Sally Veall

Born in London but having spent many of her younger years between the UK and Tuscany, Sally gained a taste living abroad at an early age. Having gained her A-levels, she “fell” into journalism, which saw her work as a freelance before changing career direction and studying interior design. She speaks several languages: French, Italian and Spanish which became useful when she moved to northern France in 1996 because of her husband’s work. There she helped him as a translator and also had her own business renovating and decorating rural houses for people from the UK and The Netherlands. In 2000 she moved to south-west France and re-established her property career, often working with Notaires as an independent translator for English-speaking clients. In 2006 she moved to Catalonia in Spain, again due to her husband’s work. At that time she had very little Spanish but quickly learnt it and also attended the local adult college to gain a basic understanding of Catalan. To begin with, she continued to renovate and decorate properties but then an opportunity arose in 2010 to return to writing and since then she has worked for the SpainBuyingGuide as the resident copywriter and freelances for other online websites. She says her aim is to tell the truth about moving to another country and to ease the way for new arrivees. With over 25 years’ experience as a “foreigner living abroad” she understands the joys and hardships of making a new life in another country. Books: Richmond, Surrey, As it Was. 1976  Historical and Archeological Section of the Richmond Society. (John Cloake, John Wright and Sally Albrecht (Veall).) Property:  Spain Buying Guide. Resident copywriter since 2010. Interior Design: Owner of Salvia Decor, Salisbury Wiltshire. Showroom/interior design. Working independently in France from 1996 to 2006 and in Spain from 2007 to 2010.

Articles by Sally Veall

What is retirement in Spain like?

It is no accident that retirement in Spain is so popular with the British. There are numerous reasons for this, not least of all the climate. It brings on average 2200 hours of glorious sunshine. Then, there are 4,964km of coastline, not to mention the relaxed lifestyle. Imagine waking up to blue skies and warm sunshine and walking onto your terrace to take a dip in the pool before breakfast, or indeed ambling down to the beach for a swim.

News update: Spain number one for healthcare in Europe

There has been plenty of good news this week in Spain, much to do with healthcare, something that concerns us all. The government of Pedro Sánchez is introducing several reforms which will benefit and impact on the lives of people enjoying a Spanish way of life.

What are the rules on rentals in Spain?

It is only comparatively recently that the various Spanish Autonomous Regions have introduced tight rules for rentals, especially holiday rentals. It was necessary to ensure the high standard now expected by tourists. Many places which were advertised had no basic amenities such as air conditioning or ceiling fans. Some had no natural light in bedrooms and fell below the expected safety criteria. Today, we explore the major rules for rentals in Spain.

Spain news update: skills shortage as employers search for tradespeople

Good news if you’re moving to Spain with a skill: the country’s suffering from a shortage of tradespeople. Employers are in real need of people who can take up these posts. In other news, inheritance laws could become less strict in the future, compulsory speed limits may come into force for new cars and a city in Galicia is swapping zebras for cows.

Property in Spain recovers as prices rise

With Spain’s economy continuing to improve, the market for property in Spain is recovering well. However, prices have not yet reached the pre-crisis level of 2007. Figures for the 2nd quarter of 2018 are very encouraging and it seems the British have not been put off by Brexit. In fact, they are still buying more property in Spain than other nationality.

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