# Where to stay ??? CDS



## paulmartin2703 (Jul 16, 2013)

Hi I'm new to this forum as we are looking to move to the costa del sol area in the next 8 months or before ??? We have a baby under 2 so would like to be near a international school ? Also looking for a long term rental in a gated community ??? 
Any websites or advise would be a great help ! Thanks paul


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

paulmartin2703 said:


> Hi I'm new to this forum as we are looking to move to the costa del sol area in the next 8 months or before ??? We have a baby under 2 so would like to be near a international school ? Also looking for a long term rental in a gated community ???
> Any websites or advise would be a great help ! Thanks paul


:welcome:

I'm not in that area, but we have a lot of posters who are who will no doubt appear eventually

being nosey - why the CDS - have you work lined up?

& why International school? For a child that age they'd learn Spanish so fast you'd be amazed & settle right in!


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## paulmartin2703 (Jul 16, 2013)

Hi thanks for the reply , CDS no reason give me some suggestions ?


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

I wouldn't necessarily recommend an International School. Some are good and some are hopeless. Remember they are run as a business and don't always employ the best teachers. Our 3 yr old starts Spanish state school in September and it has a fantastic reputation. Nerja, to the east O Malaga has a number of gated communities and rental is easy to get here. But as Xabi said, there are many other areas in Spain worth considering. Having said that, I wouldn't leave where we are...


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## paulmartin2703 (Jul 16, 2013)

Hi thanks for that will have a look around your area can you give me any estate agents for long term rentals ? Thanks paul


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

thrax said:


> I wouldn't necessarily recommend an International School. Some are good and some are hopeless. Remember they are run as a business and don't always employ the best teachers. Our 3 yr old starts Spanish state school in September and it has a fantastic reputation. Nerja, to the east O Malaga has a number of gated communities and rental is easy to get here. But as Xabi said, there are many other areas in Spain worth considering. Having said that, *I wouldn't leave where we are.*..



neither would I 

I often wonder what would have happened if the pin had stuck in the map somewhere different 20 years ago......



paulmartin2703 said:


> Hi thanks for that will have a look around your area can you give me any estate agents for long term rentals ? Thanks paul



have a look at this sticky thread - there's section about renting with links to national rental websites http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...-living-spain/2725-faqs-lots-useful-info.html


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## goingtobcn (Sep 9, 2012)

If I were moving here with a child that age, I'd definitely want him/her to go to a state school. Fantastic opportunity to become truly bilingual


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Our boy will be learning Spanish and German and won't 'officially' learn English at the school until he is 11, but he is already fluent so he will be tri-lingual. A very good advantage in today's world. He wouldn't get that in International School


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

thrax said:


> But as Xabi said, there are many other areas in Spain worth considering. Having said that, I wouldn't leave where we are...


Nor would we, and we would definitely steer *well clear* of a gated community.


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## paulmartin2703 (Jul 16, 2013)

Baldilocks ... why stay well clear of a gated community ?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

paulmartin2703 said:


> Baldilocks ... why stay well clear of a gated community ?


we're all different - Baldi would hate where I live - too many expats!! (over 50% of the population of my town is non-Spanish)

I do actually live on a gated community - it's the third one I've lived on in the same town in the past 10 years - & they're all very different - just like different streets anywhere are different!

the first one I lived on was dreadful - almost all the houses & apartments were used as holiday homes - not great when you have to get up for work in summer when 90% of your neighbours have been partying all night

the next one was a bit better - but it was still a bit heavy on holidaymakers for a normal working-kids-going-to-school-family

where we are now it's almost all Spanish families who live here all year round, so it's like living in a village where we all know each other

I live away from the pool & communal garden, so we don't get the noise from that - but we do have the use of it - them actually, because we also have an indoor pool & gym....


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

paulmartin2703 said:


> Baldilocks ... why stay well clear of a gated community ?


SWMBO regularly gets called to one to act as translator for committee meetings and when there are problems (Very frequently). 60% of the dwellings are unoccupied and the builder is bankrupt. We were there yesterday because there were disputes about the pool and over-occupation by a couple of very large families who have relatives over, just to use the pool. There are many administrative problems, maintenance problems, unruly kids problems, etc etc

No Thanks. Our house in a nice village is just fine.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

We lived in a gated community for four months when we first arrived here from Prague. We hated it for all the reasons Baldy states. We had also never lived in a flat or in such close proximity to other people before. I didn't feel settled here until we moved to the house we now occupy, in a strangely unspoilt Spanish village on the coast on an ordinary street with Spanish neighbours all around us.

However ....not all urbs are unpleasant and I can see the attraction for many immigrants, especially the elderly. Not all are insolvent either. If you choose wisely I can see how life in such a place can be very pleasant. Very many Spaniards choose to live in such places, as Xavia has pointed out. 

The best and right way to live in Spain is the way that suits you.


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