Looking for a job: Customer service

Good luck with your move!

As others will probably say jobs whether full or part time are hard to come by in any field due to the high unemployment prior to Co-Vid now it is even higher! 

Property values generally reflect the wealth in the area and prices are low in Ontinyent, possibly because there is not much work around and there is low demand.
If you are looking for work in the area you will need to speak Spanish as English is not widely spoken away from large cities and tourist areas. Legal work on contract is very hard to come by wherever you live as even before Covid Spain had the 2nd highest unemployment rate in Europe and it is very expensive to employ staff so a lot of cash in hand goes on, or temporary/ nil hours contracts. If you go self-employed ( autonomo) you have to make payments towards health cover every month whatever your income.

You say Ontinyent looks beautiful so I'm guessing you've never visited it before so just a month to find and purchase a home is pushing it a bit although renting first is a very good idea. 

Prior to Covid the general advice for those needing to find work here was to come with enough money to last a year without income but that is going to be a lot more now.

Have a read of Jim's Guides which are in a tab at the top of the page but please don't private message him as he gets inundated and any questions you have could help others on the open forum.

Hi Mandy & Pete

In these uncertain times, the liklihood of finding jobs will be VERY difficult even if you speak and write fluently in Spanish. Plus even if you do find work the pay is low. 

Unless you have lots of savings, and preferably some other kind of income I would suggest that rather than go for a big villa with a pool, that will have high running costs, you find a smaller property that is cheaper to run. There is no point being here but not being able to afford to live, or socialise, using up all your savings and having to sell up at a loss in a few years. There is a reason some houses and areas are so cheap. A small house or flat will be cheap to run and most villages and towns here have fabulous community swimming pools (although the outdoor ones are only open in the summer). The beaches here are also gorgeous as is the countryside and there are lakes and rivers you can swim in such as the wonderful Pou Clar just outside Ontinyent. 

Rather than get swayed by a cheap dream property, that could end up being a gilded cage,  think about the lifestyle you want to live, and about practicalites such as shops and other amenities, and how you will make new friends. We chose a 2 bedroom townhouse with a lovely roof terrace in a village half an hour from the coast (between Ontinyent and Oliva). It would have cost us at least a €100K more by the coast, or to buy a villa with a pool in our village. To us it was worth the trip to the pool or beach to save that money, and those trips are far more sociable than sitting by your own poolside. Also, we do not have to spend lots of time and money maintaining our property. Something that can be hard work in Spain. (Our house would have probably been cheaper still in Ontinyent but for us 1/2 hour drive from the coast was the perfect compromise). 

Think about why you want a villa with a pool? Lots of people say that they need a pool and lots of bedrooms for guests, but would you choose a house in the UK for your visitors? If you have several children or friends who all want to come out together you could always rent somewhere bigger with a pool when they come. Also, by living in, or very close to, a town or village, and walking in frequently, you will meet the locals and get the chance to become part of the community. 

What we love about our lives here is the lifestyle,  such as walking in and exploring the fantastic countryside, visiting the fabulous beaches and swimming in the warm Mediterranean sea, eating out in lovely, and very affordable places, the friends we have made and generally getting to know this beautiful country. Most of the things we love are free or at least very affordable here and we are living our dream yet our monthly bills are low. The lower you can get those bills the less financial pressure on you and the more freedom you will have to enjoy your lives here ☺

Anyway, as someone has already advised, read 'Jim's guides' there is a link at the top of the forum page. He is a font of excellent knowledge and guidance, and good luck with it all. 

PS I'm not sure how easy it will be to sell a UK motor home here. If you are buying it just to come out here , renting a place to stay is perhaps a better option. Something you should look into.

So enjoyed reading your post GailS.  Lots of food for thought.  I imagine lots of other people will find your comments very useful.

Donna

Thankyou for all your help , this is definitely worth me looking in to, any more thoughts feel free