Mad idea? Does such a thing exist???

thetallfairy · 2025-12-04T11:34:12+00:00

Hello all Thinking I would love to get a retirement home in Spain or Portugal Someone mentioned a while ago there are lovely small properties in quiet parts of these countries close to the beach , not fancy Budget is 80-100k Is this a crazy idea? M What are the realities ? Thanks in advance !!!!!!

Original poster

thetallfairy · 04/12/2025 11:37

1 or 2 bedrooms

Happy to do work on it

Just wondering if anyone has any experiences or knows someone who managed to do it and it worked out for them

Def nothing fancy

OP posts:

LighthouseLED · 04/12/2025 11:39

Do you have an EU passport or would you qualify for a visa under a different route?

How well do you speak Spanish or Portuguese?

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 04/12/2025 11:40

Now we are not in the EU you’ll be subject to income requirements of €30kish a year (may be a little less).

Spain’s tax system is different and you’ll likely need private healthcare

Original poster

thetallfairy · 04/12/2025 11:44

LighthouseLED · 04/12/2025 11:39

Do you have an EU passport or would you qualify for a visa under a different route?

How well do you speak Spanish or Portuguese?

Irish I have an Irish passport

OP posts:

Original poster

thetallfairy · 04/12/2025 11:44

I speak good Spanish

OP posts:

Costacoffeeplease · 04/12/2025 11:45

I’ve lived in Portugal for over 20 years.

There may be suitable properties in the interior of the country, but anywhere near a beach will be €€€€€€. House prices have absolutely rocketed in the last few years.

Have a look on idealista for prices/locations.

Many properties under 100k will be ruins with issues of access to water/electricity, and be careful to check what you can legally do regarding renovations. It’s also very difficult and expensive to get good, reliable trades

Original poster

thetallfairy · 04/12/2025 12:30

Costacoffeeplease · 04/12/2025 11:45

I’ve lived in Portugal for over 20 years.

There may be suitable properties in the interior of the country, but anywhere near a beach will be €€€€€€. House prices have absolutely rocketed in the last few years.

Have a look on idealista for prices/locations.

Many properties under 100k will be ruins with issues of access to water/electricity, and be careful to check what you can legally do regarding renovations. It’s also very difficult and expensive to get good, reliable trades

Thank you so much

Maybe a few years ago I could have been in luck

Everything has got so dear !!!!

OP posts:

Original poster

thetallfairy · 04/12/2025 12:30

Thank you all

Super helpful

Could be just a crazy dream ?!!!💭

OP posts:

thinkfast · 04/12/2025 12:49

Can you drive OP? If so, I suspect you’d get something within your budget in the Almeria or Murcia regions from spain, but about 15-20 mins drive from the beach.

Costacoffeeplease · 04/12/2025 13:18

Another thing to bear in mind - on idealista sometimes the first photos of cheap properties are what the property could be, the later photos show current condition

Original poster

thetallfairy · 04/12/2025 14:22

thinkfast · 04/12/2025 12:49

Can you drive OP? If so, I suspect you’d get something within your budget in the Almeria or Murcia regions from spain, but about 15-20 mins drive from the beach.

Thank you

Yes I can

That sounds amazing will look now

OP posts:

mondaytosunday · 04/12/2025 15:14

So we are going to move to Spain for a year in 2027 on Irish passports. So this relates to a Spain not Portugal.
i can’t speak to property prices as they vary so much, but Spain is experiencing a shortage so the property market is bouyant. You will have to go inland to get any bargains. The more inland you go the less touristy and the less ex pats around. You would definitely need some language then - and it may not be the Spanish you are familiar with either! Each area has its quirks and it may take a while for your ear to attune, but knowing Spanish is a huge advantage. Renting has tight rules and it may take longer than you think to secure a place while you are looking to buy. It would be wise to make a few scouting trips if you are not sure where you want to live. You can engage a buyers agent, and there are short term winter lets which may help you to get your know an area.

Even as an EU citizen you have to get private health insurance for the first year. Medication is not free, and I think specialist medication is not free even if you manage to switch to the state system (by paying into it). You can buy whatever you want - no checks on that. But after three months living there you will have to register yourself as a resident, and at this time you show you have private health insurance and also enough money to support yourself. I think it’s not much for an EU passport holder - like €7-8000/year, either in savings or ongoing income like pensions and/or investment income. Some regions will ask for a much higher amount. However you will need much more than this anyway to live comfortably in Spain.
You will also become a tax resident if you stay there for more than 183 days in any calendar year. This is crucial - while there is a reciprocal agreement with some other countries to prevent double taxation there are differences, one major one is you will be charged capital gains tax on your main home if you sell it in the same year you became a tax resident, even if you sold it before you moved (for example if you sold in March and moved in June). You will be taxed on WORLDWIDE income and the rates may be different to what you are used to. You will need an NIE number, which is your identity number you need for any administrative issues like opening a bank account. You can apply for this at the Spanish Consulate in your home country before you move over or get it there. After you register your residency you will get a green card with your NIE number on it.
As an EU citizen you can work, but jobs are not plentiful.
Then you have to live! Are you good at making new friends? You could survive perfectly well in popular ex pat communities but to really get to know the country and culture you need to integrate, and while friendly the Spanish have their family and lifelong friends so may not be quite as hospitable to letting you in to their inner circle. But once you crack that nut you will have friends for life.
There are plenty of clubs to join, from walking to bowling to bridge to yoga, but many will be full of English people so while good for making friends, not good for integrating with the Spanish.
Spain, even in the south, can get cold in winter and many houses are not heated. This seems to catch people out, and houses are built for the heat and can be colder inside than out in winter.
Have a look at YouTube. There are plenty who have done what you propose and have documented their journey.

Maddy70 · 04/12/2025 15:22

Check out the visa requirements for each country providing you meet them then go for it. Healthcare is extraordinary in Spain and my arthritis is barely recognisable in the dryer climate. I have zero regrets about moving away and have no plans to ever return to the UK

Maddy70 · 04/12/2025 15:26

mondaytosunday · 04/12/2025 15:14

So we are going to move to Spain for a year in 2027 on Irish passports. So this relates to a Spain not Portugal.
i can’t speak to property prices as they vary so much, but Spain is experiencing a shortage so the property market is bouyant. You will have to go inland to get any bargains. The more inland you go the less touristy and the less ex pats around. You would definitely need some language then - and it may not be the Spanish you are familiar with either! Each area has its quirks and it may take a while for your ear to attune, but knowing Spanish is a huge advantage. Renting has tight rules and it may take longer than you think to secure a place while you are looking to buy. It would be wise to make a few scouting trips if you are not sure where you want to live. You can engage a buyers agent, and there are short term winter lets which may help you to get your know an area.

Even as an EU citizen you have to get private health insurance for the first year. Medication is not free, and I think specialist medication is not free even if you manage to switch to the state system (by paying into it). You can buy whatever you want - no checks on that. But after three months living there you will have to register yourself as a resident, and at this time you show you have private health insurance and also enough money to support yourself. I think it’s not much for an EU passport holder - like €7-8000/year, either in savings or ongoing income like pensions and/or investment income. Some regions will ask for a much higher amount. However you will need much more than this anyway to live comfortably in Spain.
You will also become a tax resident if you stay there for more than 183 days in any calendar year. This is crucial - while there is a reciprocal agreement with some other countries to prevent double taxation there are differences, one major one is you will be charged capital gains tax on your main home if you sell it in the same year you became a tax resident, even if you sold it before you moved (for example if you sold in March and moved in June). You will be taxed on WORLDWIDE income and the rates may be different to what you are used to. You will need an NIE number, which is your identity number you need for any administrative issues like opening a bank account. You can apply for this at the Spanish Consulate in your home country before you move over or get it there. After you register your residency you will get a green card with your NIE number on it.
As an EU citizen you can work, but jobs are not plentiful.
Then you have to live! Are you good at making new friends? You could survive perfectly well in popular ex pat communities but to really get to know the country and culture you need to integrate, and while friendly the Spanish have their family and lifelong friends so may not be quite as hospitable to letting you in to their inner circle. But once you crack that nut you will have friends for life.
There are plenty of clubs to join, from walking to bowling to bridge to yoga, but many will be full of English people so while good for making friends, not good for integrating with the Spanish.
Spain, even in the south, can get cold in winter and many houses are not heated. This seems to catch people out, and houses are built for the heat and can be colder inside than out in winter.
Have a look at YouTube. There are plenty who have done what you propose and have documented their journey.

Not quite true. Op said they retiring there and pensioners get free healthcare from the start using the S1 in Spain and prices of prescriptions are capped by the government. I only pay around 60c per prescription depending on what it is ,
Please be aware that taxes are substantially higher than the UK

Original poster

thetallfairy · 04/12/2025 18:59

Maddy70 · 04/12/2025 15:22

Check out the visa requirements for each country providing you meet them then go for it. Healthcare is extraordinary in Spain and my arthritis is barely recognisable in the dryer climate. I have zero regrets about moving away and have no plans to ever return to the UK

This has made my day !!!!

OP posts:

Original poster

thetallfairy · 04/12/2025 19:00

mondaytosunday · 04/12/2025 15:14

So we are going to move to Spain for a year in 2027 on Irish passports. So this relates to a Spain not Portugal.
i can’t speak to property prices as they vary so much, but Spain is experiencing a shortage so the property market is bouyant. You will have to go inland to get any bargains. The more inland you go the less touristy and the less ex pats around. You would definitely need some language then - and it may not be the Spanish you are familiar with either! Each area has its quirks and it may take a while for your ear to attune, but knowing Spanish is a huge advantage. Renting has tight rules and it may take longer than you think to secure a place while you are looking to buy. It would be wise to make a few scouting trips if you are not sure where you want to live. You can engage a buyers agent, and there are short term winter lets which may help you to get your know an area.

Even as an EU citizen you have to get private health insurance for the first year. Medication is not free, and I think specialist medication is not free even if you manage to switch to the state system (by paying into it). You can buy whatever you want - no checks on that. But after three months living there you will have to register yourself as a resident, and at this time you show you have private health insurance and also enough money to support yourself. I think it’s not much for an EU passport holder - like €7-8000/year, either in savings or ongoing income like pensions and/or investment income. Some regions will ask for a much higher amount. However you will need much more than this anyway to live comfortably in Spain.
You will also become a tax resident if you stay there for more than 183 days in any calendar year. This is crucial - while there is a reciprocal agreement with some other countries to prevent double taxation there are differences, one major one is you will be charged capital gains tax on your main home if you sell it in the same year you became a tax resident, even if you sold it before you moved (for example if you sold in March and moved in June). You will be taxed on WORLDWIDE income and the rates may be different to what you are used to. You will need an NIE number, which is your identity number you need for any administrative issues like opening a bank account. You can apply for this at the Spanish Consulate in your home country before you move over or get it there. After you register your residency you will get a green card with your NIE number on it.
As an EU citizen you can work, but jobs are not plentiful.
Then you have to live! Are you good at making new friends? You could survive perfectly well in popular ex pat communities but to really get to know the country and culture you need to integrate, and while friendly the Spanish have their family and lifelong friends so may not be quite as hospitable to letting you in to their inner circle. But once you crack that nut you will have friends for life.
There are plenty of clubs to join, from walking to bowling to bridge to yoga, but many will be full of English people so while good for making friends, not good for integrating with the Spanish.
Spain, even in the south, can get cold in winter and many houses are not heated. This seems to catch people out, and houses are built for the heat and can be colder inside than out in winter.
Have a look at YouTube. There are plenty who have done what you propose and have documented their journey.

Super super helpful

Thank you wonderful people on here

I want to do this so bad xxxx

OP posts: