I moved here in June 2002, after visiting to view
properties in April. Before I came I checked
several estate agents' websites and made an
appointment with one of them. He was excellent!
We spent about 4 half days in which he showed me
a selection of about 20 houses, including going
back to 3 or 4 them several times. He also showed
me around the island and made sure that we
stopped for coffee and to recap what we'd seen at
various beauty spots! Buying here was a cinch!

btw that was Joe Mercieca, the Gozo manager of
Dhalia (www.dhalia.com)

Settling in has been very easy too. Everyone is
friendly, and often stop in the street to talk. I
feel as if I have become part of the community
very quickly.

The only 2 things I've noticed are - limited
selection of groceries in the shops. Especially
deli, tinned soups, tinned meals, and frozen
meals. The other thing is that you get what I
call a 'drip feed' of information about
bureaucratic things. Instead of being told up
front, you get told step by step, and until that
step is completed, they won't tell you the next
one. That can be a bit frustrating, but I'm
assuming that after a few months it will be over,
because the events - the house purchase itself
(notary was lazy and useless!!!), getting id
card, importing posessions etc - are one-off
events.

I suggest that you don't try to househunt in the
summer (mid-May through mid-Sept), it will be too
hot to traipse around comfortably, so you won't
be giving yourselves the best chance to find the
right place!

Good luck!

Tim