Be a smart buyer

IF you are thinking of purchasing a property either as a forever home or as a holiday paradise, take time, especially with a second hand property, to consider all of the pros and cons.

You need to be certain that there is a proper title to the land so that there is no unwelcome surprise further down the line if it was built without permission.

Generally, this has not been a major problem in Costa Blanca but has caused significant heartache in some other parts of the country.

If it’s part of an urbanisation, find out early what you monthly or annual community charge is going to be and whether it’s managed by fellow residents or is outsourced to a professional company.

In the UK we tend to have properties surveyed either in order to obtain a mortgage or to ensure that the property we have fallen in love with is generally considered sound and won’t fall down around

For some reason, people don’t appear to be quite so worried about surveys in Spain but there are good surveyors around, so you need to consider whether Spain should be any different than at home.

Next think about glazing, air conditioning and heating as some properties can get very hot in the summer and chilly in the winter and you want to ensure that you are comfortable.

Nowadays so many of us are environmentally conscious so perhaps look into the possible cost of solar panels to save electricity charges.

Contact any of the top agents advertising in this supplement for advice.

Music the Food of Love

THERE could be a misconception about entertainment on the Costa Blanca as some may erroneously think it’s all night clubs and tribute shows, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

If that is what you looking for, then you won’t be disappointed but there is so much more to enjoy all along the coast and further inland.

This year some top stars are appearing at major concerts in Benidorm as it welcomes The Offspring, Franz Ferdinand, Gipsy Kings and many more top artists throughout the area.

Speaking of Benidorm there are always fantastic shows at the iconic Benidorm Palace which also hosts special events on selected Sundays in the winter months.

This is just the tip of the iceberg as all during the summer months in particular, even the smallest village hosts its own fiesta with a fantastic range of entertainment including musicians of all types.

If you like classical music then there’s plenty of that around as well as blues, jazz and some Flamenco.

Many towns also have their own theatres and although most productions are in Spanish, there are quite a few musicals and there are a number of expat theatre groups who produce shows in English, with panto always popular.

The Spanish entertain in the summer but that’s often a bit hot for the expats, so they hold most of their production in the autumn and spring and if you are a budding performer there are plenty of groups to join.