Re: Moving to Almeria
 

Would it be possible to also think about selling on the internet as well as having a shop?

Rosemary

Re: Moving to Almeria
 

It's funny you should say that, my shop would be both Internet and shop based, my product is very unique and Novel so I think I would get a lot of sales when people get home and show their friends.

I don't want to make a fortune, just want o make a living to support my son

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post :)

Re: Moving to Almeria
 

Last time I went to Almeria, there was no-one there.
Tourist season in SPain is more like 2 months a year.

Re: Moving to Almeria
 

I have kind of gone of the idea of Almeria, I have lived a few places in Spain and know that where I have lived previously tourism lasts more than 2 months, but given the advise I have had regarding Almeria I now understand the season isn't as busy as other Tourist areas in Spain

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post :)

Re: Moving to Almeria
 

I think that the tourist season very much depends on which tourists the area attracts. For example in my immediate area it is the Spanish and the French who holiday here so the season is really dominantly July and August with June and September stretching it a bit for the restaurants and shops. However, places such as Benidorm has a much longer season because they have tourists from all over as well as the Spanish.

Rosemary

Re: Moving to Almeria
 

I think you will find it is 12m a year, just different times, different places, and not everyone is looking for a "stoned out of your mind bonking good week away" (although I think I can still remember all those years ago)

there is a major influx for 2m for the beaches but that doesn't stop places like Granada, Cordoba, Seville etc getting visitors all year round. In fact with the excessive heat it is better to leave those 2m to the eejuts.
and even expats will buy things to send back home to relatives and friends.

Re: Moving to Almeria
 

Hi

Thank you for your reply it did make me smile :) but your right and I think the more I hear the more I realise I need to open my mind on location a lot more

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post :)

Re: Moving to Almeria
 

Rachel, I am not trying to put you off for my own personal reasonse (My Spain, keep off etc), just I wouldn't want you to make a mistake.
I am sure there is room for all in this marvellous country, but you really need to spend some time here and investigate the best place(s) for your venture.

unusually no one has come out with the statement....
the best way to leave Spain with a Million Euros is to arrive with Two Million Euros

it really is another world, but then those on the Italian forum will tell you the same.

As you would investigate a move from Skeggie to Bournemouth, or Worthing/Brighton or Paignton or anywhere else in the UK you really need to have your options clearly indicating the reason for the move and the viability of that move.
You must do the same with Spain as if it is, say, Paignton. Somewhere you know little about but looks promising. You need to do a SWOT review on the move, not just for the business but also for your relationship. So So many people end up going home because the relationship wasn't able to cope with the move (£5k++) and the change of lifestyle, the lack of work for one or both of you, which is easy in the early days.

may i suggest a short term rental in a carefully selected location and do it for just 6months, 3months, but without a full time commitment. having a foot at home and foot abroad will enable you to change direction if it all goes pear shaped.
remember that the operation of sole trader and limited company are vastly different UK/SP the latter will require you to become VAT/IVA accounting from day 1, there is no minimum requirement as back in the UK. So have you included this 21% in your turnover/payment schedules ??

hth

Re: Moving to Almeria
 

Thank you for your very informative reply, I appreciate you taking the time to reply to my post, I will take on board everything you have said, and do my research, thank you again, appreciate it loads :)

Re: Moving to Almeria
 

There are three tourist/residential areas in Almería province. Almería City is not one of them.
Urbanización de Roquetas de Mar is a tourist town, mix of German and English. Few residents.
Mojácar and surrounds (Turre, Bédar, Los Gallardos, Vera Playa etc) is residential with summer tourism.
Albox and surrounds (Arboleas, Cantoria, Zurgena, Alfoquía etc) is residential. No tourism.
The province is small beer by Costa del Sol or Costa Blanca standards. Probably cheaper though.

Re: Moving to Almeria
 

Thank you :) I will research your suggestions, thank you for all your helpful advice :)

Re: Moving to Almeria
 

I am sure you are correct and I wish you success.

Re: Moving to Almeria
 

Generally steer clear of the area completely :(
prices may seem right
properties may seem right
but they have illegality written all over them.
In the Albox area (Almanzora Valley) there are over 12,500 illegal properties.
I have recently pulled out of a purchase there, because the property had all the right docs but had been built on rustic land with no chance in my lifetime of it being regularised to Urban in accordance with National Law.
(think to UK and a house being built on farmland and you will see the general picture)

for further information go to http://www.almanzora-au.org/
as they will tell you, local councils have issued permissions like toilet paper, even issued habitation certificates - but houses are likely to be demolished.
This was big news when the Prior's had their house demolished (but not the garage - which they now live in) but over the years has been forgotten both in Spain and the UK.

And as this is Spain, the mayors who signed the papers either haven't been prosecuted or have received prison sentences of less than 6months (so don't actually serve the time) and still have public office. The builders have either folded or are still trading but again fines miniscule.
Meanwhile there are houses without services because the builders didnt pass the fees on to the water, electricity and haven't built sewerage pipes into the schemes.

But good luck with your search just proceed very very carefully if you are going to buy a property. There are many empty properties where owners can't sell that could be let.

Re: Moving to Almeria
 

Quite right about the 'illegal properties'. Planned, built, promoted, sold, notarised and so on. Cheques cleared, moving van ordered... and only then declared illegal by far-off Seville. There are (according to the same AUAN mentioned by Domino) 300,000 'illegal homes' in the whole of Andalucía that no one noticed being built. A region where they know if you ride a horse from one municipality to another, where they control your car, your paperwork, taxes and dog. Yet, no one noticed when they built these homes: more dwellings than there are in the City of Málaga!
Each 'illegal home' has two people with a house without electricity and water, a house that is unsalable. A story that should never have happened (really! Under the Spanish constitution, where we all have the right to a vivienda digna). So six hundred thousand people (large proportion of which are foreigners) are f***ed.
And secondly, and at the same time, the 2 million homes owned by banks are all legal. Funny that.

To the OP - the time for 'illegal houses' has now passed. You can be confident enough (with legal advice) to buy a fully legal house. Get a certificate from the Town Hall that the house is legal if it helps).

Re: Moving to Almeria
 

Thank you for your advice, I just don't know what to do, I am just trying to make a better life for my family while I am still young, but it just seems so impossible, I do t even mind where I live in Europe just as long as it suits my need, seems though that the whole of Europe ate facing the same problems.

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post :)