1. Setting Your Budget ? A very important decision when buying a Costa Blanca property is deciding on your budget. This will of course be determined by what spare cash you have available and when you reach a final decision on your budget you should stand firm and not be swayed from it.

2. Location ? Choosing the perfect location for your Costa Blanca property may not be easy, but it is an important decision and is worth taking your time over. Have a good look around and pick the best location you can afford. Look st the prices of similar properties ? the dearer ones will generally be the ones located in the better areas. Ask in an estate agents ? they will soon tell you the best areas.

3. New or Resale Property? ? This may be more of a personal preference than an important decision, although getting it wrong could cause problems later on. If you have already decided on new or resale then that is fine, stick to your decision and look at what is available, if you haven't then look at both. New is okay if you don't mind waiting some time for your finished property (you may even want to wait). Resale property can be bought and moved into within a month and you can see what you are getting and what will be around you (in terms of buildings), this is more difficult to see with new property as plans often change, and it is difficult to visualize the final layout of an urbanization.

4. Property Type - The next consideration is the property type ? house, villa, apartment, bungalow, the choice is endless. This will mostly be determined by personal choice and, of course, once again ? budget. You may also at this stage wish to consider if you want a property on an urbanization or have some solitude in the countryside. There are advantages to both, urbanizations can be noisy during the busy summer months but they are generally safe and child friendly. The countryside can be peaceful, but how far is it to the nearest shop or restaurant? What about when the family or friends visit ? is it the type of holiday they would be looking for? Also, you may want some kind of social life, there are lots of things to consider before making your final choice.

5. Choosing Your Property ? Now is the time to actually go and look at some potential properties, this is the fun bit, enjoy it, but still take the process seriously, there is plenty of Costa Blanca property out there to choose from and you want to see as much of it as you can. Look at properties within your budget and in your chosen location, be sure to take plenty of photos (a video is even better) and keep notes on all the properties that you are interested in. Make a short list of potential properties and make arrangements to go back and see them again. Take your time and don't be rushed by agents, eager to make a quick sale., this is an important decision so take your time.

6. Paying the Deposit ? The next step after choosing your dream Costa Blanca property is to pay a deposit and hold the property. 3,000 euros is the standard amount of the deposit when buying in Spain, and after payment of this the property should be removed from the market. If you are purchasing new (off-plan) property, you will be required to make a further payment in one months time, amounting to around 30% of the final purchase price, this could be followed by stage payments during construction, though more likely by payment of the balance on completion (this could be in 18 months to 2 years time). If you decided to buy a resale property, the balance will be paid on signing, and this can be done within one month if agreeable to both buyer and seller.

7. Choosing a Solicitor ? If you are buying your Costa Blanca property through an agents office, they will probably have their own retained solicitor who you can use for the purchase if you wish, if not you will need to find your own. Make sure you find a solicitor who speaks good English and understands the language well. Your solicitor will be your friend and ally during the entire process of buying and will deal with the sellers solicitor to make sure there are no outstanding debts on the property. If you need to know anything at all, ask, he is there to help you. Your solicitor will be there with you at the signing to ensure everything goes smoothly and he will also help you afterwards with such tasks as changing names on bills and contracts (ie electricity and water). You can normally retain your solicitor afterwards to file your tax returns in Spain.

8. Taxes and Costs ? There are considerable costa involved with purchasing a Costa Blanca property, in all amounting to around 10%-12% of the purchase price. You should allow for this in your budget before you start looking. The main costs are as follows: IVA (property Transfer Tax), which is 7% for resale properties and 6% for new, Plusvalia Tax (on the appreciative value of the land), Land Registry fees (approx. 300 euros), Notary fees (approx. 500 euros), solicitors fees (1,000-1,500 euros), and mortgage fees if you are setting up a mortgage. After the purchase you will need to pay Wealth Tax (non-residents tax), SUMA (local council tax), community fees (for the upkeep of the community) and insurance (on the building and contents). You will also probably want to keep on your solicitor to deal with all these costs.

9. Signing the Deeds (Escritura) ? The final step before collecting the keys for your Costa Blanca property is the signing of the deeds. This takes place at the Notary office (the Notary is an official government representative) and you need to take your original passport with you (together with the passports of anyone else who is to appear on the deeds) and your N.I.E number (foreigners identification number) which you will need to obtain beforehand. To obtain an N.I.E you will have to go to any national police station ? ask your solicitor about this when you first appoint him.

10. Taking Possession of the Property ? Once you have signed for the property you will receive a set of keys, if you have purchased a new property you will want to go over it thoroughly to check for any problems. Write out a snagging list of defects and hand this to your agent and builder, pester them until everything is to your satisfaction. A good security measure is to change the locks on the front and the back door ? you don't know who has previously had keys. If the property doesn't have alarms and security grills, get these fitted as soon as you can. Change electricity and water bills over into your name and get some decent house insurance. If the property is in an urbanization you may find it useful to make yourself known to the president of the community.

11. Congratulations ? Now you are the proud owner of your dream property on the Costa Blanca, relax and enjoy it.