# want to move to spain from oct to april



## tonester (Sep 15, 2012)

Hi all myself and my wife are looking to get away from the british winter and spend from oct to april having a more relaxed winter in hopefully a nicer climate . we are completely new to this so are at present looking at different areas in spain ideally a small coastal city or large town we would like there to be a good ex pat community .we will be looking to move next oct 2013 so we have a bit of time to learn the basics of spanish we would appreciate any suggestions on locations we are looking at southern and south eastern areas and will be renting for the first season .many thanks. oh and we are 45yrs young .


----------



## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

tonester said:


> Hi all myself and my wife are looking to get away from the british winter and spend from oct to april having a more relaxed winter in hopefully a nicer climate . we are completely new to this so are at present looking at different areas in spain ideally a small coastal city or large town we would like there to be a good ex pat community .we will be looking to move next oct 2013 so we have a bit of time to learn the basics of spanish we would appreciate any suggestions on locations we are looking at southern and south eastern areas and will be renting for the first season .many thanks. oh and we are 45yrs young .


are you planning to buy a house here or rent? At the moment house prices are quite low, but there is no guarantee the will not drop further and you could find yourself in a "negative equity" position. You also have to consider that the property would be vacant for 6 months of the year... and the costs of that.

Renting a place means you can never be sure you get the same location, year after year, or even the same quality of place from one year to the next.

I loathe having to say this, but your plan/situation, would be suited for a timeshare deal, but get a good lawyer to read the contract before signing. 

A"good" expat community... again, dislike having to point it out, but there is no such thing. "good" being a high concentration of expats in one area? that brings it's own problems (you don't mix with locals, fail to grasp the legal system,limited local knowledge etc etc etc)
"good " expats communities: never found one yet. they all fragment into little groups with their own moans and their only common factor is they speak the same language (add alcohol and they will tell you "how the World should be run ... by what they think are UK standards")


----------



## Leper (May 12, 2010)

If you and your wife are not looking for a job in Spain and if you have income to finance your stay there's nothing to stop you. In fact you can have the best of both worlds summers in your home country and winters in a warm climate and access to airports in case you need to return to the UK at any time.

I recommend you consider Costa Almeria. (a) It has the driest and warmest climate of mainland Spain. (b) Almeria airport is within an hour drive of most places. (c) Depending on where you stay Alicante, Murcia, Granada, Málaga airports are within relatively easy reach. (d) Although Costa Almeria is almost as south as you can get it appears to be in south eastern Spain.

We bought an apartment in Mojacar Playa some years ago, therefore we would be biased in offering opinions - I say this because I think interests should be declared re honest honesty etc.

The case for Mojacar Playa:- (i) It is low-rise except for two hotel complexes at either end. (ii) It is an all-year resort although quieter in winter, extremely busy in summer. (iii) Walks are on the level along the beaches for miles. (iv) If you want more difficult walks the new cliff walk towards Macenas is beautiful and you can walk for as long as you wish. (v) Mountain trekking is available, but the walks are not easy. (vi) English is spoken throughout, but if you want to speak Spanish you will have plenty of opportunity as the local population is fairly equally shared between Spanish and Ex-pats.

El Crisis (the recession) has led to cheaper rentals especially over the off season. A two bedroom apartment with central location would cost around €500 rent per month + electricity.There is plenty of choice in rental. A car is not necessary (but handy) as the local bus service is good and inexpensive. You will get more of a "Spanish feel" in the nearby villages. Mojacar Pueblo is within 1.5 miles of the Playa. It is a town perched on top of a small mountain with magnificent views for miles around.

Wherever you decide to live, be careful that you do not choose a ghost town. A ghost town is a place that can be fairly busy in high season and closes up for the remainder of the year. Some of them are OK, but definitely you would need a car for supermarket access etc.


----------



## Real Nightmare in Spain (Sep 15, 2012)

tonester said:


> Hi all myself and my wife are looking to get away from the british winter and spend from oct to april having a more relaxed winter in hopefully a nicer climate . we are completely new to this so are at present looking at different areas in spain ideally a small coastal city or large town we would like there to be a good ex pat community .we will be looking to move next oct 2013 so we have a bit of time to learn the basics of spanish we would appreciate any suggestions on locations we are looking at southern and south eastern areas and will be renting for the first season .many thanks. oh and we are 45yrs young .


Personally, as someone who came to Spain to integrate in a rural way of life and spending the last two years of my retirement here, my best suggestion would be to try the Canary Islands. Mainland Spain is not the place to be at the moment with all its problems and if you were to buy, there are no guarentees that the property would be legal and if it were then there are no guarentees it would stay legal. The rules change, like the winds over here. Finding a 'trusted' professional is almost impossible, Spanish or English, and never let on how much money you may have, because their eyes will light up! 
As for the Canary Islands, the winter sun is sooo much better and the Canarian people are a different race. They are polite, intelligent, welcoming and helpful, not so with the Spanish.
....btw....I am 45 years young too, but after two years feel 75.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Real Nightmare in Spain said:


> Personally, as someone who came to Spain to integrate in a rural way of life and spending the last two years of my retirement here, my best suggestion would be to try the Canary Islands. Mainland Spain is not the place to be at the moment with all its problems and if you were to buy, there are no guarentees that the property would be legal and if it were then there are no guarentees it would stay legal. The rules change, like the winds over here. Finding a 'trusted' professional is almost impossible, Spanish or English, and never let on how much money you may have, because their eyes will light up!
> As for the Canary Islands, the winter sun is sooo much better and the Canarian people are a different race. They are polite, intelligent, welcoming and helpful, not so with the Spanish.
> ....btw....I am 45 years young too, but after two years feel 75.


:welcome:

though I have to say I find your comments a little harsh - yes, there are some illegal properties - but not all of them & most people seem to know where the illegal ones are

the OP is thinking of spending winters here - not moving here full time so it's a completely different scenario


@ tonester - I would recommend my town - but then I would, wouldn't I? 

there are many many places up & down the coast which would fit the bill for you - if I were in your shoes I'd go to a different town every year for a few years taking winter rentals - if you then find your idea of heaven you can then think of maybe buying

I know people who have done that - they in fact spend pretty much the entire year travelling - this year they've 'done' quite a lot of Spain, but last year I think they spent quite a bit of time in Australia

every winter though, they rent in Jávea - they feel at home here & come to recharge their batteries - perhaps they'll buy when they feel the time is right


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Real Nightmare in Spain said:


> Personally, as someone who came to Spain to integrate in a rural way of life and spending the last two years of my retirement here, my best suggestion would be to try the Canary Islands. Mainland Spain is not the place to be at the moment with all its problems and if you were to buy, there are no guarentees that the property would be legal and if it were then there are no guarentees it would stay legal. The rules change, like the winds over here. Finding a 'trusted' professional is almost impossible, Spanish or English, and never let on how much money you may have, because their eyes will light up!
> As for the Canary Islands, the winter sun is sooo much better and the Canarian people are a different race. They are polite, intelligent, welcoming and helpful, not so with the Spanish.
> ....btw....I am 45 years young too, but after two years feel 75.


Please ignore that totally negative posting. When you consider that there are hundreds of thousands of expats living here quite happily, you can see why.

First off, you have to, thoroughy, research all the options and possibilities for failure as well as success and, obviously, RNiS didn't!!

What we could do with is an independent survey of all the expats in Spain to identify those who are completely happy with where they are and with their lot and why they chose how and where they live although even this type of survey would be flawed because of personal choice - horses for courses. 

WE are absolutely content with where we are and have no desires to be elsewhere!


----------



## tonester (Sep 15, 2012)

*thanks*

hi all many many thanks for the replies so far, its great to get this advice ,we are going to do some googling at some of the places mentioned by your good selves and will update this post soon. just been outside and you can start to smell the british winter oh no gonna have to find my (sad lamp).


----------



## Real Nightmare in Spain (Sep 15, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> Please ignore that totally negative posting. When you consider that there are hundreds of thousands of expats living here quite happily, you can see why.
> 
> First off, you have to, thoroughy, research all the options and possibilities for failure as well as success and, obviously, RNiS didn't!!
> 
> ...




Thanks for your posting. 
I take on board your comments for extensive research and after 3 and a half years, even appearing on A Place in the Sun TV programme and gleaning information there, that still didn't help me spot the pitfalls that were cleaverly placed in my path.......indeed, for that I do blame myself, however, I would politely redirect you to read AUAN's website and even websearch Corruption in Spain and you will actually see there are more people unhappy than you might realise. 
As for your feelings of contentment, I am sincerely happy for you, it is nice to hear that it is working in Spain for someone and I really do wish you continued happiness here in Spain.
Regards RNiS.


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Am I the only one who finds Spanish winters horrendous??? The four winters we spent in Spain were all horrendous. Torrential rain, high winds, landslides, floods, damp, cold and hard to heat houses?? The sun did shine during the day occasionally, but when the sun went down at about 4pm it was freezing. maybe the years we were there were unusually bad, but I actually craved central heating and carpets!!

That said I'm planning to rent for the winter this year, simply cos its the only chance I can get to be in Spain and I'm hoping it wont be as bad.... oh and we've chosen a warm house carefully!!!

Jo xxx


----------



## tarot650 (Sep 30, 2007)

jojo said:


> Am I the only one who finds Spanish winters horrendous??? The four winters we spent in Spain were all horrendous. Torrential rain, high winds, landslides, floods, damp, cold and hard to heat houses?? The sun did shine during the day occasionally, but when the sun went down at about 4pm it was freezing. maybe the years we were there were unusually bad, but I actually craved central heating and carpets!!
> 
> That said I'm planning to rent for the winter this year, simply cos its the only chance I can get to be in Spain and I'm hoping it wont be as bad.... oh and we've chosen a warm house carefully!!!
> 
> Jo xxx


Jojo.You have never owned a property in Spain but I am sure if you could have afforded one you would have adapted it to your needs.Underfloor heating goes a long way, a couple of log burners,double glazing even central heating.In coming up for 18years of actually living here permanantly there has never been one winter when I have not been glad to be here.I agree with you one hundred percent i does get cold.Put some warm clothes on.And as for torrential rain,it does not go on for weeks on end like in Blighty.There is nowhere in the UK in winter where weather permitting where you can be sat on the beach at ten in the morning and an hour and a half later you can be skiing in the Sierra Nevada.In all honesty and absolutely no disrespect to you if you had still been here ,although honestly i don't know your circumstances,you learn to adapt.I suppose after all our years of living here we are now used to it.I know one hundred percent in my mind where I would rather be in winter.For me personally I could not face those miserable cold winters.Weeks in and with nothing but grey skies and when the sun rears it's head the kids look up and pull mummy's hand and say mummy what's that up there?.Plus the 200pounds fuel allowance helps with payments.Venga mas tarde.


----------



## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

jojo said:


> Am I the only one who finds Spanish winters horrendous??? The four winters we spent in Spain were all horrendous. Torrential rain, high winds, landslides, floods, damp, cold and hard to heat houses?? The sun did shine during the day occasionally, but when the sun went down at about 4pm it was freezing. maybe the years we were there were unusually bad, but I actually craved central heating and carpets!!
> 
> That said I'm planning to rent for the winter this year, simply cos its the only chance I can get to be in Spain and I'm hoping it wont be as bad.... oh and we've chosen a warm house carefully!!!
> 
> Jo xxx


Looking forward to catching up with you when you are here!! We have had two winters here and the first one was pretty bad as the villa we were in was not up to the job of staying warm. One log fire was ll we had and the villa was flooded after the first rains. Then the log fire collapsed!! Last winter was exceptionally mild and pretty much rain free throughout. We were still having BBQs throughout December and our last beach visit was mid January. After that it got colder until around mid April when the BBQ was dusted off.

We live near Nerja, Frigiliana and Torrox. There is a thriving ex-pat community in Nerja of all age groups so you might want to have a look around here too. Many folk winter here from UK with stays from 3 - 9 months quite common. Autumn, which doesn't really seem to exist here is our favourite time of year as is early Spring. But after this scorcher of a summer we are really looking forward to some cold weather. Never thought I would ever say that.


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

thrax said:


> Looking forward to catching up with you when you are here!! We have had two winters here and the first one was pretty bad as the villa we were in was not up to the job of staying warm. One log fire was ll we had and the villa was flooded after the first rains. Then the log fire collapsed!! Last winter was exceptionally mild and pretty much rain free throughout. We were still having BBQs throughout December and our last beach visit was mid January. After that it got colder until around mid April when the BBQ was dusted off.
> 
> We live near Nerja, Frigiliana and Torrox. There is a thriving ex-pat community in Nerja of all age groups so you might want to have a look around here too. Many folk winter here from UK with stays from 3 - 9 months quite common. Autumn, which doesn't really seem to exist here is our favourite time of year as is early Spring. But after this scorcher of a summer we are really looking forward to some cold weather. Never thought I would ever say that.


Yes, we must meet up. We stayed in Nerja last winter and it was great
Jo xxx


----------



## tarot650 (Sep 30, 2007)

Real Nightmare in Spain said:


> Thanks for your posting.
> I take on board your comments for extensive research and after 3 and a half years, even appearing on A Place in the Sun TV programme and gleaning information there, that still didn't help me spot the pitfalls that were cleaverly placed in my path.......indeed, for that I do blame myself, however, I would politely redirect you to read AUAN's website and even websearch Corruption in Spain and you will actually see there are more people unhappy than you might realise.
> As for your feelings of contentment, I am sincerely happy for you, it is nice to hear that it is working in Spain for someone and I really do wish you continued happiness here in Spain.
> Regards RNiS.


A Place In The SunIn my honest opinion is one of the worst programs ever made although I know a lot of people will disagree with me.Yes a vast ammount of people did buy through this program and a vast ammount just wanted the publicity of being on TV and it really used to get my back up when some of these people were shown Spanish properties and they would rip them to pieces and these were peoples homes they were talking about and when you think a vast majority of these properties were shown in summer. and some of the rural retreats they were shown,the mind boggles.Sadly we knew a Yorkshire couple who bought a Finca on the outskirts of a village with their dream of it being a B and B for walkers,Artists or Cyclists and I have to admit it was a nice Finca which just needed a little TLC.The biggest mistake this couple had was not having one word of Spanish in their vocabulary.The couples names were Joss ad Jean from Huddersfield.They had only been in the Finca for three months when Joss collapsed in the bathroom with a heart attack.Sadly it was some two to three hours later before she could get help.The only really true program I saw I think it was called Living The Dream I might be wrong but it gave the really true aspect of living here not the glossed over versions put out by Sky.Anybody who is thinking of moving out to the rural parts of Spain please,please get some Spanish under your belt and make sure you know where the local health centre is and all the emergency numbers as even all of us in the best of health never know when we will need assistance.


----------

