Every year thousands of families choose to make a permanent move to the Costa del Sol. We've even followed some people's fortunes or misfortunes on several reality television programmes. Many believe that they qualify to run a bar or a pub in the sun, but having worked in an office for a lifetime and with no catering experience whatsoever the only "catering" they qualify for is cooking a fried breakfast! Moving to the Costa del Sol is a serious decision. You have to be realistic about the move; don't expect to make a fortune selling sandwiches or cleaning cars; don't think that whatever idea you have has not been tried, tested and failed on the Costa del Sol. There is no real social security system to allow you to survive in Spain without an income, and the rental of offices or high street locations can be as expensive as in central London, without the thousands of passers by each day.

Now for the Good News!

More and more people (an estimated 7 million professionals) now work from home and Spain is at the forefront of technology with more homes being connected to high-speed ADSL Internet than any other country in southern Europe. Telecommunications are also fantastic. A one-minute call to anywhere in Europe can cost as little as 6 cents per minute (that's just 4 pence per minute). Travelling between the United Kingdom and Malaga has never been easier, or indeed cheaper. There are more flights to Malaga International Airport, than to any other International destination from all UK airports. Language is no longer a barrier. With an unofficial 1 million residents or semi residents on the Costa del Sol you can be sure to find someone who speaks your language. There are at least 10 International schools on the Costa del Sol offering your children an education based on the British Curriculum at a fraction of the price of UK public schools.

The local government is keen to look after its foreign residents. Over 50% of the GNP in Andalucía derives from what is known as Residential Tourism. In Marbella there are more police officers per capita than in any other city of Europe. Marbella boasts the lowest crime rate, which is actually falling year by year. People can walk the streets at night without worrying about using their mobile phones in a public place. There's no graffiti, the rubbish men collect your rubbish every day of the week and there are an army of street cleaners to keep the coast tidy. The local government have made it their duty to ensure that you feel comfortable here, they know that if you were threatened by crime you wouldn't want to be here.

Then there are the endless facilities. There are more golf courses on this stretch of the Mediterranean coast than in any other place of the world. The golf widows can take their revenge by shopping in some of the best shops in Europe or pampering themselves in one of the many beauty spas. There are restaurants, racecourses, riding stables, "skiing resorts" - Sierra Blanca is just 2 hours away - and some of the best tennis academies in Europe. Our Hospital Costa del Sol has the best facilities and most up to date machinery for a public hospital in Europe. The Saudi Royal Family have a summer palace on the Golden Mile and so financed the hospital, just in case any of them get ill during one of their infrequent visits to the town.

You're never too far from Home

There is Sky Digital television so you do not have to miss out on Coronation Street or Eastenders and with 5 English speaking local radio stations and countless newspapers and magazines in English, one could be forgiven if they never spoke a word of Spanish.

All in all, if you would consider moving your home office in the UK to a home office on the Costa del Sol, we believe that both you and your family will enjoy a much higher standard of living than what you have been forced to accept and live with back home, so think about it...