# Family home near Alicante



## hivea (May 7, 2016)

Hi I'm also thinking of buying a villa in Vilamartin or Playa Flamenco.
Can't make up my mind .i want to travel this summer to spend sometime in 
One of these resorts to get a feel for it and would be greatful for any information on the two.
At first when I buy I will be using it during winter and long weekends plus kids school holidays.
Will eventually move for good in a couple of years.
All I'm really looking for out of the two places is not much walking as have two young kids.
Nice restaurants good food ,a couple of nice bars and reasonable prices.if there is somewhere els I should be looking?if yes information would be brilliant as I want to book flights.experience from expats would be brilliant.also what would the best way to buy over and what are the hidden cost taxes,agency fees,solicitor fees do they charge through the roof.would be nice to know. thanks Hivea


----------



## hivea (May 7, 2016)

*where to buy family home in Spain*



hivea said:


> Hi I'm also thinking of buying a villa in Vilamartin or Playa Flamenco.
> Can't make up my mind .i want to travel this summer to spend sometime in
> One of these resorts to get a feel for it and would be greatful for any information on the two.
> At first when I buy I will be using it during winter and long weekends plus kids school holidays.
> ...


 Any were in a hour max from Alicante airport if possible.thank Hivea


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

hivea said:


> Hi I'm also thinking of buying a villa in Vilamartin or Playa Flamenco.
> Can't make up my mind .i want to travel this summer to spend sometime in
> One of these resorts to get a feel for it and would be greatful for any information on the two.
> At first when I buy I will be using it during winter and long weekends plus kids school holidays.
> ...


Hello.
As you have said, the best thing to do is to come over and get a feel. If you are thinking of eventually coming to live then you'll need to come over at different times of the year. When you do come over, try living here, not staying in a hotel. Try doing the shopping, find out where the schools are and how you would get to them. Where's the local health clinic and hospital? How would you get to the airport, how many flights are there off season?
Also, look here at the FAQ's and find out about paperwork, renting, buying and taxes. Here's another good place to look
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-spain


----------



## hivea (May 7, 2016)

Hi ,I know what people are saying about seeing a place in the winter as well as summer.
As I said I want to book some flights and I'm caught between Villamartin or Playa Flamenco in Costa Blanca. Is there anyone that would know these two resort and have a bit of information on them for a potential full time family holiday home.not to much walking as I have a bit of a disability with my leg and my kids are still young.a family resort ,which would be the better out of the two for me to buy and eventually live,possible English and Irish expats.it dont have to be near a golf course as i have no interest in playing with my disability. its just to get me started on the wright path and I don't want to start looking in the wrong place.im looking for somewhere where you can relax having a nice bit of food and chilled beer at reasonable prices and definitely no hens or stags.these two resorts were given to me through a friend,but if there not suitable for what I'm looking for and heading to the wrong area,is there some other resorts with in a hour from Alicante.would be much appreciated .thanks hivea


----------



## marypop (May 8, 2016)

Hi there, not an expat but a Spaniard. I can´t tell you about expenses but if you´re looking to buy a property in Vilamartin, for example, this is a small place and there are sellers who advertise without using the services of an agent. If you came to find a property you like from one of these sellers, you could sabe the agency´s fees. I suggest you have a look at idealista.com. This site could be compared to rightmove.co.uk. You´ll see prices and if the properties have been advertised by owners or agencies. Good luck.


----------



## hivea (May 7, 2016)

Hi marypop, thank you for the reply.yes I will try that site and hopefully something will work out.you say Villamartin is small? But how small is small?is there shops,bars ,restaurants open all year round?.should I be looking at Playa Flamenco instead? Or as your a Spaniard could give me a couple of better places to look.if possible in order don't want to be pushy,but as you can understand this will be a huge change in my family's life.i won't be working in Spain when I decide to move there full time,so it doesn't have to be to big once its reasonable prices for food,drink not much walking.family friendly.as I come from the City myself,that's why I want to try a nice Spanish resort ,town,village for a bit of more laid back life.thanks again


----------



## marypop (May 8, 2016)

Well, I live in Madrid so for me, it´s small. And anyway, it´s one of the main municipalities in Orihuela but the latter isn´t that large either. I don´t know this part of Alicante; I´m familiar with it but I haven´t been exactly there. The information I have given you is based on what I have seen on the idealista website. But it doesn´t matter if I have been there or not; if I know the place or not, because what it might be a wonderful place for me it might not be for you. If you are going to make this big step of moving to Spain, you need to see for yourself the área you want to live in. You´d need to speak to people there and come to conclusions afterwards. If I were you, I would go there a couple of times, once in summer and another time in winter. You can get first hand information from expats and from locals. You can get a lot of info having a beer in a bar. Local people are usually quite open and friendly and they can help you to go to the right places and talk to the right people. Many won´t speak English but many others will. Ask them if they know people who want to sell their property, best solicitors to go to, cost-effective services, etc. Again, I would go there and "see" things for myself.


----------



## marypop (May 8, 2016)

I forgot to tell you that food and drinks aren´t expensive in this area. Prices may go up in the summer but that´s it. Vegetables and fruits are cheap compared to the prices in Madrid and drinks, if you don´t go to too poshy places, are cheap too.


----------



## Evelyndo (May 9, 2016)

hivea said:


> Hi I'm also thinking of buying a villa in Vilamartin or Playa Flamenco.
> Can't make up my mind .i want to travel this summer to spend sometime in
> One of these resorts to get a feel for it and would be greatful for any information on the two.
> At first when I buy I will be using it during winter and long weekends plus kids school holidays.
> ...


Hi
We have a holiday home in Playa Flamenca for the past 15 years (spending few weeks or 3 months a year, sometimes in summer, sometimes in winter) and really enjoy it. 
All the amenities are there: many restaurants, supermarkets, shops, doctor, dentist surgeries, offices, shops, beaches...hospital 10 mins by car (a big shopping mall La Zenia Boulevard just opened few years back so family, relatives, friends can shop till they drop if they want to...). We don't need a car as practically everything is on our doorstep. We wouldn't want to move anywhere and will retire there when the time comes (semi-retired atm) 
Our place is in an urbanization with some permanent residents so the place is well look after and with only few weeks a year in summer fill up with holiday makers otherwise it is so peaceful and quiet (actually we prefer with people around to make the town, the place more alive and have a bit of a soul, not ghost town so to us this area is the best of both world) 
Wholeheartedly recommend if any one want prefer all of these amenities and the convenience of it.


----------



## Evelyndo (May 9, 2016)

As some posters mentioned, it is best to stay for few weeks to know more about the area as everyone's expectation is different. About buying the property and all the things involved we went through an estate agent and used a Spanish lawyer (heard he is still around with office in Torrevieja but i am sure there are still many good lawyers around in Playa Flamenca, pop in and and have a chat, most of them can speak English to find out about the process and fee, from our experience around 10% of the total price of the purchase but it was long time ago so not sure now ) maybe it was our luck but we found the buying process was completely stress free.


----------



## hivea (May 7, 2016)

Thank you very much.that has made my mind up.definitely Playa Flamenco will be my first destination and hopefully i will warmth to this area.it seems to be everything im looking for
And I won't have to look elsewhere.one last question? How long of a drive is it to Playa Flamenco from Alicante? And is it easy to get to as I might rent a car or would it be easier to get a taxi for the first time?how much would the taxi fare roughly be?as I checked car hire and it's reasonable.will definitely take another trip back there in the winter all going well.hopefully it will be the start of a new adventure for my family and will retire there in a few years.thanks to everyone who has filled in alot of the blanks for me


----------



## hivea (May 7, 2016)

Thankyou for making my mind up.it will be Playa Flamenco all the way.it seems to have everything I'm looking for for my family and I.i will spend a few weeks here in the summer and all go well ill come back in winter for a few more before I decide on buying.hopefully all will go well and it will be a new adventure for us as a family and later on retire here.thanks to everyone who filled in alot of the blanks for me.this is a great site.on last question,how long of a drive is it from Alicante to Playa Flamenco?
I m thinking of renting a car as they are reasonable pricewise and is it straight forward to get there? Would I be better going by taxi for my first time and if anyone knows how much they charge.


----------



## Evelyndo (May 9, 2016)

hivea said:


> Thankyou for making my mind up.it will be Playa Flamenco all the way.it seems to have everything I'm looking for for my family and I.i will spend a few weeks here in the summer and all go well ill come back in winter for a few more before I decide on buying.hopefully all will go well and it will be a new adventure for us as a family and later on retire here.thanks to everyone who filled in alot of the blanks for me.this is a great site.on last question,how long of a drive is it from Alicante to Playa Flamenco?
> I m thinking of renting a car as they are reasonable pricewise and is it straight forward to get there? Would I be better going by taxi for my first time and if anyone knows how much they charge.


Hi
I don't know what happened but I wrote 4 replies but nothing appeared so just try this short message to see if it comes on.


----------



## hivea (May 7, 2016)

ya got this message


----------



## Evelyndo (May 9, 2016)

hivea said:


> Thankyou for making my mind up.it will be Playa Flamenco all the way.it seems to have everything I'm looking for for my family and I.i will spend a few weeks here in the summer and all go well ill come back in winter for a few more before I decide on buying.hopefully all will go well and it will be a new adventure for us as a family and later on retire here.thanks to everyone who filled in alot of the blanks for me.this is a great site.on last question,how long of a drive is it from Alicante to Playa Flamenco?
> I m thinking of renting a car as they are reasonable pricewise and is it straight forward to get there? Would I be better going by taxi for my first time and if anyone knows how much they charge.


ok, it is working now.
Hi again, it takes 45 minutes drive from Alicante airport to Playa Flamenca. It is very straightforward drive but if you are a bit nervous as us the first time long time ago, it will be best to use a taxi to know the ways, directions, the signs...(there is a Taxi rank just outside the airport door with big price list sign) it cost us 62euros last time few year back. The good thing about using Taxi is you are free to enjoy, to admire the sceneries: salt lakes, pink flamingoes, fruit orchards (oranges, clementines, almonds, grapes...) so beautiful when in season and vegetable fields along the way. We used to hire a car if spent only 2,3 weeks there and found Do you Spain website is very good, very reasonable (Google it)
Good luck with your house hunting, hope it won't be long you will enjoy your cold beer on the terrace, watching the world goes by...If you need to know anything else, just fire away, i will try to help within my knowledge of the area.


----------



## hivea (May 7, 2016)

as I said thank so much for all the information I needed to hear. oh yes a cold beer would be lovely on the balcony. everything is booked, taxi or car was my last thing and yes I will take the taxi for the first time and hopefully will be returning in the off season . if I do thing of anymore I will give you a buzz. thanks again lane:


----------



## Evelyndo (May 9, 2016)

You are welcome


----------

