graemestuart99

Hello All

I have a job opportunity coming up in Valencia. Can anyone tell me what it islike around there and the surrounding area? Are house prices high? Good weather all year? Any help wouldbeappreciated.

Thanks
Graeme

jerry brewer

Hi
My info might be old, worked near valencia , from a place called castellon, based in nearby bennicassim, during year 2000, Fantastic place, house prices were about the same as the UK.
Area was then , very very spanish, the english car was a novelty, almost no one spoke english , but accepted our poor attempts at spanish.
Mainly german / spanish / french tourists, we quite liked it with no brit's.
Had the usual for spain gypsy problem, wife got asked for money to 'protect' the car.
In valencia we were advised to keep car doors locked, as at junctions, it was known for the cars to get raided, if they were unlocked and stationary at traffic lights, etc.
weather was nice from april on , apparently sometimes it can be stormy in the winter months.
try a google search for costa azahar [orange blossom coast ]
cheers
Jerry

Peejay

Hi Graeme,
I live just on the outskirts of the city of Valencia in Betera, so hopefully I can give you some useful info. It's basically like any big city - it has its nice areas and its bad ones and the same goes for the surrounding area. The city itself has got quite a lot going on (very good nightlife, so I'm told) and some interesting places to visit (the new City of Arts and Sciences etc). It's undergoing a huge programme of development at the moment, so much of the outskirts looks like a building site and there are always several cranes on the horizon. There is a growing expat community in the surrounding area with a few hotspots such as the towns of Lliria and Monserrat. Houses prices are definitely less than the UK, but this really depends on the specific town or area you choose (some are surprisingly expensive) and the properties vary greatly in quality. You're probably going to get more property for your money than in the UK, but the purchase costs can be high due to all the taxes and fees (add >10%), and you need to watch out for dodgy (mainly British) estate agents who often add a whopping commission into the price. There's the added complication of the Valencian land grab law to take into consideration if you're buying soemwhere out in the country (this is where unscrupulous developers can force you to pay for any projects they wish to undertake around your property, as well as taking a chuck of your land - the bills can run into tens of thousands, so get an area checked out before you buy).

Weather is pretty good for much of the year (April to October inclusive) where I am, but it can get quite cold in winter which is a shock to many. This year has been particularly bad with temperatures reaching minus 5 here on the coast and considerably less inland. One thing to consider is that many houses (particularly chalets in the country) are not really designed to be warm in winter, so it's worth finding somewhere with central heating for the cold months (I wish I had!).

Anyway, let me know if you need any more info.

Patrick