What actually happens when you stop dreaming about Spain and finally get on the plane?

In this episode, Our client & Dublin entrepreneur and wellness practitioner Gracie Mahady shares her first four weeks living in Málaga on the Costa del Sol , renting in a Spanish neighbourhood, building community and slowly moving her yoga and reflexology business from Ireland to Spain.

You’ll hear:

• Why renting first can save you costly mistakes when you eventually buy in Spain
• Adapting to Spanish culture, language and lifestyle in those first few weeks
• How to make friends fast and find genuinely supportive communities in Málaga
• What it’s like to start from scratch professionally (with humility and hustle)
• Safety as a solo woman living in Spain and using your instincts wisely
• Bringing a wellness business to the Costa del Sol (yoga, meditation, reflexology)
• Practical tips for learning Spanish and networking so life and business feel easier

If you can see yourself in Gracie’s story, this is a real-life look at what it’s really like to take the first step towards buying property in Spain by renting and testing areas first.

👉 Ready to explore whether a move ( and eventually a purchase ) on the Costa del Sol is right for you?

Book a complimentary consultation with WL Costa Properties:

https://calendly.com/wlcostaproperties/property-consultation?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=consult_call

Resources:

📘 Download our Buyer’s Guide (costs, legal checks, timelines & more):
https://wlcostaproperties.net/our-comprehensive-digital-course/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=buyers_roadmap

📩 Email our team: info@wlcostaproperties.net

📱 Call / WhatsApp: +34 602 42 89 28

📍 Visit our office:
Avenida Bonanza Local 21, Arroyo de la Miel, Benalmádena, Málaga
Walk-ins: 10am–2pm | After 2pm by appointment

Want to simply keep in the loop about life in Spain?

• If you want honest, expert advice about family life, relocating or property on the Costa del Sol, be sure to Follow us on Instagram or visit WL Costa Properties for insights on life in Spain.

Related Episodes

#51 Home on the Costa: How 2 Women Made Spain Their Dream Life (And How You Can Too)

Enjoying the Podcast? Leave Us a Review!

We know life is busy, but if you’ve been loving the podcast, we’d really appreciate it if you could take just a minute to leave us a review.

Tell us:

✔️ What’s been your favorite episode?

✔️ What’s the most helpful tip you’ve learned?

✔️ What do you want to hear more about?

Every review helps us reach more people just like you who are dreaming of a new life in Spain.

Just head over to Apple Podcasts, hit the rating, and drop us a quick review.

In this episode of The Costa Property Podcast, Warner sits down with Lynsey and Jacqueline to unpack what really happened in the 2025 Costa del Sol property market – in Q4 and what it means if you’re planning to buy in 2026.

From serious international buyers (UK, Ireland, Europe, US, Canada) to low supply, “Wild West” listings and the rise of non-lucrative visa moves, this is an insider briefing for anyone serious about buying in Spain.

You’ll learn:

• How Q4 of 2025 really played out: enquiries, viewings and offers
• Buyer behaviour and what surprised us the most about international demand
• How we prepare buyers months before they land
• Real client stories: the Denver couple who hated their first area, the California buyer purchasing a new build remotely, and UK clients using the non-lucrative visa to move to Spain
• The reality of portals, overpricing and photoshopped listings
• Why listings and infrastructure are such an advantage for 2026 buyers

If you’re planning to relocate to the Costa del Sol or buy a lifestyle or investment property in 2026, understanding how buyers behaved in 2025 will help you avoid costly mistakes, set realistic expectations and choose the right partners on the ground.

Ready to talk about your own move?

Book a complimentary consultation with WL Costa Properties and get tailored guidance for you.

📞 Book a complimentary property consultation:
https://calendly.com/wlcostaproperties/property-consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=consult_call

📘 Download our Buyer’s Guide (costs, legal checks, timelines & more):
https://wlcostaproperties.net/our-comprehensive-digital-course/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=buyers_roadmap

📩 Email our team: info@wlcostaproperties.net

📱 Call / WhatsApp: +34 602 42 89 28

📍 Visit our office:
Avenida Bonanza Local 21, Arroyo de la Miel, Benalmádena, Málaga
Walk-ins: 10am–2pm | After 2pm by appointment

Want to simply keep in the loop about life in Spain?

• If you want honest, expert advice about family life, relocating or property on the Costa del Sol, be sure to Follow us on Instagram or visit WL Costa Properties for insights on life in Spain.

Related Episodes

#89 Buying Property in Spain? Here’s EXACTLY How to Protect Your Budget from Exchange Rate Movements

Enjoying the Podcast? Leave Us a Review!

We know life is busy, but if you’ve been loving the podcast, we’d really appreciate it if you could take just a minute to leave us a review.

Tell us:

✔️ What’s been your favorite episode?

✔️ What’s the most helpful tip you’ve learned?

✔️ What do you want to hear more about?

Every review helps us reach more people just like you who are dreaming of a new life in Spain.

Just head over to Apple Podcasts, hit the rating, and drop us a quick review.

When most people picture the Costa del Sol, they picture beach bars, sangria, happy hours and pubs. But what if you’re sober, sober-curious, or you just don’t want your whole social life to revolve around alcohol, can you still move to Spain and enjoy it?

In this episode, Sandra talks with Emma and Louise, co-founders of Sober Socials, a growing community on the Costa del Sol for people who want connection, fun and belonging without alcohol.

You’ll hear:

• How Louise went from fully embracing the Costa del Sol “happy hour” stereotype to pausing drinking in 2019 and why that change still feels right years later
• Emma’s route from the UK to Australia, Costa Rica and finally Benalmádena – and how her view of Spain completely shifted once she lived here
• Why hot weather, “holiday mode” and expat culture can build habitual drinking habits and how to create new rituals instead
• Practical tips for January resets, nights out, handling “just have one” pressure and creating a simple “game plan” before you go out
• What actually happens at Sober Socials events (Mocktail & Mingle evenings, charity walks, meetups) and how to join whether you’re already on the Costa del Sol or still planning your move
  
  

If you’re thinking about moving to the Costa del Sol and you’ve also promised yourself you’ll drink less, take a break or just live a little differently, this conversation is a reassuring look at how you can do both.

Connect with Sober Socials
Website: https://sobersocial.es

Work with WL Costa Properties:
📞 Book a complimentary property consultation:
https://calendly.com/wlcostaproperties/property-consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=consult_call

📘 Download our Buyer’s Guide (costs, legal checks, timelines & more):
https://wlcostaproperties.net/our-comprehensive-digital-course/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=buyers_roadmap

📩 Email our team: info@wlcostaproperties.net

📱 Call / WhatsApp: +34 602 42 89 28

📍 Visit our office:
Avenida Bonanza Local 21, Arroyo de la Miel, Benalmádena, Málaga
Walk-ins: 10am–2pm | After 2pm by appointment

Want to simply keep in the loop about life in Spain?

• If you want honest, expert advice about family life, relocating or property on the Costa del Sol, be sure to Follow us on Instagram or visit WL Costa Properties for insights on life in Spain.

Related Episodes

• #52 The Emotional Rollercoaster of Moving Abroad: Overcoming Fear & Finding Community with Florence Reisch

Enjoying the Podcast? Leave Us a Review!

We know life is busy, but if you’ve been loving the podcast, we’d really appreciate it if you could take just a minute to leave us a review.

Tell us:

✔️ What’s been your favorite episode?

✔️ What’s the most helpful tip you’ve learned?

✔️ What do you want to hear more about?

Every review helps us reach more people just like you who are dreaming of a new life in Spain.

Just head over to Apple Podcasts, hit the rating, and drop us a quick review

Ready to buy in Spain without even stepping inside? In this episode, Lynette and Damien share how they found, secured, and fell in love with their dream home in Benalmadena on the Costa del Sol, Spain.

From years of visiting the area to building trust with our team, they walk through the exact steps that made a fast, confident purchase possible.

In this real-life buying property in Spain story, you’ll see how much of the process actually happens before you view a home: reaching out early, using free resources, getting clear on non-negotiables and having the right legal support in place from day one.

What you’ll learn:

• How Lynette and Damien held onto their dream of moving to the Costa del Sol and why they chose Benalmádena
  
  
• What made them reach out after following WL Costa Properties for over six months
  
  
• How a free resource and preparing early made their Spain property search smoother
  
  
• What happened the moment a property came onto the market that felt “made for them”
  
  
• The truth behind why they felt confident enough to place an offer before even stepping inside
  
  
• The emotions of finally walking into their new Benalmádena apartment knowing it was already theirs
  
  
• Lynette’s biggest piece of advice for anyone dreaming of buying property on the Costa del Sol
  
  

If you’re researching Costa del Sol property, planning a move to Spain, or looking for a real client story about buying a home in Benalmádena, this episode will give you a clear, grounded picture of what the process can look like with the right support.

Work with WL Costa Properties:
📞 Book a complimentary property consultation:
https://calendly.com/wlcostaproperties/property-consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=consult_call

📘 Download our Buyer’s Guide (costs, legal checks, timelines & more):
https://wlcostaproperties.net/our-comprehensive-digital-course/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=buyers_roadmap

📩 Email our team: info@wlcostaproperties.net

📱 Call / WhatsApp: +34 602 42 89 28

📍 Visit our office:

Avenida Bonanza Local 21, Arroyo de la Miel, Benalmádena, Málaga
Walk-ins: 10am–2pm | After 2pm by appointment

Want to simply keep in the loop about life in Spain?

• If you want honest, expert advice about family life, relocating or property on the Costa del Sol, be sure to Follow us on Instagram or visit WL Costa Properties for insights on life in Spain.

Related Episodes

• #85 How One Couple Turned Their Holiday Home into a New Life in Spain

Enjoying the Podcast? Leave Us a Review!

We know life is busy, but if you’ve been loving the podcast, we’d really appreciate it if you could take just a minute to leave us a review.

Tell us:

✔️ What’s been your favorite episode?

✔️ What’s the most helpful tip you’ve learned?

✔️ What do you want to hear more about?

Every review helps us reach more people just like you who are dreaming of a new life in Spain.

Just head over to Apple Podcasts, hit the rating, and drop us a quick review.

This week we’re taking a little detour from property into one of the real joys of life in Spain: wine.

Sandra is joined by Linda from Winederlust Málaga, a wine and food expert from Manchester with over 20 years’ experience in hospitality, now based in Málaga.

Together they bust 10 of the biggest myths about wine, from dark rosé and “breakfast cava” to Sherry, screw caps, natural wines and that mysterious dip in the bottom of the bottle.

If you’re thinking about moving to the Costa del Sol, this is the kind of everyday culture that helps you feel like you live here – not like a tourist.

You’ll learn:

• Why darker rosé doesn’t automatically mean sweet or poor quality
• Why Sherry is not just for your granny, and how to serve it so it actually tastes amazing
• How “room temperature” red wine doesn’t make sense in southern Spain – and when it’s smart to chill your reds
• When screw caps and boxed wines can be a quality choice for young, fresh Spanish wines
• What the “ABC club” (Anything But Chardonnay) is
• Why checking the “legs” or “tears” in your glass tells you more about alcohol and temperature than quality
• The real difference between organic, natural and mass-produced wine
• Linda’s favourite wine areas around Málaga and Ronda, plus the Wine Trails that take you through the most authentic local bars

About our guest – Linda, Winederlust Málaga

Linda is the founder of Winederlust Málaga and a certified Sherry specialist. After two decades working in bars and restaurants in the UK, she moved to Spain, fell in love with Sherry and Andalusian wines, and now helps visitors discover the very best of Málaga’s food and wine scene.

She runs:

• Public wine tastings in Málaga
• Private tastings in clients’ homes
• Her much-loved Wine Trails, curated walks through Málaga’s most authentic bars, pairing standout Spanish wines with local dishes
  
  

You can find her on Instagram at @winederlustmalaga.

👉 Ready to talk about your move or your next property step in Spain?

Book a complimentary consultation with WL Costa Properties:
https://calendly.com/wlcostaproperties/property-consultation

Want to simply keep in the loop about life in Spain?

• If you want honest, expert advice about family life, relocating or property on the Costa del Sol, be sure to Follow us on Instagram or visit WL Costa Properties for insights on life in Spain.

Related Episode

• # 67 Live Like a Local: Spanish Food, Culture & Real Costa del Sol Life with Hanni Martini

Enjoying the Podcast? Leave Us a Review!

We know life is busy, but if you’ve been loving the podcast, we’d really appreciate it if you could take just a minute to leave us a review.

Tell us:

✔️ What’s been your favorite episode?

✔️ What’s the most helpful tip you’ve learned?

✔️ What do you want to hear more about?

Every review helps us reach more people just like you who are dreaming of a new life in Spain.

Just head over to Apple Podcasts, hit the rating, and drop us a quick review.

Thinking about selling your property on the Costa del Sol in Spain? 🇪🇸

In this conversation, Warner sits in the hot seat as Sandra asks the Top 10 questions every seller asks us - from how long a sale really takes, to how to price your home, to what documents you need, right through to how to sell without ever stepping on a plane.

Because yes, selling in Spain can feel daunting, especially if you’re not here. And that’s exactly why communication, preparation, and working with someone who cares as much as you do matters so much.

What You’ll Learn:

✔ How long it truly takes to sell a property on the Costa del Sol
✔ The pricing framework Warner uses before every valuation
✔ How to avoid overpricing, wasted weeks, and buyer drop-off
✔ Exactly which documents you need to sell your property in Spain
✔ How to sell your home 100% remotely
✔ Why presentation is everything
✔ The marketing strategy WL Costa use to get fast, high-quality buyers
✔ How we match your home to the right buyer
✔ The taxes & fees sellers need to know explained in simple terms
✔ The truth about Spain’s multi-listing system and how it protects your time
✔ The real “secret” to a smooth sale

📘 Download Your FREE Seller Guide

Everything you need to prepare your home for a smooth, stress-free sale on the Costa Del Sol, backed by over 20 years experience!

➡️ https://wlcostaproperties.net/sellers-guide/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=free_sellers_guide

📞 Book a Seller Consultation

➡️ https://calendly.com/wlcostaproperties/property-consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=consult_call

Want to simply keep in the loop about life in Spain?

• If you want honest, expert advice about family life, relocating or property on the Costa del Sol, be sure to Follow us on Instagram or visit WL Costa Properties for insights on life in Spain.

Related Episodes

• #69 Golden Rules For Selling Your Property on the Costa Del Sol

Enjoying the Podcast? Leave Us a Review!

We know life is busy, but if you’ve been loving the podcast, we’d really appreciate it if you could take just a minute to leave us a review.

Tell us:

✔️ What’s been your favorite episode?

✔️ What’s the most helpful tip you’ve learned?

✔️ What do you want to hear more about?

Every review helps us reach more people just like you who are dreaming of a new life in Spain.

Just head over to Apple Podcasts, hit the rating, and drop us a quick review.

Exchange rates can shift your Spain property budget by thousands.

In this episode, Sandra talks with Carol Schleisman from Currencies Direct about how exchange rate movements impact buyers, including a real case where a buyer’s budget dropped by €20,000 during her trip.

You’ll learn the key pitfalls to avoid, how to protect your rate with forward contracts, and why speaking to a currency specialist early prevents last-minute stress.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• How exchange rate movements affect your Spain property budget
• Why one buyer had to revise her budget down by €20,000
• What actually causes rates to move
• The pitfalls of relying only on your bank
• How forward contracts + limit orders protect your buying power
• Why early conversations avoid last-minute stress
• How Currencies Direct support buyers before, during and after completion

If you’re buying on the Costa del Sol or anywhere in Spain, this is essential listening before you transfer a single euro.

Resources mentioned

Get Started with Currencies Direct Today: https://wlcostaproperties.net/currency-exchange/

Thinking about buying a property on the Costa del Sol?

• Book a complimentary consultation: https://calendly.com/wlcostaproperties/property-consultation?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=consult_call
• Join our newsletter for relocation + property insights: https://wlcostaproperties.net/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=website_visit

Want to simply keep in the loop about life in Spain?

• If you want honest, expert advice about family life, relocating or property on the Costa del Sol, be sure to Follow us on Instagram or visit WL Costa Properties for insights on life in Spain.

Related Episodes

• #86 Think you know your Costa del Sol property budget? The blind spot most buyers miss!
• #65 How a Lawyer Protects Your Spanish Property Purchase with Alex Radford

Enjoying the Podcast? Leave Us a Review!

We know life is busy, but if you’ve been loving the podcast, we’d really appreciate it if you could take just a minute to leave us a review.

Tell us:

✔️ What’s been your favorite episode?

✔️ What’s the most helpful tip you’ve learned?

✔️ What do you want to hear more about?

Every review helps us reach more people just like you who are dreaming of a new life in Spain.

Just head over to Apple Podcasts, hit the rating, and drop us a quick review.

Over 40% of international buyers in Spain choose new builds, but what actually happens once you reserve, pay your deposit, and wait for completion?

In this episode, Warner sits down with Viktoria Jancurova, a recent buyer who purchased a new-build apartment in La Cala de Mijas through WL Costa Properties.

This is the real story; the shiny parts, the stressful parts, and the moment she opened her door to find water pouring through her kitchen ceiling.

If you’re considering a new development on the Costa del Sol, this is essential listening!

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why new builds are so popular among foreign buyers
  
  
• What makes a development a good one (and how to judge it)
  
  
• The 6,000€ reservation fee + deposit process
  
  
• How mortgage subrogation works in Spain
  
  
• The importance of a detailed courtesy visit & snagging checklist
  
  
• What happens when things go wrong (like unexpected leaks)
  
  
• Why the right lawyer + the right agent = your real guarantee
  
  
• What buyers should document from day one
  
  
• Why buying with limited Spanish is completely manageable
  
  
• How to avoid the most common new-build mistakes
  
  

Thinking about buying a new build or resale on the Costa del Sol?

• Book a complimentary consultation: https://calendly.com/wlcostaproperties/property-consultation?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=consult_call
• Join our newsletter for relocation + property insights: https://wlcostaproperties.net/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=website_visit

Want to simply keep in the loop about life in Spain?

• If you want honest, expert advice about family life, relocating or property on the Costa del Sol, be sure to Follow us on Instagram or visit WL Costa Properties for insights on life in Spain.

Related Episodes

• #51 Home on the Costa: How 2 Women Made Spain Their Dream Life (And How You Can Too)
• #65 How a Lawyer Protects Your Spanish Property Purchase with Alex Radford

Enjoying the Podcast? Leave Us a Review!

We know life is busy, but if you’ve been loving the podcast, we’d really appreciate it if you could take just a minute to leave us a review.

Tell us:

✔️ What’s been your favorite episode?

✔️ What’s the most helpful tip you’ve learned?

✔️ What do you want to hear more about?

Every review helps us reach more people just like you who are dreaming of a new life in Spain.

Just head over to Apple Podcasts, hit the rating, and drop us a quick review.