# Moving to Spain - Costa Sol or Blanca



## Chap (Nov 21, 2010)

Hello everyone
I am currently in the process of property hunting with a view to living in Spain in a couple of years when my eldest goes to university. At that time I will be bringing over a 12 year old boy and probably putting him into a private International school.

We are looking to spend about 400k euro max on a very comfortable 4 bed villa property and we have identified that you get more for your money on the Costa Blanca than down south, or so it seems. 

We have been looking at Villamartin and Quesada on the CB and are about to concentrate on the South for a while to compare. However.......

Forgetting about property prices are there any other benefits for one Costa over the other. Both seem to have massive ex pat populations which we would want, both seem to have quality schools and both have the weather and expat social scene. We are fortunate enough to be in our 40's and retired, and our considerations now are more about quality of life for us all, though one nagging doubt is our boy and a career once he leaves school / college. For my wife and I we would be looking for a healthy though not hectic social life with plenty of other children around for our boy.

Are there other things we should consider when deciding where to lay down our new roots?

Thanks for your advice in advance

Glenn


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

They do sayt he Costa Blanca has one of the healthiest climates in Europe


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I'm not sure why the CDS is more expensive than CB, altho I'm sure it varies in small pockets. I guess its for the same reasons why its more expensive in the south of England than the North!

At 12 yes, you're son would benefit by going to an international school, there are some who would say that he could integrate better into the language and community if he went to a Spanish school, but 12 is a beit too old IMO. As for what he'll do when he leaves???? The 50million dollar question - that we're debating!!!! Your son could stay on and do A-levels at his international and then you could send him back to the UK to uni??? or to get work?? or he could go onto another country altogether????

Renting maybe a good idea at first, so that you can choose a the place you eventually buy with a little more accuracy??

Jo xxxx


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## Chap (Nov 21, 2010)

jojo said:


> I'm not sure why the CDS is more expensive than CB, altho I'm sure it varies in small pockets. I guess its for the same reasons why its more expensive in the south of England than the North!
> 
> At 12 yes, you're son would benefit by going to an international school, there are some who would say that he could integrate better into the language and community if he went to a Spanish school, but 12 is a beit too old IMO. As for what he'll do when he leaves???? The 50million dollar question - that we're debating!!!! Your son could stay on and do A-levels at his international and then you could send him back to the UK to uni??? or to get work?? or he could go onto another country altogether????
> 
> ...



Thanks Jo
I think I meant with my son are there more opportunities for Brits work wise in one area of Spain than another? though I suppose in the current economy where Spain seems to be suffering worse than at home that there are more opportunities for a teenager back in the UK? There must be many expats whos children are leaving educaation each year, are they all going back home to find work?

We had thought about renting first, but we are the type to stay and really make a go of what is there rather than face upheaval after a year or so and have to go through the all integration bit again, especially for my boy.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Chap said:


> Thanks Jo
> I think I meant with my son are there more opportunities for Brits work wise in one area of Spain than another? though I suppose in the current economy where Spain seems to be suffering worse than at home that there are more opportunities for a teenager back in the UK? There must be many expats whos children are leaving educaation each year, are they all going back home to find work?
> 
> We had thought about renting first, but we are the type to stay and really make a go of what is there rather than face upheaval after a year or so and have to go through the all integration bit again, especially for my boy.


Workwise is grim. I think the only area of "spain" (eventho it technically isnt Spain) is Gibraltar, there does seem to be a few jobs going there. 

Remember as well that in Spain there is no "job seekers allowance" or any benefits unless you've paid into the system, so when your lad leaves school, unless he gets work, he'll be holding his hand out to you LOL!!!! Without bilingual language skills (even then its not good), your son doesnt stand much of a chance I'm afraid! 
Jo xxx


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Chap said:


> Thanks Jo
> I think I meant with my son are there more opportunities for Brits work wise in one area of Spain than another? though I suppose in the current economy where Spain seems to be suffering worse than at home that there are more opportunities for a teenager back in the UK? There must be many expats whos children are leaving educaation each year, are they all going back home to find work?
> 
> We had thought about renting first, but we are the type to stay and really make a go of what is there rather than face upheaval after a year or so and have to go through the all integration bit again, especially for my boy.


Well-qualified Spanish graduates are having to leave Spain in droves to find work or else take low-paid job they can find, so I don't suppose it would be any different for a young person born to a British family. Seis de cada diez trabajadores en España son 'mileuristas' | elmundo.es

I was interested to see you use the expression "back home" when referring to the UK, which makes me wonder why you believe you would get a better quality of life in Spain and whether you are really committed to living here permanently?!? Just a thought ...


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> I was interested to see you use the expression "back home" when referring to the UK, which makes me wonder why you believe you would get a better quality of life in Spain and whether you are really committed to living here permanently?!? Just a thought ...



My husband always says that to me, cos I nearly always refer to the UK as "home" when we talk about the UK even now after living here for 3 years. I also refer to my house here as home! I dont think it necessarily means any lack of commitment, just habit and home can mean where we come from!!!

Jo xxx


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

I lived in Scotland for a only 15 years of my life.... but it will always be home.
My mothers house in England even after I married was still home.
I hate it here in Egypt but I call my flat home.

Why are people so quick to ask if people are really committed to moving?
What difference does it make to anyone?
I was committed to moving to Egypt and I have hated every single single day of it... wish I hadn't been so committed or I might have jacked before now.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Just one thought, why not rent, then you can find the district that suits you best, without committing yourself completely.

I rented on and off for five years before I bought, ending up eventually on an entirely different island to the one I first thought of,

H


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> I lived in Scotland for a only 15 years of my life.... but it will always be home.
> My mothers house in England even after I married was still home.
> I hate it here in Egypt but I call my flat home.
> 
> ...


Because I've just had a year's worth of grief from an English couple in their 60s who sold up and moved here lock stock and barrel, after two years they realised they had made a big mistake and now can't sell their house here! 

They have always referred to the UK as "home" and IMO it's a good indicator of where your heart is.


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

Chap said:


> Thanks Jo
> I think I meant with my son are there more opportunities for Brits work wise in one area of Spain than another? though I suppose in the current economy where Spain seems to be suffering worse than at home that there are more opportunities for a teenager back in the UK? There must be many expats whos children are leaving educaation each year, are they all going back home to find work?
> 
> We had thought about renting first, but we are the type to stay and really make a go of what is there rather than face upheaval after a year or so and have to go through the all integration bit again, especially for my boy.


As others have posted, things are very grim for young people in Spain at the moment. We moved over a year ago and sent our three children to international school. The eldest is hopefully going back to the UK next September to university. The middle one was 12 when we arrived, and the youngest 10. I would still expect them to explore further education or employment in the UK or abroad, and not Spain if things remain as depressed here as they are currently. But who knows what the economic climate might be like when they are 18? All you can really do is ensure that they get the best out of their education (whether in the British or Spanish system). We none of us have a crystal ball, but I do know that kids we have met here without good qualifications are struggling big time...


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## djfwells (Sep 28, 2009)

Two bits of advice :

- As HEPA said, rent before you buy anything. It's surprising just how much your priority or 'must have' list changes once you have been living here for a while.

- Be very wary of who you take advice from (unless taken from a reputable and experienced professional source - and even then ask around for recommendations). There are far too many 'Bar stool hero's' up and down the Costa's handing out bad advice (or at best well-intentioned advice that is only of value to themselves and their own circumstances - not yours) - if you must take advice from somebody like this compare it with advice you receive from others aswell.


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## Chap (Nov 21, 2010)

Thank you for the comments and I understand why a few of you mention renting first however it is not something we want to consider, we are very fortunate in that if (god forbid) things did not work out in Spain we could just keep the house as a holiday home. Also our boy will be 12, I would not want to put him through any upheaval of moving again making new friends, new school etc.
This is of course why location is so important for us now so we get as much right as possible up front.

It is interesting reading of people on here who want to immerse themselves in the Spanish way of life and get away from Brits altogether, almost as though as a population we are poison! I would like to think I could find a community where there is a truly cosmopolitan population, where the Spanish & Brits & other nationalities mix well. It would not bother me though if Brits were the dominant group, the important thing is a strong community feeling ideally with as many families with children as possible.

The one thing we are very clear about is that if this does not work for our son, it does not work for any of us.

I have family that live in Los Montesinos near Alicante and they love it there. There are hundreds of Brit retirees who mingle well with 1000,s of locals. Indeed when I have been there it is fair to say the locals realise that without ex pats their local economy would be much different, both financially and socially. Integration seems to have been good with everyone congregating around the local square and bars & restauraunts etc ( personally I think the place unattractive though and I would not want to be too near family, sorry!) 

We are looking for somewhere quite cosmopolitan, loads of permanent families with kids, close to a good international school, a good few Brits to guide us along initially, a decent social life but not too busy, a great community feeling that is also safe. 

Please advise me if you know the area or if you think this place does not exist!
regards


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

One such place readily springs to mind,

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, might not suit you but it has all that you are asking for.

Hepa


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Hepa said:


> One such place readily springs to mind,
> 
> Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, might not suit you but it has all that you are asking for.
> 
> Hepa



Hepa, I'm sure you work for the Canary Islands tourist board lol!!!!! 

Jo xxx


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

jojo said:


> Hepa, I'm sure you work for the Canary Islands tourist board lol!!!!!
> 
> Jo xxx


What a good idea!!

Hepa


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