Tenerife here I come... (Hopefully!)

[Jake Eastick]

Afternoon everybody!

Without sounding too much like a contestant on Blind Date, I'm Jake, 28 from England and I am currently playing with the idea of moving to Tenerife full time.

A little bit of background on me for everyone; I had worked for Dorset County Council since I left school (started in Finance and then moved in Management), but after realising that this is not what I wanted to do with my life I quit last October and spent 3 months travelling North and Central America. I am now home and back in work and have put my house on the market. I am now interested in a move into either Tourism or Property abroad, preferably Tenerife.

I really just wanted to ask;

What kind of employment opportunities are there for someone that does not yet speak Spanish?
Is the current housing market stable and what kind of additional fees would I have to pay if I was to purchase a property?
Is there a market for property renovation?

and finally ... is this a move you would recommend?

Thanks for your time!

Jake

[Margaretta]

Oh Jake! We all love to follow our dreams and many are successful in doing so. But losing everything is also a possibility. Please rent somewhere in Tenerife for a few months and really explore all work and living possibilities. You do need Canarian Spanish to live on the island or have some close Spanish-speaking friends or relatives who will guide you and translate for you if you do decide to settle.
My advice is read, Google, visit for a while and learn Spanish. This Forum has heaps of info of course! Good luck.

[bennoa1]

Agree with the above, you're looking with rose tinted glasses. I'd come over for a while and speak to people to get a better idea of the market and what is out there - a lot of people work in tourism related and property is part of that although you'll probably be selling. Jobs aren't easy to come by and if you find one you'll be likely doing long hours for little pay, so you need to think about how you support yourself for a significant period without work. I think this is why a lot of people who chose to live over there have enough cash behind them not to have to work.
Property renovation could be an option but you'll need significant capital to even start as getting a mortgage is (I found anyway) much more difficult and drawn out than in the UK. To buy you're looking at c10% on top in fees/taxes etc. Property in the main isn't that cheap, and if it is it is generally for a reason. I'm guessing your knowledge of canarian building methods and legal process is limited/non existent?
Good luck anyway.

[canarybird]

Very important is learn to speak Spanish....you'll need it from day one. :)