are confident that a supplier is a reputable and reliable company will they recommend them to their clients.

These kinds of companies can be invaluable in saving you on stress and heartache. Their service is usually free to the client as they get commission from the various suppliers who are happy to pay for good introductions to good customers. Spain can be a “dream come true” but as with everything in life it pays to be cautious.