# Ansiao ... What do you think?



## M2alawson

Hello
My (disabled) hubby and I are looking to buy in Ansiao, Alvorges and wondered if there are any expats out there who can give us advice on the weather over the years ? (Is it wetter than the UK) and also of community life.

We have 6 boys ... aged 12,16,19, 20, 21 and 23 and also wondered about schools, part/full time jobs etc...and 2 dogs !

Can you recommend a trusted local solicitor.

Thank you

Andrea


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## travelling-man

Welcome to the forum. 

It's about 20 km from us and you'll get historical weather data from that nice Mr Google chappie but if you believe the scientists, weather seems to be changing so that historical data might not relate very well to the future....... However, if it'll help, last winter was the wettest in umpteen years and the two before were (I'm told) considerably colder than usual. 

During the 3 winters we've been here, we've had a fair number of lighting morning frosts and daytime temperatures were often hovered around 10C. 

Summers have been glorious with long spells of clear blue sky and weeks of temperatures in the 30s (C) and one brief spell of 40C for a few days.

If you don't speak Portuguese, that'll be a minor problem for you all and more of a problem for the kids at school. 

As for work: If you don't speak Portuguese, you'll find it almost impossible to find any work, let alone good jobs but if you can work on a self employed basis such as online etc or if you have an independent income such as a pension or perhaps a rental, then things can become easier for you. 

Not a good idea to post contact details online but once you have 5 posts under your belt, you can send/receive PMs and people can then send you messages with recommendations........ I can if you wish recommend both a good English speaking lawyer and a good English speaking builder if you need it...... so send me a PM when you've clocked up those 5 posts.


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## travelling-man

Forgot to mention community: The Portuguese are generally very friendly, generous, welcoming & supportive but again, if you don't speak at least some Portuguese then it's harder to integrate and build up that support network from local communities. 

NHS here is in my opinion at least, very good indeed but of course, you'll need to make sure you're covered for that and a search will quickly show you that's quite a complicated subject. LOL


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## canoeman

You mention hubby disabled, Portugal not the greatest place for support, although as TM says we find health service excellent.
Historical weather here but lots of local weather systems IPMA - Mapas

Jobs full/partime for expats about non existent unless you have the language or a niche profession


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## M2alawson

Thank you Travelling man and Canoeman for your speedy responses and warm welcome to the forum.

I have been doing lots of investigating, but although Google is the 8th Wonder of the World nothing beats real human opinions from those out there living it.

Thinking of buying the property but then coming over for holidays for a couple of years (may not apply for residency until I have a job sorted) to begin with although my older boys would like to come over more often, one them would like to work bars at the coastal resorts and housesit. I am finishing my Maths Degree and hopefully will be taking my Teacher Training Sep 2015/2016, so I can teach Maths. I will be knocking at 50's door by then so hope there is no ageist thing going on lol ! 

We are looking at the bigger picture, and long term investment, our retirement and for my parents to enjoy their latter years too. 

My hubby and I could then, ease our way into Portuguese life and in the meantime I've ordered "Learn to Speak books ..." to get at least a basic grip of the language. I've been to Algarve about 5 times now over the years and realise Central Portugal will be a bit different to that climate.

He's disability is manageable (spinal cord injury) and it is his mobility and pain relief that we need to keep an eye on. I have read that the hospital in Coimbra is one of the best.

I am planning on flying out in the next 10 days to view the property and get a feel for the village and surroundings ...just waiting to hear back from the Estate Agents.

I've no doubt I shall be asking many more questions in the next few days.

Would definitely like those Solicitor and possibly builder details as we do want to install a pool ! ... I shall get posting.... Do replies count as part of the 5 posts or is it brand new threads only ?
Andrea


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## travelling-man

Lots of good property at reasonable prices out here Andrea so you'll have plenty to choose from & Portugal life is pretty damn good IMO........... I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with me but we personally much prefer the central zone to the Algarve. There's fewer people here and it's far less commercialised which is just what we wanted. 

Yes. Your replies do count towards the five posts so keep going and you'll soon be there. 

Don't take the pool as granted because you sometimes need planning permission to install one and that isn't always easy to get........ but both lawyer & builder will be able to advise you on that.


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## canoeman

Like TM I much prefer Central Portugal to the Algarve for year round living but still areas of the Algarve that are great but not for us full time.

Bit of a dose of reality, no theres not quite the same ageist issues as UK but very well qualified Portuguese teachers can't get employment so for someone who isn't going to be fluent or trained in Portuguese curriculum and understand the culture?
I make the point only if work is a necessity to live rather than a way of being occupied

Ansiao is not that close to any major resorts where your lads might find employment, house sittings a slight possibility but its not going to supply a wage

Make sure any books, tapes, courses etc are European and not Brazilian Portuguese

Certainly Coimbra is one of Portugal's best but Ansiao officially comes under Leira Hospital

I would pay particular attention to the area with his mobility Ansiao is not flat or a particularly easy town to get around although major road access is good but without own transport difficult especially if your in an outlying village

There is so much property available don't be pushed into an instant decision especially if you want a pool you should indepently to whatever an agent says check that it is possible and feasible every area has specialist installers and personal recommendation best


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## canoeman

This is link for the Ansiao Camara ..:: Municipio de Ansião ::.. and certainly one of the better Camara websites


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## M2alawson

Thanks again.
The estate agent has advised we don't need planning permission for the property we are coming to see. 
Will definitely be learning the language, although was hoping most people spoke English... Might try and get a job in the international schools (if I'm lucky) and at the moment (until our pensions kick in) I will need to work part- time to pay the bills !!
Will be bringing our cars over so hopefully this will open up the job opportunities ... I have been reading some past posts and it would seem owning/purchasing a left hand drive car is not cheap !

Looking forward to a different way of life


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## Centralbound

I wish you well but to double up on that reality check, you have no chance whatsoever of getting a job teaching maths in Central Portugal. Sad but true. You should bring an income with you in fact.


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## canoeman

If that's what agent says you should always should get* independent* confirmation, pools need planning permission, if existing permission is in place you need to be very careful that you'd buy and be able to install before it ran out, there are strict timescales. Because permission has been granted once you cannot guarantee it would be granted again.

If you want to work and integrate into the community it's you that needs the language not the other way around, yes they'll be English speakers but certainly not to the degree your implying or hoping 

International schools are at Porto, Lisbon and Algarve none of which are commutable from Ansiao
There is one a Marinha Grande CLIC but not quite the true International School

I'm not being negative just trying to get across that there is a difference to buying a holiday home and living here where a job of some description is* necessary* to "pay the bills" even if bills are slightly less here.
Wages are low here even for the qualified and jobs difficult to find for the Portuguese let alone an expat


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## bambooo

Centralbound said:


> I wish you well but to double up on that reality check, you have no chance whatsoever of getting a job teaching maths in Central Portugal. Sad but true. You should bring an income with you in fact.


Hi there and Welcome !

Another reality check ! leave the right hand drive cars at home and buy new' second hand' when you get there , driving with the steering wheel on the wrong side can be a real pain and Dangerous ! That's just my opinion of course ;-) good luck !


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## Maggy Crawford

I have fluent Spanish (written and spoken) and must point out that Portuguese is a difficult language to master, even with that background and being an excellent linguist. You cannot expect your children's teachers to give a class in a local school in anything less than full speed Portuguese which will be unintelligible to your children. I have met many people here who have put their own needs or desires before those of their school age children with disastrous results. Also, as others have pointed out, support for some disabilities is virtually non existent, especially in rural areas.


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## bambooo

Hi Maggy !
I quite agree , I took my Son to Spain (Catalunya) when he was 9 y.o and threw him in at the deep end into the village school , with only 2 other English kids , he was Taught Catalan as the first language and Spanish as the second , No English at parents evenings and only my Son to translate what the teachers were telling us , "Yes of course i've been working hard Dad' yeah right !

Luckily he came through it ok and is now waiting to go into the Spanish Police Force (Guardia Civil) but it was'nt easy for him !

M2alawson 
Maybe your 12 y.o would be ok if he can adapt and learn quickly but the others of school age older than that may find it very difficult , personally I would keep them in UK Schools now until they have finished their education and then move to pt !

Hope this helps !


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## southsussex

Hello Andrea

We have a house at Avelar, which is a 10 minute drive from Ansiao, and intend to move over in 18 months time. For my ten penny worth I think Ansiao is an excellent location, though if I had my time again I would try to be a little nearer to Ansiao than I am or go slightly to the west of it. That way you are closer to the coast (about 35-40 mins to Figueira da Foz) and Pombal (about 25-30 mins), which is quite a large town with a railway station to Lisbon and Porto. Road links north and south are excellent too.

Ansiao is a nice town with pretty good amenities, though in the central area generally it is mostly the younger generation that speak some English. A few expats around, but not loads - which is perfect, though we are hearing more uk accents each time we come over.

As Canoeman says, there are no International Schools nearby and I personally think your boys would probably be a little old now to learn enough of the language to pass their exams. Which is why we are waiting for my step-son to get off to University before we move over!!

I would also add that out Portuguese teacher in the UK is a qualified teacher in Portugal and she found it impossible to get a job over there so came over to the UK. She worked as a cleaner in a hospital until she got her Portuguese teaching qualifications recognised over here. And, despite her being a brilliant teacher, Portuguese is fiendishly difficult to learn. But I'm sure most do better when they move over and in the meantime we do mostly get by. We have made some wonderful friends (English and Portuguese) that have given us help when we have needed it.

The area is beautiful, the people are fantastic and weather is great, though winter can be wet and cool. But having lived in the Caribbean for a couple of years, believe me it is nice to have proper seasons. My main advice though would be to not rely on finding it at all easy to get employment and unless your youngest picks up the language quickly, school could be difficult.


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## M2alawson

*Reality check*

Thank you everyone for your honest opinions, I think we are definitely going to try and get the boys through school before any permanent residency is though about. I take on board your comments about the job situation... Maybe things will change for us and I may not need to work.

Just realised I asked about Ansiao when the actual village we are looking at purchasing is Alvorge ... I guess all the same rules apply to your very helpful comments. 

Regarding the pool and the car ... Thank you ... Will definitely get independent advice on the pool and having driven over in Portugal with hire cars, and driven my own car in France, it seemed more natural to be on the left when I was a driver on the left. So will look into that .... 

Anyone recommend a good shipping company to move some of our furniture over ? Or was contemplating driving it myself (right hand drive though) ?


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## southsussex

Hi Andrea, 

Ansiao is a small town where your Camara (town hall) is situated and where your nearest decent supermarket etc is situated. So ultimately if you buy at Alvorge you will be visiting Ansiao reasonably regularly! Penela is not far either and is a beautiful medieval town with castle. 

If you post another comment I can send you a PM with the details of a guy I have used a few times to bring bits of furniture down and who is the best value I have found. 

One last thing, there is plenty of property in the area at good prices. While you are over you could do worse than try and look at some more places to make a comparison.

Oh, and Good Luck!!


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## canoeman

As southessex is saying look around *especially as to the location and the future* when family needs/mobility might change.

You seem very intent on buying this property I would very seriously advice on a few trips before committing yourself


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## M2alawson

Indeed, I am excited but I am also trying to ensure it is right for us, I'm coming out in a couple of weeks to ensure the pictures are true and get a real feel for the area and surrounding amenities. 

Even if the property is used as a holiday home and we never actually settle, as long as we make a profit on the sale in 10/15 years ... I'll be a happy bunny. If property prices take a slump then we shall make it our permanent residence. 

Lots of options and lots of thinking. 

Thank you again for your honesty.

This is my 5th post, so details of the lawyer and builders. Etc would be gratefully received. 

If when I'm over in a couple of weeks, I'll create a post and would love to meet for a cuppa (or wine!) and really talk it through with you guys who are living their dreams !! 

Andrea


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## canoeman

Maybe in 10/15 years making a profit might be possible but currently unlikely unless you bought at a really good price, just another thing to consider as a Non Resident selling at a profit currently will cost you 28% tax on 100% of any profit after allowable expenses and no rollover relief

More than 1 visit reguired to really get a real feel of the area or even to know what if any pitfalls are invoved


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## travelling-man

Andrea

I've sent you a PM.


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## southsussex

Andrea, I have PM'd you as well


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## bambooo

Good Advice Canoeman ! 
It's best to spend as much time as you can afford looking around at different areas , what you see online and in photos is quite often not what you see in reality ! for example , access , views , neighbors , what facilities are nearby etc etc !

Good luck in you search but take your time !


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## Kingfibber

Hi Andrea,

I am also new to the forum, though have found it an invaluable resource over the last twelve months.
After 10years+ of searching for a home overseas, we decided to have a look at central portugal in early 2013.
In July 2013 we completed on our house in The Rabacal valley, only 5km from Alvorge.
A year on & we are so pleased we made the leap. Ansiao is a nice market town, but you will soon get to know the area & realise that most places are within a 30 - 60min drive.

We were back & forth six times last year, & hope to be over more often this year.
Luckily, I have the option to work remotely, so income is not location dependant.

We have had a local builder engaged for the last twelve months, erecting a wooden balcony,
& rebuilding stone walls & laying calcada patios/drives etc. 
Not the cheapest, but high quality - you get what you pay for!

Hope you are successful in your search......

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum


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## dstump

Andea, I have sent you a PM too, 

Denise


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## thegypsyinme

Hi again Bambooo,

I agree with you and Maggie C. I lived several years in Germany and have known English parent's come over to Germany for a couple of years only, the hubby taking a contract in an Int. company. they've shoved their poor kid(s) into local schools, irrespective that they didn't know even the basics of the language and wondered why as 11 and 12 year olds weren't doing well at school and why their children also appeared depressed! Your son has seems to have been well immersed in the spanish education system and it would appear he's done very well. I just hope he doesn't have to handle too many drunken expats in his chosen profession


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## bambooo

thegypsyinme said:


> Hi again Bambooo,
> 
> I agree with you and Maggie C. I lived several years in Germany and have known English parent's come over to Germany for a couple of years only, the hubby taking a contract in an Int. company. they've shoved their poor kid(s) into local schools, irrespective that they didn't know even the basics of the language and wondered why as 11 and 12 year olds weren't doing well at school and why their children also appeared depressed! Your son has seems to have been well immersed in the spanish education system and it would appear he's done very well. I just hope he doesn't have to handle too many drunken expats in his chosen profession


Hi thegypsyinme !

Ha ha ! That;s exactly what started him off on pursuing a career with the Spanish Police , even at 14y.o every time there was a dispute in the village between , Yes ex-pats and the Moroccans or Eastern Europeans the police came looking for my boy to translate he made so many friends in the 'force' they invited him to Join them !
So good things can come out of difficult situations but in the norm I have seen many kids of teen years go to the same village and end up dropping out of school and just hanging around all day doing nothing , The Authorities dont care , why should they , the kids were not Spanish !

Take care


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