Simple Steps to Relocating Overseas

Hi, my name is Angela Worral, Director of Ideal Homes International, if you have been to the A Place in the Sun shows you may have seen me on stage with the Portugal panel.

One New Years Eve 13 years ago, I decided to make the move, not only was I on my own but I had only ever visited Portugal for a 2 week holiday. It was the best decision I have ever made. Waking up to the sun shining kick-starts my motivation for the day, and as you can imagine a country such as Portugal experiences over 300 days a year! Most of the team at Ideal Homes have relocated as well and love helping individuals such as yourself make the move.

Moving to the sun to enjoy a better quality of life is not as difficult as it can appear. Below are some of the steps to take before making the move:

• Choose a Country

Most people will already have an idea on where they would like to live. The main contributing factors tend to involve the climate, cost of living, lifestyle and how close they can remain to family and friends - allowing them to visit frequently.

The Algarve, Portugal, in particular is an ideal location and is renowned as one of the best places in Europe to relocate to, and in our opinion it’s the best. I, like many others, fell in love with its culture, locals and amazing cuisine! Anything else doesn't even compare.

• Which Area

Depending on how you envision your next chapter in life, the exact area you decide to stay needs to reflect what you are looking for. I advise taking into consideration what's important to you - Do you want to be close to the beach or more inland and surrounded by countryside? Would you see yourself enjoying life as a relaxed local, or experiencing the hustle and bustle of city life?

I started with a simple apartment on the beach, then decided to move to the outskirts of a major town. After awhile she went even further and now lives 20 minutes inland surrounded by the stunning Algarvian countryside.

The Algarve offers such a variety from east to west, you can be assured there will be a place for you to call home.

• Finding Your Home

Searching for your new home can be an exciting and adventurous experience - Getting to view different types of properties helps give an idea of how you can expect your new life to feel. Outdoor living seems to be a popular factor among people looking to relocate overseas, as you're looking for a new life in the sun you want to make sure you can soak it up as much as possible.

Rather than scouring the internet coming across properties you think may not be for you, I always advise you go and see them for yourself. Things are not always what they appear. A perfect example would be how I browsed past my property on Ideal Homes’ website without a second thought, but after a scheduled viewing with one of their consultants I immediately fell in love, not only with the house itself but with the surroundings, resulting in an offer being made that same evening!

• Buying Your Home in the Sun

The biggest piece of advice anyone will give about purchasing a home anywhere in the world - make sure you find and use a reputable agent who has your best interests at heart. Not one that is just looking to sell you any old home, but helps you find your ideal home. Thoroughly search their website to ensure they can offer you everything you will need - legal, financing, property management, rentals etc - Once you have found the one, stick with them, using multiple agents can make things more complicated for you when wanting to check on progress and how things are going.

Ideal Homes works with multiple agencies to help you find your dream home so as a result, they are not limited with what they are able to offer you. It can also involve less organising and hassle for you, where some individuals have even ended up going out to see the same property 2 or 3 times without realising. If they do not have what you are looking for have readily available, they have a great team on the road searching for it.

• Obtaining a Fiscal Number (Identity Number)

In order to purchase a property in Portugal, you will need to obtain a número de identificação fiscal (NIF). This can be done prior to purchasing a property and the only documentation needed would be proof of address and your passport. It is an extremely simple process and your lawyer can get this for you. I highly recommend Ricardo Pica, he speaks both English and Portuguese and his assistant is fluent in French. All documents with Ricardo are translated enabling you to understand what it is you are signing.

• Moving Your Currency

Moving currency is a very quick and easy process, rather than heading to a high street bank, which can be extremely expensive, we do advise you go through a currency company specialising in foreign currency exchange. They offer a better exchange rate which could save you a significant amount -I highly recommend Moving Currency.

• Signing for your property

A great thing about purchasing property abroad is you don’t need to be there in person to handle the paperwork if you don’t want to, or can’t be there. Simply provide your lawyer with power of attorney once you have chosen your property, allowing them to handle the legal side of things. It is also worth opening a bank account while you are still in the country, it will only take approximately 20 minutes of your time and the documentation required for this is your passport, proof of address and your already obtained fiscal number.

• Shipping Your Furniture

Some individuals like to bring their furniture with them, creating a home away from home. Others opt not to, enabling them to decorate their property in a new style completely if they choose. If you decide to bring your items with you, simple door to door service is readily available at an affordable price.

Are you ready?

Ideal Homes can help you and be with you every step of the way, the first being to get yourself on over here with one of their personalised viewing trips. Providing a relaxed, efficient and informative way to experience the Algarve, advising which areas and properties would most suit your specifications.

Their experts may even be able to advise you of some of the Algarves hidden gems, offering you completely new options you didn’t even know about. It’s all about experiencing the location first hand to see how you would feel and fit in to your next chapter.

Contact their team to start your journey to the sun!