# Gated retirement community in Spain



## LisaDav (Feb 3, 2019)

Hello, everybody
I was looking for gated community in Southern Spain online but didn`t find any.
It seems that they don`t have such thing or not many.
Can you tell me some names that I can look at them online please? 
This may help my husband to move there as he is concern about safety. 

Thanks,
Lisa


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

LisaDav said:


> Hello, everybody
> I was looking for gated community in Southern Spain online but didn`t find any.
> It seems that they don`t have such thing or not many.
> Can you tell me some names that I can look at them online please?
> ...


The only one I know of in my area is this one - they seem to be few & far between

The Colina Club


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## angkag (Oct 29, 2013)

Sotogrande Alto comes to mind. The entire Sotogrande Alto is gated, three gated entrances I think, two of which are manned 24/7, the other unmanned but locked at night - regular patrols by the security company within - all cars entering and exiting recorded on camera. Within Sotogrande Alto, there are additional gated communities, one called Sotogolf, although the gate there is no longer manned, another called Valgrande, which has a gate that is manned 24/7 as well, and one or two more gated communities there too I think, one up by the Almenara hotel that I think has 24 hour concierge service as well.

Never any guarantees of course, but it looks like a pretty secure area.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

They do exist. Here are a couple I found using Google.

Retirement Village Spain - Retirement Community Village in Almeria, Andalucia for the Over 50's
The Colina Club

But there are thousands of "gated" communities/urbanisations that are not specifically for the elderly. 

Personally, living in a village surrounded by neighbours and friends, I've never felt safer. Everyone knows everyone else and the crime rate is extremely low.


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## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Hola 

I had a friend live in one in Villamartin by La Zenia; There is one local to me in Chiclana and another in the Costa Esuri in Ayamonte. I believe whilst it used to be easy to find, the laws were changed to discourage gated communities 

Davexf


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## LisaDav (Feb 3, 2019)

Thank you for your responses!

I checked out Sotogrande Alto but it happen to be very expensive. 
Other communities might be more appropriate for us. 
It is hard to search such community online.
I also contacted one estate agent for help.

Lisa


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

LisaDav said:


> Thank you for your responses!
> 
> I checked out Sotogrande Alto but it happen to be very expensive.
> Other communities might be more appropriate for us.
> ...


Gated communities with a physical guard do tend to be expensive properties - the guards do have to be paid, after all.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

The very fact that a community is locked in behind a gate and has security guards indicates you’re entering a high crime area.

In my semi- campo area I sleep with my front door unlocked and my back door open wide so my timid dog can go out at night when he feels like wandering., Spain is no more violent than any other European country, in fact less so than parts of the UK. It isn’t Columbia or Mexico.
As an older woman now living alone I feel totally safe, more so indeed than when I lived in England.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> *The very fact that a community is locked in behind a gate and has security guards indicates you’re entering a high crime area.*
> 
> In my semi- campo area I sleep with my front door unlocked and my back door open wide so my timid dog can go out at night when he feels like wandering., Spain is no more violent than any other European country, in fact less so than parts of the UK. It isn’t Columbia or Mexico.
> As an older woman now living alone I feel totally safe, more so indeed than when I lived in England.


That isn't always the case.

We have gated urbs in my town with guards/concierges/porteros - & we have one of the lowest crime rates in Spain.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Well, it's said fear of crime is often greater than the actual incidence of crime. My mother locked, barred and bolted her door whenever she was home, day or night yet she lived in an area with almost zero crime rate.

I get your point but if I were new to an area I would wonder why the need for security, gates etc. I have a friend who lives in such a community, barriers to stop cars so security guys can question why they wish to enter if they don't bear an ID sticker, 24 hour security patrols....yet there is a constant spate of petty crime, worse in summer. No violence, just robbery, but annoying.

Fact is you become aware of crime when you are a victim. You might be the only person in your community who has been a victim of crime but your awareness immediately increases. We were lax about security in our previous house until we were burgled. If I get burgled in my little finca I'll start locking myself in at night.

These things can happen anywhere, city, town or village. Important thing is not to live in fear so if gates and guards help you sleep at night, go for it. I would.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Fear is a state of mind, and often bears little relation to actual risk. The best thing is to take all practical steps to stay safe. That includes not announcing your holiday dates on social media!

I feel perfectly safe walking alone after midnight, even in cities, but I never carry more than a few euros with me, nor anything of value. No way would I leave doors or French windows unlocked at night or when I'm out during the day. That's just inviting petty crime.

The reason Spanish houses have iron bars on ground floor windows is mainly so you can leave the windows open when it's cool outside, without fear of anyone breaking in.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Gated communities with a physical guard do tend to be expensive properties - the guards do have to be paid, after all.


This is true, but stop and think about how much that guard is being paid, and then assess for yourself how much effort he/ she is going to put in to avoid a robbery / attack.

I have known an entire community garage to be emptied of all the motorbikes parked in it over-night.

This was in a community with a permanently manned gate....


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Overandout said:


> This is true, but stop and think about how much that guard is being paid, and then assess for yourself how much effort he/ she is going to put in to avoid a robbery / attack.
> 
> I have known an entire community garage to be emptied of all the motorbikes parked in it over-night.
> 
> This was in a community with a permanently manned gate....


 Oh, I agree. I don't think manned security gates necessarily make a property safer. I think to a certain type of criminal it's like a red rag to a bull!
There are many types of gated communities with all types of properties from bog standard flats to large detached houses. Communities with guards or older style blocks of flats with a physical door/ handy man do tend to be more upmarket areas/ properties. Around me there were few larger communities (urbanizaciones) who had guards, but they got rid of them during the crisis and they have not been replaced


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## LisaDav (Feb 3, 2019)

You are right that fear comes from mind and my husband certainly has anxiety. I gave him some GABA supplement to calm down but his character is also very couscous. He said that his colleague who retired in California city Stanton suffered from crime twice and end up in the hospital after second time. I showed him statistical information that says about crime in Spain. It is nothing in comparison with some cities in CA. This state is flooded with illegal immigrants and homeless people as well as mafia from drug cartels. He learned that Spain has a lot of illegals from other countries too so he feels insecure about it.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

LisaDav said:


> You are right that fear comes from mind and my husband certainly has anxiety. I gave him some GABA supplement to calm down but his character is also very couscous. He said that his colleague who retired in California city Stanton suffered from crime twice and end up in the hospital after second time. I showed him statistical information that says about crime in Spain. It is nothing in comparison with some cities in CA. This state is flooded with illegal immigrants and homeless people as well as mafia from drug cartels. He learned that Spain has a lot of illegals from other countries too so he feels insecure about it.


 Spain does have a number of illegal immigrants, some of which are involved in crime. However, I don't think the crime rate in Spain revolves around the illegal immigrants. Here is some information. It shows the prison population in Spain, Spaniards compared to foreigners. Figures from the Spanish Home Office

Inmigración masiva y delincuencia en España: esto es lo que dicen las estadísticas oficiales


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

LisaDav said:


> You are right that fear comes from mind and my husband certainly has anxiety. I gave him some GABA supplement to calm down but his character is also very couscous. He said that his colleague who retired in California city Stanton suffered from crime twice and end up in the hospital after second time. I showed him statistical information that says about crime in Spain. It is nothing in comparison with some cities in CA. This state is flooded with illegal immigrants and homeless people as well as mafia from drug cartels. He learned that Spain has a lot of illegals from other countries too so he feels insecure about it.


You know, you have to do whatever makes you and your partner feel good. You won't enjoy life here unless you both feel content which in your partner's case means feeling safe.

As someone, I think Karl Marx, said, false consciousness may be truly false but it shapes people's perceptions. Or something along those lines.

I hope you find a place you both like as Spain is a good place to live.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Alcalaina said:


> Fear is a state of mind, and often bears little relation to actual risk. The best thing is to take all practical steps to stay safe. That includes not announcing your holiday dates on social media!
> 
> I feel perfectly safe walking alone after midnight, even in cities, but I never carry more than a few euros with me, nor anything of value. No way would I leave doors or French windows unlocked at night or when I'm out during the day. That's just inviting petty crime.
> 
> The reason Spanish houses have iron bars on ground floor windows is mainly so you can leave the windows open when it's cool outside, without fear of anyone breaking in.


I'm probably being more than a little feckless in leaving my little house open all night. My old dog has a weak bladder and often needs to go out to pee so it's either an open door or I get up cursing at the poor old girl.

My casita is on a large plot of mainly cultivated land, a few metres away from the 'big house' occupied by Carlos y Nela, my friend's parents. It's private although there's no fence between us and they are about fifty metres at most distant from me. Our mutual privacy is maintained via a small hedge and a quite large swimming pool between us. I suppose that enhances my sense of security.

Mind you, I have nothing worth risking a prison sentence for. The things that are precious to me are my John Gray collection, the complete works of George Orwell and Thomas Hardy and a few momentos of Sandra, photos, her Kincaid tartan kilt, stuff like that.

P.S. mean John Gray the political philosopher btw, not he who wrote 'Men are from Mars...etc,'.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Overandout said:


> This is true, but stop and think about how much that guard is being paid, and then assess for yourself how much effort he/ she is going to put in to avoid a robbery / attack.
> 
> I have known an entire community garage to be emptied of all the motorbikes parked in it over-night.
> 
> This was in a community with a permanently manned gate....


Yes very true. Our neighbour in Spain, a spanish lawyer was robbed. He had alarms but they cut off the power at the meter outside the house. They caught the burglar, he was a Security man at a building development up the road.

We lived in Zaire, now DRC and was considered dangerous. because OH had to spend some time away the company hired a Security guard for nights. He had a small area at the back of the garage and I think we made it too comfortable because every time we came home late he was asleep and never woke up When there was a serious riot he ran off and was never seen again.

I have never felt worried in Spain but cautious in tourist areas. Many are robbed before they leave the airport but this can happen in any country. There are some around here in the UK who always leave a door open but I think that is silly. However low crime is if it happens to you then it is bad.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Isobella said:


> Yes very true. Our neighbour in Spain, a spanish lawyer was robbed. He had alarms but they cut off the power at the meter outside the house. They caught the burglar, he was a Security man at a building development up the road.
> 
> We lived in Zaire, now DRC and was considered dangerous. because OH had to spend some time away the company hired a Security guard for nights. He had a small area at the back of the garage and I think we made it too comfortable because every time we came home late he was asleep and never woke up When there was a serious riot he ran off and was never seen again.
> 
> I have never felt worried in Spain but cautious in tourist areas. Many are robbed before they leave the airport but this can happen in any country. There are some around here in the UK who always leave a door open but I think that is silly. However low crime is if it happens to you then it is bad.



Hmm. Might think about locking doors tonight. Better to have to mop up a pool of dog pee than have my timid dogs terrified by an intruder.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

LisaDav said:


> You are right that fear comes from mind and my husband certainly has anxiety. I gave him some GABA supplement to calm down but his character is also very couscous. He said that his colleague who retired in California city Stanton suffered from crime twice and end up in the hospital after second time. I showed him statistical information that says about crime in Spain. It is nothing in comparison with some cities in CA. This state is flooded with illegal immigrants and homeless people as well as mafia from drug cartels. He learned that Spain has a lot of illegals from other countries too so he feels insecure about it.


The number of undocumented migrants in Spain, although growing recently, is relatively small compared to some European countries. More than half of them come from sub-Saharan Africa and risk their lives crossing the Mediterranean sea on rickety boats or rubber dinghies. Those that survive are given food, shelter and emergency health treatment when they arrive, but more than half of them are returned to North Africa. Others seek asylum or find work in agriculture, picking strawberries etc. The vast majority cross through Spain en route for Northern Europe where they believe they have more chance of finding work. 

The last thing they'd do is commit a crime and risk being arrested and deported. If they are desperate, there are numerous charities they can turn to. Spain doesn't generally have the hostile attitude to these people that you find in some parts of the USA. Hence we call them "undocumented" (_sin papeles_) rather than "illegal".


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

I’ve lived in many places in the U.K. I think people can generally get a false sense of security and fear can very much depend on age etc 

When I was young, I lived in the very affluent area of Hampstead. I would go to clubs in the west end, walk To kings cross pick up a taxi, get the tube etc. Never felt ill at ease and thought I was invincible 

When I moved to Kent, I wouldn’t go to the corner shop on my own at night. 

When I moved to an modern estate in Sussex wouldn’t walk at night.

Moved to the country isolated cottage , never locked door felt totally safe 

Now I live in Spain... totally isolated.... think alien .... in space no one hears you scream. Feel safe 

Technically, I was safer in built up areas, more people to call upon, quicker police response 

Perception is the key. People feel unsafe but ask how many actually have been victims of violence etc


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

I think the media also have a role to play in generating fear ... especially of immigrants.

We saw it happen in the UK, now sadly it is happening in Spain with the far-right propaganda machine blitzing social media with fake news.

But that's for another thread.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> The number of undocumented migrants in Spain, although growing recently, is relatively small compared to some European countries. More than half of them come from sub-Saharan Africa and risk their lives crossing the Mediterranean sea on rickety boats or rubber dinghies. Those that survive are given food, shelter and emergency health treatment when they arrive, but more than half of them are returned to North Africa. Others seek asylum or find work in agriculture, picking strawberries etc. The vast majority cross through Spain en route for Northern Europe where they believe they have more chance of finding work.
> 
> The last thing they'd do is commit a crime and risk being arrested and deported. If they are desperate, there are numerous charities they can turn to. Spain doesn't generally have the hostile attitude to these people that you find in some parts of the USA. Hence we call them "undocumented" (_sin papeles_) rather than "illegal".


True, although the sub-Saharan African immigrants aren't the only illegal immigrants that come in to Spain.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Pesky Wesky said:


> True, although the sub-Saharan African immigrants aren't the only illegal immigrants that come in to Spain.



Yep, Costa del crime


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Alcalaina said:


> I think the media also have a role to play in generating fear ... especially of immigrants.
> 
> We saw it happen in the UK, now sadly it is happening in Spain with the far-right propaganda machine blitzing social media with fake news.
> 
> But that's for another thread.


What fake news?


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Isobella said:


> What fake news?


A number of examples in this report:-

https://www.eldiario.es/desalambre/...campana-elecciones-andaluzas_0_842716844.html


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Lynn R said:


> A number of examples in this report:-
> 
> https://www.eldiario.es/desalambre/...campana-elecciones-andaluzas_0_842716844.html


As the article says, these items of fake news were widely spread through social media and much less widely found not to be true. I wish people would spread the tweets, articles etc by the hoax busters as much as they spread the stupid fake news stories. I'll be WAping this to my contacts, thanks Lynn.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Pesky Wesky said:


> As the article says, these items of fake news were widely spread through social media and much less widely found not to be true. I wish people would spread the tweets, articles etc by the hoax busters as much as they spread the stupid fake news stories. I'll be WAping this to my contacts, thanks Lynn.


Thanks - it's very true that the debunking of these false claims never resonates as much as the original lies do. Even when publications are forced to print retractions (which of course never happens on social media), they are invariably hidden away in a couple of lines on some inside page, not given the same prominence as the original claims.

Some more recent examples around the national elections last month:-

https://maldita.es/maldito-bulo/bul...ado-despues-de-las-elecciones-que-son-falsos/


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Lynn R said:


> Thanks - it's very true that the debunking of these false claims never resonates as much as the original lies do. Even when publications are forced to print retractions (which of course never happens on social media), they are invariably hidden away in a couple of lines on some inside page, not given the same prominence as the original claims.
> 
> Some more recent examples around the national elections last month:-
> 
> https://maldita.es/maldito-bulo/bul...ado-despues-de-las-elecciones-que-son-falsos/


Yes it has been claimed that fake news travels 6 times faster on Twitter than the truth.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

If we tolerate this stuff when it is aimed at other people, one day we may find ourselves to be the next targets. During the recent local election campaign, the Mayor of Alcaucín, who is Belgian, was the subject of a racist Whatsapp message telling him to go back to his own country (ironically the previous Spanish Mayor was jailed for corruption offences!).

https://elpais.com/politica/2019/06/13/actualidad/1560447601_891342.html


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## LisaDav (Feb 3, 2019)

It is interesting information, thank you!
I know illegals would prefer stay quite that making noise ))

I have seen several gated communities already and they are inexpensive.
Hope it will help.
Lisa


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## Ancient Printer (Jun 1, 2019)

LisaDav said:


> Hello, everybody
> I was looking for gated community in Southern Spain online but didn`t find any.
> It seems that they don`t have such thing or not many.
> Can you tell me some names that I can look at them online please?
> ...


Hi Lisa
This is th first time I have written on this forum so I hope you see this. I write from the Costa Blanca and have lived here 34 years! We were in South Africa for a while where the term "Gated Community" is used. Here they are called "Complexes" or complejos or residenciales. May I make two suggestions - (i) look at Ciudad Patricia in Benidorm where you can buy a life interest in an apartment. The cost falls as you grow older! They have fine grounds and 24 medical assistance and lots more. We are considering it ourselves in due course. (ii) we own and are offering for sale a terraced house (3 beds 2 bathrooms) in a complex in the centre of Els Poblets which is 2km from beaches and 7km from the main town, Denia. I hope you see this and that it is of assistance. Regards A.P.


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## ClaireRuss (Jun 19, 2019)

I too am looking for one in the not too distant future, I am aware of a new development being built as a retirement complex somewhere inland around marbella if that helps. I will be sure to get back to you when I see my friend who mentioned it a few weeks ago.


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## LisaDav (Feb 3, 2019)

Thank you for your offer. It is very interesting concept with reducing payment. I know about such facilities in US, they are called Senior Living House. But we are looking for villa and apartment nearby or villa with 2 entrances that our son can come to us if he wants. Your home might be one of such homes probably. If you want you can give me your contacts. Or we can give it for rent to somebody. It is called duplex here. 
I got letter from one real estate person from Spain. It is what he wrote: "The apartment has only one entrance, in Spain duplex are called to the houses with a single entrance and two floors that are communicated by an internal staircase in the same house. In our house on the top floor there is a room, a bathroom and two terraces, with fitted wardrobes.
The community garden can only be accessed by neighbors, there are locked doors. In the garden there are two swimming pools and it is not possible to grow anything, it is a garden for sunbathing and swimming in the pool. But if you could grow vegetables on the spacious terraces of the apartment.
The urbanization does not have a guard, there is an access control to enter with the exclusive cohe for all the neighbors of the urbanization, by means of remote control.
Ideally we have posted a video of the house you can see, which will offer all its features."


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## LisaDav (Feb 3, 2019)

Medical care is major concern for my husband. He told me that we may loose long term medical care possibility that Americans have. I know that US citizen is not loosing such possibility and he can always return to get it in US. But any way he would prefer to sit here just in case. For now we don`t need such care but only in the case of emergency it will needed. Frankly, I don`t want to have any medical care as doctors never did anything good for me except serious problems. Only operations are needed mostly for emergency. I am health and wellness consultant and I have access to information from really great doctors in US who use natural treatment or combination of medical and natural healing. For now I was able to take care of myself and my family better that doctors I visited. Even more I believe that if I will get to the hospital or other medical facility in US I will not survive )) They use very potent drugs which I can`t tolerate and some food too. I would like to avoid any regular doctor here and their expensive and dangerous care. We had experience with that with our parent who lived in Senior Living House. I hope it is not the same in Spain where Pharma is not so powerful yet.


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