When Liliana Napoletano Hernandez, a Spanish national who lived in the UK for 22 years, decided to swap Northamptonshire for a new life in Spain, she was thinking about her three furry soulmates as much as herself.
In fact, by the time she got the keys to her new home in the pretty countryside outside the city of Valencia, there were four of them…
Liliana, a 50-year-old dog trainer, moved into her villa near the town of Llíria with her dogs in January 2021. She made
the decision to buy the property in September 2020 after a local agent showed her round virtually while she was at home
in the UK. Soon after, Liliana found a buyer for her terraced house in Northamptonshire and managed to relocate to Spain before Christmas!
Virtual viewing!
“It all started when I woke up one day and realised I didn’t want to grow old in the UK!” recounts Liliana. “I have an English friend who lives nearby in L’Eliana and he recommended the area. I found my agent via the internet and in early September 2020 came out for three days to view property with them. We weren’t able to view one of them – my future home – before I returned to the UK because there were tenants in it. So the agent, who was based in Valencia, agreed to do a virtual tour for me, as soon as it became empty. And the rest is history.”
In advance of her trip, Liliana had also made contact with a boarding kennels in Llíria, who invited her to discuss work opportunities. “Fortunately they were able to offer me some work as a trainer, initially just at weekends due to Covid restrictions, but it’s a start.”
Liliana made the big move out to Spain on
18th December 2020. She was able to lodge at
the kennels, before completing the purchase of
her property in late January. She brought three dogs with her from the UK, but soon adopted a fourth!
Ticks every box
Liliana paid €115,000 for her villa, instead of
the €119,000 asking price. The three-bedroom property is a 25-minute stroll from the centre
of Vilamarxant, a traditional village with basic amenities. Meanwhile, 10-15 minutes’ drive away lies Llíria, a charming town just 50 minutes from Valencia city-centre by metro or less by car.
“It ticks every box,” said Liliana. “It’s not too big,
but sits on a large plot with a pool, terrace and orange and lemon trees. There are lovely views of mountains at the front and a national park at the rear. I’ve got three immediate neighbours, who are Spanish, but we’re not too close to each other. And I have great countryside on my doorstep for walking the dogs.”
Liliana appears to have found her idyllic lifestyle and is thankful to her agent, who helped her throughout the purchase process and beyond. “They were amazing, from start to finish,” she said. “If there was a small issue during the process,
the team were always contactable for help. And they helped find tradespeople for bits of work I needed doing, including
an electrician for re-wiring and someone to remove an internal wall.”
Llíria & provincial Valencia
Satellite towns within easy commuting distance of Valencia city are drawing increasing numbers of British and other foreign buyers. Budgets stretch further in these areas, compared to coastal hot spots and trendy neighbourhoods in the city, but equally appealing is the opportunity to be in a provincial Spanish environment, or even countryside, while still having easy access to the amenities, culture and excitement of the city-centre. In addition, relocating families are attracted by the choice of international and British schools in the area.
As well as Llíria and L’Eliana, other towns that fit this brief include La Cañada, La Pobla de Vallbona, Olocau, Turis and Montserrat, Chiva and Calicanto. Villas are a popular choice of property – they’re plentiful, affordable and come with generous sized plots.
Llíria is especially popular for its cultural richness and is even nicknamed the ‘city of music’. An ancient town with a pretty main square, it hosts music festivals throughout the year and is home to two specialist music schools and two orchestras!
