It is one of the oldest stories known to man. The idea or concept that you travel to a particular place or destination on holiday either as a child or later on in life as an adult and fall in love with the place. So much so that you feel this almost umbilical bond with the place that you feel you just have to buy a property there and settle for the rest of your life.

For a great many thousands of people, the country that they fall in love with is Spain and when you visit the country it is not difficult to see why?

Although the vast majority of tourists (and residents) come to Spain to recline on a beach, there's much more to the country than the Costas and its islands.

Spain offers amazing variety that covers most options for everyone, including terrific beaches for sun seekers and unbelievable scenery with tremendous views and wonderful mountain walks. For those who are comfortable living in cities, there are bustling sophisticated metropolises. For those with gourmet tastes, there are superb wines and fabulous cuisine.

To buy a home in Spain is not just to buy a dwelling but your chance to buy a lifestyle, and as a place for your holiday, second or retirement home, Spain has few equals, particularly if you're seeking year-round sunshine.

So, why buy in Spain?

There are many excellent reasons for buying a home in Spain, although it's important not to be under any illusions about what you can expect from a home there. Get the basics right from the outset on what your expectations are, ask yourself exactly why you want to buy a home in Spain? For example, are you seeking a holiday or a retirement home?

The south eastern Mediterranean coast of Spain has the highest percentage of retired persons in the world, when both Spaniards and foreigners are included. If you're seeking a second home, will it be mainly used for long weekends or for lengthier stays? Is all or part of your plans, the idea that you are buying this for investment and rental purposes? If so, how important is the property income? Are you primarily looking for a sound investment? Is part of the plan to open up a business and work from Spain? These are questions that need answers no matter where you purchase, but especially in Spain because of the variety of choices Spain has to offer.

Quite often potential buyers have a number of reasons for purchasing property in Spain. For example, many people buy a holiday home with an idea of living there permanently or semi-permanently after they retire. In a lot of cases the motivation is to start by purchasing a holiday home with the intention of retiring there later on. If this is indeed the case then there a whole number of factors that need to be taken into consideration at the outset than you would need to consider if the motivation was to occupy somewhere just for say a few weeks every year. If, on the other hand, you plan to work or start a business in Spain, you will be faced with a whole different set of criteria. You may be thinking of buying a home in Spain and commuting to another European country to work. More and more people are now doing that as they find that Spain has much more to offer nowadays.

Whatever the reasons, living and working within or from modern day Spain is such an attractive proposition nowadays that it is a very hard to not consider.