An Expat Talks about Moving to Barcelona, Spain

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Barcelona

Name three things that you wish you had brought and three you wish you had left at home.

Left Behind: Nothing, except for a container full of family papers. Brought: A car (they're cheaper in the USA), all the "gadgets" you can get in the USA that they don't generally have in Europe.

Expat Estate
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Expat Estate

Take the hassle out of buying property in Spain! Expat Estate is a bespoke buyer advisory firm helping foreign nationals purchase property in Spain. Providing end-to-end services from property search and acquisition to legals, mortgage broking, property management and support with Golden Visas, Expat Estate takes the stress out of home ownership in Spain.
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What advice would you give someone preparing to move to your area about the actual move, choosing a neighborhood and finding a home?

Read as much as possible about the country, explore internet, and talk to nationals of the country to which you're moving that are residing where you're currently living.

What type of housing do you live in? Is this typical for most expats in your area?

A top floor apartment of 1,850 square feet with two terraces totalling about 400 square feet. It is not typical because top floor apartments are very hard to find.

Are your housing costs higher or lower than they were in your home country? What is the average cost of housing there?

Housing costs - higher than the "average" in the USA; the "average" cost of housing for a three-bedroom apartment would be about $2,000 per month