Twelve things that would have saved us time, money and at least two arguments.
Paperwork
- Book every appointment before you arrive — citas go weeks out
- Get more copies of every document than you think you need, and get them translated
- Register on the padrón as soon as you have an address; almost everything else depends on it
- Keep a folder, physical and digital, of every reference number
Money
- Open a Spanish bank account early — direct debits run everything here
- Electricity is expensive; heating in a Spanish winter house more so
- Budget for the car: transfer, ITV and insurance add up quickly
Daily life
- Rent for at least six months before buying anywhere
- Nothing official happens between 2pm and 5pm
- Winter here is mild but the houses are cold — bring jumpers
- Learn the market days; they will change how you shop
- Say yes to every invitation in the first three months
None of these are dealbreakers. They are just the things we learned the slow way, and any one of them would have made our first month calmer.
