# Another 'possible move to Malaga post'



## maria_x (Dec 29, 2010)

Hi

I am new to this forum and have done my best to attempt to research a possible move to the Malaga region. Unfortunately some of the links that I stumbled across, I can’t find again. I appreciate that most of you are busy and do not need to re-iterate on some of the info given out in the past, but I wondered if I could summarise my findings and if anyone can confirm that I am on the right track/fill in some of the blanks. Apologies for the long first post. 

My husband (Pete) and I think we want to leave the UK but as he will continue to work in the UK, we didn’t want to move too far. He needs a good airport to have access to and Malaga is perfect. He will commute over to the UK, on average, a week at a time. I am currently a Paramedic but as my Spanish is rusty I accept that I will not be working initially. I have 3 young boys aged 3,4 and 6.

We see that it is important to rent a property first, to ensure that Spain is right for us and as we sold our UK property last year, and now live in rental here, we thought that we have nothing to lose in moving out sooner rather than later.

Longterm, if we settle, we would want the boys to go into local school but we think that it would be prudent to put them into an international school for the first year. This way, if we do return to the UK after a year they would not have lost out on their education and would fit back into the UK system. We also thought that it would make an initial move over slightly easier and allow us time to integrate them into the Spanish culture and language. I appreciate that I am too late to register the boys into a school for Sep ’11 but ideally we would want to move out from Oct ’11 onwards.

We would ideally rent in an area that, if appropriate, we would eventually buy in. From basic research we are looking at Alhaurin El Grande/Alhaurin de la Torre/Coin ... but we would be open to suggestions. I’d like to be within 45mins of Malaga airport. Although we would like to make friends with English speaking people we would also like to make friends with Spanish locals.

I have picked up from this forum issues with owning a UK registered car but I’d be happy to leave the finer details on that to a later time and concentrate on the more important issues.

When we decided that we may as well rent in Spain rather than UK we realised that if this was to happen we should come on over for a visit. ‘Nannie’ has been enlisted and my hubby and I are coming over in mid May for a few days. We are trying to set up rental properties to visit and also to view some resale properties to give us an idea what we could eventually buy if things worked out well. I have simply done a google search for agencies but I have read that a lot of properties rent out by word of mouth – so any help with this would be great. We are also due to come out on holiday for 3 weeks in the summer. If anyone happens to be free 17-19 May and wouldn't mind meeting for a coffee and chat that would be lovely.

My husband has never lived abroad before and speaks very little Spanish, and is nervous about dragging the family away from the UK. He has some concerns as regard general maintenance of looking after a home and the initial ‘searching for the local ‘Homebase’ or equivalent’ and being understood! He worries because I will be alone for half of the month, but I feel as long as I’ve a tongue in my head, I’ll get by! As he doesn’t speak Spanish he is concerned how he would fit in and be accepted. I think these are natural fears that a person would have.

I read on one thread about a person being upset by their home being damp/cold in the winter, but the replies that came back put my mind at rest, as long as we have a rental home that has heating. But just how cold does it get in a Spanish home during the winter? Also do we need to be looking at rental property that has AC? If we were acclimatised would fans be sufficient during the summer months?

I am sure I’ve got more questions but I’d really appreciate it if anyone can let me know if I’m on the right track and if you think that I’ve looked at the main priorities that need to be considered before moving out.

Thanks
Maria


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I havent got the time to answer your post right now - but you are me three years ago!!!!! We moved to Alhaurin de la Torre cos its near the airport and a lovely town, altho not so many British, El Grande is close - ish and has a lot of British, but is sadly losing alot of them due to the economic crisis and Coin isnt close to the airport, altho there is a new road being built???

I'll answer you more thoroughly tomorrow, when I have more time, I'm also more than happy to meet up and have a good chat about the pros and cons of being a "single parent" while the OH commutes, and about the cold winters lol!!!! 

Jo xxxx


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## maria_x (Dec 29, 2010)

Hi Jo

Thanks for such a quick reply. I look forward to reading your next one and thanks so much for the time you will give me.

OH? Old Husband?? are we YM? Yummy Mummy? LOL!

Maria
xxx


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

maria_x said:


> Hi Jo
> 
> Thanks for such a quick reply. I look forward to reading your next one and thanks so much for the time you will give me.
> 
> ...



YES OLD HUSBAND LOL actually its other half - But we are definitely "YUMMY MUMMIES"!!! The other irony is that my old husband works in Southampton and we still have a house in Worthing!! Like I say, you are me three years ago 

Jo xxx


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Maria, I don´t think I've ever seen a "possible move to Spain" post as comprehensive and well thought out as yours. 

Please reassure your husband that the Spanish are on your side. They want you to be here! And the British immigrant community will I'm sure do their best to help you settle in.

Winter cold is a shock to a lot of people so look for a house that has south-facing windows so you get winter sun, but with awnings and blinds so you don't cook in summer. Personally I prefer fans to air conditioning and they are an awful lot cheaper to run!


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## mrnkar (Feb 25, 2011)

My OH also works in UK & was in Spain 12 days each month. Unfortunately at the moment we are back in UK dealing with health issues but hope to return soon. I am in my early 50s, on my own as my children are grown up & even although we lived in the small village of La Cala de Mijas I loved it. People where so friendly, I never felt lonely or scared & would often just sit on a bench at the beach watching the world go by. I didn't expect the wind or rain to be as bad as they where but like everything you adjust. We still have our house in the U.K. and rented in Spain as we wanted to make sure it was what we truly wanted & glad to say it lived up to our expectations but don't plan to buy here just continue renting. Don't worry about not speaking Spanish, I didn't know a word of it before I came and although now I can speak & understand a little of it, I could easily get by without having to. You are doing the right thing coming over for a few days first to check things out. Good luck & hope it works out.


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## maria_x (Dec 29, 2010)

Well if the response from your kind and patient posts are anything to go by, we would love it out in Spain! :clap2:

I do like to write 'lists' and be thorough about research. It means I end up spending a lot of time on things, which then have to be abandoned. BUT, that is better than ploughing straight into something and then realising that it is not right for the family - we had considered France but inheritance tax would not suit us, but Spain's formula is fine (I do attempt to look into everything!).

So far, Spain has ticked all of the right boxes and the only negatives I've found/read about was the cold in winter. My thought process on that was to simply get a heater? Thanks for the tip about south facing windows and that fans would be adequate in summer. 

I did Spanish A-Level and then was a holiday rep in Lanzarote and Tenerife, then worked for a short haul airline who slipped in Madrid and Barcelona. During this time my Spanish was fantastic. It would be wrong to say fluent, but it was close. Now however, 10 years on I can just about understand the Muzzy DVD's I've started the kids watching. I do know though that 6 months of living in Spain and mixing and making myself speak Spanish, rather than rely on english, that my Spanish would be back where it should be. I know that encouraging the kids would result in them speaking Spanish fluently in time. OH has very basic Spanish and is concerned that the amount of time he will spend out of the country, he won't be able to take it further than that. I think he would be able to get conversational.

It is fair to say that Spain is more my idea than the OH, although he is open and happy to come and look, even if it means we only come over for a year to satisfy my curiosity.

As regard area and other suggestions on area that you want to make, our requirments are: We don't mind being slightly rural but with access to amenities. We live next to some pretty noisy neighbours at the moment, so it would be good to have a bit of space between properties. I am not bothered about being close to the sea (maybe half an hour away?), but would like to be able to take the kids to it at times. Private pool is a definite. Min 4 beds, kitchen/lounge/diner (could do 3 beds if there was another room that could be used as a playroom). Within 45 mins of Malaga airport. If I'm only going to put the boys into international school for a year, then we wouldn't necessarily need to live close to one, if we can get a better property if we travel further to school. Distant pretty views would be good, but not necessarily of the sea. We would like to be close to other english speakers so as to build up a social network, but also have the opportunity to be able to mix with locals (although I would plan on putting 3 yr old into a local creche to aid his spanish learning and I may be able to mix with Spanish mum's there?).

I think that probably sounds like everyone's wish list when they first came over!

As regard being a single parent, that isn't really an issue. OH is a pilot and starts his work in the UK but then flies off longhaul for 3-6 days. So even living in the UK I have long periods of time by myself with the kids and having to deal with day to day life, eg, he went off last night and won't be home until Tues night - ah a weekend and another bank hol with 3 kids alone! My family live a 4 hour drive away, we moved here in July and I've slowly made some friends but none that I could rely on with childcare, but it has been great meeting them in the day when the kids have been at school and just having a gossip. When OH is away my life from 1900 is in the house, kids in bed and tv. I can't imagine that would alter much if I was in Spain.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

If you or your OH have no worries about money or employment there should be no problems.
As for the Spanish people wanting us here, though, some do and some don't. Just like in the UK, really. People everywhere in the world aren't homogenous in their opinions and attitudes.
Unemployment in the Malaga area is extremely high and has not declined in spite of the advent of the tourist season. As I drive around I've noticed anti-immigrant and anti-construction graffiti which is a fairly recent phenomenum and may not be widespread.
If you're not seeking employment you should not find any hostility or problems of any kind as Spanish people are on the whole friendly and kind ....apart from the individual who robbed a friend down the road from us last week, that is..


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Ok!! First of all welcome to the forum!

I said previously that you're like I was three years ago - well four actually, we finally moved over, after a fair bit of research just over three years ago. We first moved to a villa in Alhaurin de la Torre, (IMO by far the best of the towns you mentioned) cos it was close to the airport and my OH planned to commute. My children were a bit older than yours (10 - 12 at the time of moving) and we put them into an international school about half an hours drive away. All was well, but then the recession arrived, the exchange rate dropped and OH had to spend more time in the UK to make sure his business weathered the recession ok - which it did. However, the exchange rate dropping did mean that we didnt have as much money - but we moved to a smaller house and my daughter decided she didnt like her international school so we put her into a state school - which she didnt like either (she was/is a difficult young lady at a difficult age - 11 by then)

Anyway, we managed and I've love my life here. We now live on the coast (Benalmadena) - long sorry but the kids are now at an international school down here and there is work available for me here, as I'm not fluent in Spanish and eventually found life in the hills of Alhaurin a bit too slow! Alhaurin de la Torre, is a mainly Spanish town, its affluent, modern, clean and has everything you could possibly need! But for us, in the end, we needed to be near somewhere for me to work and to be close to the kids new school

You're doing the best thing by coming over to visit. I have some friends who are letting agents and can help you in the Alhaurin area. They can give you the "low down" on the schools in the area, properties etc. International wise, there is only one up that way - in Cartama, Sunlands, the one my children went to - I took them out as the school wasnt heading in the right direction (read that how you will!!!!!), altho its just been bought out and it may pick up??? - as I say my children were older, so it maybe ok for younger ones. There is another good school close to De la Torre, Colegio MIT - Colegio bilingüe MIT which is fairly new but has good reports so far!!!

theres so much I want to say that meeting up would be a brilliant idea. I also know a few other people who have children of similar ages, who's husbands commute - one of whom used to come on the forum!! So I could introduce you to some of them

As for husband commuting, well for me I initially found that we saw more of him cos he'd be here alot and, unlike the UK was "here" instead of working six days a week, leaving early, getting home late....!! But the recession changed that and now he's only here for a week or so a month - hard when the kids are being "teenagers" lol!! But on the whole, its not a problem. The first time he went and left me here on my own, I( was terrified, but it was ok and I'm now used to it, its safe and its not a problem, altho I do miss him - if only cos its reassuring to have another adult in the house - especially when theres a big spider!!

Anyway, you sound like you're thinking it thru sensibly, you have a bit of language behind you (altho Andalucian is a strange corruption of spanish lol) and you're used to having a disappearing OH!!! So I recommend you come over, rent a place for a year and give it a go!!! I also recommend that we meet up when you're here for your visit - theres a great ice cream place in Alhaurin de la Torre that I just need an excuse to visit!!!!

BTW, my husbands UK business is in Southampton!!!

Jo xxx


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## maria_x (Dec 29, 2010)

I've just emailed the bilingual school for their price list. I had already calculated costs at Sunlands when I had performed a search on international school costs (hence how I worked out I could only put the older 2 in!). I like the idea of the bilingual school as the boys would at least start to learn the language properly from the start. I would probably go with the notion that if it was a similar price, that would be my preference. However, for the sake of a year I am sure Sunlands would be more than adequate for a reception and yr2 child ???

I texted OH for when he landed to say just how helpful everyone had been and sent him this link to read. It would be great to meet up Jo and also with whoever you think would want to. Ice cream sounds fab! I don't know how far you are from Alhaurin de la Torre but we are staying at Grangefield Oasis Club - Urb.Riviera del Sol, Calle Topacio s/n, 29649 Mijas Costa, if there was anywhere closer/nicer that you wanted to recommend?

We have a car, we will travel!

I've just started making links of villas in Alhaurin de la Torre. Do estate agents only have access to what is on their books, or would your friends be able to represent other villas that I have found on other sites? I know in Canada an agent has access to all and you choose your agent, rather than trawl through different agencies. If they can then I'd be more than happy to get in touch with them.

Also, you say that Alhaurin de la Torre was the best town from my list. Even though I do not have to work initially, I can see that longterm I would be demented just staying home. I appreciate that work can be difficult to come across and low paid but would you have any other towns that you would recommend I look at for rental? 

I am also aware that I can't send you a pm until I've posted 5 times! 

I have to say that I've just looked at Alcalaina's blog and your info on retiring to Spain and the formalities that have to be registered etc is very useful, thanks. I've bookmarked it!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

maria_x said:


> I've just emailed the bilingual school for their price list. I had already calculated costs at Sunlands when I had performed a search on international school costs (hence how I worked out I could only put the older 2 in!). I like the idea of the bilingual school as the boys would at least start to learn the language properly from the start. I would probably go with the notion that if it was a similar price, that would be my preference. However, for the sake of a year I am sure Sunlands would be more than adequate for a reception and yr2 child ???
> 
> I texted OH for when he landed to say just how helpful everyone had been and sent him this link to read. It would be great to meet up Jo and also with whoever you think would want to. Ice cream sounds fab! I don't know how far you are from Alhaurin de la Torre but we are staying at Grangefield Oasis Club - Urb.Riviera del Sol, Calle Topacio s/n, 29649 Mijas Costa, if there was anywhere closer/nicer that you wanted to recommend?
> 
> ...


Mijas costa is closer to me that Alhaurin de la Torre, so we could meet up down here and I could get some friends to come along too (Lynn, Natalie from the forum and Yolly??????). So tell me a day that you can be available and we can maybe all meet up, have a coffee and tell you all about it!!! I also know someone who has a little girl at Sunlands who its about time I met up with again!!!

I'm also happy to come with you to Alhaurin de la Torre too as I enjoy going there and maybe we could find "the Hendersons" from the forum who have moved there this weekend (it maybe worth you reading some of their posts. http://www.expatforum.com/expats/members/thehendersons.html - http://www.expatforum.com/expats/search.php?searchid=1135964 It is a really lovely town, it reminded a friend of mine of California, cos its so clean, modern and neat, but it is very Spanish and has the lovely little narrow back streets and the village square etc and Its close to the airport. If you're interested in any of WVS properties then either phone them or e-mail them and speak to Hayley and tell her Jo says to find you something nice lol!!!! They can find things that they havent got on their website. However, I dont want to be seen to advertise them, but they were invaluable when we first moved over - obviously there are other agents there and most of them are good

Jo xxx


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## maria_x (Dec 29, 2010)

Hi Jo

We land on the evening of 16 May and leave evening of 19 May. At this time we have not booked in any viewings so if you can arrange a date/time/place to meet I will arrange viewings around you. Although I see the importance of seeing houses etc, I think what you and your friends will say would prove invaluable.


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## TheHendersons (Feb 22, 2011)

*Hello!*

Hi Ladies

I would love a meet up - just got here yesterday so terribly busy but will send a long reply soon. Maria it sounds like you have everything in hand! and yes Al d l T is such a lovely, lovely place. You are more than welcome to my house for coffee. 

Oh and Jo.. just back from the ice cream shop! was delicious! 

Good luck Maria and shall speak soon!

Sam xx


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

TheHendersons said:


> Hi Ladies
> 
> I would love a meet up - just got here yesterday so terribly busy but will send a long reply soon. Maria it sounds like you have everything in hand! and yes Al d l T is such a lovely, lovely place. You are more than welcome to my house for coffee.
> 
> ...



Glad you got here safe and well!!??? Remember mondays a bank holiday so the shops will be closed - all apart from the rather expensive Opencor - altho if you're desperate ???!!!

Jo xxx


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