You really do need to consider, very carefully, about the summer heat, working in temps of 35+ is not pleasant, in fact it's a nightmare, your husband would need at least a year to get close to being acclimatised, and also to get used to working as the Spanish do, work early in the day, then have a siesta and then work again, there is a very valid reasoning behind the siesta. You cat would also suffer in the heat, and, I'm afraid, Spanish people aren't really pet orientated, and there are 'gangs' of feral cats everywhere, keeping your cat indoors might be a sensible thing to do, or at least ensuring it can't get out, and other cats can't get in. Not too sure that there would be a lot of call for a landscape gardener in the way your husband would work, the severe summer heat doesn't suit that many plants.

Yep British family forced to flee Spanish home | Olive Press News Spain

Wow, the cube is cool.

Yes I know you can't tell from the internet what an area is like - we would have to visit. Some of the houses themselves look fine though even at low prices.

It depends as well. I currently live in Finsbury Park in London and have lived in Wood Green and Archway - many people would turn their noses up at these places or say "mind you don't get shot", but I've never had any problems in any of these locations. Meanwhile, I have been to certain areas of Greenwich and wouldn't live there if you paid me to, while other bits are quite nice - but no-one says things like that about Greenwich because the nicer areas are very well-known.

We won't be moving for about another year if we do move anyway, so we do have time to save up some more money. I was looking at Coin and Alhaurin in terms of commuting to the Marbella/Malaga area. If you have any other suggestions of places which are fairly cheap, full of amenities, but not packed with tourists and close enough to drive to Marbella, I'm very open to suggestions

Bethsmyls, it looks like you're trying to make the move based on the barest shoe-string budget, which means you will have nothing in reserve for contingencies, and when moving internationally, there are always unexpected expenses.

Honestly you would be best served by moving to a cheaper part of the UK, 100+ miles from London, as you will get most of the benefits that you're looking for in a move to Spain or Portugal, with none of the stress and aggravation of setting yourself up in a country that you aren't familiar with.

You can always spot a Spanish Landscape Gardener by the car he drives - usually a huge JCB.

My cat is fairly old now and doesn't go out much, but she does like to be abe to go outside if she chooses to, even if it's just to sit on the doorstep for 5 minutes. That's cats for you.

My OH is happy to work in all weathers - but I'm sure he'd take his siesta. It's the winters here that are more difficult than the hottest of days though really. He has a very extensive knowledge of plants and conditions, so I'm assuming he'll know what grows and what doesn't. He does things like decking, mosaics, water features, tree pruning and patios too.

Probably the best advice of the day. I'm sure there are some nicer villages or towns in the UK that are more affordable than London, where it's possible to have a more relaxed life.


Especially with a landscape gardener, you could create your own little world and it's cheap enough to get to Spain during winter when gardening isn't in season in the UK. I'd rather be in a nice place where it's pissing down all day without having to worry about finances, before moving to a wasteland with no prospects.

I know we probably need a bit more money, but we do have a few contingency funds as well. We have taken that well into account when thinking about what we can afford to buy. We will have some money left over.

The point is, I don't want to live in the UK any more. and I don't want to rent any more. I've become partly disabled and need to be able to make adjustments to my home that I just can't make in a rented property. And I can not afford to buy anywhere in the UK.

We're trying to work out how we can move, and the most viable place to go to, where my OH can work too. Maybe Spain isn't the place, or maybe not Portugal. That's what I'm trying to figure out.

It's a home of my own I'm looking for, and that's just not going to happen in the UK whereas I can afford to buy outright abroad.

In your situation, and severely constrained circumstances I am afraid that you are placing too much weight on what you "want", and not enough on what is in your best (financial) interests. The state provided assistance and healthcare is still relatively generous in the UK, and while I understand that you don't "like" the changes that have occured in the UK, I think you are trying to run away from what you don't like into a situation that could easily be a lot worse - taxes higher, housing the same or poorer, lower/unreliable income for your OH, healthcare no better than the UK but more expensive, and then all wrapped up in a blanket of issues related to language and culture that you're not familiar with.

I understand, and under your circumstances you are correct, but .... ..... I don't believe that is true. ..... I have just checked rightmove.co.uk for Sheffield (just as an example) and there are more than 60 houses (not flats) priced at under £60,000 - some of them around half that much, and they look half-decent and livable, not a major renovation project. I believe you will find a similar range of similarly priced properties in towns across the north of England and into Scotland.

Where can you buy a house for £50k or so in the UK?!

See in red, above - where I was adding to my previous post.

Wow! Didn't realise Sheffield was so cheap. But it's not just that. I want to get out of the UK. I find it increasingly depressing here.

If I was on my own, I'd just buy a tiny townhouse in Portugal and live there no worries. When we were looking before, I found some that I could afford in areas I know and like. I've lived abroad on my own before. I pick up languages easily. I have steady work at a higher wage than local salaries.

It's my OH making a living that is the biggest barrier to us moving anywhere. It's one of those things where you just can't know if it's viable or not, and everyone says something different,

Do you rely on benefits in the UK?
Have you researched into facilities for disabled people?
Don't assume there would be no worries!
I spent 14 years in Spain, and whereas I'm glad to have experienced it, I'm glad I moved back to the UK, to one of those cheaper houses in Yorkshire that someone mentioned, mainly because I will feel more secure in my old age!

I have been on benefits, which was more stressful than being ill. Luckily, I now have a flexible job which requires few hours for high pay, so I just do it on my better days. I also have some passive income in the form of royalties, so I get by OK. I don't make a fortune but it's a living wage.

The main thing I need is more handrails and a shower seat installed in my home as I have balance issues and taking a shower is a nightmare as well as quite dangerous. I can't put either of those things in a rental property. Also I need special lighting. I've just been able to change bulbs in my bedroom, but I have a strip light in the kitchen which means I can't go in there after dark unless I want to feel very ill indeed.