Could anyone help me find out if its better to rent your spanish property on-line before you fly out or to book a week and look round when you are over there? I fly out the 22nd and have a place booked but not yet payed for in playa flamenca as im still unsure of what is best as we have a limited budget till we find work. Thank you!

What happens if you dont like it, or the area, when you get here??
I'd think twice about renting long term on line, only my opinion

No matter which way you choose Playa Flamenca will be expensive from now till November ,but you should have a better chance of a job ,bit of a catch 22 really .

When we moved to Spain we rented for 10 weeks by booking online. Looked great in the pictures, but it was in the middle of a field up a muddy track, nearest house about a mile away. Luckily we hadn't taken it for 6 months as we couldn't wait to get out of there. No toaster, microwave, freezing cold in winter as there was no proper heating. Water cut off over a weekend because the owners hadn't paid the bill. So probably better to book a week and look around for somewhere while you are here, that way you get to see the area and exactly what you are renting.

a big decision to make without checking out the area first

I would suggest coming out and having a look round before committing otherwise could be a very costly mistake !

Tell them you will pay on inspection.

We found ours online. It looked great and we agreed to take it. Flew out last week to sign contracts, get NIEs etc, and looked at the house whilst we were there -

It is really nice! Well equipped, nice location, good garden and right next door to a nature trail and a trout stream! Could not have hoped for better in fact.

I came out and had a few nights in a hotel, then took a short term let.. then took a long term let. Had to get to know different areas first before i decided on where to settle.

We also did the same - booked into a hotel for one week and extended week by week as we needed to. We were there eventually for three weeks and then moved into a very nice apartment. We did move however in January so had the cheaper winter rates for the hotel and car rental.

Mum and I were fairly lucky with the agent we chose who found us a house in Alhaurin el Grande. It gives most of what we wanted and is great in the summer but in the winter the house is really cold and hard to heat.
Since then we have looked at other places for moving around and some are nothing like the descriptions so it's definitely safer to fly out and stay and have a look at some. Only you can say where and what you like and remember that Spain can be cold in the winter expecially inland and not many houses have central heating and even double glazing is not in every house