by Mark Wilkins

Please note that the information provided in this article is of a general interest nature and intended as a basic outline only. You are well advised to contact a professional for advice specific to your circumstances. Nothing contained in this article should be seen or taken as the writer or publisher providing legal or financial advice.

OK, cards on the table - I have a vested interest. For the last four years I have been very actively involved in the Spanish property market assisting, primarily, UK and Irish clients to find, fund and purchase property in Spain. In this time window, the Spanish market has veered from the heady days of bulk off-plan purchases to more considered leisure, relocation or retirement purchase for those seeking a lifestyle move.

We have assisted a fair number of clients who have become embroiled in the miseries of planning irregularities on the Costas del Sol and Blanca. In the majority of cases members of our professional services grouping, The Rights Group (TRG), have secured satisfactory results for worried clients and we have glowing testimonials attesting to the assistance received.

Moving into 2007 many of our existing clients will continue the search for their perfect property in Spain despite perhaps a previously disheartening experience - no-one said it would be easy - and for some it's been distinctly hard. This is perhaps a testament to the draw of Spain and the bite of reality that this is no longer a get-rich-quick market. For these second-time-around clients the suffering of a steep eye-opening learning curve has paid off.

New clients have come - and continue to come - to us during the course of 2006 making clear their continued interest in Spain - and appreciable caution - and readily accepting hand held assistance from experts on the ground.

Readers of previous pieces may recall that my family - aside from my wife who is already a fluent Spanish speaker - and I have doggedly pursued our learning of Spanish through the option of Spanish TV at home. Wavering a little towards the end of 2006 we finally succumbed to the installation of a satellite TV service that shows several UK TV channels.

Usual post Christmas lethargy was bolstered by a nasty viral infection that struck our clan with varying degrees of severity. The obvious therapy was an excess of daytime TV.

Staggeringly, since I last watched between 2.00 and 5.00 PM, the channels have been held up, bound and gagged by the overseas property market with a daily supplement of "where's the next hotspot?" type programming.

Sun-drenched locations featuring busy property seekers and keen presenters sniffing out the perfect property. Invariably such shows miss the target completely as the rather dissolute end credits voice over reports that Mr and Mrs Smith did not increase their rejected offer but have booked another flight to their preferred location to doggedly continue their search.