moving to spain
 

Hello all. New to the forum so just wanted to introduce myself.

Myself and my wife are considering moving to Spain next year.

The reasons for this move are that we feel our lives are going nowhere in the UK. We earn reasonably well, my wife as a nurse in a private home, myself as a self employed window cleaner, with a good well paying established round.

The problem is we just can't seem to get a mortgage, we have £40k saved up for a deposit,which is about a 30% deposit on the houses we have been looking at, but are told by all the banks this isn't enough, they all want more ! We are now starting to feel trapped in rented accomodation. We're not looking for anything fancy, just a 2 bed terrace, yet even this is out of reach in the UK.

Looking on various websites, it seems that houses are much more affordable in Spain. I am aware that as a self employed person, a Spanish bank will want 3yrs accounts etc, but I am prepared for that extra time if there's light at the end of the tunnel !

So the question is, is there much demand in Spain for window cleaning, jet washing, or should I look into something else ? Would my wifes Nursing qalifications be recognised in Spain, she has a Degree, as opposed to a Diploma ?

All answers good, and bad would be appreciated. I am happy to retrain. Not particularly interested in the ups and downs of the housing market, as it's a home we want, not an investment.

Re: moving to spain
 

HI & welcome

your wife's degree would need to be homologated ( I think that's the English version of the word:unsure:) - & to work in a Spanish hospital she'd need to be fluent in Spanish, too

I do know a couple of English nurses who work in British Clinics - but as you can imagine, these jobs are held on to very tightly

with 20% unemployment in Spain at the mo - & a lot higher in some areas - jobs are few & far between for everyone

yes, of course there are window-cleaners - but homes tend to have inward-opening windows so domestic window cleaners aren't needed much

offices & shops - that's another thing entirely


property isn't that cheap in expat areas - which I think you'd need to be in for work - & from what I've read here & on other forums, mortgages aren't that easy to come by either

Re: moving to spain
 

With only 40 k saved your only going to get a cortijo ruin ,and it will be pretty rough at that price, forget getting a mortgage in Spain for a very long time , work is almost non existent for unskilled , your wife may stand a chance in some of the nursing homes ,dont know if they recognise her qualifications here.
Not what you want to hear I`m sure but I`m being realistic.

Re: moving to spain
 

I think the usual suggestions will apply.

1) Save as much as you can before you go
2) Learn Spanish as well as you can before you go

and as you both are not retiring

3) Try and sort employment before you go

Re: moving to spain
 

40k wont go far in Spain, especially in the coastal areas. You are unlikely to get a mortgage unless there is one already on the property which is transferable. I have tried to e-mail you but as you are not accepting e-mails I can't. If you are interested in property under 40k that is fine to live in please e-mail me. I am sorry if this is classed as advertising, but I am only trying to help.

Re: moving to spain
 

I'm a fully trained and qualified nurse - well I was in the UK. I did manage to get a job in an expat nursing home, but they could only off me bank work and my qualifications meant nothing, the list for others wanting to work there was about 20 odd people. I'm still on their books and in the last two years I've been called once. The pay???? 5€ an hour, but the hours were long so it kinda made it worth it (LOL) 8am-4pm and 6pm-10pm for I think it was 6 days and then four days off.

As for window cleaning, hhhmmm, there dont seem to be many around, altho I suspect it cos most of the windows have "rejas" the bars across which means that it cold take a very long time to do. Most people seem to take their windows out altogether and clean them that way. But maybe commercial properties, shops etc...????????

Jo xxx

Re: moving to spain
 

I would love a window cleaner!!! It's the job I hate most apart from cleaning the cooker!

Re: moving to spain
 

don't mind the windows - but I'm with you as far as the cooker goes:frown:

Re: moving to spain
 

I hate doing both!!! The windows just get covered in dust after 5 minutes and as for the oven AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! I try not to use it lol

Jo xxx

Re: moving to spain
 

Maybe cleaning ovens is the way forward, I would pay for mine to be cleaned!
Caz

Re: moving to spain
 

You may be in "luck" in the Uk - once the cuts the new Government are promising start to make their impact, prices will be hit hard. Remember that private companies (who often have lucrative contracts with the public sector) will be hit too. Once the fear sets in, house prices will plummet in many areas.

They say there are two ways (normally) to earn a good living. One is to do something well that others find difficult. The other is to do something that others don't like to do - cleaning cookers may fit in here. The problem nowadays is that Spain (even more so than the UK) has encouraged migrants from East Europe and other countries. This means the competition is so much harder, and in a recession almost impossible. It may be best to hang on in your current situation, but plan for when things get better (!) Good luck in whatever you choose to do.:fingerscrossed:

Re: moving to spain
 

A Company called Ovenu who clean cookers back here in the UK (www.ovenu.co.uk) offer franchises for cooker cleaning in Spain ...

Re: moving to spain
 

I've just noticed a promotion by Bancaja whereby you take on a mortgage (not sure if it is one of their repos) and have nothing to pay for three years, no interest, no capital and no interest accrues on the borrowed amount during the three year period.
Now that sounds like a good deal!

Re: moving to spain
 

"no interest accrues on the borrowed amount during the three year period"

That's very nice!

Re: moving to spain
 

You have to be a little careful with deals "too good to be true". Sounds like the banks are panicking that there's going to be an almighty price crash (wiping out the value of loans on their asset sheet). But certainly seems like a very attractive deal - just read the small print before taking it on. Almost tempted to buy in Spain myself with that deal :eek: