I'm moving to spain some advice please

Good morning I am planning to move to Spain but I need some Questions answered.
1. When is the best time to move?
2. How much money should I take?
3. What do I need to get my son into school?
4. Should I use an estate agent or go private?
anything I have missed out please answer for me. Any advice you can give please do. Thank you

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Helloe Leigh182

I am not the best person to advise you as I only have a holiday home here, but I just felt for you that no-one had replied to your question!

Come on you owners out there, answer this lady please!

However, my own personal answers to your questions would be:

1. Only move here when you can afford to, don't rely on having to work to earn your rent or food money

2. Bring as much money as you have got, you will need it to either buy or rent somewhere.

3. Not sure on the Education side, just visit a local Spanish scholl and they should advice you.

4. I think an Estate Agent would be your best bet as you need lots of knowledge to go it alone with a private buy

 

Good Luck!

 

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Blimey so much info needed and so little space or time. I will try and put together a beginners guide over the weekend. It was what worked for me but not necessarily suited for all. You dont say anything about your situation in the UK so it is really hard to answer your question. I can try but it will only generate another question I feel. If you would like to PM me or e mail a phone number I will happily ring you next week and try to condense things for you as much as possible and you can tell me about what you are leaving behind - only then is it possible to give you a full answer. Everyones experience will be different and there are a lot who go back where it hasnt worked out - it can be the most frustrating place on Gods earth while at the same time the most rewarding - be really really sure before you cut all ties.

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Hi Leigh 1982,

Before you go over to Spain ask yourself a few questions.

1. Why do I want to live in Spain?

2. Where in Spain do I want to live?

3. What sort of property do I want?

4. Ask the questions regarding schools etc. on forums that are closely related to the area you would like to move to. Most areas have dedicated forums. This one is very good and you will get lots of information, but I would try to get area specific information.

5. I think you will need around 12,000€ p.a. to survive (Smiley will have a better idea on this but again the area you choose will have influence on your spending). But having access to a health bank balance will be an advantage.

6. learn Spanish, even a little will help you.

I hope these notes will help you. Sping…

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ok we will have about £7,000 saved by the time we go and we will be moving to the south/south west of spain. By the way im not a lady im a 24 year old man with a fiance and an 8 year old son apology accepted  

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Hi Leigh 1982,

I dont want to put you off your dream of  moving to Spain, but £7,000 is not a lot of money for the 3 of you to survive on. There are a lot of questions you need to ask yourself. How will I pay my mortgage/rental costs. Your removal costs to Spain, if you have furniture etc. Utility bills/building & contents insurance/food/clothes/school fees if any/IBI-council tax/wealth tax/insurance,repairs,petrol,tax disc for your car. I would advise you to draw up a full list of all  the bills you here in England and estimate what it will cost you in Spain, and add  20% to your total to give you an idea. Do plenty of research. Have you got a job lined up. Have you found out what sort of salary you will get. Dont expect to get the same salary for a job you do here.Have you got a place for your boy at school. Its always a good idea to stay for at least a few weeks in the area you plan to settle in before moving over. Ask people on this website that live in Spain for some idea of costs. Tell them the area you plan to move to, as some areas are cheaper than others. If you are  staying with friends or family, then obviously it will work out cheaper, but I think you are going to need more than £7,000 to expect to stay their permanently.

We plan on moving over with our little boy in a few years, to give him and us a better lifesytle, but we cannot afford it at the moment, so we will keep on saving  until we can.

I hope it works out for you whatever  you decide.

Good luck

Westport

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Hi Leigh 1982 I heartily concur with Westport - £7000 is a very small amount on which to survive. You say south - south west indicating Costa del Sol. If you intend to be on the coast itself which is where you might find work assuming you dont speak Spanish rent will cost you in the region of 800 to 1200 Euros (£550 to £800) a month without utilities. If you want your son to go to Spanish school you will have to register for Social Security which will cost you about 250 Euros a month. I think if you are going to be on the coast itself you will need to allow at least 25,000 Euros a year income. Of course a lot depends on your lifestyle but you wont be living the high life on 25k per annum. A car is vital here to get anywhere so a lot depends on whether you plan to drive down or long term rental. While there is a benefits system here qualification process is a lot lot stricter than the UK and you have to have been contributing to social security to qualify.

It is a huge huge step that you are contemplating and work is not easy to find here - permanent employment contracts are normally only for those with language skills. Many employers recruiting in real estate but with the current state of the market it is very tough and even experienced professionals here are struggling to earn a living. INvariably these are commission only positions and frequently commissions do not get paid.

I dont want to sound like the harbinger of doom but unless you have a strong support network here what you are proposing has the potential of turning into a nightmare. PLease please consider long and hard before making a step you might regret.

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Hi Leigh1982, can you confirm that 7,000 is not a typo!  That really isn't enough money to come out with.  We personally brought over much more than that and it still wasn't enough!  There are always unforseen costs in any move no matter how much planning you do.

Regarding your child and school, you will only need to be registered on the padron for him to be able to go to school.  That bit fortunately is free!

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Ok guys let me just clarify a few things 7,000 is no typo its 7,000 English Pounds which is 10,400 euros roughly no I currently have no job at the moment but I will be starting my own business in painting and decorating and gardening, As my fiance will be starting her own. I know how hard things can be and get I work and live on  a very small wage in england which is one of the most expensive places to live and we survive there will be two of us working. I have spoken in great length to friends and family that have moved/lived out there and I think some of you are stretching the truth a little if you earnt 25,000 euros which is roughly 17,000 pounds in england you could live comfortable i earn far far less than this so trust me on this WE WILL BE ALL RIGHT.

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(Leigh is answering his own questions.) Leigh, you asked for advice from Eye On Spain members so look to those who have done what you feel an urge to do. You say you have spoken in depth & at great length to friends & family who are in Spain so your mind was made up.

Guess if you get jobs fast you'll be ok but I'd be s**t scared to do it myself.

Good luck to you, I really do mean that.

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Thankyou Jeansis I know I should but im a stubbern old mule. I thought that that would be enough to tied us over for a few months at least is this right 

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It will probably last you for a few months but 10,000€ will not go a long way. Anyone coming down here to be a painter/decorator or gardener will be competing in a highly competitive market. I do not doubt your ability nor you willingness to work hard but the local press is inundated with small ads in this line of work. Private transport is a must bearing in mind what you want to do and if you are a mobile gardener many people will expect you to have your own tools/machinery. Assuming that you do not register for social security you will need to have some kind of private health cover for the family or at the very least your son. The E111 is not valid if you are living here permanently.

Just for information purposes my gardener charges me 9 Euros an hour - he is part Spanish and part Moroccan - he has his own motor mower, strimmer, chain saw etc. He works hard for his money and earns every penny. Maximum for gardeners here is 12 Euros per hour but that will be for the very best gardens and is certainly top money. 

My gardener came recommended to me by a friend. Most people here who use gardeners, painters, decorators etc ask for a recommendation as it is a place where many people have been "ripped off". I maintain that you should estimate requiring an income of 25,000 Euros a year to have a reasonably decent standard of living - I am talking about on the Costa del Sol. Then again if you are both working then that can be split between you - bar work here pays roughly 5 to 6 Euros an hour in the ordinary bars - might be more in the clubs but I dont know -

If you have a network here already (as it sounds as if you do) then make sure they can try and line some work up for you - you will be springboarding off their relationships and word goes round quickly if you have a dissatisfied customer. By the same token if you do a good job and are fair priced people will be quick to recommend too.

Rgds and very best if luck - I think you are very brave.

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Thanks smiley if there is a lot of people doing this sort of thing then maybe I better look at another type of business im also a qualified chef?

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Good luck, Leigh.  Hope everything works out OK for you.  I have another 2 years or so before I move over when I will retire.  Hopefully my pension will cover me as I won't be looking for work.

All the best and, with luck, next year you'll be millionaires........

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thankyou um..... Guess ill still try and get a job on the side probably my best bet

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Hi Leigh transferrable skills are what its all about - massive massive number of restaurants here - dont know on turnover of staff but would have thought demand for chefs quite high - what the wonga is like I couldnt tell you - I could probably eat out every night for the next twenty years and not eat at the same place twice - would be even fatter than I am now!

Think if I were you I would utilise one of the members of family who has moved here and come down for a week or two and trawl yourself around the hotels and restaurants - some of them I am sure will insist on Spanish language but reckon many who wont as the staff will be quite international so language of choice for most communication will be English. Bring lots of copies of your CV and then they have something to refer back to. That way at least you have work immediately you arrive on a permanent basis. You will then have the chance to see how you like it and suss out the competition on the painting and garden front and to work out exactly what you need to do about establsihing a business.

Rgds 

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smiley thanks all advice taken on board I have a multitude of different skills so fingers crossed I should be ok. Any chance of getting some advice on schools and what I need to do.

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For advice regarding schooling you may find this article that we wrote last year of interest:

Schools in Spain

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thanks EOS anymore advice would go down a treat anyone know of any GOOD employment agencies

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Hi Leigh dont know if they are any good but the only employment agency I am aware of down here that caters for English speakers is Wemploy - they must have a website so try doing a google for them. They are active in Gibraltar as well so there might be demand for a qualified chef there too if you decide to live within striking distance of Gib.

Rgds

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