Am I mad?

I say go for it !

My sister and her husband rented out their house here 2 years ago and now rent in Spain. They have got their residency permits, drive a Spanish purchased car and take language lessons.

This is all paid for by the rent from their UK property, so they have the perfect safety net.

They did all their research before they left, rented furnished the first year to test the waters, changed property at the end of that year and then shipped out their possessions.

Its working for them !

Good luck to you .

We have a house in Greece and go there for long periods of time but wouldn’t want to live there permanently. Lots of our friends do live there but we have noticed more and returning to the Uk especially if they become ill.
Definitely rent for a year to see how you get on. Would you be able to downsize and keep a small place in each country? Renting one out would bring some income and a bolt hole should you ever need to return to the UK.

I moved to Spain when my children were younger and were schooled there . We lived there for 15 years and returned 10 years ago , the worst move we have ever made . My advise would be wait to find out what happens with brexit . Then you know we're you stand for staying in the country and also for the health service . Apart from that don't think twice you'll have a great life .

We lived in Spain for 15 years and came home for various family reasons.

I agree that, initially, you should rent and either rent out your existing house or buy another and rent it out. If you decide Spain is for you and don't want to continue renting then buy a smallish place in Spain. You will not make the same profit as you will in the UK but you have to balance that against quality of life.

The climate is so healthy and the pace of life slower. I think it is much easier there for a woman on her own. Going into bars, eating alone and making friends.

Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about the health system. If we leave the EU I think there will be a reciprocal agreement the same as we have with Australia etc. The health system there is brilliant, far better than here. No long waits for treatment.

Try to find somewhere that is not too full of ex pats. We lived in a village about 6 miles from the coast. Friendly Spaniards, always something going on and a mix of northern european expats. A lot of coastal resorts almost close down in winter.

Also be prepared for winter to be colder than you expect. Spanish houses are built to keep cool and can be very cold in winter.

I would rent in Spain for a while to decide on an area you like and either rent out your current house here or buy something smaller here first and rent that out. I am a great supporter of Brexit but I appreciate that it may entail there could be some difficulties for British citizens wanting to relocate permanently to EU countries in the future. You would also need to sort out medical insurance and, I believe, your state pension would not receive any future increases. You would also need to decide whether to take your horse with you in the future or give it up.

We lived in Spain for 15 years and came home for various family reasons.

I agree that, initially, you should rent and either rent out your existing house or buy another and rent it out. If you decide Spain is for you and don't want to continue renting then buy a smallish place in Spain. You will not make the same profit as you will in the UK but you have to balance that against quality of life.

The climate is so healthy and the pace of life slower. I think it is much easier there for a woman on her own. Going into bars, eating alone and making friends.

Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about the health system. If we leave the EU I think there will be a reciprocal agreement the same as we have with Australia etc. The health system there is brilliant, far better than here. No long waits for treatment.

Try to find somewhere that is not too full of ex pats. We lived in a village about 6 miles from the coast. Friendly Spaniards, always something going on and a mix of northern european expats. A lot of coastal resorts almost close down in winter.

Also be prepared for winter to be colder than you expect. Spanish houses are built to keep cool and can be very cold in winter.

Sell your large house and buy (for cash) a smaller house or flat. That will give you flexibility while you have a look at what Spain has to offer. Spanish property prices are in steep decline with no end in sight. (UK prices are holding up and increasing in most areas) Waiting a year or two may save you quite a lot. Best to go smaller in the UK and visit Spain regularly to get used to the life....renting an apartment or staying in a small hotel on the visits. Do not be tempted to visit Spain and stay with friends, that will not give you an appreciation of life in Spain . The last hing you would want to do is to simply transplant yourself from one circle of UK friends to a circle of British expats in Spain. They live n a social bubble..... and that is not "living in Spain".

I have lived in Spain and I'd say go for it. One year there will pass by very quickly and if you can make a life for yourself out there, then why not. Definitely rent somewhere initially, rather than buy. Even if you sell your property in the UK, it sounds like you'll have sufficient funds to buy a property in the UK, should you decide to return.

I was fortunate enough to be able to own a home in Spain and in the UK at the same time, and I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with selling up completely in the UK, just in case things didn't work out.

We bought a house in Spain 8 years ago and love it. Unfortunately we were overtaken by Brexit so have not moved there yet though we manage just under 6 months/year to stay for longer we'd get embroiled in the Spanish tax system which we are happy to do if allowed after Brexit is sorted out one way or the other.
Much of the advice on here is sound. I would recommend renting for 6 months to a year to make sure it is for you. If you want to downsize sell your house and keep the money in the bank or somewhere you'll get a bit of interest so that you have the resources to buy in Spain or back here if you decide it isn't for you.
Good luck

Well you’ve inspired me, I’ve been thinking about it for ages. The main worry is healthcare costs should we leave the EU. There’s some good Facebook pages, such as Bremain in Spain, that, although can’t give specific advice, can point you in the right direction.

Have you thought of downsizing to a small flat nearer to your children, and using any spare cash left from the sale of your house for more holidays in Spain?

Also - would you have enough friends in Spain to provide a support network not just for now when you're a young woman of 68, but in ten or twenty years' time?

Plus - how would Brexit affect access to hospitals etc?

Whatever you decide, well done for being prepared to change and good luck for the future x

Make the change. You won't regret it.
Try before you buy as others have said.

Either 1) Rent somewhere in Spain for a while year while letting your home here or
2) Sell up and put your money away while you rent in Spain.
Meantime, do some research as to areas where you might want to live and, if you plan to let your house unfurnished, then start selling the contents on eBay or Facebook.
It's much nicer to start fresh with new stuff when you finally decide to buy.
Clutter free.
I hope all goes well and you have the time of your life.

Do it!

In a year’s time something should have been sorted about Brexit - shouldn’t it?! And if you never give it a try you’ll always be wondering if you should have done it. If, after a year’s renting you decide to come home or your circumstances or the world has changed, you’ll probably have lost little (or even gained) monetarily but gained the experience.

It depends on your age and energy levels. I would not move country again at this stage in life.
It's not always warm and sunny in Spain. Far better to downsize here and take extended holidays there. Just my opinion.

Good idea to rent your house out and rent in Spain. Nothing lost and everything to hope for without burning bridges financially.

Reading your post, I see you've got it all worked out and don't really need anyone here to tell you you're mad You're not.

Go on your Big Adventure and have a ball! Hasta la Vista !!

Being realistic, how would you manage if your health changed? How would Brexit affect payment for health costs? I would be wary of burning bridges.

I say go for it as well lovingit Sound advice from MOnica there will be plenty of rental properties in Spain. Enjoy your new life.

Lovingit When we first moved out to Spain we had sold the large family home and rented for 6 mths to first find our feet and sorce an area we liked,we then rented on a long term leasefor 2 yrs before buying a home by that time we where sorted with our residency and Drs etc.
We still had the funds to buy here in UK if things did not work out we stayed for 10yrs and enjoyed every minute and we where lucky to sell our business and home to the same people from Germany.Go for it and enjoy it you will always be wondering "what if" if you don't.What part of Spain are you looking at may I ask?

I cannot see any problem. You clearly want to downsize anyway, so doing as you suggest, taking a year to gradually declutter and sell gives you plenty of time to have cold feet without any disatrous results. If you change your mind, you just buy a new home in the UK. If you want to move nearer family you can rent for six months in different areas in the UK until you find the place you want. House prices are not going to be whooshing up anytime soon.

The same in Spain, as you say - rent first. I think, personally I would keep renting inSpain and not buy, the Spanish market is much lower and cheaper and uncertain than in the UK. You can then invest in a smaller compact home in te Uk that you rent out, so if disaster strikes - ill health or other reason and you want to return home, you will have a home to move back to and get back quickly, and not tied by not being able to return home until you sell the house - which could take years.

I have a friend living in Portugal, been there at least 20 years but still finds the culture difficult at times. Apparently she has waited over a year for a license for her swimming pool and can't sell the house until she gets it. Mostly she accepts that life is different but sometimes finds it very frustrating.

Agree you need at least a year renting in the place you would like to live.

My son moved to Spain 8 years ago, and says he will never come back to England,the pace of life is much slower and easier, the only gripe he has is that the Spanish are or seem to be obsessed with paperwork,
He is wanting to get married over there ,and the rigmarole he has to go through to prove he is who he says he is, and to prove he and his partner have never been married before is ridiculous
He could come back here and get married, but its such a long journey by car and ferry, and he wont bring his dogs in a plane, and as he had started the process there might as well carry on, but its been months since they applied
I am sure you will love the weather though,it always seems to be summer, depending on whee you live in Spain of course,he is in the Alicante, area

Lovingit,
Lot more research needed.

Good luck !

HurdyGurdy , your advice is spot on!

lovingit don't burn your bridges, keep all doors open, (add other metaphors to suit!)

A "visit" to a friend in Spain gives just a snapshot of how living there might be, you need to spend a lot more time (preferably a year) to see if it's right for you.

Could you rent out your UK home and rent a property in Spain for the year, rather than sell up altogether? At least that way, if Spain doesn't work out, you've still got somewhere to come back to.

It think in the circumstances you outlined, I'd say do it. If nothing else, the next year will give you the opportunity to have a good clear out! and by then (with everything crossed) Brexit will be sorted one way or the other, which may make it easier to make a permanent decision.