# A bit of forward planning.



## TheStaticRooster (Sep 2, 2012)

Hi to you all out there. Albeit I am still in the UK,indeed in Northumberland having just purchased a 39'x12' static on an 11month site I am seriously considering a static in Spain on the Costa Blanca. This would be a late Autumn through to early Spring escape from the cold wet winters of the UK.
What sort of living is there around the Torrevieja area?. I believe that there is a rather large static & touring site just off the AP7 and north of San Miguel de Salinas,has anyone any knowledge of the site.
What sort of cost are there in buying and living in the area for what is 4 or 5 months of the year?. What are the implications of a long-term shutdown and what will we likely face upon our return?
Would I be better in the long term doing things the other way around and spending more time in Spain and only returning to the UK for the Spring/Summer period?.
I had considered using our 26ft twin axle tourer and doing a bit of site seeing on-route through France after first locating a site that I can stay on long-term. Then take it back to the UK for the Spring and Summer/early Autumn period but the cost of the ferry and diesel is mind-bending.
I am considering close to the coastline area between Alicante & La Manga del Mar Menor.
I have friends living at San Miguel de Salinas in a large house but my budget will not run that far and at 67yrs old next week I am not overly keen on solid construction and all that it entails again.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

TheStaticRooster said:


> Hi to you all out there. Albeit I am still in the UK,indeed in Northumberland having just purchased a 39'x12' static on an 11month site I am seriously considering a static in Spain on the Costa Blanca. This would be a late Autumn through to early Spring escape from the cold wet winters of the UK.
> What sort of living is there around the Torrevieja area?. I believe that there is a rather large static & touring site just off the AP7 and north of San Miguel de Salinas,has anyone any knowledge of the site.
> What sort of cost are there in buying and living in the area for what is 4 or 5 months of the year?. What are the implications of a long-term shutdown and what will we likely face upon our return?
> Would I be better in the long term doing things the other way around and spending more time in Spain and only returning to the UK for the Spring/Summer period?.
> ...


So many questions 
I dont think many on here have experience of caravan / static living.
What is the twin axle tourer? Do you mean a motorhome, or a towed van


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Stravinsky said:


> So many questions
> I dont think many on here have experience of caravan / static living.
> What is the twin axle tourer? Do you mean a motorhome, or a towed van


I have several friends who live on a static site here in Jávea

they love it & wouldn't live anywhere else - it has great facilities, including a clubhouse & a massive swimming pool & facilities for kids too


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

I have a friend who lives in San Miguel de Salinas, who was trying to sell his park home/static


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## TheStaticRooster (Sep 2, 2012)

Stravinsky said:


> So many questions
> I dont think many on here have experience of caravan / static living.
> What is the twin axle tourer? Do you mean a motorhome, or a towed van


Hi Stravinsky. Thank you for your reply but I am puzzled by it!!. Am I now of the understanding that most people that become Expats and live in Spain are living in regular homes/villa style properties and very few actually live long term or 'Holiday' long-term in a static or even a very large tourer sited in/on a caravan park?
My tourer is a 26ft Twin Axle 2001 Elddis Crusader SuperSirocco. It is a fixed bed model with a full width rear washroom/loo/shower area.
The site that I was referring to just off the AP7 is Camping Florantiles.


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

TheStaticRooster said:


> Hi Stravinsky. Thank you for your reply but I am puzzled by it!!. Am I now of the understanding that most people that become Expats and live in Spain are living in regular homes/villa style properties and very few actually live long term or 'Holiday' long-term in a static or even a very large tourer sited in/on a caravan park?
> My tourer is a 26ft Twin Axle 2001 Elddis Crusader SuperSirocco. It is a fixed bed model with a full width rear washroom/loo/shower area.
> The site that I was referring to just off the AP7 is Camping Florantiles.


Yes, it's probably fair to say most expats live in houses rather than caravans, just as they do in the UK.


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## Jumar (Mar 14, 2012)

All I can say, having had some bad experiences with so called mobile home parks in Spain, is do your research well. Many parks set up on the back of the property bubble and did so without any Town Hall permissions. If you want to buy a mobile home, visit the site and speak to the people living there and then ask the Town Hall if the park is legal. Most (if not all) mobile homes are bought without using a lawyer as no paperwork is necessary , except for a yearly contract from the site. Site conditions can change after each yearly contract has expired so be very careful. If you want any further details, please pm me.


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## TheStaticRooster (Sep 2, 2012)

jaws101 said:


> All I can say, having had some bad experiences with so called mobile home parks in Spain, is do your research well. Many parks set up on the back of the property bubble and did so without any Town Hall permissions. If you want to buy a mobile home, visit the site and speak to the people living there and then ask the Town Hall if the park is legal. Most (if not all) mobile homes are bought without using a lawyer as no paperwork is necessary , except for a yearly contract from the site. Site conditions can change after each yearly contract has expired so be very careful. If you want any further details, please pm me.


Hi jaws. Thank you for your reply and advice. I will certainly exercise extreme caution before taking the plunge.I have seen a fair few of these 'On Private Land' statics for sale and plots for rent in the region that I am most interested in going to.
The printed promises of fairness and stability of costs is well embellished in the adverts that I have seen.


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## Silver haired Surfer (Sep 18, 2012)

*Site at San Miguel de salinas*



TheStaticRooster said:


> Hi to you all out there. Albeit I am still in the UK,indeed in Northumberland having just purchased a 39'x12' static on an 11month site I am seriously considering a static in Spain on the Costa Blanca. This would be a late Autumn through to early Spring escape from the cold wet winters of the UK.
> What sort of living is there around the Torrevieja area?. I believe that there is a rather large static & touring site just off the AP7 and north of San Miguel de Salinas,has anyone any knowledge of the site.
> What sort of cost are there in buying and living in the area for what is 4 or 5 months of the year?. What are the implications of a long-term shutdown and what will we likely face upon our return?
> Would I be better in the long term doing things the other way around and spending more time in Spain and only returning to the UK for the Spring/Summer period?.
> ...


Hi Static Rooster,
I have lived in Camping Florentilles since 1997, seen many changes, not least the placing of some two dozen statics over the past few years, but I started with a Baily Senator 9000 twin axle job with end bathroom, at first towed it back and forth but this became a bit much so decided to have one each end of the journey (sold up in 1997) so no property to worry about. At the moment site fees are around Eros 210 a month, both water and electric are by meter, broadband is on the site at 20 per month but you can have it by day or the week.
We now have an apartment in San Miguel de Salinas, and static in Florentilles I found towing a bit of a handful at 78 years but this is a good part of the world to end up, I think you best thoughts would be to spend most of your time here and summer in the UK when it gets a little warm here. Hope this information will be of some use to you.


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## TheStaticRooster (Sep 2, 2012)

Silver haired Surfer said:


> Hi Static Rooster,
> I have lived in Camping Florentilles since 1997, seen many changes, not least the placing of some two dozen statics over the past few years, but I started with a Baily Senator 9000 twin axle job with end bathroom, at first towed it back and forth but this became a bit much so decided to have one each end of the journey (sold up in 1997) so no property to worry about. At the moment site fees are around Eros 210 a month, both water and electric are by meter, broadband is on the site at 20 per month but you can have it by day or the week.
> We now have an apartment in San Miguel de Salinas, and static in Florentilles I found towing a bit of a handful at 78 years but this is a good part of the world to end up, I think you best thoughts would be to spend most of your time here and summer in the UK when it gets a little warm here. Hope this information will be of some use to you.



ShS. Thank you for your rather informative reply. The ideas of staying in Spain and particularly in the San Miguel de Salinas area are in our heads at present.
The figures that you quote are give or take what I am budgeting at present. You don't however mention gas/LPG.
Our present site fees are £1800.00 (11month licence with Feb shut-down) + Electric billed on a 6monthly basis and at 10.46p/unit,the gas is £60.00 per large bottle and water is unrestricted free flow.
We are intending riding out this year on this site but will likely visit your area in the early/mid Summer of 2013 for some decision making.
I have a friend and his wife living in the Blue Lagoon area of San Miguel de Salinas,it was our first visit over to them that fired me up about going the whole hog,but my house took 4+yrs to sell and dipped £35,000.00 by which time Spain (Costa Blanca) was becoming a little less of a possibility. Then it sold and all of the balls were in the air and nothing nailed down. This site became 'Hobsons Choice'.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Have you looked at renting an apartment instead? I doubt it would cost you anymore than a static, there seem to be a lot going for about €250 - €300 a month.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

TheStaticRooster said:


> Hi Stravinsky. Thank you for your reply but I am puzzled by it!!. Am I now of the understanding that most people that become Expats and live in Spain are living in regular homes/villa style properties and very few actually live long term or 'Holiday' long-term in a static or even a very large tourer sited in/on a caravan park?
> .



I think most of us live in regular homes/villas/apartments...

I don't think I could live in a mobile home/caravan and certainly not on a park -I love peace and privacy. But I sometimes envy the freedom that living in a mobile home/campervan allows....


Born to be not very wild, I guess...


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## TheStaticRooster (Sep 2, 2012)

bob_bob said:


> Have you looked at renting an apartment instead? I doubt it would cost you anymore than a static, there seem to be a lot going for about €250 - €300 a month.


Hi b_b. Yes we have also looked at that option but the immediate disadvantage is that fot the time that we are there we would want our more personal possessions, not least of all our bed. The Hi-Fi and other items would also be wanted. Then during the "leaving period" where would we store them until our return in the late Autumn/early Winter?


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## CampoKid (Mar 29, 2012)

I lived for 2 years in a 29' x 12' static, located on a secluded hillside in the Malaga area. 

It was beautiful during spring & early summer, but a nightmare during the 3-4 month period you are talking about. 

The Spanish winter is dreadful. Cold, wet, & windy. Scary too, when you are awoken to see your caravan walls flexing a good 6 inches in strong wind!

The Spanish summer was unbearable. Even with 50mm wall insulation it was impossible to be inside, especially at night.

The 2-3 month period between it stopping raining and the killer sun arriving was lovely though, just not enough to warrant the other 9 months. 

If you're young and stupid, go for it, but if you want comfort - rent an apartment.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

CampoKid said:


> I lived for 2 years in a 29' x 12' static, located on a secluded hillside in the Malaga area.
> 
> It was beautiful during spring & early summer, but a nightmare during the 3-4 month period you are talking about.
> 
> ...


I rather like those enormous motorhomes - I could imagine living and travelling around in one of those for a while. Some of the huge German ones I've seen look like hotels on wheels. Every mod con imaginable..

I wouldn't fancy driving up a narrow mountain track only to find a dead end and no chance of a U turn, though.
Bad enough in our LandRover....


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## TheStaticRooster (Sep 2, 2012)

Hi CampoKid. Thank you for your input which I have gleaned a great-deal from.
Could it be that no matter where you were sited your caravan was a bit on the short side?
Our current van is 39x12,that is a dig difference when it comes to volume of air being circulated around and cooled. It is also in three separate areas which when/if needed aid in retaining expensive to generate heat.
I was originally warned off going anywhere other than the within a few miles of the coast and the Costa Blanca came up every time as being the most stable climatic area. This is because it has the benefit of its own little Micro Climate.
The further from the coast the higher you go and into the hills,temperatures drop rapidly and can be very unpleasant if heating/power failures occur.
Another thing that I was told is an absolute must is a very good de-humidifier,the type that is a dual action type.
The downside of not having ones own more personal possessions around could be a deciding factor and the added cost of a sited Summer Static/Tourer and a Winter Hidey Hole could be rather costly.


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## TheStaticRooster (Sep 2, 2012)

mrypg9 said:


> I think most of us live in regular homes/villas/apartments...
> 
> I don't think I could live in a mobile home/caravan and certainly not on a park -I love peace and privacy. But I sometimes envy the freedom that living in a mobile home/campervan allows....
> 
> ...



Hi mrypg9. Life is like a Snakes & Ladders compromise. The idea is to keep going upward even if at times a little sideways but at the same time avoiding uncontrolled descents.
Motor-homes are wonderfully expensive to purchase and run and when needing fuel (on a regular basis) they can drain ones pocket unless of course it is someone else's pocket that is providing the funds.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

TheStaticRooster said:


> Hi mrypg9. Life is like a Snakes & Ladders compromise. The idea is to keep going upward even if at times a little sideways but at the same time avoiding uncontrolled descents.
> Motor-homes are wonderfully expensive to purchase and run and when needing fuel (on a regular basis) they can drain ones pocket unless of course it is someone else's pocket that is providing the funds.


Yes, I suspected that. We used to run a couple of repairing garage businesses in the UK and often had those enormous horse boxes and motor homes brought for servicing. We lived in an area with lots of studs and horse racing facilities, near a well-known race course.

Some of those motor homes with horse 'homes'at the rear were simply stupendous. Luxurious was a fitting word. They must have cost £hundreds of thousands to buy and a small fortune to run.

It's just the idea of being able to up sticks and off when you're bored with one place that attracts me.
But then I'm now too old for perpetual motion


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## Silver haired Surfer (Sep 18, 2012)

*Gas*



TheStaticRooster said:


> ShS. Thank you for your rather informative reply. The ideas of staying in Spain and particularly in the San Miguel de Salinas area are in our heads at present.
> The figures that you quote are give or take what I am budgeting at present. You don't however mention gas/LPG.
> Our present site fees are £1800.00 (11month licence with Feb shut-down) + Electric billed on a 6monthly basis and at 10.46p/unit,the gas is £60.00 per large bottle and water is unrestricted free flow.
> We are intending riding out this year on this site but will likely visit your area in the early/mid Summer of 2013 for some decision making.
> I have a friend and his wife living in the Blue Lagoon area of San Miguel de Salinas,it was our first visit over to them that fired me up about going the whole hog,but my house took 4+yrs to sell and dipped £35,000.00 by which time Spain (Costa Blanca) was becoming a little less of a possibility. Then it sold and all of the balls were in the air and nothing nailed down. This site became 'Hobsons Choice'.


Hi, again, I use Propane ( Propano) two bottles at a time for umps when using the central heating in the winter, at he moment it works out to £12 for a 13 Kilo bottle, during the summer for cooking and hot water seems to go on for ever, there is not a problem regarding adaptor for a Caravan they are available from any dealer.hope this answers you questions.


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