The language barrier
Spanish administration works in Spanish, and often in Andalusian. Miss one instruction at an appointment and you've lost several weeks.
Málaga · Costa del Sol
Your new life in the sun. The rest is on us.
We're Florine & Cristhian, a French-Andalusian couple based in Málaga. We guide people settling on the Costa del Sol through the parts that get stuck — paperwork, housing, building work — the way you'd help a friend.
- Every document translated and explained
- On the ground, in Málaga
- One person, start to finish
- First conversation is free
The real problem
Settling in Spain isn't complicated. It's just opaque.
There's no hidden catch: there are counters that operate only in Spanish, forms that forgive nothing, and contracts people sign without having read them properly. That's exactly where we come in.
Appointments you can never get
The cita previa is booked online, released without warning and gone within minutes. We know where to look, when, and we do it for you.
The nasty surprises
A one-sided lease, a deposit that breaks the rules, a seller who isn't the real owner. We check before you sign, not after.
Who you'll be dealing with
Two people. Not a call centre.
“We're not a big faceless agency, and we don't want to be. We're just two people who love where they live and who help you the way you'd help a friend.”
Florine is French and has lived in Andalusia since she was 17: administration, translations, government counters. Cristhian is Andalusian and comes from the building trade: property, renovation work, the local address book. You'll always speak to the same person — the one who already knows your file.
How it works
Your move, in five steps
No step starts before you know what it involves, how long it takes and what we need from you.
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We get to know each other
A WhatsApp message or an email, then a thirty-minute call. You describe your plans, we tell you what's ahead. Free, with no obligation.
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We build your roadmap
Which procedures, in what order, with which documents and what timescales. You know exactly where you're going before anything starts.
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We handle the administration
NIE, empadronamiento, bank account, translations. We book the appointments, fill in the forms and come with you to the counter.
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We make your housing safe
Renting or buying: we check, translate, negotiate and stand beside you at the signing. You never sign anything you haven't understood.
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We're still here afterwards
Renovation, building work, looking after the property while you're away. Same person, who already knows your file.
Our packages
Three formats, depending on where you are
You're arriving, you're renting, or you're buying. We always start with a free conversation to work out what you actually need — sometimes less than you thought.
Welcome Package
To put your bags down and exist administratively in Spain.
The foundation of any move: NIE, town hall registration, bank account and translations. Without these, nothing else is possible.
Rental Package
You've found somewhere to live and want to sign without nasty surprises.
We read the lease before you do, line by line, and check that the landlord really is the owner.
Home Package
Whether you're already here or still abroad, you want to buy a property.
We search, we view, we negotiate and we stay with you until the keys are in your hand.
After you've settled in
Renovate, build, maintain
Once you're in, the real question becomes: who do you trust with building work in a country whose language and customs you don't yet know?
Renovation
We line up trusted trades and run the site on your behalf, from start to finish.
New build
From the plot to the keys, one point of contact for the entire project.
Upkeep & management
We keep an eye on your property while you're away, and keep you posted.
IZI clients only
Explore our services
Practical guides
Understand it all before you even call us
We explain the Spanish procedures for free, without jargon. If after reading you'd rather do it yourself, so much the better — that's a win too.
The complete guide
Moving to the Costa del Sol: the complete guide
The whole journey, from your first question to the day you get the keys: procedures, budget, housing, healthcare, schools and taxes.
Administration
The NIE: what it's for and how to get one
Your identification number in Spain. What it unlocks, who needs to apply, the forms and the traps to avoid.
Administration
Empadronamiento: your official address in Spain
Registration on your town hall's roll. Why it unlocks healthcare, schooling and your residence certificate.
Frequently asked
What people ask us most
Are you an estate agency?
No. An estate agency is paid by the seller and defends the seller's interests. You pay us, so we defend yours: we check the contracts, we negotiate the price down, and we tell you when a property isn't worth it. We hold no portfolio of properties for sale.
Do I need to be in Spain to start the paperwork?
No, we can begin remotely. The first conversation happens over video call or WhatsApp, and we prepare your file before you even arrive. A few steps require you to be there in person — fingerprints for the NIE, or signing at the notary — and we group those together to save you trips back and forth.
What languages do you work in?
We work in French and Spanish day to day: Florine is French and has lived in Andalusia since she was 17, and Cristhian is Andalusian. Written enquiries in English are welcome. Whatever the language, every important document is translated and explained to you before you sign anything.
Which towns do you cover?
We're based in Málaga and we work across the whole Costa del Sol: Málaga, Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Mijas, Marbella, Estepona, Nerja, Rincón de la Victoria and Vélez-Málaga. For a project further into Andalusia, just ask — we'll tell you honestly whether we can look after you properly.
First conversation is free
Shall we grab a coffee — or a call — whenever suits you?
The first conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing. Tell us about your plans and we'll tell you honestly what's ahead, in what order, and what we can take off your hands.