LIFESTYLES:

THE CONSUMER ROLE

Buying a property abroad

Buying property abroad is more popular than ever, with increasing numbers of people following their dream in purchasing a holiday home, a buy-to-let, or moving lock, stock and barrel to the sun. If you're planning such a move, read our guide before you buy.

Before you start looking for a property, it's worth asking yourself a few basic questions, which should save you time and money in the long run:

• Do you prefer the town or country?

• Do you want to be inland or on the coast?

• Do you want to be isolated or in the thick of it? (Most people prefer to be within about an hour's travel time of a town.)

• How much outside space do you want?

• How close do you want to be to your neighbors?

• How close do you want to be to shops, bars and restaurants?

• Where's the nearest public transport, how often does it run, what time does it end?

• How far is the beach?

• How close are you to the nearest airport?

• How far is it to sports facilities, golf, tennis, swimming, and so on?

• How good are the local health and social services?

• Arts and entertainment - what's available in the area?

• Neighbors - what are they like and how often do you want to see them?

Professional advice: Use qualified professionals to protect your interests and make the purchase of your new home a stress-free experience. Estate agents are a good source of advice. Only negotiate with ones that are officially registered and hold a license. Ensure you have a good lawyer with an excellent command of English and the native tongue, to deal with the endless stream of rules and regulations. For instance, did you know that if you're buying in Spain you'll need to make out a will in Spanish before buying, or that you can inherit debts from a previous vendor?

Costs: Research all legal issues and costs involved. Your solicitor/lawyer will advise and assist you. Before you have decided on a property it's important to be fully aware of the legal process and costs involved in your puchase. Obtain professional advice and check your finances, taking account of these additional costs.  Be well prepared with your finances; taxes can be high when buying. Set up a direct debit from a native bank account to pay for bills. Be careful not to miss payments and read those red letters; foreign banks are not lenient with those who don't pay up in time. If you're considering renting out the property when it's empty, bear in mind that advertising in the UK for a property abroad could result in tax demands from both the English and foreign authorities.

Introduction to toys

If you're thinking of beginning a collection of toys, there's a huge variety to choose from. Many collectors specialize in a particular area - such as clockwork toys, robots or cars - or in a particular maker, but others just collect those toys they really love. You need to be sure of your area of interest before visiting the larger auction houses because many sell different types of toy - such as soldiers, model cars or trains - in specialist sales. Prices for toys depend on the maker, the rarity of the model and the condition. Although chips and dents are virtually inevitable, a toy in mint condition, or with its original packaging, is what every serious collector longs for. Repainting will nearly always reduce the value of a collector's toy, so only repaint items in your collection as a last resort. Toys made by well-known firms are always sought, and minor damage is acceptable if the toy is made by a premium firm such as Bing, Märklin or Lehmann. Viewing sales and visiting specialist dealers is the best way of getting to know which models are the most desirable. Once you've a good feel for prices, you don't have to buy from an up market auction house or dealer. Because many collectable toys aren't very old, it's always worth scouring your local junk shop for bargains.

ANTIQUES CARE

Textiles

As textiles get older the fibres break down and they can be easily damaged. While we wouldn't advise DIY repairs on delicate items, there are a number of things you can do to look after your textiles.

A textile may be more fragile than it first seems.

• Remove all jewellery or accessories that could catch on a textile.

• To be on the safe side wear white cotton gloves. These can be purchased at chemists and are inexpensive.

• Knowing which areas are weak will help you avoid further problems.

• If a piece of costume is on a hanger, use the hanger to hold it. A strong grasp of a shoulder can cause creasing or splitting.

• If you are moving a small flat textile, you can carry it safely by sliding a piece of clean card underneath.

• Costumes should be carried in a white sheet across the forearms.

It is tempting to approach cleaning antique textiles the same way as one would modern ones but as textiles age they need a different approach. Even hoovering can cause further damage. The suction could be strong enough to pull the fabric apart. Flat, sturdy textiles may be cleaned by covering them with a microfilament net (make sure the raw edges of the net are covered or they can catch on the fabric) and using a vacuum cleaner on a very low power setting. If fibres rather than dirt are coming off, stop immediately.  Any further cleaning should be discussed with a textile conservator. Never be tempted to use boiling water or such things as soda crystals with old textiles.

There are a number of specialist storage solutions designed to protect textiles.

Acid-free tubes - large flat textiles are best stored face upwards on a large tube. It is difficult to find acid-free tubes so if you are using regular rolls find one with a large circumference (at least the size of a coffee mug). Cover with four or five layers of acid-free tissue. This will need to be replaced when it starts to yellow. Plastic piping can also be used for rollers. Make sure it is clean and the ends are smooth. Carefully roll the piece trying to keep it smooth. You may need help doing this if the object is large. When finished, cover by rolling acid-free tissue over it allowing it to extend beyond the textile. Tie at the ends with cotton tape. If it needs more ties, make sure the ties aren't pressing into the textile. Acid-free boxes - try to purchase boxes that allow textiles to be stored without having to fold them too much, as folds can turn into splits. Start by lining the box with the tissue letting it extend over the edges. This can be folded over the final layers to keep it in place. Heavy items like beaded dresses should be boxed rather than hung. Never use blue tissue, the dye can rub off onto the textiles and it's acidic. If you have to fold textiles, soften the folds by rolling up tissue and place it inside the fold. It is also helpful to use the tissue to pad areas (not too tightly) that may be crushed. Hangers - to safely hang a costume, find a sturdy hanger that follows the shoulder shape of the garment (this is very important). It should not extend beyond the sleeve. Avoid wire hangers as they're not strong enough. Cover the hanger with polyester wadding (check to see that it is flame proof) and then with a sheet of clean white or off-white cotton or polycotton.

• Don't use plastic. It can attract dirt through static electricity, develop condensation which can encourage mould and when it chemically breaks down it can give off degradation products.

• Coverings should be of clean white or off-white cotton or polycotton. The best coverings are shaped like garment bags.

• Try to give textiles enough hanging space so they are not crushed against other items.