Buy in Valencia with Easy Property Spain

Moderate wine consumption cuts stroke risk
The moderate consumption of wine (but not beer or spirits) is associated with a reduced risk of stroke, according to a new report. The authors believe wine’s protective effects may be linked to disease-fighting compounds other than alcohol. “Intake of wine is associated with lower risk of stroke,” concludes a 16-year Danish study led by Dr. Thomas Truelsen of Copen-hagen University Hospital

Previous studies have suggested that moderate wine consumption (a glass a day, for example) may provide cardiovascular benefit. This phenomena is exemplified by what the Danish team call the ‘French paradox’ - “a low incidence of cardiovascular disease in the (wine-drinking) French population despite an unfavorable exposure to known cardiovascular factors (such as smoking).” Investigating further, the authors tracked the stroke incidence of over 13,300 Danes for 16 years.

They report that, compared with abstainers, individuals who said they drank wine on a monthly, weekly, or daily basis had a 16%, 34%, and 32% reduced risk of stroke, respectively.

These findings suggest that other compounds in wine besides alcohol may have a positive impact on cardiovascular health. “Wine contains flavonoids and tannins,” the authors explain, “which are components presumed to prevent cardiovascular disease.” They speculate that drinking patterns specific to wine lovers may also influence cardiovascular health. Wine is more commonly consumed at mealtimes than either beer or hard liquor, and “these differences in ‘timing’ may be important,” according to the researchers. One recent study concluded that mealtime alcohol consumption reduced unhealthy alterations in blood composition that can occur after eating.

Experts point out that excessive drinking can actually raise the likelihood of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke.

The following are some quick suggestions on how to enjoy your lifestyle and enjoy your glass of wine in order to live a healthy, long life:

Exercise is a key factor.
However, it is wise to exercise before drinking a glass of wine or any other alcohol. Exercise makes your blood stream circulate faster, and could lead to a quicker absorption of wine in your system.

Believe it or not, you can get drunk quite quickly from just one glass.

Have wine with foods that are filling.
Foods like pasta, red meat, fish and potatoes, this way, you will drink less. Always remember that moderation is important.

The second or third and last drink of the day should be taken at night, an hour before going to bed. First, this will make you sleep better. Second, it will clean out your system one last time before hitting the hay.

Never use alcohol as an escape method for difficulties you may face in your daily life. Once you start going down the path to addiction, it's ten times as hard to get out. Do yourself a favor and seek counseling from friends, family and professionals.

Be aware of the alcohol content of all your drinks. Wines tend to be the least concentrated with alcohol. If you are a whisky or Scotch drinker, however, one small glass per day is enough.

VALENCIA grew alongside the river Turia for many years and has a very special relationship with its water way. After the devastating flood of 1957, it was decided living alongside the river had become too great a risk and it was diverted. Today, the Turia’s old courseway is the largest urban garden in Spain, even though there was pressure for it to become a motorway...

As the popular Spanish proverb goes, ‘nothing bad ever happens where some good doesn’t come out of it’, and the catastrophe of 1957 brought with it an amazing silver lining. The river turned into a magnificent garden that crosses the city from the north to the south and offers numerous possibilities for walking and sightseeing to visitors and residents

A walk along the Turia
It is best to explore the Turia, by starting from the south and heading north, beginning with a visit to the impressive Arts and Sciences complex designed by prestigious architect, Santiago Calatrava. This year, the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (CAC) is celebrating its tenth anniversary, so it is a good time to visit and enjoy some of the one-off activities that are taking place.
A visit to the CAC will take the best part of a morning, and later you can go down to the riverbed and start walking away from the sea.

For those who are allergic to exercise there is a miniature tourist train that runs along the riverbed. The first feature you come to is the Gulliver, a children’s park with Jonathan Swift’s character of the same name lying asleep. He also serves as a climbing frame with several slides and other apparatus to keep the kids amused.

Next is the Palau de la Música, the first of the city’s musical buildings and at its feet, some beautiful palm-lined gardens popular with skateboarding fans. Nearby fountains provide other activities for parents and children such as sailing remote-controlled model boats.

Further on, there are several tiny copses where residents practice jogging, T’ai Chi and gymnastics. Soon you come across a bridge known as the Puente de las Flores. This walkway that crosses the river is home to – hence the name – thousands of flowerpots that change shape and colour according to the seasons. Later, there is another bridge, the Puente de Santiago Calatrava, which the Valencians call the Puente de la Peineta (‘little comb’) precisely because it looks like the comb-type accessories that falleras wear in their hair. Here, the trees begin to take on a dense, green lushness and their shade is very welcome on a warm, sunny day.

Next, you will make out the shadow of the San Pio V fine arts museum with its blue dome alongside the Jardín de los Viveros. Both garden and museum are well worth a visit. The San Pio V gallery houses Spain’s most significant collection of 19th-century painting after the Prado museum in Madrid.

A few metres on and you will probably come to a mass of people playing football at the feet of the Torres de Serranos. These imposing towers are one of the twelve gateways that gave access to Valencia via its old city walls - the majority of these gateways have disappeared now but these towers remain in a good state of repair, despite having been built as far back as the 14th century.

Continuing on to the Pont de les Arts – a recently-constructed bridge that is influenced by 1970s’ architecture.

Next, you will reach the entrance to the IVAM, or Instituto Valenciano del Arte Contemporáneo, one of the largest and most significant of its kind in Europe. Here, you can stop for a well-earned rest and a bite to eat in the cafeteria, which has a varied and tempting menu at very reasonable prices.

You can continue along the Turia gardens as far as the Parque de Cabecera, crossing the La Petxina bridge and admiring the shell of the same name that christened it.

Just fifteen minutes further on, you come to the last of the parks built into the riverbed that is soon to become home to Valencia city’s new zoo.

Employment in Spain is highly regulated, with the main purpose to protect an employee's rights. The regulations are complex: jobs are grouped into categories, and each category has a different set of regulations. It’s important both as an employer or employee to be aware of the different types of work contracts, holiday entitlement and social security requirements when considering the options of working in Spain.

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

If you are an EU national you can enter Spain as a tourist and register with the Spanish National Employment Office (Instituto Nacional de Empleo - INEM) to look for a job, then you have 90 days to find employment. You can obtain an extension after that date or leave Spain and re-enter for a further 90 days. Once you get a job, your employment contract will be necessary to apply for your residence card.

If you are from a non-EU country willing to work in Spain, you will need to apply for your work and residence permit, and therefore you will be required to present a job contract or an offer of employment in the form of a pre-contract stamped and signed by both parties (or a letter written on the headed paper of the Spanish employer).
Once you are legally working in Spain you will be subject to the same labor legislation as Spaniards, and you will be entitled to all its benefits.

TYPES OF WORK CONTRACTS

• Indefinite contracts
This category includes the normal indefinite contract as well as several types of indefinite contracts with government incentives.
The main characteristics of the normal indefinite contract are:
In the absence of any other formalized contract type, the contract is presumed to be normal indefinite.
Severance pay for improper dismissal is a maximum of 45 days salary for every year worked, up to a maximum of 42 months equivalent salary.
There are no Social Security subsidies or any other financial incentives.

Indefinite contracts with incentives may be used when hiring:
- Workers over 45 who have been unemployed for at least one year.
- Women unemployed for more than a year who have been hired for work in sectors where women have been traditionally under-represented.
- Workers between 30 and 44 who have been unemployed for more than a year.
- Unemployed workers under 30 years of age. Workers with disabilities.

The main characteristics of an indefinite contract with incentives are:
- Severance pay for improper dismissal is 33 days salary for each year worked with a maximum of 24 months equivalent salary.
- Subsidies of up to 75% from the employer's social security contribution.
- Tax benefits.

• Temporary contracts
The main types are:

Contract for a specific project or service, arranged for the purpose of performing work or providing a service which is temporary but of uncertain duration.

Casual contract due to production overload or backlog. The maximum duration of this type of contract is six months in any twelve-month period.

Contract to sit in for employees entitled to return to their job. The duration of this contract is the period during which the absent employee retains the right to return to his or her job.

Work experience contract. This contract can be arranged with university or junior college graduates or persons with vocational qualifications or recognised equivalent qualifications, provided that not more than four years have elapsed since they completed the related training. The duration is from six months to two years.

Trainee contract. This type of contract can be arranged with workers aged 16 to 21 who do not have the necessary qualifications to obtain a "work experience contract". The duration of this contract ranges from six months to two years, although it may be extended to three years by a collective labor agreement.

Transitory employment needs may be met through workers provided by temporary work agencies.

With 4,400 people losing their lives on the roads of Spain last year, the Government hopes that the new points driving license, introduced on July 1st 2006 will change driving habits across Spain.

People will still be fined for traffic offences as before, but most of the offences will now see a deduction in the number of points on your driving license. There is still a 90 € fine category for small offences which sees no change in your points tally. Also if a fine is issued but the driver at the time is not identified, then obviously no points can be taken, although the fine can now reach 1,500 €.

Drivers with more than three years experience start with 12 points, while new drivers are credited with eight. Drivers can get two extra points after three years with no offences and a further point after that after three more years to reach the maximum number of points – 15.

The points are to be deducted when the fine becomes fixed. When you receive the letter with the fine there are three things you can do.

1. Pay up within a month and get a 30% discount and get the points deducted.
2. Launch an appeal within 15 days.
3. Do nothing. If you do nothing the fine is considered fixed in a month when your points will be deducted.

If you leave the fine unpaid, you'll find the amount due taken automatically from your tax rebate or directly from your bank account.

Drivers can check their current balance on the Traffic Department website – www.dgt.es</a>. The points can be considered as being virtual in as much as should you renew your driving licence, your points balance remains unchanged.

You can voluntarily take a course once every two years. This consists of 12 hours of classes, 170 € cost and 4 points at the end guaranteed. However if you lose your license you are obliged to take another course of 24 hours of classes, 320 € cost and 8 points at the end, provided you pass an exam. These new education centres are now being established and the government has a target that by the start of next year, all residents of the country will be no further than 30 kms away from one.

Passengers can lose points too. If you are a passenger in a car and stopped not wearing your seat belt, then your license will still be deducted the three points, even if the driver is wearing his.

How can you lose points ?

Speeding - Between 2 and 6 points depending on how far above the speed limit you were travelling.

Using the mobile phone or any other apparatus considered a distraction – 3 points.

Not using your seat belt or helmet for bike riders – 3 points.

Drink driving – 4 or 6 points.

2 points will be taken for:

* Dangerous parking
* Using radar speed trap detectors
* Forgetting to turn on your headlights
* Taking a child under 12 as a passenger on a motorbike

3 points will be taken for:

* Making an illegal turn
* Driving too close to the vehicle in front

4 points will be taken for:

* Driving without the correct license
* Taking a vehicle onto a motorway that is not authorized
* Reversing on a motorway
* Dangerous driving or overtaking
* Blocking another driver from overtaking
* Jumping a red light
* Disobeying police instructions
* Throwing any dangerous objects from the car – this includes cigarette butts
* Driving with too many people in the vehicle

And finally 6 points will be taken for:

* For extreme dangerous driving, which could be, for example, taking part in racing, driving against the traffic and so on.
* Professional drivers risk losing six points if they do not respect official rest periods

DRIVE SAFELY AND SAVE POINTS AND MONEY!

Off-plan property purchase in Valencia was once viewed as the optimum way to gain 18 months of capital appreciation without so much as applying for a mortgage. In the early 2000s, when capital appreciation was 15 or 20 per cent per annum, offplan development was a very attractive proposition,
but with the recent property downturn in Spain is there still anypoint in buying off-plan?

The developer likes early-bird purchasers as their deposits not only provide a bit of cash to get the heavy plant digging but also reassure the bank manager that his financial stake is safe.

In return for your ‘support’, patience and willingness to take a ‘risk’ in buying something you cannot physically see, the developer will discount maybe 10 per cent or so from the market value.This, of course, means at completion stage you have a minimum 10 per cent profit already built in, yours for the taking upon resale.

Price aside, off-plan purchase gives you the chance to cherry pick the best unit. Penthouses, corners and those with the best views sell faster and resale better and as a pioneer you can take your pick.

Additionally, an off-plan property in Valencia should display the latest in building techniques and materials from sound-insulation to durable flooring. And, that ten-year construction guarantee, compulsory under Spanish law for structural defects, is yours for the full decade, which can’t be said for a resale.

Lastly, many developers allow you to get involved in the closing stages of build and stamp your personality on the product. Whether that may be choosing tiles, paint colour or appliances, it is a luxury only afforded by off-plan purchasers

Off-plan property development in Valencia still has its place and that the recent downturn in the country’s property market is making the option a more attractive proposition. Buying off-plan property is no longer as attractive as it was when prices were rising in Valencia, but it will still suit some buyers who like stage payments spread over many months, and want a brand new property.

Developers are now bending over backwards to attract buyers with incentives such as furniture packages and mortgage payments, so in a funny way buying off plan is starting to look more attractive than at any time in recent years.

Spanish property experts advise that buyers of off-plan property in Valencia do their homework, look at examples of the developer’s previous work and make sure both they and their lawyer are clear on which features or qualities were promised contractually, including square metre build sizes.

Real estate investment is based on research, research, research, and research would suggest that better areas for off-plan investment exist to those prepared to work with market professionals.