Hello

I'm new here, and although I've read an awful lot from other posters (on here and other forums) I still have questions.......

I'm hoping you kind folks can share your knowledge and guide me please!

Hmmmm, where to start!
Well I definately hope to move abroad next year (once my house is sold) but I'm not sure where. I will be doing this totally on my own so it's a very daunting aspect. (Well, my two cats will be making the move too)

I will be making future employment my main focus for now, as without that, I won't be able to pay the bills! I feel either Spain, Cyprus or Greece (coastal-ish areas are the places I would definately consider)

Here's the downside - I will only be moving abroad with £70,000 - £75,000
I plan to rent for the first 6 months or so, making sure that I am happy where I am before buying.
Firstly, and thinking of the future, do you think I would find a two bed property, hopefully with a small garden for that amount anywhere? I would be happy to be situated within a 10-15 mins drive of a coastline, and would like to live wherever there is a good community spirit

I suppose I am asking an awful lot for the money I will have available, but I can hope!

I'm 42 this xmas, and I hope that I would still be employable! I am happy to learn the country language for wherever I move to, so that my chances of getting work are improved a little.

My work experience so far has been:

Foster parent (5 yrs exp)
Support officer for vulnerable young people / adults (2.5 yrs exp)
General retail work (many yrs exp)
Worked in wine bars / nightclubs (8 yrs ago)

I also possess BIIAB Door Supervisor certificates (necessary for security guard and / or club 'bouncer' work in the UK)

I would be keen to teach english as a foreign / second language, and gain TEFL / TESOL certification, but I don't have a degree behind me and forum views are divided on whether the degree is an absolute necessary

So, to summarise:
I need to go where there are properties within my price range, available work throughout the year (taking my experience into account) in an expat friendly place
(p.s. - Do many of the Cypriots resent ex-pats? I have read some real horror stories from other posters)

Many many thanks for any advice you can offer

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings but unless you can find a job that will enable you to get a mortgage to top up the ammount you have to spend there is no way you will find anything a 2 bed with even a tiny garden in Cyprus for the amount you will have available.
Cyprus is a great place to live and most Cypriots are very friendly but it isnt cheap anymore however at your age you could get a mortgage until you are 65 so you could maybe do it.

Regards Veronica

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You might be able to find something in the Northern CB / Southern Costa Del Azahar for that amount. Spain is suffering from a housing downturn at the moment and I am sure there are people desperate to sell.

There were some apartments in Raffelcoffer near Gandia selling for €70k for instance, but I noticed they have suspended building.

Maybe in towns like Gandia, Oliva etc you may find an apartment

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Hmm. For that sort of money you would be able to buy very little in anywhere with the remotest chance of getting some sort of job to support yourself. Yes in France for example, you can buy a tiny cottage in the upper Drôme region for £30,000 still ... but you only have sheep and goats for company within 30 minutes drive (you'll need a car), you'll pay a big sum in tax and charges on top of the asking price, and then unless you're a fanatical DIYer you'll be in deep trouble once everything stops working, and the leaks begin, and won't have a clue who to turn to. Plumbers cost a lot more in France than in the UK, as well (they pay more tax).

With your experience you'll be lucky to get anything other than bar work. And probably only seasonal too. Unless you speak the language you'll need to be within shouting distance of a resort with a big number of visiting English-speakers. Property near such resorts tends to be expensive (in comparison to your means).

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but I've seen so many people come a cropper because they have some sort of idealised dream of giving it all up for the allegedly greener grass somewhere, and just haven't even got close to the finance/language/job experience to handle the realities of the situation that are going to come their way, sooner rather than later.

Experience and language aside (and those are pretty key) ... for buying property, this is the general rule I quote people -

Work out the 'fully inclusive' purchase cost of a property that you've fallen in love with.

- Take figure and add another at least 20% (conservative estimate, you'll be lucky to get away with that little, once you've paid for the emergency repairs the seller forgot to mention, tax, notary charges etc).

Work out the maximum possible running costs, living costs, for first year.

- Then add 50% and you'll be nearer the mark.

Work out what jobs you'll think you'll be able to do in that area.

- Then calculate how you will survive when you can't get any jobs within the first year.

If all else fails, B&B is the usual rash expat fall-back position, some think.

- Then work out how that is going to help you survive when the reality is than it will never do much more than cover the running and maintenance costs of the property ... unless you've a large property, in perfect nick, and are a marketing genius, given the tens of thousands of similar ventures that are struggling.

Sorry to be a 'wet blanket' ... but I've seen so many people whose lives have been ruined by going off half-cock in these situations. And that includes people with ample means to buy and substantial pensions too.
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Peter - FrogBlogging from Thailand

Saw in Oliva the other day a three bedroomed flat for €65k!!!

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