My wife and I currently live in the US (near Harrisburg, PA,
specifically), and are interested in moving abroad sometime around the
end of this year. We are looking for a company that provides help with
organizing this, specifically with regards to finding housing,
arranging residency requirements and advising us on tax implications.
If this company also dealt with the physical stuff involved with
moving, that'd be great, too. At the moment, Spain is our country of
choice, but we are flexible.

We will be paying for this ourselves, so we are very interested in
finding someone that has a good reputation but is still reasonably
priced. Can someone give me some suggestions?

Thanks,
Jason

---

Request for Question Clarification by cynthia-ga on 08 Mar 2006 14:12 PST

Jason,

I'd love to answer your question! Please look at the 2 links below and
tell me if I'm on the right track, is the information in the first
link useful?

Specifically, I have linked you to the FEES page at Stacks, a company
that specializes in moves to Spain. They are a full service relocation
company, but they focus on housing and all associated arrangements.

They base your fees one of 2 ways, either a percentage of your new
home purchase (tiered packages 1.5%/2%/2.5%) or 3750 Euros (3000 w/o
schools) if you rent. Poke around the Stacks site to get a feel for
them, then get back to me about where you fall financially (good
price, too high, way too high, etc), what services you might actually
need, --so I know how to proceed. Note they have their contracts
available online, bottom of any page.

Moving / relocation checklist...
http://www.relocationapartments.com/relo-checklist.html
Ignore the fact it's an apartment website, this looks like a great list.

STACKS ? RELOCATION SPAIN
MAIN PAGE: http://www.stacksrelocationspain.com/
FEES PAGE: http://www.stacksrelocationspain.com/why_worth_it.htm

In the meantime, I'll assemble more information and choices. Please
use the clarification feature and get back to me.

~~Cynthia

Hi jaults,

I have found a lot of resources for you. I'm posting what I gathered
for you, including some interesting tidbits I found along the way that
you don't really need.

I'd like you to clarify your question so I can zero in a bit better on
your specific needs, unless you can find everything you need here, I
have included a wealth of relevant links for you to peruse.

In any event, I'm happy to search a bit more, just ask.

I included all ranges of options from pack it yourself, to
international movers that pack for you, and I found a couple important
sites that detail how to do this affordably and safely. All aspects of
relocating to Spain are included, but you'll need to take your time
and go through the links and pick the ones that serve you best.

If I've given you too much to digest, there are a couple sites that
stand out to me, that seem like they would be particularly helpful.
--just ask and I'll point them out, but normally they are near the top
of a section..


Let's start here:

ARTICLE:  Moving to Spain ? Relocation Resources
http://www.geocities.com/thalaric1/generalinfo/moving.html

..."How does one go about planning a move? How does one find a home in
Spain? What documentation is required in advance -- passports, work
permits?

We went in search of answers, intending to present it here in one
concise article. Instead, we found that the sheer volume of
information would not only make it difficult to condense, but that
there is already a site in existence which does the job so admirably,
any effort on our part would appear superfluous..."
[in depth outline of what will happen at the link]

The site they reference http://www.expataccess/com/ is NOT available,
but I did find most of it at the WayBackMachine:
http://web.archive.org/web/20010606163856/www.expataccess.com/Spain/index.shtml
(some links don't work)

BOOKS:  http://web.archive.org/web/20010804052711/www.expataccess.com/Spain/Books.shtml


***************************************************************
GENERAL INFORMATION & INTERNATIONAL SHIPPERS (not full service)
***************************************************************

Easy Expat
MADRID: http://www.easyexpat.com/madrid_en.htm
MAIN PAGE: http://www.easyexpat.com/index_en.htm
Practical and up to date information for Expatriates:
Careers & Jobs, Move, Taxes, Accommodation, Healthcare, International
Schools, Childcare, Repatriation, Social Life...


International Moving Companies - Overseas Shipping
http://www.homebulletin.net/International_moving_companies.asp
..."Get free competitive international moving quotes from qualified
Intl. moving companies. HomeBulletin.net will match your request for
household overseas shipment with professional movers ready to compete
for your business. Fill out one simple form and get detailed price
quotes for your international or overseas move..."

Here's their form page to get an estimate from multiple movers.
http://www.homebulletin.net/moving_quotes/move_quote_international_s2a.asp?id=intl


SOS Overseas Moving: NY, NJ, PA, CT
http://www.sosoverseasmoving.com 
..."We specialize in packing and moving household goods, personal
effects and automobiles overseas..."


RINKINS
http://www.rinkens.com
They pack and move, no other services.


There's some interesting information at this relocation link:

Easy Relocation - Spain
MAIN PAGE: http://www.easyreloc.com/eng/010servicios.htm
Don't Miss This: Practical guide http://www.easyreloc.com/eng/032guias.htm


***************************************************************
MID-HIGH END RELOCATORS - FULL SERVICE AVAILABLE
***************************************************************

RELOCATE TO SPAIN   
http://www.relocatetospain.com/page2.html
..."the first English Run Company Based in Southern Spain, personally
dedicated to helping all English Speaking Citizens, Thinking, Wishing
or indeed actually...Relocating to Spain and now 6 years on, having
helped many thousands in their quest for a new life, should be the
first port of call for answering those not quite sure niggling
questions or help in securing your dream home or business whilst
potentially saving yourself Thousands of Pounds in unnecessary fees

Having no direct links with any other agent, bank or advertiser, we
are able to offer you a totally FREE independent, confidential, secure
and very importantly unbiased service, acting solely in the very best
interests of our clients..."
[Based on the C o s t a d e l  S o l but covering the whole of Spain]
DIRECT INFORMATION PAGES 
http://www.relocatetospain.com/Part2/page22.html


Welcome to MoveCostaBrava.com! 
http://www.movecostabrava.com/?p=9
..."MoveCostaBrava is a company dedicated to making your relocation to
Spain as easy as possible- we are the only company offering ?try
before you buy? access to the Spanish property market, plus a network
of experienced advisors to see that your dreams of moving to Spain
come true without the hitches or pressure of commitment that often
seem to affect people seeking to relocate..."


Welcome to the Spanish Relocation Network!
http://www.spanishrelocation.com/nuevo/index.htm
..."Our network  specialises in helping internationals relocate to
Spain. A group of highly experienced multilingual counsellors.....we
have been providing relocation services throughout Spain for over 10
years.

Many of us relocated to Spain ourselves, and our personal experience
has shown us exactly what services should be provided  to ensure a
smooth and trouble-free relocation.

When you come to Spain, just bring along your suitcase and
relax...we?ll take care of everything (arrival assistance and city
orientation, homesearch, school assistance, residence permit and other
paperwork, cultural integration programmes..."


International relocation services for expatriates moving to Spain 
http://www.spainrelocation.com/casa.htm
..."Relocations Espaņa is an organisation committed to providing a
high-quality, personalised, yet completely professional relocation and
cross-cultural services for international expatriates moving to Spain.

For our client?s personnel and their families, our objective is to
ensure that their move is as stress-free as possible and that, once
settled, they are in position to enjoy the professional and social
challenges of living in a new country to the full. For those with
deeper interests we can provide cross-cultural training and in the
case of those with particular hobbies and interests, introduce them to
like-minded people..." [they also move individuals and families]


STACKS ? RELOCATION SPAIN FEES PAGE: 
http://www.stacksrelocationspain.com/why_worth_it.htm
This is the link I gave you previously.


Pricoa Relocation Resource Centre: Reference Library 
http://www.pricoarelocation.com/resource/reference.html
This company focuses mainly on employee relocation, so I linked you to
their Library page. You might find something useful here.


***************************************************************
HOUSING RESOURCES
***************************************************************

Spanish Property Company
http://www.spanishpropertyco.com/700.htm
..."This web site contains information on most subjects relevant to
living in Spain or owning property here. If you read it carefully, you
will not only avoid some of the more common problems but probably save
a considerable amount of money as well. However, it's a big site -
there is a lot to read . .There really is a better way to find out
what you need to know about Spain - about living here, buying
property, employment, schools, medicine, law and much much more.

You don't have to pay through the nose - don't have to take the risks
- everything you need to know is right here in the Spanish Property
Company's web site and available through our unequalled services. SPC
support post sale is indefinite and without charge.

This is the web site directory and from here you can navigate to any
of the items shown on this page. Most are linked to other relevant
items to assist ease of browsing..."


EXPATICA
http://www.expatica.com/housing/default.aspx?subchannel_id=151
Where Expats find a home....  [included in case you decide to "do it
yourself"] ....You have reached the #1 English-language news &
information source for expatriates living in, working in or moving to
the Netherlands (Holland), Germany, France, Belgium or Spain..."
Their MAIN PAGE: http://www.expatica.com/


Overseas Property Online
http://www.real-estate-european-union.com/english/spain.html
This site has a lot of information about the Real Estate market,
standards and practices --in Spain.


Spanish Homes Magazine
http://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/store/displayitem.asp?sid=414&id=4281


South Of Spain
http://www.southofspain.com/
Properties for sale or rent in Spain


***************************************************************
FORUMS AND BLOGS
***************************************************************

SpainExpat.com ? Independent Authority for Expats in Spain
This site is excellent. Note: I read on another site, this site is ran
by an expatriate from Pennsylvania!
MAIN PAGE: http://www.spainexpat.com/
MOVING: http://www.spainexpat.com/spain/category/C13/Moving


The Expatriate Café
http://expatriatecafe.com/forums/


Loquo Alicante
http://alicante.loquo.com/
This looks kinda like a Craig's List type site.


Forums Index / Expats in Spain
http://spain.othercountries.com/forums/pages/viewForum.asp?FID=3
144 topics discussed here, looks like it could be useful when you get
there, after the move.
MAIN PAGE: http://spain.othercountries.com/


a wandering woman writes from spain 
http://www.wandering-woman.blogspot.com/
..."A little voice told me to quit the big city corporate gig and
wander off to Spain. I listened, and these are my adventures..."


a fig from Figueres Catalonia Spain [I linked you to the first blog
post, they are living there now]
http://afigfromfigueres.blogspot.com/2005_05_01_afigfromfigueres_archive.html 
..."Humorous account of trials and tribulations experienced by an
English Couple as they relocate to Spain, or is it Catalunya. The
weird and wonderful differences that make life so unpredictable,
frustrating ,weird and sometimes just plain funny . Learning how to be
a foreigner in a new land, the Alt Empordā countryside, land of Dali
in Northern Girona. Read about the Villa deveopment on SpainVilla in
the links section..."

*************************************************

Here's a woman in a forum offering help movig to Spain
http://www.easyexpat.com/forums/setopic_5973-spain.html
..."we are here to help anyone who wishes to buy or rent a holiday
home or even relocate to spain permenantly, we can help with buying
spanish property,removals,schooling,nie numbers,after our family of 5
relocated to spain we went through alot of ups and downs thats why we
are offering free help and advice to anyone wishing to move to
spain..."

I found that here:
http://www.easyexpat.com/forums/search.php?mode=results
There are 257 results that include the word "Spain."


Here's a great post about shipping cars:

Help with bringing car to Spain from US. Tax Exemption??
http://www.expatfocus.com/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=10573
From what I read here and elsewhere in my research, it's better to buy
your vehicles there. Registering and licensing a car from the US in
Spain is a nightmare that literally takes months.

Here's their main page for Spain:

Expat Focus - Spain - an expatriate guide
http://www.expatfocus.com/expatriate-spain


Expat Exchange
http://www.expatexchange.com/expat/index.cfm?frmid=296&dbname=ee&shared=N&forumid=0


Transitions Abroad
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/living/living_abroad/living_in_spain.shtml
Key Expatriate Web Sites and Resources - Not a very busy site, but
I've linked you to the Spain Forum.


***************************************************************
GENERAL INFORMATION AND INTERESTING OR USEFUL LINKS
***************************************************************

Consular Information Sheet
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1024.html


Karla Darocas: Artist, Entrepeneur, and Canuck Expatriate in Spain
http://ezinearticles.com/?Karla-Darocas:-Artist,-Entrepeneur,-and-Canuck-Expatriate-in-Spain&id=85715
I read this in entirety, it's a fabulous article. A must read.


Spain Guide by Spanish Town Guides 
http://www.spanish-town-guides.com/index.htm
..."On this web site you can find all the information you need about
Spain, Madrid, Malaga, Granada, Sevilla and Salamanca from tourist
information about each town to how to buy a property in Spain or
information about Spanish food..."


Typically Spanish 
http://www.typicallyspanish.com/
Online news in English, looks like it includes classifieds.


Expat Web Directory
http://www.expatwebdirectory.com/


Spanish Living Group 
http://www.spanish-living.com/


GREAT LINKS!
http://www.escapeartist.com/Articles/Articles_11.html#Spain
There are no less than 50 unique links here covering an eclectic
collection of information.

Here's three examples:

Down To Earth Living ? The Cave Houses Of Southern Spain  
by Charles Leary and Vaughn Perret 
http://www.escapeartist.com/OREQ11/Cave_Houses.html
..."Cave dwellers, far from being Neanderthals, may be the smartest
beings on earth. Life protected from the elements by caves has
persisted as a form of human existence for millennia, and goes on to
this day in places such as Turkey, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Morocco,
Italy, and France. In southern Spain, however, cave homes are man
made, and not natural formations that humans simply moved into..."
[much more at the link, click to see the picures!]

Andalucia, Spain: coastal cottages from $15,000 
(International Living Magazine) The Online Edition, Special on Spain
http://www.escapeartist.com/international/andalucia.htm
..."Our longtime contributor Steenie Harvey recently returned from the
southern coast of Spain, where she found unbelievable buys ... on
coastal properties. In this first of two reports, she details the real
estate bargains of Andalucia..."

"Become a Citizen of Sunny Spain, and Open a Back Door to the European Union" 
(International Living Magazine) The Online Edition, Special on Spain
http://www.escapeartist.com/international/spain.htm
..."The idea of becoming a citizen of the European Union appeals to
many of us. Holders of this valuable passport enjoy the freedom of
living and working in any member country, as well as the ability to
move assets and holdings between countries with ease.

It is not a difficult process to become such a citizen. You must
simply become a citizen of one of its countries. Spain is one of the
most attractive options. It offers year-round sunshine, one of the
lowest costs of living in Europe, and many cultural and entertainment
possibilities, making its residency requirements extremely easy to
bear. Read on for details on how to become a Spanish citizen..."
[wonderful article]


An exhaustive resource about Schools in Spain [just in case you have kids]
http://www.schools-in-spain.com/
..."and links to EVERYTHING you?ll ever need when searching for the
right Spanish school for your child..."

The above site has this wonderful LINK PAGE:

General Information for Expats
http://www.schools-in-spain.com/resources


Moving / relocation checklist...
http://www.relocationapartments.com/relo-checklist.html
Gave this to you earlier.


Just Landed 
http://www.justlanded.com/english/spain
Resources to "Do it Yourself"


Also, I answered a similar question here a couple years ago, you might
want to read it, although it was for employee relocation there is
still some good info:

Subject: Employee Relocation Providers 
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=189198


***************************************************************


Let me know if you want me to locate something specific.


~~Cynthia


Search Strategy used at Google:
"international relocation" Spain
move OR relocate "US to Spain"
Spain "Relocation Guide"
"expatriate living in spain"
...and all variations...

Technorati Search: "moving to spain"
http://www.technorati.com/search/%22moving%20to%20spain%22%20?language=en&start=40
[Blog Search]

---

Request for Answer Clarification by jaults-ga on 09 Mar 2006 13:28 PST

Hiya Cynthia!

Wow, that looks like a ton of stuff to look at! My wife and I will
peruse this list this weekend in detail and get back to you. Some of
the details on the Stacks pages look very promising, and something
like the full rental relocation service is what I think we are looking
for.

However, the one thing that I didn't see with a quick read over your
answer were any links to recommendations or reviews of the various
relocation firms. 3000 Euros is cheap if they do a good job, but very
expensive if something falls through. Did you see anything like that
in your search?

Also, while I can certainly contact them myself to find out, I did
notice that Stacks only mentions doing business with citizens of the
UK. Not sure if that was in your search criteria or not...

Thanks,
Jason

---

Clarification of Answer by cynthia-ga on 09 Mar 2006 13:47 PST

I'll look again for reviews. A few of the sites have "testimonial"
pages, but I'll look for a site that discusses the various companies
for you, but it might be a couple days because of my personal
schedule, probably this weekend.

~~Cynthia

---

Request for Answer Clarification by jaults-ga on 09 Mar 2006 20:58 PST

Thanks, Cynthia, that would be much appreciated, and no problem with the schedule. 

I'm sure you can understand that I might be a bit skeptical of
testimonials on the companies' own pages, so I would be very
interested in seeing third-party reviews.

Thanks,
Jason

---

Clarification of Answer by cynthia-ga on 09 Mar 2006 21:13 PST

LOL - That's why I didn't mention them, I don't trust them either.
Talk to you this weekend.

---

Clarification of Answer by cynthia-ga on 13 Mar 2006 02:37 PST

Hi jaults,

I was unable to locate a site that reviews the full service companies
for you, although I did notice that Stacks is very visible and is a
member of several International Relocation associations.

This is the closest I could find:

The Move Channel
http://spain.themovechannel.com/Websites/Services/Move/International_relocation/Spain
These are just free ads.

This page has a lot of new information:

IdealSpain - Moving To Spain
http://www.idealspain.com/Pages/Information/MovingToSpain.htm

This is good: Moving House And Need Moving Quotes?
http://www.helpiammoving.com/moving_quotes/index.php

I found that here:

Help I am Moving Overseas!
http://www.helpiammoving.com/moving_overseas/
Where to start, when Moving Overseas


This was linked from one of the sites above, good article about how to
get a reputable/reliable company:

International Removal Companies
You can also consult:
http://www.easyexpat.com/madrid_en/departure_removal-companies.htm
AGS : http://www.ags-worldwide-movers.com 
Moving Home Company : http://www.movinghomecompany.com 
UTS Ledeme : http://www.ledeme.com 
Grospiron International : http://www.grospiron.com 
Whatever you choose, don't forget to list all the belongings that you
ship (the removal company will do it for you) as you will need that
list when you get to Spanish customs.


I would focus on becoming involved in the global Expatriate comunity:

Expatriate Web Sites
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/living/resources/online_expatriate_community_discussions_forums_blogs.shtml

E-mail Groups for Expatriates
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/living/resources/online_expatriate_community_discussions_forums_blogs.shtml

Other Countries - Spain
http://spain.othercountries.com/
..."OtherSpain is a new bimonthly online magazine devoted to Spanish
life for expats and hispanophiles everywhere..."
THEIR FORUMS TOPICS: http://spain.othercountries.com/forums/forums.asp

Practical Spain and Portugal
http://spainforvisitors.com/sections/practicalinfo.htm
..."Some things you will probably need to know if you are visiting
Spain or Portugal, and some I hope you won't..."

Another Discussion Board, not very busy, but read through the posts:
http://spainforvisitors.com/module-pnForum-viewforum-forum-1-start-0.htm

Forums and a chatroom here:
http://spaintalk.multimadrid.org/eve

ELS Cafe:
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewforum.php?f=21

Check out the Discussion Boards where people are trading relocation
information and get a personal recommendation from someone. I have
included a couple good boards in my answer..

Hope these halp.  Have you had a chance to look at the links yet?

~~Cynthia

Thanks for everything, Cynthia. My wife and I have been too busy to
look at all of the links yet. However, I have been exchanging email
with a gentleman from Stacks who has been very helpful.

Thanks so much for your help,
Jason

Wow!  Thank you so much for the kind words, the 5 stars and the Tip! 
So glad Stacks is helping. If they're in your price range, they are
most certainly reputable. They are all over the Internet. There are
some excellent links for you though, many of them pertaining to other
aspects of moving to Spain. Be sure to look at them at some point.

~~Cynthia