Dear Reader

This month’s eNewsletter includes the following:

• My Introduction
  
• M&S Vouchers Winner
  
• A note from last months winners – Jean and Kevin Elliott
  
• Buying Overseas: Begin to Absorb the Language (if
  possible).
  
• Your Stories: by Smart Client David F
  
• US$ and the Euro
  by Charles Purdy, Smart Director
  
• Important Bank and Account Information
  
• Testimonial

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My Introduction
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I hope you are well.

As I write this I am sat in a nice warm room looking
out of the window at a very frosty morning.

Business within the Smart walls has certainly not slowed
down because of the Christmas Season. On the news
earlier there was a story about the increase in people
buying and moving overseas. Obviously everyone has their
reasons – is it the weather I wonder? With this in mind I would
love to hear your own reasons and, as always, any stories
you would like to share with me would be great.

Well at least we have a short break coming up soon, which I
am sure we all deserve (whether it be with the in-laws or not!!)

And of course the Christmas parties, the Smart one is coming
shortly so watch out London, here we come!!

Again this month we have had our prize draw for the £250
M&S vouchers, so look below to see if it is you! If you are
unaware of our Smart Refer-A-Friend compeition,
it is a monthly draw we make for Smart Clients who
have referred their friends/family/colleagues to us in order
for them to also benefit from our service. So if you know of
anyone then email me their details.

Rebecca@SmartCurrencyExchange.com

Lastly – I and the entire team at Smart want to wish you
a VERY Happy Festive Season and Fantastic New Year.

Until next month – think Smart,

Becks

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M&S Vouchers Winner
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The winner of this months prize draw of £250 M&S
Vouchers is:

Victor Braint!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS Victor!!!!!

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Last months M&S Vouchers Winner
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Last month when we announced that “Jean and Kevin Elliott”
won the competition, this is how they responded:

“Did we really win the vouchers ?

You have already saved us lots of money on our exchange
and will do in the future, we are in contact with Carl – who
looks after us very well.

Thank you so much…..I love M&S. The first think I am
going to buy is a very chilled bottle of their bubbly and
toast you all.

Thanks for all your help”

If you’d like to enter into next months competition, please
eMail me the Full Contact Details for any contacts you have
that need to move money overseas to:

Rebecca@SmartCurrencyExchange.com

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Buying Overseas: Begin to Absorb the
Language (if possible).
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The following information is supplied by The Overseas
Guides Company’s publication: ‘Overseas Property
Buying & Investment Guide.” (Get your freecopy of the
Guide Here!)

‘If you’re interested in a non-English
speaking country, it’s in your best interest to at
least learn the basics of the language.

Although most foreign people can manage some
English, it’s not a good idea to assume everyone
knows it.

Whether you need repairs, help at the local
grocery store (to find your baked beans), need
to consult a local builder or to have the ability to
program your phone answering service…understanding
and speaking the basics will reduce your stress and
that of those around you.

Furthermore, the locals will respect you more for
making an effort to learn the language most
important to them. Start learning as soon as you
know you’re going to execute your plans!

Tip: Your local library may have language sets
that they’ll lend for free or a small about – or any
books store will stock the popular languages,
like German, French, Spanish, Greek…

Once you get the audio sets, put them in your
car and even if you don’t actively work on
memorising them, you’ll at least start to get a
feeling for the language.

We all learn by repetition, and what a better
place to repeat words. (And now days, you
won’t look silly talking to yourself in your car as
most people have hands-free mobile phones.
You’ll just look like your talking on the phone!)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Your Stories: by Smart Client David F
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We bought a property in Castille la Mancha, having
researched and visited Spain for over 4 years to find
what we wanted. Having been a Spanishophile since
1960 it was always my intention to retire there – the
weather, people, culture, food and wine all suit my
quiet personality!

We looked at some interesting places and saw one that
was suitable but didn’t have water or electricity and we thought
remote at the time. It did serve as a pointer to the agents
who were offering us things, all of which we found to be
not quite right!

We then revisited the waterless/powerless
place again. All in all it suited our parameters subject to the
water – we knew that we could bring power through solar
and generator for power. We made an offer subject to
finding water, left a returnable 1% deposit if water not
found, and then took the risk that out trila boreholes would
produce the goods.

The deposit was to ensure that If we
found water the buyer couldn’t up the price or change the
terms but on our side we had the chance that the cost of an
abortive search would be down to us. In the event we found
water and have been in the process of bringing an finca up
to standard with water, power and drainage.

Our advice:
1 Don’t be rushed into the first place you see, get to know
the area you want to live in first by spending time there,
either renting or if you can afford it buying something
small and cheap.

2 Get good representation. Property in Spain can be
owned in a very complicated manner with various
charges/embargoes on it that needs a practising legal
eagle to fathom out. We actually found the Mama cass
of lawyers who I’m glad to say was on our side and had
anyone who got in the way very frightened.

3 Don’t take the word of a builder that you don’t need
consents etc. If you have any ability to sketch your
refurbishment out then do so and take it to the town hall
for a view of the position – mistakes cost money and if you
ever come to resell it could cost you dearly.

4 Use local labour and network, don’t bring expats in unless
there is a real shortage of a speciality. Local labour is good
and cheap (except on the coast) and they will have knowledge
of the town hall network and how it works.

5 Get a bank account open locally and meet the manager.
Use their contacts for insurance, tec. It isn’t necessarily
cheaper but does get you into the “star” customer status. It
also gives them brownie points at head office and you can
always pick their brains for information as to who is trustworthy
and dependable. (we found that people didn’t bad mouth the
wrong sorts but tended to be less than enthusiastic!)

6 In small Spanish communities everyone is someone’s cousin,
“Primo”, and in my network I must be no further that three
points distant from every person in the town.

7 Get a good dictionary and also the Oxfor-Duden Spanish
version. This is a pictorial dictionary that has both English and
Spanish identifying images on the same page. I also have copies
of Screwfix, Argos, and other catalogues for the pictorial
representation of things I can’t find in the dictionary etc.

8 Check local feast days and holidays – towns can be completely
closed without you being aware its happening until go shopping!

9 Make an effort and learn Spanish – this is the key to getting
on there.

Do you have a story and some tips that you’d like to share?

If so, please send them to me so that I can send them out
in one of my future newsletters:

Rebecca@SmartCurrencyExchange.com

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
US$ and the Euro
by Charles Purdy, Smart Director
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The US$ has been oscillating between 1.95 and 1.97
inter bank. Still doesn’t have many supporters but I always
think it is dangerous to bet against the US$. If it weakens
too far then US exports become cheaper and exports from
the UK to the US become more expensive. We wait to see
where US interest rates head in the New Year as this will
be a major factor.

The Euro has stayed in a fairly narrow range 1.47 to 1.49ish
inter bank for the last few weeks. The German economy is
continuing to improve and as the economic power house of
Euro land this will affect on the Euro. I still feel the downside
risk is greater than the upside potential.

PLEASE give us a call if you need to exchange and
transfer money anywhere overseas. We will be able to save
you quite a bit of money AND make it a heck of a lot
easier than using the bank.

Call Smart today to see how much you can save on:
0808 163 0102

OR

To get a better-than-bank-rate quote, avoid all charges and
talk with someone that can help you to buy at the best time,
please request a currency quotation at:

http://www.smartcurrencyexchange.com/smartquotation.htm

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Important Bank and Account Information
(for Smart Clients)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From 1st January 2007, all transfers within Euro land
will require an IBAN and a BIC/SWIFT. NO transfers
can be made without this information. The IBAN [international
bank account number] uniquely identifies a bank account
number and the BIC [bank identifier code] uniquely identifies
the name and country of the bank.

Also when using us please ensure that any transfers to us
include your Smart Account Number as reference as it becomes
very difficult to match your funds when clients enter as a reference:
“Smart Currency Exchange” or “Portugal #4″ or “Currency Exchange”!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Testimonial
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“I’d just like to say thank you for the smooth transfers
of money to buy our Italian property, I used Smart
Currency Exchange for both the deposit and the final
balance, both transactions worked very smoothly even
in non English speaking central Italy!

I had my doubts and worries using an “un known”
Internet Company to transfer such large amounts, this
together with not using solicitors and relied solely
on “un known” Estate agents in Italy, I felt very
vulnerable to a big scam. I needn’t have worried,
Both the estate agents and smart currency were very
helpful and professional and we now own our little
house in Tuscany. I will continue to use Smart Currency
Exchange for our holiday funds and house upkeep.

Once again Thanks. Chris”

Think Smart,

Rebecca Stubbs
Client Relationship Manager
+44 (0) 208 600 2607

Queens Wharf
Queen Caroline Street
London, London
W6 9RJ
GB

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