We have talked before on these pages about the attractions of Valencia as a place to live, recently we published the article about why Valencia is the best place to live in Spain, for example and we have talked about the 112 reasons to move to Valencia. As we have said before, it's a question of Lifestyle Design in action.

However everyone is different and everyone has their own story. We get some amazing stories from our clients and potential clients about why they chose to come to Valencia and we thought we would share some of the more typical, and maybe a little untypical, ones in this post. Take a look.

Firstly let's look at the generic reasons before drilling down into some individual reasons for moving to Valencia.

Lifestyle Design

At times people decide that they need a change in their life. They do their research and decide that the combination of a thriving and good looking city, an excellent climate and the outdoor lifestyle is something that attracts them. They add to this a relatively stable country with a respectful attitude to all people regardless of age, race, interests and sexuality and Valencia looks good to them. In many cases our clients can work from anywhere so they choose the place that most suits them for their non work time, the place they can do the most in and get the most out of whilst being well connected, virtually and physically to the rest of the World and Valencia comes out on top.

Politics

Who has got it worse, the British or the Americans? Personally being British I would say the Brits have it worse, just like a dog Brexit is not just a crappy Xmas present, it's for life. At least Trump has a limit of eight years or impeachment, assassination, death by bad health or whatever else comes first.

The flood of clients escaping Trump or Brexit is never ending. We have written about Trump and Americans before and also various times about Brexit, make sure to take a look. (If you do a search in the top right corner for Brexit there are plenty of other articles here too)

Health

The Valencia region is said to have one of the healthiest climates in the World. We get a lot of clients coming here for health reasons, from arthritis relief, to Seasonal Affective Disorder, to depression to asthma, the climate, light and warmth of Valencia has a positive effect on people who choose to come here to better their health. Whether it's for the beautiful landscapes of the interior of Valencia or the lovely sandy beaches and sea views of the coast, Valencia seems to make people feel better.

These are generic reasons and can be applied to so many people looking to make a new life for themselves in Valencia but we also get to hear people's individual reasons and without naming names there are events that happen in the World that mean Valencia looks like a safe haven and a good option for living and bringing a family.

"Americans and Their Gun Obsession"

Recently we have had a lot of American clients for whom the dangers of the USA have become too much. For one client the Parkland school shooting in Florida was too close to home and the fact that their children were being asked to have a bullet proof vest and backpack as part of their uniform was the final straw. For another the constant stories of mass shootings in random places but especially one very near to their home a few hours after they had been at the Mall where it took place hit home hard. The question they always ask first is how safe is Valencia? Luckily we can give the answer that it is a very safe place.

"The Cold and the Darkness"

Vienna is beautiful, it's one of my favourite places I have visited along with Prague, the weather in the summer is lovely but the winters can be awful. A client last week arrived from Vienna where there was a grey drizzle and 5 degrees to 28 degrees in Valencia at the end of October, this meant pavement cafes, sunshine and warmth. It cannot be overestimated the difference that makes. But there was one other thing that attracted him, the apartment he bought was double the size and half the price of something similarly situated in Vienna. This will be the first of a few he buys.

"Beautiful Countryside Within 30 Minutes From the Centre of the City"

"I need fast broadband fibre, a countryside setting that's pretty quiet, easy access to an airport and the city, let's say half an hour max". This was the spec from a client and their property in Naquera suited them down to the ground as it ticked every box.

"A City Moving in the Right Direction"

The client was looking for a forward thinking, left wing city with ecological ambitions and solidarity. They were attracted to Valencia by the opening up of so many new bike lanes, the progressive relegation of the importance of the car, great public transport options, an open attitude to refugees and plenty of projects that showed solidarity with others. They wanted a city that reflected themselves. They found it in Valencia.

"Interesting Young People"

Our client could easily retire early but wanted to do things, start more businesses and meet others like him. He didn't want to be in a place where the average age was "waiting to be picked by the grim reaper" but did want to be on the Mediterranean coast and enjoy beach life. Valencia as a real city ticked the boxes. Plenty of young people around looking to get opportunities and wanting to help others.

"Education in Life"

"I want my kids to be more open, bilingual and to know more about other cultures." We often hear this as a part of the attraction of bringing kids to Spain but with this client it was front and centre. The most important part of their move was to make sure the kids grew up with a different attitude to what they were seeing in their home country where things were becoming a bit toxic (You might be able to guess where that was)

"Two Season Tickets"

I love this one. As a reason for moving to Valencia the fact that there are two first division football teams at the moment, Valencia and Levante, means that they get to see good quality football every week because one week Valencia are at home and the next Levante. And they paid just over 500 Euros for those two seasons tickets.

"Rip Off Britain"

A UK client was so tired of high prices to do almost anything that the last straw was when they got a quote of 1800 pounds for fixing a boiler that was supposedly under guarantee, "Ah yes but that particular part and the labour are extra!" The main reason they saw Valencia as a good place to come to was that there are so many free or really cheap options of things to do even on the few days when we see rain and that the day to day costs of living are extremely manageable.

"My wife and kids could no longer walk the streets safely"

Walking down the streets feeling safe is an underrated superpower that Valencia has. When Cairo becomes too scary for your family then maybe it's time to move on. Feeling like a prisoner in your own home is not a good look.

"Retirement in Geneva is not an option"

When you have lived the last thirty years of your life working with the United Nations in Geneva and it comes to that time when you are thinking of retirement you start looking at options. Buying a five bedroomed house in La Eliana with pool, large gardens, huge living room, lower ongoing costs and excellent communications beats a one bedroom apartment in Geneva for the same price or more. When your whole family can visit you and you still have space to spare then it's a bit of a no brainer. La Eliana is a wonderful option being just twenty minutes from the city and airport and having plenty of excellent restaurants and cafes to enjoy.

Every client has their own individual story and reasons why they choose to join us in Valencia. What's yours?

If you enjoyed this then feel free to share it with your contacts and also let us know your reasons for moving to Valencia. You might also like the following articles we have written, just click on the images.