'After moving from expensive San Francisco to Spain, they bought a beautiful home for $50,000 - that's how they did it.'

'There was already a European heritage. John is part Mexican, which creates a connection to Spain, and he is fluent in Spanish. The closest thing to the Californian lifestyle in Europe is in Spain, so the choice was obvious to us. "

Americans are moving to Spain en masse for work and retirement.

Leitz and Flores aren't the only ones. More Americans have been moving to Europe for work and retirement in recent years, and Spain has become one of the popular destinations, according to a report by migration consulting agency Global Citizen Solutions. Part of the appeal likely lies in its mild year-round climate and relaxed lifestyle, combined with relatively low prices for essential goods, including''s many challenges when moving. Buying and selling real estate in Europe is different from such processes in the United States. The whole process is more formal, including notaries, land registries and ambitious translators. There are also language barriers and culture shocks. As retirees, Flores and Leitz didn't have to worry about schools and education - an important aspect if moving to Europe with children. Given their professions, they had plenty of vacation time and used it to explore Spain and other European countries before moving.

Selecting Château and buying a house

Spain is a huge country with different regions, from the snowy mountains in the north to the beaches and islands of the Mediterranean. There are rural valleys, small romantic''villages and big cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Málaga. Flores and Leitz spent a lot of time traveling around the country to appreciate cultural changes, such as Spain's long siestas, numerous public holidays and the fact that stores are not open on Sundays. After choosing Spain and since retirement was still distant, they began preparing for the move by refreshing their knowledge of Spanish, which they were already familiar with from living in California. As they began looking for a home, their first stop was Valencia, a beautiful city and port on Spain's Mediterranean coast. Valencia - known for its oranges, national dish of paiaia, architecture, ceramics and culture - became their home for three years while they rented. However, prices in''town were beyond their retirement budget when it came to buying property. They were also looking for something more rural, preferably a home in need of renovation that they could own and restore to their liking. "Our hobbies are history and art, and we wanted a place where they were present, as well as nature and woods," Flores says. "Another important prerequisite was public transportation and good train or bus connections to other parts of Spain." After exploring the suburbs of Valencia, they finally decided on the ancient town of Châtiva, which has an impressive castle and lookout tower, as well as museums, art galleries, bars and restaurants. Critical was the availability of a fast train that connected Chativa to Valencia and''other towns.