Moving To Majorca

[1stcall]

Your going to miss the Summer trade. Look for a Cafe that is an all year rounder. Cater to the masses. ie. A BIG mistake by most Expats is that they only have the menus in English.

Location, Location, Location, is the main factor here.

Dont believe a word anyone says about a business if they are selling. If it is that good WHY are they selling. The ususal is I'm retiring, or my mums ill etc.

Visit the businesses day and night on different days to see for yourself how they are trading and dont forget that this is the holiday season.

Regards and good luck.

[chris(madrid)]

Originally Posted by 1stcall

A BIG mistake by most Expats is that they only have the menus in English.

That's a HUGE mistake. As a MINIMUM needs to be in German and Spanish as well.

As an aside - there is a demand "inland" for reliable skilled staff as local youngsters tend to go for the "quick & dirty holiday money" as opposed to learning a skill and adopting a trade. I've a Spanish mate in INCA who runs a bakery and confectionery business who was having trouble getting folk willing to actually work.

[crookesey]

When our favourite Spanish bar was sold to an English couple the new owners did the following.

Opened at 10 - 30 AM

Closed at 02 - 30 AM (SOMETIMES LATER)

They opened 7 days a week and only had Christmas day off.

They served hamburgers and toasted sandwiches by the hundreds every day.

While they were working they ploughed money into a villa that they were having built in the Jalon Valley.

Seven years later they sold the free-hold business for a tidy sum and retired to their fully paid for villa.

If you are serious you will have to work very hard but 7 years hard work for an unincumbered villa and then no more work ever again is a nice thought. We were offered the bar by it's then Canadian and French owners but didn't take the plunge.

[Big Pete]

Hi
Just got back from Mallorca and on the subject of running a bar etc etc,

Well not sure if people are skipping there holidays this year or choosing alternate locations than Mallorca maybe ? but its fairly quiet on the island.

But boy oh boy was it quiet , On my side of the coast the bars and Restaurants are struggling big time with maybe 10% seats filled ..

I also noticed 3 bars which were open albeit empty of customers last Season have now closed up shop and dont look as if they will be re opening. All closed up and shutters drawn.

Interesting that even the Sea Front places werent packed although they did have a slow trickle of business , considering this is now the summer season and any profits need to last the year i reckon there going to be in trouble , unless things change !!
i shall be over again in 2 weeks so will report accordingly ..

[crookesey]

I hate to see people make awful mistakes and I don't want you to be one of them. We haven't moved over yet but when we see front line beach front Spanish owned bar-restaurants that are usually full totally empty something must be wrong.

A couple of ideas for you. Our friends who's villa we stay at employ an English pool man at the cost of 80 euro's per month and an English gardener and mate at 120 euros per month inclusive. The pool man comes once a week for an hour and does whatever pool men do. The gardener and his mate come once a month and spend around four hours giving their huge garden a real going over, they always take all the garden waste away.

Both have sign written vehicles with business names and phone numbers and our friends pay them monthly by standing order directly into their Spanish business accounts so both appear to be legitimate. They both told me that they had lots of work and were having to turn down enquiries that were out of their preferred area. Neither works nights or weekends and a van and the required tools will come out at a lot less than a bar.

[jan08]

Hi, you wanna try this website. rta-europe. They have good selection of bars etc. Most people out here are selling coz they simply want to retire or they have family problems. This season has started a little slow, but has picked up a lot now.

[Stravinsky]

Originally Posted by jan08

Most people out here are selling coz they simply want to retire or they have family problems.

Yep, thats the usual reason .... or illness!

[palmanovadave]

Originally Posted by fxym4

HELP?

Thinking of moving to Majorca to live,we intend to sell our house and buy a cafe bar on the south of the island,i have been many times for a holiday but dont know the best areas to look,would be looking for an area mainly british holiday makers,and the wife is a good cook,we have looked on many sites with bars for lease but there is such a vast choice we dont know where to start,also can anyone tell me how much an average 2 bed apartment would cost to lease,hope someone can give us some info,we would be looking to move end of august

Thanks

MIKE AND HEV

Hi Both- Got a company here that is a one stop shop for ex-pats relocating here, very good and do everything for you.
Dont supose i can put theyre name on here but you can email me at mgdave03@hotmail.com
Hope that helps and dont be put off by all the its risky and all that, great place to live and like anything else if you run it good then it will do ok
All the best
Dave

[Vicki McLeod]

There are a few things which might help you to make decisions about where to live.

There's an English language radio station on the island which you can listen to online at luna mallorca - there are also blogs on this site which are helpful to read to get a feel about what is going on on the island. I recomend them for extra information



and also mallorcasolutions is run by a local woman who was born in Mallorca, by English parents. Her name is Becky and she's very helpful in finding out info

Personally - go for a business which residents and holiday home owners need. Avoid bars and estate agencies - neither type of business is having a good year here.

Good luck!

Vicki