Advice needed for a move to Spain, maybe Relleu - Moving to Relleu: tips and advice - Relleu forum - Costa Blanca forum in the Alicante province of Spain
AA Free English TV
Espana Dream Properties
Costa Blanca Building Specialists
interior building work
Car Key Solutions
Thy Will Be Done
Jennifer Cunningham Insurances SL
James Spanish School
Expat Services
ASSSA Insurance
Gentlevan Removals
Blacktower Financial Management
Airport Service Taxi Mil Palmeras  Torre de la Horadada
Gran Alacant Insurances

Join the Relleu forum

Join the Relleu forumMy name's Alex and this is my website all about Relleu in Spain. Register now for free to talk about Moving to Relleu: tips and advice and much more!

Advice needed for a move to Spain, maybe Relleu

Posted: Sun Jan 6, 2019 6:55pm
9 replies326 views6 members subscribed
Karenw

Posts: 4

1 helpful points

Location: Relleu

Joined: 6 Jan 2019

Hi, my first time on here and need as much information as possible to help me make my mind up on whether to sell up in the Uk and make the move. We have seen a couple of properties in relleu we would like to view(definite doer-uppers) with the intention of moving over permanently within 2 years. The situation is this...we would buy the property cash and no mortgage. Sell a second property which would give us a large lump sum in the bank. But we would be coming over( we being myself, partner,son and girlfriend- in their twenties) with no jobs to go to so no source of income only savings. Not speaking or understanding Spanish. I have read that we would need jobs and be able to speak Spanish to stand a chance of making it work. The party of 4 consists of a joiner, barber and chef and naively thought work would be a plenty maybe in Benidorm!! Or within the expat community in relleu as the public transport to Benidorm runs 5 times per week so not ideal. I would love it if anyone can give me a few home truths so I could remove these rose tinted spectacles 😀

Cheryl

Posted: Sun Jan 6, 2019 7:43pm

Cheryl

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 2973

3533 helpful points

Location: Albatera

Joined: 8 Jun 2017

Posted: Sun Jan 6, 2019 7:43pm

Hello Karen, I don´t know Relleu, or that area at all, but I would certainly wait to see what the fallout of Brexit will be before investing and no harm in coming over to look for a holiday home in the meantime. Now would be a good time to visit so you can feel how cold it is here in winter at night and early mornings and how miserable it could be in a property undergoing major works.
Benidorm is a decent hike, looking on the map, and in the summer traffic will get worse the closer you get.
Jobs....well. Spain has a very high unemployment rate which is not likely to get anything but worse. Catering will mean long hours in very hot conditions (as you will know) on very low wages, if incredibly lucky enough to get a job at all and even then the majority are seasonal. Overrun with hairdressers/barbers and building trades already. If extremely lucky, you may get a job on the cards, but highly unlikely which means you will have to go self employed which is nowhere near as easy as in UK, and only then if you find work.
If you intend staying more than 6 months, you have to apply for Residency and unless agreements are reached, you will be looking at the same requirements as most other non-EU immigrants. You will all need private medical insurance as your EHIC won´t cover you, if it still even exists by then.
On Ventusky, Relleu is 11 degrees now and Benidorm is 15, at @ 400 metres above sea level, you will find it cooler than the coast most days, especially in the winter.
Doer-uppers come with all sorts of problems, urban or rural, with all kinds of rules and pitfalls and there are just as many fly by nights here as in UK and, unfortunately, a lot are British.
Most ex-pats are retired with pensions and/or savings which cover their expenditure without too much worry.
Also, and wait for me to be shot down here, but it looks a bit isolated with a small population stated as 1258.
Am struggling to find any positives for you, I´m sorry.

Karenw

Posted: Sun Jan 6, 2019 8:11pm

Karenw

Original Poster

Posts: 4

1 helpful points

Location: Relleu

Joined: 6 Jan 2019

Posted: Sun Jan 6, 2019 8:11pm

Hi Cheryl

Honesty is what I wanted and that’s what you gave and I thank you for it. 

Much appreciated.

Karen

Dlrsantapola

Posted: Sun Jan 6, 2019 9:20pm

Dlrsantapola

Super helpful member

Posts: 781

1052 helpful points

Location: Santa Pola

Joined: 17 Mar 2018

Posted: Sun Jan 6, 2019 9:20pm

Just look on this forum and see how many people are buying ! Lots and lots ! Go for it I say and good luck !

271935

Posted: Sun Jan 6, 2019 9:44pm

271935

Very helpful member

Posts: 836

679 helpful points

Location: Villamartin

Joined: 30 Apr 2016

Posted: Sun Jan 6, 2019 9:44pm

No meaningful work only shitty low pay stuff.

The skills you all have are not in demand, less so with you having no Spanish.

Living in Spain and earning enough to cover your living costs is a pipe dream

You'd live off your savings until they run out, then you'd be in a bad position. 

Advertisement - posts continue below

killjoy

Posted: Sun Jan 6, 2019 10:22pm

killjoy

Super helpful member

Posts: 3232

1849 helpful points

Location: Orihuela Costa

Joined: 4 Nov 2017

Posted: Sun Jan 6, 2019 10:22pm

Some of us live here for long, I came 54 years ago. I'd suggest you to come here for a longer holiday. preferrably during the winter months, before committing to settle definitely. Unemployment is high and wages are low (8,- for a haircut). The coast is good for retirees and holidays but not for making enough money for living. Take your time to think it over.

Karenw

Posted: Mon Jan 7, 2019 10:39am

Karenw

Original Poster

Posts: 4

1 helpful points

Location: Relleu

Joined: 6 Jan 2019

Posted: Mon Jan 7, 2019 10:39am

Thank you all for your very informative replies, it has helped us decide to put the move on the back burner.

Dlrsantapola

Posted: Mon Jan 7, 2019 6:04pm

Dlrsantapola

Super helpful member

Posts: 781

1052 helpful points

Location: Santa Pola

Joined: 17 Mar 2018

Posted: Mon Jan 7, 2019 6:04pm

Well said ray !

Josephine123

Posted: Tue Jan 8, 2019 2:44pm

Josephine123

Helpful member

Posts: 327

167 helpful points

Location: Punta Prima

Joined: 2 Dec 2016

Posted: Tue Jan 8, 2019 2:44pm

Karen, I would say go for it, if you don’t you will always wonder what could have been.

Have enough money to last for a year, don’t burn your bridges in U.K., don’t expect to walk into a job, learn Spanish, tighten your belt etc.  There are plenty of people who have found work or self employment and you might as well.

It is a wonderful lifestyle in a beautiful country.

Good luck.

Karenw

Posted: Tue Jan 8, 2019 5:09pm

Karenw

Original Poster

Posts: 4

1 helpful points

Location: Relleu

Joined: 6 Jan 2019

Posted: Tue Jan 8, 2019 5:09pm

Many thanks to both of you, my initial thought after I received a couple of responses was to throw the towel in and not bother with a move. Admittedly I think Relleu is not the right place. I am trying to do more research on Xixona or Orihuela( Not costa). But Josephine is quite right I will always be wondering what could have been. We would be mortgage free and probably have enough savings to live on for maybe 5 years so why not and I can send the young ones out to find work😀 which will help.

Sign up for free or login to reply to this topic

Want to reply to this topic? Login or register for free to post your message:

Find more Moving tips and advice topics from a particular area:


Register for free!

Login to your account

AA Free English TV
Espana Dream Properties
Costa Blanca Building Specialists
interior building work
Car Key Solutions
Thy Will Be Done
Jennifer Cunningham Insurances SL
James Spanish School
Expat Services
ASSSA Insurance
Gentlevan Removals
Blacktower Financial Management
Airport Service Taxi Mil Palmeras  Torre de la Horadada
Gran Alacant Insurances
Advertise your business here
Advertise your property
Help with my computer