Choosing the right location to Live in Spain ...

Whether you're renting or buying, where you live is an important question. But if you're planning to purchase your home, the location becomes even more important. Packing up to move from a bad neighborhood could be a real problem if you own the house and selling in a poor location could be next to impossible without facing a loss.

If you're buying in Spain (or any other country that you don't already live in, for that matter), the issues become even more critical. You may be planning to purchase the property without ever actually seeing it yourself. You may be depending on someone else to do your legwork for you. You may be taking your life savings in your hand and preparing to pass it off to a total stranger - literally.

If at all possible, visit an area at various times of the year before you buy. You may find that you absolutely love some seasons, but that winters are simply too harsh or that you're not ready to face the broiling suns of summer.

One of the most important things to remember is to think rationally about your "dream home" before you make an offer. Do you have an anxious salesperson pushing for an immediate decision? Simply say you'll think about it and then do that!

Don't depend on your memory. After you've visited several homes, you may find that you have trouble remembering which seemed to have plumbing issues and which was the awesome home but in a somewhat run-down neighborhood. Make notes of all your impressions as you visit the potential houses.

You should also make lots of photos. One of the best ways to then make a good decision is to go back to your kitchen table, spread out your notes and photos, and start eliminating those houses that seem less than acceptable. Compare condition, location, price and anything else that factors into your decision.

It may seem like you're really going to extremes to spend all this time on the house buying process. But remember that this is a significant investment, even if you aren't going to live there year round.