How many times has the above phrase been repeated? How many times will it be repeated in the future?

As much as people try to knock Marbella as a mature property market it seems as popular now as it has been over the last few years – although down on the boom times when the market went into orbit!

The thread offers an interesting mix of social conversation and details on insurance and schools in the area as well as an informative overview of how the rental market works in Spain over the peak tourist periods, i.e. no discounts for long term deals.

There appears to be some confusion as to the cost of EHIC and NIE cards, who needs them and what they can really do for you. However, slowly but surely the picture becomes clearer and highlights the fact that you need to do your own research before spending your hard earned money on a card which may not give you any benefits.

The subject of overseas education seems to be something of a buzz word at the moment and it is surprising to see that Spanish schools fees appear to be significantly lower than those in the UK. It also seems as though more and more couples with young families are looking to escape the UK with some very favourable comments on the behaviour of school children in Marbella.

Towards the end of the thread a number of areas of Marbella are put under the spotlight with many highlighting the differing rental costs and local services on offer. However, there are no disparaging remarks about Marbella which makes a change from those trying to talk down some of the more mature markets of Spain.

Summary

One thing which shines through here is the fact that Marbella seems to be as popular now as it has been in recent times. While a number of areas of Marbella are brought into the picture with regards to schools, property and rental cost there is a distinct lack of negative comment about the area.

The subject of the various cards required to live and work in the region is covered in detail but there appears to be some confusion as to which cards are actually required and whether cost prices being quoted are in line with the market.

However, one thing seems very clear, Spanish school costs are a fraction of those in the UK and it seems that indiscipline in the schools visited was zero – whether this is replicated across Marbella and the rest of Spain remains to be seen. The fact that discounts are available for those with larger families also seems to have attracted a great number of foreign families to the shores of Marbella.

A review of this thread would not be complete without mentioning the social side of property forums and the fact they can and do open doors to new friends and assistance when moving overseas. It is also nice to have at least one person to help when you move overseas and while the ex-pat community can be a little suffocating for some looking for a fresh start, it does offer a very useful base while you acclimatise yourself to your new home.

It seems as though Marbella is very much alive and as popular as ever before, something which will surprise those who have been taken in by some of the more recent comments about the area, suggesting that it was time to look elsewhere.

Join the talk on moving to Marbella here.