# Costa Del Sol or Costa Blanca?



## AlisonMoore

Good morning
I am looking to buy a house in either Costa Del Sol or Costa Blanca, but i am unable to decide which is the best option, there are so many nice places and properties that it is becoming very confusing.

To start off we are planning on buying the property as a holiday home, with a plan to hopefully rent it out when we are not using it. But in the long run we want the property to be somewhere we can live permanently in around 10 - 15 years time.

We are looking for a location fairly close to the sea, with shops and resturants close by. Also we would like close links to public transport.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Many thanks in advance
Alison


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## Swerve

Hi it depends on where is easiest to get to in my thinking. That's why we bought in CDS there were many more flights and flight competition For passengers. Also don't buy if you need rental money to supplement the buy as renting your property in Spain at the moment is very hard and the money you get is really not worth the hassle. Have a looks through some old posts and you may find a lot more information that will help you.


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## DunWorkin

AlisonMoore said:


> Good morning
> I am looking to buy a house in either Costa Del Sol or Costa Blanca, but i am unable to decide which is the best option, there are so many nice places and properties that it is becoming very confusing.
> 
> To start off we are planning on buying the property as a holiday home, with a plan to hopefully rent it out when we are not using it. But in the long run we want the property to be somewhere we can live permanently in around 10 - 15 years time.
> 
> We are looking for a location fairly close to the sea, with shops and resturants close by. Also we would like close links to public transport.
> 
> Any advice would be much appreciated.
> 
> Many thanks in advance
> Alison


You are going to get different answers depending where people live. Those on the Costa del Sol will say there is best while those on the Costa Blanca will probably go for there.

Have you visited either area before? I would suggest you come here, have a look around and visit several places before deciding on an area


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## AlisonMoore

Hi

Thank you for taking the time to reply, we have visited both and really like both!!!


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## Alcalaina

CDS is in Andalucia, CB is in Valencia. These regions are known as Autonomous Communities and have their own legislative powers and spending policies. The laws and procedures in different ACs can vary on things like inheritance tax and licences for holiday rentals. Might be worth checking the differences.


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## Aron

AlisonMoore said:


> Good morning
> I am looking to buy a house in either Costa Del Sol or Costa Blanca, but i am unable to decide which is the best option, there are so many nice places and properties that it is becoming very confusing.
> 
> To start off we are planning on buying the property as a holiday home, with a plan to hopefully rent it out when we are not using it. But in the long run we want the property to be somewhere we can live permanently in around 10 - 15 years time.
> 
> We are looking for a location fairly close to the sea, with shops and resturants close by. Also we would like close links to public transport.
> 
> Any advice would be much appreciated.
> 
> Many thanks in advance
> Alison


The list of places could be endless, you really need to come for a two week holiday, hire a car and choose for yourself. Public transport in Spain is good and cheap too. 
Some places close to the coast, the prices haven't fallen too much and if anything may have risen slightly. One place near me, Nerja, it is still fairly expensive to buy, whereas other places not as pretty as Nerja are cheaper. There are bargains wherever you choose, but being here is better than thinking from the UK


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## AlisonMoore

Hi
Thanks for your reply, I am coming over in a couple of months and Staying in San Pedro for a week and plan to spend most of my week hopefully looking at properties. We had originally decided to buy in Costa del Sol area, but a mortgage advisor based in Javea has been showing my partner properties in and around that area and has been telling us how nice that area is and looking at it, it is lovely, I think its going to be a very big decision as the property will be our further home so we want to get it right.


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## Aron

AlisonMoore said:


> Hi
> Thanks for your reply, I am coming over in a couple of months and Staying in San Pedro for a week and plan to spend most of my week hopefully looking at properties. We had originally decided to buy in Costa del Sol area, but a mortgage advisor based in Javea has been showing my partner properties in and around that area and has been telling us how nice that area is and looking at it, it is lovely, I think its going to be a very big decision as the property will be our further home so we want to get it right.


I remember San Pedro when it was just a small town and Puerto Banus was a marina with a few buildings around it, nothing like it is today. In the 1970's I loved it down there, but now I live the other side of Malaga and 18 kilometres inland, room to breathe.


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## tarot650

AlisonMoore said:


> Hi
> Thanks for your reply, I am coming over in a couple of months and Staying in San Pedro for a week and plan to spend most of my week hopefully looking at properties. We had originally decided to buy in Costa del Sol area, but a mortgage advisor based in Javea has been showing my partner properties in and around that area and has been telling us how nice that area is and looking at it, it is lovely, I think its going to be a very big decision as the property will be our further home so we want to get it right.


Just because somebody tells you how nice the area is dioesn't mean it's going to be right for you.As Spain is today I honestly don't envy you in your search because if you get it wrong you could end up with a millstone round your neck and some of the things you get told I would take with a pinch of salt.Even coming over for a couple of weeks you are not going to get a really true feel for the place.I suppose I count myself lucky after living here for 19years because if you bought a lemon it was very easy to sell the lemon on.Unfortunately that isn't the case now.I remember a few years back some estate agents telling prospective buyers about a new airport that was going to be built near Antequera and a lot of expats invested in the area as they thought they would be on a winner.Guess what?It never happened!!I think to get a true feel for the area's a month or two on the Costa del Sol and the same on the Costa Blanca should give you some sort of feel for the area's.Personally I love malaga but having been here for 19 years I am going to say that and vise versa for people living on the Costa Blanca.Sincerely wish you the best of luck in your search.Keep your scepticle head on and you will be OK.


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## Christina_G

Hi Alison
WWhat did you think of San Pedro? We are moving to Spain at the end of this year or early next (depending on when we sell our bungalow on the Isle of Wight.) We visited El Campello and liked the fact that it was easy on the tram line to visit various places. I have been looking at San Pedro and Puerto Santiago. We will be renting so it is not as important if we get it wrong, we can just move! Would like to be near an indoor pool for the winter months.

Christina


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## AlanS

San Pedro is lovely although admittedly I did have my holiday head on when I went there. When it comes to looking for a place to live out there you will need to get your business head on. All the best in your search


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## mike kelly

*Retiring to the Canaries*

What about the Canary Isles as a retirement spot? Don't they have a lovely temperature of about 25 degrees all year round?


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## Christina_G

AlanS said:


> San Pedro is lovely although admittedly I did have my holiday head on when I went there. When it comes to looking for a place to live out there you will need to get your business head on. All the best in your search


Thank you Alan
We will be renting so hopefully their will be a few to choose from. 

Kind Regards

Christina


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## mrypg9

It is impossible to recommend a ' suitable' place ....'suitable' depends on tastes, money avaiable, state of health, age...so many things.

I wouldn't recommend a place to close friends let alone complete strangers. You need to experience places for yourself.


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## fishfearme

Hey Alison we came over a few years ago, rented for a bit and then moved into Javea, we used Blu properties and got an amazing deal off them when doing a new build, (really nice modern ibizan style with massive rental potential)
Welcome to costa blanca a really amazing place in spain


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## xabiaxica

fishfearme said:


> Hey Alison we came over a few years ago, rented for a bit and then moved into Javea, we used Blu properties and got an amazing deal off them when doing a new build, (really nice modern ibizan style with massive rental potential)
> Welcome to costa blanca a really amazing place in spain


I totally agree about the area - & Jávea of course!


I just looked at the Blu website & I have to say it's a bit worrying that they say that Spain will grant permanent residency to non-EU citizens who spend 500,000€

cos it isn't true......


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## fishfearme

Thanks but i am a little confused as what is written on Blu properties is actually true see this website

Residency in Spain for Property Investors ("Golden Visa") « Spanish Property InsightSpanish Property Insight

in any case I was not concerned of residency I just wanted the best deal for me.
We have been here 3 year new house new life loving it!


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## xabiaxica

fishfearme said:


> Thanks but i am a little confused as what is written on Blu properties is actually true see this website
> 
> Residency in Spain for Property Investors ("Golden Visa") « Spanish Property InsightSpanish Property Insight
> 
> in any case I was not concerned of residency I just wanted the best deal for me.
> We have been here 3 year new house new life loving it!


they don't get _*permanent residency*_

they get a year, which they can then apply to have extended - it could potentially be refused, which I would guess could be one reason not many have taken it up

there's a link to the actual law on here somewhere, & it's very clear, which neither the Blu link, nor the other one are 


still, as you say, it doesn't affect you - nor me - here more than 10 years now & with my roots firmly planted


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## Madliz

xabiachica said:


> they don't get _*permanent residency*_
> 
> they get a year, which they can then apply to have extended - it could potentially be refused, which I would guess could be one reason not many have taken it up
> 
> there's a link to the actual law on here somewhere, & it's very clear, which neither the Blu link, nor the other one are
> 
> 
> still, as you say, it doesn't affect you - nor me - here more than 10 years now & with my roots firmly planted


Despite all the fanfare surrounding this offer, only 81 'golden visas' have been issued to foreigners, 72 for a property purchase over €500,000.

http://www.idealista.com/news/inmobiliario/vivienda/2014/05/22/728449-el-fiasco-de-la-golden-visa-en-siete-meses-solo-81-extranjeros-se-acogen-al-visado?xtor=EPR-75-[esta_pasando_20140522]-20140522-[notinmo_4_titular]-[]-[]


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## Dunpleecin

Love the way people think the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca are the be all and end all.


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## calcaroline

I have visited both places as a holiday maker and both equally great for holidays. As someone mentioned early I would check all the rules and regulations of each region as inheritance tax caught out a couple i knew when the husband passed she had to pay the inheritance tax on his share that she gained and couldn't afford too....... So look into this as one always goes before the other and the one left needs to know they can pay that tax if and when needed.

xx


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## jim70andout

Christina_G said:


> Hi Alison
> WWhat did you think of San Pedro? We are moving to Spain at the end of this year or early next (depending on when we sell our bungalow on the Isle of Wight.) We visited El Campello and liked the fact that it was easy on the tram line to visit various places. I have been looking at San Pedro and Puerto Santiago. We will be renting so it is not as important if we get it wrong, we can just move! Would like to be near an indoor pool for the winter months.
> 
> Christina


Hi Christina,
Interested in what sort of info you get back on your questions.
We are retired, but far from just wanting to sit and watch, and looking ideally to buy a home in Spain eventually, but first want to have a good look around to find what for us would be suitable, or so we believe.
Looking to possibly have sea views, good walking areas such as sea shore, marina, etc.
We ideally would want interaction with fellow english speaking people, but not necessary a UK enclave, but where the people are friendly, with a good selection of restaurants and a few bars, coffee shops.
Not much to ask hey ?
If you come across any such area w ewould appreciate you e mailing us.
Thanks
Jim


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