Hello

Im new around here, looking for some guidance and advice from those who have experience with getting up and going.

Basically my girlfriend is keen to live abroad for a year. I'm happy enough to go also. Lived in the USA for a year and loved it so I think I would have it in me for another year.

We both really like Ibiza, mostly for the climate and relaxed way of life. Has anyone lived there?

id be looking for Web design work mainly, or something similar to stay within my studied field of work.

If I was to find something what are some of the obstacles I will face?

At the moment it's only an idea. If I was to be offered something a serious plan would need to be made.

I'm not an expert on Ibiza, but it's a small island, which usually means residential resources - housing, food, water, electricity, etc, are more scarce, and therefore, expensive. But I'd reckon it's a lovely place to live, depending on your expectations.

The main coastal cities are famous international party destinations, and in high season are packed to the gills with the young and restless, with no scarcity of wild nightclubs and 20 square metre tourist apartments to let at surprisingly high prices.

The small bit of Ibiza outback, is lovely, from what I've seen.

Naturally, I'd recommend Mallorca, not only because I live there, but because we are a much larger island with much more diversity, offering everything from california-esque mountain seascapes to caribbean-like mega-beaches, from Las-Vegas-like party action to quiet and spacious country living. From ultra-modern to old-world Spain, you can have it here. And you never get island fever. It's just too big and diverse.

Jobs are scarce in Spain, but the Balearics are economically more stable than the mainland, primarily due to tourism. Mallorca has some good jobs in the IT field, mainly working for major immobilien (real estate) and tourism firms. I don't know about Ibiza.

Most jobs on any of the islands will require German and Spanish. There are a few jobs where English is highly desirable, especially in IT, but in general, your Spanish should be at least conversational, and German will open a lot of doors for you.

If you are a US citizen or other non-EU citizen, you will have many, almost insurmountable obstacles to obtain legal resident status. You will need an employer who's willing to go through a lot of headaches to bring you on board. You'd better be a damned desirable web designer, because virtually everybody and their mother on this island is also a "web designer".

I'm a UK citizen. I graduated with a design degree and have been working full time at it for a few years now. I'm 27 so still quite young.

Would be happy to work at other jobs if it paid the bills.

My Spanish is extremely basic but I'm starting to study it and hope to be reasonable in a year or so if I work hard at it.

At the moment it's purely an idea to move. Jobs would be needed before hand.

Are Web designers really as common out there as.you say?

Well, again I can't speak for Ibiza, but just look at the job websites for Mallorca . A lot of people offering "Web development" skills, and a few jobs offering employment to them.

The good news is that there seems to be a slowly growing contingent of IT jobs opening up, despite the heavy-handed burdens and risks employers are obliged to endure under Spanish law (which the new government is finally trying to minimise in an effort to encourage employment, despite public outcries).

Try the German site Inselradio. it's obviously in German but the "Jobbörse" often lists openings for web development positions, and sometimes the adverts are even written in English.

As Concierge for the Spanish section of BE I would like to say hello and welcome.

BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

This is an interesting question! I'm an internet developer, more backend software development, database and javascript. I was looking to move to Menorca, I'd live off the money we earn from a UK company I'm a director of, together with some income from a property rental. Having said that, if the UK company stopped earning money I'd need to be able to find work, and if that's the case then maybe that would only be possible in Mallorca.

I love Mallorca, but the wife's concerned about crime on the island and how economic issue would affect the bigger of the balearic islands. She thinks the slower pace of life and the quieter Menorcan island would suit us and be a better environment for the kids. That, and property is cheaper on Menorca!

Be very interested to know how you get on with looking for work, and how your plans for a move go in general.

All pretty accurate, but "crime" in Mallorca is pretty much limited to the southwest: Palma, Magalluf, etc.

If you check the local papers from towns around the rest of the island, in the rare occurrance of a burglary or a drug bust, it's front page headline news.

We live on the east coast, and almost never bother lock our doors (knock on wood), but in the years we've been here, I don't believe never even heard of any street crime, let alone a break-in. Needless to say it's a daily occurrance in Palma.

Economically, Mallorca has the best economy in the Balearics, and amongst the best economy in Spain, if not THE best at the moment. But that doesn't mean it's doing fabulously. We also struggle, but nothing like the mainland.

If you're interested in Mallorca, but afraid of crime and costs then I'd simply recommend avoiding the highly populated (and expensive) southwest.

Thanks for the info. We're just about to pop out to Menorca to see if it is for us. As I said earlier, even if we love it, I think the short tourist season and potential job prospects if our situation changes would be enough to make it difficult.

I have to say the south west of Mallorca is not where we would choose to live. My favourite parts are around Pollenca (we stayed in Campanet on one holiday and loved it), and some of the south east (we stayed in Cas Concos, and there are some lovely beaches nearby). Obviously the west of the island near Soller, Valldemossa is very pretty, but uber expensive and not so much for the kids to do.

If you've got any tips on nice unspoilt parts of Mallorca that won't break the bank, you'll have to let me know (I won't tell anyone, promise!)

Will keep looking and see how we get on. We're not planning on moving before next summer at the earliest.

Hmm. And you've been to Cas Concos, an odd, tiny little remote village with more good restaurants than residents :-) Other than that, I have to believe even you would agree it's pretty sleepy there. And there are much sleepier places than that! Menorca is wonderful, but doesn't have exclusive rights to "sleepy".

Pollensa is IMHO one of the best locations this island has to offer. Everything desirable in one lovely little corner, but once you check the prices of property there, I think you will realise that Pollensa's desirability is no secret.

There are literally hundreds of small and large fincas, and refurbished or "fixer-upper" country properties that aren't on the beaten path, have lots of surrounding land, are as peaceful as it can get, have lovely views, and are minutes from civilisation and other desirables, but aren't considered "desirable" simply because they aren't in or near a major city. I'm sure there are a few around Cas Concos that you could negotiate a great price for.

Funny, there are lots of people here who have an internet business of one type or another in their home country. I know of at least 3 Germans who are doing exactly the same thing you aim to do, and they live quite well, off the beaten track, where nobody can find them :-)

As Concierge for the Spanish section of BE I would like to say hello and welcome.

BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

I feel a bit like I've hijacked someone else's thread here, maybe I ought to start my own

Anyway, I'd love to find a finca that needed a bit of work doing, good sized plot, off the beaten track yet minutes from the local village with shop etc. It's a bit of a quandary as I could with the house prices falling, but you don't want the economy to be so badly damaged that the place becomes undesirable! The old catch 22....

Out of interest, is it easy to find out what houses have sold for over there like you can in the UK? I've spent many an hour trawling through hundreds of websites that all seem to display the same few properties and there's no way of telling how realistic their asking prices are.

Yeah why don't you start your own thread ffs.

How charming!

Thanks. I'll have to remember to derail his thread when he is seeking info, ha

House prices haven't fallen all that much here, but it's a common tactic to list properties at twice their value, and agents are generally adverse to listing properties they can't make a lot of money on, so the real estate agents don't command much respect from the buyers or the sellers. Many of the locals who have property for sale would prefer to avoid them if possible.

Best thing is to come here, stay in a B&B , and go out looking for yourself. Many places fly "se vende" signs with private telephone numbers. Talk to the owner of the B&B you're staying at - they probably know where the private se vende signs are.

The other thing to consider is the Euro - it's likely to continue to fall against the pound, so there will likely be a moment when your sterling has tremendous buying power against a property here - but there will only be a window of opportunity before the prices rise to compensate for the falling value of the Euro.

Also, it's never a good idea to give the agent or owner the impression you are in a particularly good financial position. Always give the impression that you're not that impressed with the property, and that the asking price is simply out of your range, but you are in a position to buy if the price is right. It's a buyers' market, and they are selling the property for a reason, not just for fun. Give them a low-ball offer; You'll hear back from them :-)