# Where in Spain ?



## jim70andout (Oct 20, 2014)

Hi, 
Totally new to this. so looking for help from any quarter.
Really tired of UK weather and we both want to spend time in warm climate, so Spain it is.
We are retired, but very active and fit. Looking ideally for place with sea views and near beach.
Also, with extremely limited Spanish, we need UK enclave where we can partake in daily activities, but would really like a mixed area of many nationalities.
Ideally, we would like to spend 6 months in Spain and the rest in UK or travelling elsewhere.
Looking for either an apartment/house to purchase, or to rent for 2 to 4 months at a time.
We are seeking your views on likely areas/towns to begin our search and would be most grateful for any suggestions particularly if you do a similar thing.
We have no preferences in areas, looking for suggestions.
Many thanks.
Jim


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jim70andout said:


> Hi,
> Totally new to this. so looking for help from any quarter.
> Really tired of UK weather and we both want to spend time in warm climate, so Spain it is.
> We are retired, but very active and fit. Looking ideally for place with sea views and near beach.
> ...


:welcome:

& look no further Home - Xàbia Tourism Portal - Town Council of Xàbia - but then I'm biased 

& while Jávea/Xábia has a large British population, & in fact 55% non-Spanish of many nationalities, with a very active U3A Jávea U3A - Home it is still essentially Spanish in feel - & I defy anyone to say that it isn't beautiful


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## jim70andout (Oct 20, 2014)

Many thanks for such a speedy response !
We will have a look at what you suggest and again thanks for the advice.
Jim


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## PS51 (Sep 7, 2014)

Hi Jim. I guess I'm in the same boat as you. we have a place in Turkey and find it a bit too hot in the summer. I will be interested in replies to this thread. For us the place with the most temperate climate would interest us. As long as there are some expat activities/ some Tennis courts/ and some nice Bars and Restaurants, I'm happy. My wife is more interested in green scenery. She doesnt like arid places.
What would be your 'Wish list' for Criteria Jim ? Pete


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

If the climate is your main problem, then consider the Canary Islands where it doesn't get too hot in summer and winters are just not allowed 

There are seven islands to choose from over 1000 Km south of Europe, further south than the Suez Canal and on the same latitude as Florida.

I live on one of the smallest, this place probably would not suit you, we are two of the four English residents, English is rarely spoken. However on the link below are photos of the island.


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## PS51 (Sep 7, 2014)

Thanks Hepa. " Winters are just not allowed ". I wish the UK would sign up for that deal. I dont mind the occasional blizzard, Sleet, Drizzle, Frost, But not for months on end.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

PS51 said:


> Thanks Hepa. " Winters are just not allowed ". I wish the UK would sign up for that deal. I dont mind the occasional blizzard, Sleet, Drizzle, Frost, But not for months on end.


One of the reasons we moved out here, still mid 20's, I also have a place on the coast where it rarely goes below 18ºc


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## Horlics (Sep 27, 2011)

Javea is green. It's quite a contrast with the area around Alicante which is just an hour's drive south, which is where it starts to get arid. All places south of there are quite brown and dry.

There's a council-run sports centre where it costs 10 Euros to hire a Padel court for an hour, including balls and raquets if you need them. There are also multiple private club options but you can still play without having signed-up for membership. I don't know the costs at these places, though. All have leagues, ladders and recreational level groups you can join.

What attracted me to the area most was its location. Denia is 10 minutes away and it has sea links to Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera. Valenica is an hour north and much as I like relatively quiet places by the sea, I always like to be able to get into a city now and then.



PS51 said:


> Hi Jim. I guess I'm in the same boat as you. we have a place in Turkey and find it a bit too hot in the summer. I will be interested in replies to this thread. For us the place with the most temperate climate would interest us. As long as there are some expat activities/ some Tennis courts/ and some nice Bars and Restaurants, I'm happy. My wife is more interested in green scenery. She doesnt like arid places.
> What would be your 'Wish list' for Criteria Jim ? Pete


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Horlics said:


> Javea is green. It's quite a contrast with the area around Alicante which is just an hour's drive south, which is where it starts to get arid. All places south of there are quite brown and dry.
> 
> There's a council-run sports centre where it costs 10 Euros to hire a Padel court for an hour, including balls and raquets if you need them. There are also multiple private club options but you can still play without having signed-up for membership. I don't know the costs at these places, though. All have leagues, ladders and recreational level groups you can join.
> 
> What attracted me to the area most was its location. Denia is 10 minutes away and it has sea links to Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera. Valenica is an hour north and much as I like relatively quiet places by the sea, I always like to be able to get into a city now and then.


actually considering that we haven't really had any proper rain for over a year, it's amazing just how green it still is!!


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## jim70andout (Oct 20, 2014)

PS51 said:


> Hi Jim. I guess I'm in the same boat as you. we have a place in Turkey and find it a bit too hot in the summer. I will be interested in replies to this thread. For us the place with the most temperate climate would interest us. As long as there are some expat activities/ some Tennis courts/ and some nice Bars and Restaurants, I'm happy. My wife is more interested in green scenery. She doesnt like arid places.
> What would be your 'Wish list' for Criteria Jim ? Pete


Hi Peter,
Thanks for your reply.
Good to know someone has a similar problem, even though it's a nice problem.
We are quite determined to follow through with this.
So.as we said, we are going to look at Spain as this seems to meet our requirements.
Easy access, lot of choices with prices reasonable I hope. And it has a warmish winter which is good. Don't mind a bit of rain every now and then.
Like yourselves, w eare looking for an expat community, but very happy to be with other Europeans etc.
Looking to be within walking distance of the sea for good walks and exercise, but also need decent cafe's, bars and certainly a decent choice of restaurants.
We play golf (very poorly) but this is not too important, and turning to bowls is a possibility (never thought I would be saying that !)
My wife's first choice was France as we have had superb holidays there, but with not being fluent in French, it is a non starter. She liked the idea of definite seasons in France also.
We are away at the moment, but return to UK in a few weeks, and then go to Lanzarote to look around there, but not really sold on it.
It is important that we mix with people with similar interests and make the very best of life.
Considering looking around Javea as we have heard decent things about it, but trying to narrow down the options, hence the e mail posting for info.
Let me know what you think and looks best for the two of you.
Jim


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## jim70andout (Oct 20, 2014)

Thanks Horlicks for the info.
We visited Javea many years ago, and also Denia, but have no idea what it is like now, or the price of houses/apartments etc.
Is the long term (say 4 to 6 weeks) rental market possible there for when w ewant to come and look around for a suitable place ?
Jim


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## jim70andout (Oct 20, 2014)

Thanks Xabiachica,
Looks like a fairly popular place now.
It goes on our list for further investigation and a vist early next year.
Will also look at the estate agents info in the area.
Jim


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## DunWorkin (Sep 2, 2010)

Have a look at El Campello.

About 10 miles north of Alicante it is a Spanish town on the coast with some of the best beaches in Spain.

Although it is mainly Spanish there a few pockets of expats of various nationalities. There is an English Speaking Club where you can meet people.

We have excellent transportation with a tram running along the coast from Alicante to Benidorm with a train link on to Denia. There is also a motorway to the airport which is about half an hour drive.


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## jim70andout (Oct 20, 2014)

Many thanks Dunworkin for the info on El Campello,
Will look it up and see if it fits the requirements.
Really appreciate all the responses with comments we have received.
Jim


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## Horlics (Sep 27, 2011)

I'll just say, Javea's prices aren't as low as some places nearby but that's a good thing - you can look at Javea and nearby places and make a sensible choice in accordance with your budget and preference.

Somebody mentioned recently about Oliva and the low prices there. I really like Oliva and visit often but it's not a place I would choose to live in full time. But if it suits you, it's a good example of how lower cost coastal options can be found.

I'd recommend a trip along the coast from Alicante to Valencia. You'll see lots of different places at all sorts of price points. (Then, of course, you should choose Javea )



jim70andout said:


> Thanks Horlicks for the info.
> We visited Javea many years ago, and also Denia, but have no idea what it is like now, or the price of houses/apartments etc.
> Is the long term (say 4 to 6 weeks) rental market possible there for when w ewant to come and look around for a suitable place ?
> Jim


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## jim70andout (Oct 20, 2014)

Thanks Horlicks for the info. You sure you're not on the books of Javea council publicity committee ???
Will definately take a look in the new year.
Thanks again,
Jim


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

jim70andout said:


> Thanks Horlicks for the info.
> We visited Javea many years ago, and also Denia, but have no idea what it is like now, or the price of houses/apartments etc.
> Is the long term (say 4 to 6 weeks) rental market possible there for when w ewant to come and look around for a suitable place ?
> Jim


Four to six weeks anywhere will be considered holiday rental, say 500 or 1000e per week. 

Long term rental is usually 12mths, 6 months if you're lucky - then rental falls to a few hundred euros per month.

You'll also need to consider tax implications, and meeting residence requirements when planning how long to stay & where.


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## Horlics (Sep 27, 2011)

Some friends spent a month with us in Javea in September and paid 1200 for the month. Golden Beach 2. 




brocher said:


> Four to six weeks anywhere will be considered holiday rental, say 500 or 1000e per week.
> 
> Long term rental is usually 12mths, 6 months if you're lucky - then rental falls to a few hundred euros per month.
> 
> You'll also need to consider tax implications, and meeting residence requirements when planning how long to stay & where.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Have a look at these, 32 cheapest Costa houses.

los 32 pisos más baratos de la costa española — idealista.com/news[node/731995]-[]-[45965_1]-[prisa__elpais.com]-[]-[titulo_1_1]&source=101


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## jim70andout (Oct 20, 2014)

brocher said:


> Four to six weeks anywhere will be considered holiday rental, say 500 or 1000e per week.
> 
> Long term rental is usually 12mths, 6 months if you're lucky - then rental falls to a few hundred euros per month.
> 
> You'll also need to consider tax implications, and meeting residence requirements when planning how long to stay & where.


Hi Brocher,
Thanks for the info. 
First reaction is surprise at price level of rental out of season, say March -June.
Is this for small apartment, or could we expect near sea location for that, and small villa or apartment ?
One other question I have is the advisability of going for apartment against small villa, because we would not want people above, below or on side, to be able to cause noise that would be intrusive.
Or are apartments built better than that with good soundproofing ? 
Is Javea a desireable area with Brits for social side ?
Thanks
Jim


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

jim70andout said:


> Hi Brocher,
> Thanks for the info.
> First reaction is surprise at price level of rental out of season, say March -June.
> Is this for small apartment, or could we expect near sea location for that, and small villa or apartment ?
> ...


Spain doesn't do sound-proofing and are a notoriously noisy race!

You may find it quite hard to find a villa for such a short period but I guess it's not impossible.

Javea is now about 60% 'foreigners' with a vibrant Brit community. Personally I can't understand why as there are many equally attractive places to live many of which are cheaper.


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## Horlics (Sep 27, 2011)

If noise is a big concern but you want an apartment, go for top floor on the corner of the building  But, if you're going to shudder at the sound of someone next door, then you will have to go for a villa because you will hear others. 

That said, my first stop when returning to the UK recently was my mother's semi-detached for a few days. I could hear her neighbour's TV through the wall as much as I hear my neighbour's TV in Spain. The worst of the noise in a Spanish apartment is when you have somebody above you and they move things around, it's the tiles. Carpets are what insulate from sound the best and nobody has them in Spain.

In March, April and May you probably won't have any neighbours in some areas of town. Javea is quiet in the winter with lots of empty apartments, and spring isn't overly busy.

As I said, you won't have to pay anything like 1000 a week. If you see something you like contact the owner and ask for their prices. If you decide you will take an apartment close to the coast (2 blocks) you can PM me if you like and I can put you in touch with a friend who rents and knows others who do too (mod... please scratch if I am breaking rules... not intending to advertise!).

Have you seen the site Airbnb? You can rent rooms or sections of villas/apartments, or entire homes. When I was looking around we booked with a few and stayed in self-contained parts of the homes. We stayed in a villas and apartments in different parts of town and met the people who owned them, almost daily, in the case of the villas. We were able to get a range of opinions about which are the best areas within the town and we discussed other factors. It's something to consider because otherwise you might be somewhere for a month and learn very little about it.

And, if you are out of season like we were, they are happy to discuss price. We stayed at a couple of places where there was one price quoted regardless of date. In March we never paid more than 50% of the initial on-screen price. BTW, this wasn't a case of driving hard for a bargain, I'd feel pretty uncomfortable hammering down a price like that. These were offers made by the owners in return for a long-ish stay in the low season.




jim70andout said:


> Hi Brocher,
> Thanks for the info.
> First reaction is surprise at price level of rental out of season, say March -June.
> Is this for small apartment, or could we expect near sea location for that, and small villa or apartment ?
> ...


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## maxd (Mar 22, 2009)

The Canary Islands for weather. Part of Spain but it is Africa.


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## offthewood (Nov 3, 2014)

jim70andout said:


> Hi,
> Totally new to this. so looking for help from any quarter.
> Really tired of UK weather and we both want to spend time in warm climate, so Spain it is.
> We are retired, but very active and fit. Looking ideally for place with sea views and near beach.
> ...


Hi, 
You could consider the southern region of the Costa Blanca, south of Alicante maybe around Torrevieja or the Orihuela Costa region. There is a fantastic mix of nationalities with the British being the largest. There is a club or society for any sport or activity you can imagine. The prices of property either bought or rented are far cheaper than in the North of the region , and not too hard to come by. The facilities are as good as anywhere and you are only half an hour from Alicante and Murcia airports. Good luck with your search it will be worth it


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## jim70andout (Oct 20, 2014)

Many thanks Offthewood.
We really appreciate any advice on selecting a suitable area.
Have heard people mention Torrevieja, but must admit to feeling it sounded a bit too built up and busy.
Never heard of the Orihuela Costa region, but will certainly look into it.
Again many thanks and if you have any further suggestions we would be happy to see them.
Jim


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## jim70andout (Oct 20, 2014)

Hi Pete,
Have you had any good ideas from other people up to now ?
We are researching the move more and more, and are going over to Spain early next year to look at a few places.
Javea and the area around it seems to be popular and people have said good things about it, so well worth a look.
We have a small place in Ireland as well, but getting a bit fed up of the weather here as well as in UK, so seriously looking to put it on the market.
Interested to know how you are progressing.
Jim


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## Rugbyplod (Oct 14, 2014)

We are looking at retiring in Spain no idea where I have noticed that you cannot stay in Spain for more than 90 days without loosing certain benefits like the NHS. Is there a certain number of days we have to leave Spain for before the 90 day rule starts again, I would like to rent for a year or so but have a few medical niggles that I need to sort


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Rugbyplod said:


> We are looking at retiring in Spain no idea where I have noticed that you cannot stay in Spain for more than 90 days without loosing certain benefits like the NHS. Is there a certain number of days we have to leave Spain for before the 90 day rule starts again, I would like to rent for a year or so but have a few medical niggles that I need to sort


if you are in Spain, or intend to be, as far as the Spanish govt is concerned you are obliged to register as resident - leaving for just one day before that 90 days 'resets the clock'

once you register as resident you lose entitlement to UK healthcare - however, you need to check with the UK as to how long you can be out of the UK (without registering as resident in another country) before you lose that entitlement - it might be different (probably is) 

if you're actually planning to retire in Spain with a UK pension, then you'd clearly be intending to live here

under current rules, the UK would pick up the bill for you to have access to the Spanish state healthcare system, via a form S1, as a resident of Spain


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## jim70andout (Oct 20, 2014)

Hi Xabiachica and Rugbyplod,
Never realised health service implications after 90 days.
Many thanks for the info.
Jim


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## Rugbyplod (Oct 14, 2014)

xabiachica said:


> if you are in Spain, or intend to be, as far as the Spanish govt is concerned you are obliged to register as resident - leaving for just one day before that 90 days 'resets the clock'
> 
> once you register as resident you lose entitlement to UK healthcare - however, you need to check with the UK as to how long you can be out of the UK (without registering as resident in another country) before you lose that entitlement - it might be different (probably is)
> 
> ...


Thanks for that you mention that the uk government would pick up the bill if we had retired, at what age would this be as I have just finished in the public sector I would only be 52
Thanks


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Rugbyplod said:


> Thanks for that you mention that the uk government would pick up the bill if we had retired, at what age would this be as I have just finished in the public sector I would only be 52
> Thanks


it's from when you start to receive your _state pension _(OAP pension) that the S1 is issued - at whatever age that is (about 67 for me - I'll be able to get my Spanish one first! )

until then you'd need private healthcare, for at least the first 12 months after registering as resident

have a read of the healthcare doc. here http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...-living-spain/2725-faqs-lots-useful-info.html


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## macdonner (Oct 24, 2010)

I was also going to suggest Torrevieja like Offthewood. It is quite busy (all year round it seems) with several different nationalities. I live in a small Spanish seaside town further down the coast in Murcia but there is few expats here, but a little further down from me is the town of Los Alcazares which is smaller & quieter than Torreviaja but caters for/has a british ex-pat community.......


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## Leper (May 12, 2010)

Rugbyplod said:


> We are looking at retiring in Spain no idea where I have noticed that you cannot stay in Spain for more than 90 days without loosing certain benefits like the NHS. Is there a certain number of days we have to leave Spain for before the 90 day rule starts again, I would like to rent for a year or so but have a few medical niggles that I need to sort


Hi Rugbyplod, If you are retiring and do not need to work Spain will be ideal for you. The 90 day rule has been answered and you will have no difficulty working around it. I do it, for example. Even if you don't the chance that you will be fined is remote.

I would advise that you visit Spain in the off season and rent for no less than a month/sixweeks just to get your bearings. Rental for a good 2 bedroom apartment will work out at around €550 per month (+ electricity costs). If you are not bringing your car then ensure the local bus service is good and operates all year round. If you do not speak Spanish you need to be in an area where English is widely spoken - these are not too difficult to find. You will discover where you wish to live on a longer basis very fast.

I would advise that you do not over-research. I don't know how many people research continuously and although they don't know it themselves are convincing themselves that any move to Spain is not good. If you can rent out your property in the UK you are onto a winner because rentals in Spain are cheaper.

You have an adventure ahead, enjoy it.


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## Rugbyplod (Oct 14, 2014)

Leper said:


> Hi Rugbyplod, If you are retiring and do not need to work Spain will be ideal for you. The 90 day rule has been answered and you will have no difficulty working around it. I do it, for example. Even if you don't the chance that you will be fined is remote.
> 
> I would advise that you visit Spain in the off season and rent for no less than a month/sixweeks just to get your bearings. Rental for a good 2 bedroom apartment will work out at around €550 per month (+ electricity costs). If you are not bringing your car then ensure the local bus service is good and operates all year round. If you do not speak Spanish you need to be in an area where English is widely spoken - these are not too difficult to find. You will discover where you wish to live on a longer basis very fast.
> 
> ...


Thanks we are thinking of renting first as you suggest we are lucky and will not have to work unfortunately I cannot stop researching it is in my blood but to me everything looks good in Spain and not the other way round I intend to rent both in and out of season my only issue is we are mad rugby fans(union) so I will have to be able to get sky and bt sport wherever we end up

Once again thanks for the advice I am looking forward to my adventure


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## PS51 (Sep 7, 2014)

jim70andout said:


> Hi Pete,
> Have you had any good ideas from other people up to now ?
> We are researching the move more and more, and are going over to Spain early next year to look at a few places.
> Javea and the area around it seems to be popular and people have said good things about it, so well worth a look.
> ...


 Hi Jim. Like you, I have a while to figure all this out. every one has there favourite places . Often the one they actually selected. There seems to be a lot of built up knowledge on this Forum. For me the best way forward is to keep reading peoples posts re different locations. Hopefully after a while I will get a good overall picture of things as I absorb all the info available on here. 
One problem with taking things very slowly and researching and researching is that one can lose momentum . 
Pete


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