# where not to consider when moving to spain?



## paul44 (May 19, 2009)

I know might be a touchy subject as everyone has different opinions and normally support the area's they live in but I would be very interested in having feedback on area's one should try to avoid when considering relocation I'm actively researching because me and the wife intend to come out next year for 5-6 months renting but would like to know before we start to pin point locations what are the current area's with major problems ghost towns,lots of shops closing poor transport ect ect I fully expect folks to say everywhere but it would help if I knew what are the current real black spots plus what would you consider as up and coming area's for consideration
if there are any.

Also I'd like to say this form is an excellent place to get a feel for things going on in Spain and I have really enjoyed reading the various posts.

By the way not looking for employment we are past that!


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## Chica (Mar 23, 2009)

Hmmmm...if you want a lively place then don't come to Torrox Costa.....lol. It's a sleepy holiday village with no real shops, ok, it has supermarkets and Aldi, just bars and estate agents (obviously exaggerated). However, Nerja is just down the road which is lively and vibrant but for me, personally, would give this a miss. Although a pretty, lively town, I would feel clostrphobic.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

paul44 said:


> I know might be a touchy subject as everyone has different opinions and normally support the area's they live in but I would be very interested in having feedback on area's one should try to avoid when considering relocation I'm actively researching because me and the wife intend to come out next year for 5-6 months renting but would like to know before we start to pin point locations what are the current area's with major problems ghost towns,lots of shops closing poor transport ect ect I fully expect folks to say everywhere but it would help if I knew what are the current real black spots plus what would you consider as up and coming area's for consideration
> if there are any.
> 
> Also I'd like to say this form is an excellent place to get a feel for things going on in Spain and I have really enjoyed reading the various posts.
> ...


I think all areas have their "black spots", but also have their lovely bits! Málaga, for example, there are parts of it that are a dump and you wouldnt wanna go near, but then there are some truly beautiful parts too.

There are also apparently a lot of unfinished "community" complexes around that have a bad reputation cos the building work isnt finished, empty apartments, half built pools etc and the few residents that are there are obviously bitter. I dont know where these places are tho, but be cautious if you are offered apartments in communities, make sure you see them properly before signing up.

I guess for some, being in the centre of Benedorm, Torremolinos, Benalmadena, etc.... maybe great, not sure I'd be happy with it tho??? I would suggest you get some info on places that you think you'd like and then ask on here for opinions?!!... we have a lot of those LOL 

Jo xx


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## paul44 (May 19, 2009)

jojo said:


> I think all areas have their "black spots", but also have their lovely bits! Málaga, for example, there are parts of it that are a dump and you wouldnt wanna go near, but then there are some truly beautiful parts too.
> 
> There are also apparently a lot of unfinished "community" complexes around that have a bad reputation cos the building work isnt finished, empty apartments, half built pools etc and the few residents that are there are obviously bitter. I dont know where these places are tho, but be cautious if you are offered apartments in communities, make sure you see them properly before signing up.
> 
> ...



Would you be able say the locations of the places to avoid?

Thanks


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## XTreme (May 17, 2008)

Paul....I think a lot depends on the type of environment you want to live in.

You can have extremely rural to Brit ghetto.....and everything in between.

Where I live is extremely rural, so everything that's not in that category would be excluded from my choices.


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## paul44 (May 19, 2009)

XTreme said:


> Paul....I think a lot depends on the type of environment you want to live in.
> 
> You can have extremely rural to Brit ghetto.....and everything in between.
> 
> Where I live is extremely rural, so everything that's not in that category would be excluded from my choices.


Well i don't want extream rural but i would like a sprinkling of shops and a few bars that might sell english beer!!!!!! within walking distance

one thing i don't want is an environment where everything is shutting and we have no one living around us because the place is not popular to buy/rent

when i put the original post up the main idea was to get from folks towns/areas to
avoid because they had turned into ghost towns or indeed ghetto's thats something we don't want and so want to cross them off any potential lists we might draw up,I know its personal preference but you folks are living out there so have a good feel for things

cheers


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## XTreme (May 17, 2008)

I think you'll find a lot of the Costas are on a downward spiral with many Brits returning.

We've had quite a few Brits leave this area, but we were never overun with them, and there's no Brit tourist trade here either.

So whatever happens elsewhere doesn't have much of an effect here. The rocketing property prices and subsequent crash had no effect here either....my house is still worth what I paid for it three years ago.

What has lost value here is cave houses....a few years ago they were a "must have" fashion accessory for Brits. But people have now wised up to the realities cos so many people have lost big money on them. People laughed at us for buying a house, not a cave....they ain't laughing now though.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

paul44 said:


> Well i don't want extream rural but i would like a sprinkling of shops and a few bars that might sell english beer!!!!!! within walking distance
> 
> one thing i don't want is an environment where everything is shutting and we have no one living around us because the place is not popular to buy/rent
> 
> ...


Get rid of the idea of ghost towns and ghettos, I've not seen that anywhere and if it is happening it would be a very small, probably unpalatable part of a bigger town! You have to come out and take a look! Where I live is a village with a couple of bars and a couple of shops. Its not a pretty village, its a Spanish village with a spanish community. Its about a 10 minute drive from the main town of Alhaurin de la Torre, which is mainly Spanish and is bustling, busy, modern and clean with very little sign of any recession. I'm sure there are some back streets of AdlT that are suffering the recession, but I havent seen em.

My OH referrs to this recession as "weeding the garden". So maybe its the weeds that are dissappearing, clearing the way for the promised "new green shoots"!!! So look for the nice parts of wherever

jo xxx


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

paul44 said:


> Well i don't want extream rural but i would like a sprinkling of shops and a few bars that might sell english beer!!!!!! within walking distance
> 
> one thing i don't want is an environment where everything is shutting and we have no one living around us because the place is not popular to buy/rent
> 
> ...



Paul,

Hi, but can't remember if on your move to Spain you're looking for work or not?? Sorry, but there's been a few newbies on here recenlty and I lose track of the background on them!! Plus the sun and beer doesn't exactly aid mental faculties at times!

I think perhaps your question is aimed too precisely at the avoidance of these ghost urbs - unfortunately due to crisis or alternative investments in ex-Eastern block countries, whatever the reason, there are towns in Spain that are more quiet than they used to be, but you must remember that there have always been towns in Southern Spain (in particular) which are bustling in the summer and are what you might call ghost urbs in the winter. For obvious reasons, as they are mostly made up of holiday homes and empty large chunks of the year. 

I would suggest you consider adjusting your search to include purely holiday resorts or not. I remember when Broadstairs in Kent, for example, doubled or trebled its population at certain times of the year. OK, it wasn't exactly a ghost town in the winter, but near as dammit, particularly during the evening down the high street lol!

Spain is some 4 times larger than England with a population of about 2/3 of England. There are vast expanses of sparsely built up areas and a huge number of towns which in England would be seen as villages (ie with only a few thousand population) and many more with only a few hundred population.

If you want to avoid quiet towns and aim only at lively all year, you're going to have to be in a populace which would be considered mainly Spanish and not tourist driven. But you say you want a little area of expats and also English beer?! What do you mean by this? We live in the extreme north west of Spain in the region of Galicia and here we have excellent Guinness, both trad and the ale, Murphy's, and loads of imported lagers and beers - but what do you mean? You want trad English ale or bitter?? That doesn't travel far past the brewery they make it in within England, let alone cross waters! But I'm sure if you check out the Brit bars down South, you'll probably find Bishops Finger, IPA, Directors, and all manner of trad real ale bottled, but you'll have to let me know if you find the draught.:spit: In case you're wondering I'm a Kent girl and my OH was a huge fan of quality bitter and I've been known to partake on the odd occasion myself!!

This might be a useful link to see how big towns are in their populace. Once you find an area you're interested in, as it only covers people who are registered there (legally lol!!).

Instituto Nacional de Estadística. (National Statistics Institute)

Type in a location in the blank space "Cuantos habitantes tiene ....?" and it'll come up with the total, then divided into male/female inhabitants.

Good luck in your search Paul.

Tallulah.x


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

I think you are coming at this from the wrong end of the keyboard. 

I can take you to ghettos in the true sense of the word in Seville, Alicante or Madrid where poverty and squallor stare at you in the face and yet a few streets away you would not know what was around the corner. 

I can take you to urbs in Gran Alacant, La Marina (San Fulgencio), Orihuela Costa, Camposol and Torrevieja where the vast majority of owners enjoy their second home for only a few weeks of the year and you would not recognise them as the same town between February and August.

I can show you two towns which IMHO would not be missed if they were raised to the ground and re-built from scratch - Motril, Albox, Monovár, Castella Internacional etc 

...but do you know what? Somebody loves all those towns (yes, even Albox!) 

You need to get over here and look around and find what works for you and yours. Sun, sea and sangria, the beauty of the sierras, the heat of the summer, the rain of Galicia or the forest fires of Almería, the cold of the winter, la liga or bingo, genuine culture or karaoke, apartment block or country house, car or walk, Spanish or English bars. 

All of those would be heaven to some and hell to others. Our shout/your shout! 

Good Luck in whatever you decide on!


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## paul44 (May 19, 2009)

Thanks to everyone who replied i'll bear it all in mind

cheers
paul


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## paul44 (May 19, 2009)

Tallulah said:


> Paul,
> 
> Hi, but can't remember if on your move to Spain you're looking for work or not?? Sorry, but there's been a few newbies on here recenlty and I lose track of the background on them!! Plus the sun and beer doesn't exactly aid mental faculties at times!
> 
> ...



ah so your fron Kent,snap we moved from Lower Halstow (near sittingbourne)
don't know if your familar with it very pretty little place before going to Ireland


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

paul44 said:


> ah so your fron Kent,snap we moved from Lower Halstow (near sittingbourne)
> don't know if your familar with it very pretty little place before going to Ireland


Of course I know Sittingbourne Paul! I'm a Maid of Kent (and made in Kent), but as I said on your cheese thread, you're probably sick of the greenery and rain by now and yearning for 365 sunshine, so perhaps Galicia is a place to avoid then!

Tallulah.x


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## paul44 (May 19, 2009)

Tallulah said:


> Of course I know Sittingbourne Paul! I'm a Maid of Kent (and made in Kent), but as I said on your cheese thread, you're probably sick of the greenery and rain by now and yearning for 365 sunshine, so perhaps Galicia is a place to avoid then!
> 
> Tallulah.x



not actually looking for 365 sun compared to what we are used too 2 weeks would do!!!!!!!!!


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

paul44 said:


> not actually looking for 365 sun compared to what we are used too 2 weeks would do!!!!!!!!!


Ignore my last post then!!


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