Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on emigrating to Spain.

We are planning to move at the end of 2009, me, my wife, 2 year old daughter and baby daughter.

We plan to sell our house and rent somewhere. We will have enough money to see us right for a year if the worst case scenario happens, that I can’t find work. We currently have our own home cleaning and ironing business here in Bridlington UK. We hope to set up with this service in Spain or find a suitable job.

My questions would be to you are firstly do you think this would work?

Am I likely to find work? I am 35 and male. Also are we likely to find long term rental accommodation? And where in Spain would you recommend us to fulfill our plan?

And what about schools for when my daughters start? Is it easy to get into a Spanish and English teaching school? Where do the English expats take their children to school?

I am most grateful for your advice as I realise you can never get enough advice!! Also I know that you can’t always believe what you read in books. I always take the reading seriously but I think it’s obviously best to ask those, yourselves, that have actually done the move!

We are happy to take the risk of things not working out as we will get a good year in Spain whatever happens at least.

We love Spain and would love to make it our home.

I will have a good daily look on this excellent website and trail through the Forums to see what everybody is up to in Spain!

Many thanks

Carl

Hi there

My family and I are doing something similar to you and your family.  My husband, 2 year old and baby are planning to move out to the Costa Blanca region September 08 (all going well with getting our house sold here in Northern Ireland).  We are also planning to rent for 12 months before we buy and more importantly to test the water and see how we get on.  My husband is planning a weekend visit in May to look at some long term rentals and to find a nice Spanish, family orientated village (away from the resorts) that we would live in for the first year, so as to embrace as much as the spanish culture as possible and to really do alot of research on schools and where the good catchment areas are for schools etc.  Here are some links that might help with finding long term rentals:

http://www.kyero.com  -  this one is great and we have found the agents really helpful.  Andy my husband is meeting this agent in May and he has a list of properties that suit our description and budget.

http://www.livespainforlife.com - Sharon the woman who set up this website has been a great help and can give advice on everything from healthcare to renting.  Again she has some really nice long term rentals that we are viewing.

http://www.thinkspain.com/spanishproperty
http://www.propshopspain.com
http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/index.htm

Hope this helps and good luck!

Marie

Many thanks for your help Marie and Andy!

We have bookmarked the websites you recommended and will do some more reading! We’ll let you know how we get on.

Good luck to you too!

Carl & Kaila

Hi Carl,
I shared your dilema when we moved over to Spain. I wanted somewhere near the beach, neither of us drive so it had to be near local amenities also. The problem of course is that it is these very places which attract tourists.

I run a small marketing business from home which involves a lot of telephone calls. I couldn’t live somewhere where people were comming home at 3am, drunk, singing or playing loud music.

Eventualy we decided to take a place we viewed in Los Montesinos, Alicante.

It’s a 3 bedroom detached villa (We use 1 as an office;), brand new, it has a garden, a parking space, is fully furnished right down to the corkscrew and dish cloths with top quality furniture (Leather suite, flat screen TV etc) We were qouted ?1900 to ship our junk over - no way!

There is no pool, but the villa has a very large “rotunda” on the upper level, which is accessed via patio doors from each of the 2 upstairs bed rooms. We are putting a spa out there (500 euro or so) instead.

Why am I telling you all this?

Because there are a couple more brand new villa’s up for long term let form the same investors at 650 per month. Now these may be gone by the time you are ready to come over but the urbanisation is growing all the time, there are more commercial units planned and more new housing too.

It is approximately a 20 minute drive from Murcia Airport and a 35 minute drive from Alicante airport which makes this a very popular destination on the Costa Blanca. The ‘Blue Flag’ beaches of Guardamar del Segura are only a 10 minute drive. Los Montesinos has a calm and tranquil feel about. It sits on the edge of the beautiful salt lake which creates a microclimate that makes it one of the healthiest places in the world to live according to the World Health Organisation. It is a typical Spanish town with the church at the square.

The urbanisation is La Herrada, it consists of almost entirely ex pat’s, virtually no holiday lets. It’s very peacefull here.
70% of the occupants are British the rest made up of Polish, Russian, German etc. It takes 15 Min to walk to Los Montesinos town.

Despite it’s growth, the town has retained it’s typical Spanish feel and has a very friendly community of Spanish and English. All essential facilities and amenities are within easy walking distance, from fresh food shops, supermarkets, 50+ bars, restaurants & tapas bars, schools, a music academy, medical centre, municipal sports centre, parks, and a whole host of other shops & facilities.

It is great to be in a friendly place where you can forget about a car and stroll to everything you need.

The town has numerous fiestas throughout the year, as do all of the local towns, although here the main fiesta is in October and lasts for a whole (Hectic) week.

The town is about 9 kilometers from Torrevieca.

There are two schools in Los Montesinos, the primary school is Virgen del Pilar and the secondary school is Los Montesinos les Antonio Sequeras. Both are very reputable, sought after schools.

In summation, if your work would allow you to live here it may well be worth having a look. PM me and I shall pass the agents details to you. BTW, the 650 euro’s includes council tax!

Best regards,
Brian.

P.S
A word about the agents, its a husband and wife team and I can honestly say they couldn’t do enough to help us. I run a small business and the internet and telephone are absolutely critical to my income. It can take upto 9 weeks I hear, to have a telephone installed.

I simply could not have lived without it for longer than 2 weeks. I did not have a Spanish bank account (You cannot have any subscription service in Spain without one so; you might want to open one when you are over for your next reccy) The agent arranged to have the phone and internet put on in this brand new house within 5 days, using his own bank account to get things moving. He picked us up and run us about to do all the things we NEEDED to do. I can recommend them to anyone (But wont here as it might be construed as advertising)

Hi

We are intending to move out in September 2008 after planning this for over a year now.

We have 6 children but only 3 are coming with us as the older ones have left home but we are bringing the others aged 16, 13, and 12 with us. 

We have been out to Spain 7 times since last July and have finally settled on the Valencia region, specifically near Oliva and Denia and have got our NIE numbers and bank account.  We have decided to send our kids to Spanish state schools (they are all 100% committed to this) and we are leaving brilliant jobs behind in the UK so lots of people think we are utterly MAD.

To put it mildly, I am really panicking as so many people tell you about the bad things ie not getting work, older kids not going to Spanish schools etc. Also I am so sad to be leaving our older children behind.  But our drive to leave the UK is stronger than all the doubts and even the pull of the older kids and for every negative comment you get there are about 10 positive ones.  I have been online every night for nearly a year and have spoken to literally 100s of people who have made this move and, although I am scared of going, I am even more scared of staying and regretting it. 

I think you are doing it at the right time and you should go for it.  I really regret not trying it earlier so all out kids could come.  It will be tough of course but if you know all the bad things that can go wrong and have the drive to get through them, you will be fine.  If you have had the guts to set up a business in UK you will probably find it easier to do so in Spain as they seem to be more accepting of this there - plus it will probably cost you less.  Even if you cannot do the same business you have transferable skills that you can use elsewhere.  Re your daughter’s education, I would get her into the Spanish way immediately - if this is a permanent move why not and she is at a perfect aga to do so.  I certainly would not go down the route of an international school with a child this young.

I wish you lots of luck.

Julie

:coolsmile:

Hi all
My husband and I are moving out ... hopefully beginning of Sept.  We are currently in the process of selling our house in S Wales.
I am leaving my two children, 16 & 13 as they wish to stay and live with their father, it is breaking my heart but my desire for a better life for my husband and I is so great I feel it would be a lost opportunity.  My kids said even if I lived 30 miles away they would not move only prepared to live in and around their friends !  I too think this is such a big loss of opportunity for them both.
We would like to bring our two huskies out with us but don;t know where to start, we would have to be out in Spain first as we have no-where to live at present either.  would anyone suggest to stick to agents, we have kinda bought a business through agents who were very good from Fuengirola.

Any advice to lost old me !

Loops - 26 June 2008 11:59 PM

we have kinda bought a business through agents who were very good from Fuengirola.

Lets just hope you haven`t bought a bar. :roll:

The biggest hurdle for expats is the culture shock, unless you live in and around expats, the language, the heat and the long working hours assuming you can get a job.

The other big hurdle is moving back to the UK when it all goes wrong, which it happens a lot.

Was only speaking to a English bookshop owner in Velez Malaga last month, there business is down some 30% as people are goin back to the UK and tourist arn`t coming.

Santi - Expat, why would you say ‘let’s hope you have not bought a bar’ is there a problem with bars out there.

In answer to the quote, no we have not.
We have also decided not to bring our dogs with us.
Do you still live in Spain Santi as you sound ‘negative’ towards it or is it just realistic.

well there so many bars out here its unreal with , but there hard times ahead in spain and all of the Eu ahead , was chatting to few around me here and there teling me that there slow down , orders are down on last year , price have gone up with fuel from 1.29 .1.35 throught to the supermarkets

many be that bar in the cost del sol ?

jurdy

Loops - 30 June 2008 11:06 PM

Santi - Expat, why would you say ‘let’s hope you have not bought a bar’ is there a problem with bars out there.

Depends on a lot of factures but in general a Brit pub in a Brit area usual results in many hours of work for little money and they seem to change hand constantly.

I fear the ones wining are the landlords as most now tend to be leased.

I got talking to a Brit who runs a pie shop in Benalmadena and supplies all the Brit pubs in Southern Spain, we were joking about Expats and there Business ideas, he commentated that he constantly gets Brits turning up asking for him to supply there bar and they always comment its marvouless that they can supply pies to punters in Spain and how well that`ll work.

Funny though, he employees several drivers doin deliveries everyday, there isn` t a bar in the regional that he dosn`t supply, yet there`s always a new person so happy they found a pie maker and how well that`ll attract the punters.

Makes me wonder how they ever managed to leave the UK in the first place.

Do you still live in Spain Santi as you sound ‘negative’ towards it or is it just realistic.

My family is Spanish and I live and work in Spain and Like Brits who moan about the UK, I moan about Spain.

I wouldn`t class myself as negative, my response depends on the subject.

Santi what are your spainish moans then please could you listed them , why i ask is nice to know for spanish side off thinks then expats
jurdy

Well people there’s nothing to stay in ‘Britain’ for.

Britain’s just a load of ‘Chaos & Confusion, A place where everyone’s in a mad rush and are too serioous about life!!

Where crime is well out of order, people getting ‘knifed’every day.

Dare I say it the Asian & European people have almost taken over it.

We are arranging to move out to ‘Mariara’ It looks a loveley little place.

Looks alot more apealing than ‘Batley’ on a Cold winter’s night!!

We can all sit and think too much about doing things, And not do anything at all.

We keep telling people Spain has got to be cheaper, cleaner, More disciplined than britain??

After all we have always lived in Britain, So obviously we don’t know any better.

Think we would be ‘foolish’ to stay in the old routine day in day out, And like others have said on here miss the chance of living in a better country.

If anyone thinks otherwise, Then I’m afraid that the way Britain is going it has probably got about 10 years left in it!!!

We’ll be glad to start a new life, whenever that is - The sooner the better.

Good Luck & Work Hard.

Mark & Julie.

julie38 - 02 July 2008 10:11 PM

Well people there’s nothing to stay in ‘Britain’ for.

That may well be true, you never know until you jump over to taste the grass.

Britain’s just a load of ‘Chaos & Confusion, A place where everyone’s in a mad rush and are too serioous about life!!

You should read the Telefonica post and research Spanish Customs and culture, rules and regulations.

Where crime is well out of order, people getting ‘knifed’e day.

Spain has a large knife problem.

Its true the crime level in Spain is lower than the UK, its not free of it and it seems to be getting worse.

I fear its a factor of life in most countries.

Dare I say it the Asian & European people have almost taken over it.

Trying to resist the Spanish not European country joke. :red:

Funny how Brits moan about immigration, yet the worlds largest Expat community is British and in Spain. :gulp:

Looks alot more apealing than ‘Batley’ on a Cold winter’s night!!

Common mistake brits make in Spain, thats it`ll be hot and dry in the Winter.

We miss our double glazing and central heating in winter, even in Spain it gets cold, maybe not UK cold, but when you spend 7 months at 80+, when it drops to 12 Degrees my feet go blue and i shiver, lots.

Northern Spain has had severe weather now for months, so much that the reservoirs are being damaged.

We can all sit and think too much about doing things, And not do anything at all.

Very true.

Getting off your rear and seeking adventure and experience new culture`s is great and something everybody should do.

But there is a warning.

The trouble starts when your running away, there is a difference between wanting too move and having too escape.

We keep telling people Spain has got to be cheaper, cleaner, More disciplined than Britain??

I`ve been in both, although I prefer Spain, its not because the food, crime, bills etc etc.

I spend the same and earn the same in Spain as the UK.I`m not financial better or worse than the UK, although the prices in the UK appear higher, the wages in Spain are lower.

Think we would be ‘foolish’ to stay in the old routine day in day out, And like others have said on here miss the chance of living in a better country.

Well my daughters been on school holidays for 10 days now and both my wife, me and my daughter a fed up and she has two and a half months to go.

The beach is nice, but today now its 8.30 pm and the temp outside is 79F, tomorrow its forecast to hit 94F.

The heat can be as restricting as a rainy day in the UK, if you like being in a bar all evening, its great, but the wallet does get small, even when the beer is so cheap, you can`t really afford to spend on evenings in the bars every night.

Unless your well off, you`ll find living on the costa`s boring after a while, its too hot to sit and watch TV, done the tourist attractions, fed up of drinking in bars.

Yes I could walk along the beach front, again, but have done that everyday for the last 8 yrs and the surrounding towns.

My point isn`t that Spain isn`t worse or better.

But it`s not the same as when your on holiday, there are still bills, expenses, crime, boredam etc etc.

you may find you spend more in Spain on Ice Creams, drinks and eating out, I doubt you spend much every evening in the UK.

In Spain you do.

There my daily reality check for potential expats.

We’ll be glad to start a new life, whenever that is - The sooner the better.

I`m not saying don`t move, just don`t be in a rush to run away, you may well find the grass, although greener, may taste odd.

Try to research more about Spain, the UK when I`m there seems to suffer from a media frenzy of doom and gloom, in Spain the media is different, but the crime rate that i see hear in Spain isn`t that different to what I read on the net or from family in the UK.

Its almost as if Spain hides the negative stuff about crime, especial the amount of family murders and missing children and sex abuse.

Mafia gangs and South American street gangs such as the Latin Kings that every night in Madrid, Barcelona are fighting with other Gangs from Spain and South America is another big issue, as is the guns they carry.

Try to research on the Spanish news sites, you`ll soon see there is serious crime in Spain.

Good luck.

Loops - 30 June 2008 11:06 PM

We have also decided not to bring our dogs with us.
.

Why not bring your dogs? You just need to organise a pet passport (very easy to do). We did this for both our dogs and our cat. I even know someone who brought their parrot.
If you visit your vet, they will have all the details and it relatively simple.
Good luck with your move.

Hi all

Well we have sold our house and will be coming to Spain regardless of the doom and gloom that I have come across reading this.
Is life not what you make it !
We are not running away from anything but certainly being adventurous and yes we will be running a cafe/bar ahhhhhhhhhhh NO NO NO.
Si si si…..........
Has anyone got anything positive to add to this thread?

Peachie I am not bringing my dogs because they are huskys and I dare say we will be working long hours initially as much as I would love to.

Thanks for you good luck message Peachie, it’s nice to hear.

Loops - 12 July 2008 07:46 PM

Has anyone got anything positive to add to this thread?

Maybe you can keep us updated when you move.

I love being proved wrong.

Although I`m surprised, a month ago you stated you hadn`t bought a bar, now you have. :lol:

Which part of Spain have you decided on ?

The govt of Spain have just released inflation figures of 5%, to give you an idea the UK is at 3.3%.So you`ll be go into a market far more depressed than the UK currently.

You should seriously reconsider putting money into a bar, Spain has lost its top position in the league of tourist destinations for the first time since records began in the 80`s.

Tourism is currently down 35% in general in Spain, although the World Tourism Organisation states that there is continued growth in many European countries and Asia.

Some are saying that the decrease in Spain could be effected by not only economic uncertainty, but also that Spain no longer offers attractive destinations.

The economy is the least worrying aspect, if tourist are seeking new regions, cultures etc etc that would cause serious problems for anybody within the service industry.

At the moment construction and the service sector are both the highest sectors for job losses.

Anybody venturing into that industry is either very rich or very stupid.

I`m sorry but you are destined for disaster, it makes no difference if your hard work etc etc, if the business isn`t there, you`ll lose, big time.