Spanish Government Plans to Create 20,000 Public Sector Jobs Across Next Two Years

Spanish Government Plans to Create 20,000 Public Sector Jobs Across Next Two Years 

creating more jobs can only be good for everyone 

The Spanish government has pledged to create 20,000 additional public sector jobs leading up to 2019. The move is part of an effort to provide the official authorities and services of the country with more support. 

The El Mundo newspaper is reporting that 7,000 of these jobs will be for general state administrations, along with another 3,360 positions opening for the judiciary.

4,000 jobs will go to the Spanish civil service, social security, and tax authority institutions as Madrid is looking to boost the ability of the government in key areas. 

It’s expected that many of these prospective roles will be announced – and potentially filled – by the end of the year. If this is the case, it would be one of the most powerful recruitment drives ever by a Spanish government. The vice president of CSI-F – the majority union in the Central State Administration – spoke to El Pais; saying that the plan looks to ensure the viability of the administration which has seen young staff decimated in the past six years. 

The official data shows that only 1,388 of the 190,858 public sector workers in Spain are under 30 years old. This statistic shows not only how public sector roles have been the domain of the old and connected Spaniard, but also the need for a fresh young mindset and new ideas. 

This doesn’t help that absolutely zero public sector roles have been created in the country since 2010. Spain has been dealing with austerity since 2010, but the current economy is holding strong and prospects are good, giving the government the freedom to bolster the public sector while they can.

Part Two of Our Year in Review for Spanish Property in 2016

Part Two of Our Year in Review for Spanish Property in 2016

The second half of 2016 continued the positive momentum of the first half, proving anyone who thought the optimism would be dented by the political strife of Spain and Europe as a whole. How wrong they were…

The Costa del Sol continues to recover and confidence has returned

July Was Just Marvellous

There were a lot of positive words said about the Spanish property market during July; including how things were performing and where things could go in the future. It was suggested during July that the market could be headed to five incredible years of growth, beginning with 2016. These positive words came straight from the director of the real estate programme in the University of Barcelona Gonzalo Bernardos. They were echoed by Mark Stucklin of the UK, who added that Barcelona, Marbella, Madrid, Ibiza and the other hot spots of Spain are guaranteed to achieve growth.

August Was a Real Job

The data from August 2016 showed that Spain had their lowest drop in unemployment in over 20 years with over 84,000 jobs created in June. Many of the jobs were seasonal roles, but it was still representative of a 3% year-on-year increase of the amount of people in the workforce. Needless to say the figures represented positive trends for the economy.

September saw Expat Enjoyment

All this data wouldn’t mean much if Spain couldn’t attract people to its shores. There are many other countries that offer affordable properties and a stable economy, so what is it about Spain that attracts all the expats? There are a number of things really; the culture, the climate, the people, and the history. This balance is the reason that 92% of the expats living in Spain said they were satisfied with life; adding that Spain was a comfortable and easy country to settle down in.

October Offered Food For Thought

The climate and the friendly natives aren’t the only things bringing the world to Spain. TripAdvisor suggests that Spain is home to what is considered to be the greatest restaurant in the world in Lasarte; a three-Michelin star restaurant found near San Sebastian. Lesarte managed to hold on to the achievement for the second year in a row and was joined in the list of top-ten restaurants by neighbouring Azurmendi Gastronomic.

November Saw Sustained Sales Growth

The Office of National Statistics (INE) had seen by November how excellently the Spanish property market had performed during 2016. They unveiled data showing that almost 400,000 properties were sold in the 12 months leading up to September 30. This was an increase of 13.2% in a year, and really showcased the stability of the market which saw increases in home sales during 24 of 25 months. It looks like 2016 could be the year Spain sells the most properties since the recession.

December saw Records Broken in the Costa del Sol

December saw Spain end the year on quite the high. Some 12 million visitors flocked to the Costa del Sol in 2016; an increase of 10.2% over the previous year, and the highest number of visitors ever recorded in the region. Thanks to some 26 million overnight stays and over €11 billion spent by tourists, 2016 was truly a record breaking year for Costa del Sol. It’s expected that the region could smash all the new records as soon as 2017.

It took Two Decades but the Museum of Malaga is Back

It took Two Decades but the Museum of Malaga is Back

The Malaga Museum is a wonderful place to visit

It took nearly 7 years and €40 million but the former Customs Building La Aduana has now become a Museum.

The largest Andalucía museum was closed nineteen years ago. Now, after several demonstrations to have it opened back up, the finest museum of Spain has now opened its doors once again. The doors of the Costa del Sol museum opened on the 12^th December, ready for Christmas.

The Fine Arts and Archaeological collection that was once housed in the Palacio de Buenavista were moved to free up space for the Picasso Museum inaugurated in 2003. Since then it has been moved around between buildings before finally moving into the La Anduana building permanently.

Now, 7 years and €40 million later the former Customs Building, government office, and police station of Malaga has become a fitting home for the Museum spanning 17,500 works of art. 2,700 of these pieces are part of their permanent collection.

The Museo de Malaga takes up a massive 18,451 square metres is triple the size of the Picasso Museum, the CAC Malaga, and the Carmen Thyssen Museum. The museum has already been described as “Andalucia’s Prado”.

Some of the best pieces in the Fine Arts section in the museum include a collection of 19^th century paintings, which are thought to be some of the best in Spain. The Archaeological pieces of the museum date all the way back to the prehistoric period up to the Middle Ages featuring items from Phoenician, Roman, and Moorish times.

The Museo de Málaga is open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 9am to 8.30pm; Sundays and public holidays from 9am to 3.30pm. Admission is free of charge for EU citizens and costs just €1.50 for non EU citizens.

Over Two Thirds of the Property Sold to Foreign Investors in Andalucía Are on Costa Del Sol

Over Two Thirds of the Property Sold to Foreign Investors in Andalucía Are on Costa Del Sol

The demand for the Costa del Sol keeps increasing

which good news for the whole region

A recent report from the Spanish Ministry of Development found that 7 out of the 10 Andalucía properties sold to foreign buyers during the first six months of the year were in Málaga.

A report published by the Spanish Ministry of Development showed that between January and July 2016, 70% of the properties in Andalucía sold to foreign buyers were in Málaga, which is the home of the Costa del Sol. This works out at 4,978 transactions, which is a 16.9% increase compared to this same period of time in 2015.

At the regional level there was a total increase in foreign purchasers in Andalucía of 18.9%, up from the 5,973 property transactions across the first six months of 2015 to a total of 7,105 sold in the same period for 2016.

The other Andalusian provinces are falling behind Malaga when it comes to properties sold to foreign buyers. Almería saw 797 real estate transactions registered, which was an increase of 33.7% for the first semester of 2015. Granada had an increase of 13.9% with 409 sales; Cádiz had an increase of 4.6% to 405 transactions; Sevilla had an increase of 47.1% to 262 transactions; Huelva had an increase of 23.5% for 126 transactions; Jaén saw an increase of 49% for 79 transactions; and Córdoba came in last place in terms of transactions with an increase of 16.6% for 49 transactions.

Spain Set for at Least Two More Years of Affordable Mortgages

Spain Set for at Least Two More Years of Affordable Mortgages

Right now fixed rate mortgages are very affordable in Spain and it’s expected that things will stay this way for the next two years at least.

Getting hold of a mortgage has never been easier

Experts are predicting that, despite the uncertainty in the Eurozone right now the low interest rates that have helped to beef up the Spanish mortgage sector will be continuing for at least two more years.

These low mortgage rates have been a major factor in the recovery and resurgence of investing in the Spanish property market in the past 24 months. Spain is set to continue using the fixed rate mortgage levels that are offered by the Euribor; the Euro Interbank Offered Rate.

The Euribor is used as a safety valve for property sectors across Europe as it sets an average rate of interest payments amongst the Eurozone based on how an economy is currently performing. The European Central Bank has been scared by some of the recent financial blips in Europe and it’s expected that the Euribor rate will be kept below zero for the next two years at least until 2019.

Many Spanish mortgages are lent on the Euribor rate, which dipped down to -0.057% in September. This was also the eighth month in a row that the rate was negative. Normally these low interest rates would only be used on a shorter term basis and are used in an attempt to stimulate the national market.

Now the Spanish property market is expected to see the benefits of a low interest rate much like the German export-based economy received a healthy boost across two years from the low euro. The Spanish property market has become one of the most popular property markets across all of Europe. There are plenty of foreign buyers, particularly British buyers, who are now being offered great terms for purchasing a home in Spain.

It’s expected that the Euribor could go down even further and could reach even -1% in 2018, which would mean that mortgage repayments are even lower and the Spanish property market is even more interesting to investors.

There is some cause for concern from Spanish banks however. While it’s always good for banks to welcome more mortgage customers it could damage their long-term profitability, which could mean they tighten their belts when it comes to lending in a few years.

The Spanish banking sector and the real estate sector have been closely intertwined over recent years though so sensible banks are expected to maintain a watchful eye on the market and help it grow steadily rather than exploding and burning out. The good news for those banks is that “steady growth” is how the Spanish property market has been growing since 2014.

Number of Retired British Expats Claiming Winter Fuel Allowance Down Two Thirds Following Crackdown

Number of Retired British Expats Claiming Winter Fuel Allowance Down Two Thirds Following Crackdown  

The British government recently cracked down on winter fuel payments and have managed to save £16 million so far.

New data released from the UK government shows that just over 42,000 British expats  buying property and retiring overseas in the EU received winter fuel payments – down by over two-thirds compared to last year.

Around 137,845 British pensioners living in the EU received winter fuel allowance payments during the fiscal year of 2014/2015. This number was cut down drastically following a crackdown by the British government.

Elder Brits who were living abroad in sunnier locations were still receiving their annual winter fuel payments of over £200 (or £300 for those who are aged over 80) even though they were living in places where there was no need for it.

This caused the former Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith to bow that he would bring this wasteful practice in check by introducing a temperature test that would analyse the average temperatures of Europe.

If pensioners were living in an area of Europe were the average temperature was higher than the warmest area of the UK (the southwest of England) then they would have their winter fuel payments stopped. After this scheme was introduced the government has saved around £16 million as the amount of money spent on payments was reduced from £24.5 million to £8.1 million.

A general rule of thumb says that payments were stopped for people who moved to places such as Spain, France, Greece, Portugal, Malta, Cyprus and Gibraltar.

An interesting note is that pensioners living in Italy can still claim Winter Fuel Allowance. This is because the temperature test only takes into account average temperatures and the 40 degree highs of the Italian summer are offset by the bitter winters.

Stress Free Holiday Rentals Part Two

Stress Free Holiday Rentals Part Two

If you’re planning on renting out your property in the Costa del Sol or other parts of Spain then here is part two of our top 12 tips for holiday rentals. Don’t forget to bookmark the page so that you can find it the next time you need it!

1.      Put Together an Information Pack About Your Property

The demand for rental properties in the Costa del Sol is outstripping supply

Holiday renters need to know the community rules and so you should put together an information pack that contains this information. They should know the rules about leaving towels on balconies, playing loud music, having late night parties, and using the pool incorrectly. If your renters cause trouble it could get you in trouble with the community. The information pack should also include information on how they can use your appliances, the security alarm, etc. It should also have information on emergency telephone numbers for you or your agent, doctor, chemist, hospital and repair services.

2.      Set Ground Rules

When you advertise your property you need to include information on things like the maximum number of people that can occupy your property and if you allow pets and smoking.

3.      Charge Proper Rental Prices

An important decision is how much you’re going to charge in rental prices. If you’re managing the property booking and advertising yourself you should look at what people are charging for properties similar to yours. If you’re working with an agent then your agent should be able to give you a good rental price that allows you to still make a profit. Remember that this rental income isn’t 100% profit. You still have to take out the costs of the agent’s fee, the advertising costs, maintenance costs, cleaning and laundry costs, Spanish rental tax, insurance, and any other expenses.

4.      Prepare Your Property To Remove Stress

It’s important to make sure your property is in top condition so that it can stand up to the wear and tear of being rented all through the summer. Ensure that your appliances and plumbing are working perfectly. It’s a good idea to have your appliances serviced before renting your property. Have the air conditioner and filters, power supply, kitchen appliances, gas supply and gas bottles, automatic gates, garage doors, pool equipment, fuse boxes and TV channels all checked in advance. Don’t forget about health and safety regulations. Make sure your smoke detectors and fire alarms are working properly. Call in a plumber to check your toilets, baths, showers, and the kitchen sink and boiler are all working well and the water pressure is right. If your property has a pool then check the pump and other equipment to make sure it works great.

5.      Don’t Be Late With Utility Bill Payments

Ensure that you pay all your utilities such as water, gas, electricity and community fees are paid on time. It’s a good idea to pay them by standing order and check that the bank is paying the bills on time. You’d be surprised how many properties lose power and water because the bill wasn’t paid on time.

6.      Remove the Risk of Renting

A great way to take away the risks of renting is to take out a property insurance that covers holiday rentals. These policies are well worth the money and give you important peace of mind. Some of the more common problems and claims with holiday rentals are bath overflows that damage lower apartments and community property damage.