# Slum areas



## Malcolmcolvic (Apr 4, 2018)

Hello all,
We are looking to buy a property in the Costa del Sol, Almeria, Calida area - not decided exactly where yet.

The question I have tried to ask here before is where are the slum areas?

We are all aware that most cities like here in the UK have slum and no-go areas which everyone knows about, but I have not been able to find a list of areas to avoid in Spain.

Can anyone suggest where to avoid? Also suggested good areas would be very welcome, Thanks


----------



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Just about every town and city will have areas which are regarded as slums. But right next to them will be other areas which are not. In Torre del Mar, on the coast 5km from where I live, there is an area of literally shanty dwellings. On the other side of the main road from them are quite expensive recently built apartment developments. In Vélez-Málaga there is Carabanchel, and on the other side of the road is one of the most expensive urbanisations in the town, La Mata.


----------



## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

Malcolmcolvic said:


> Hello all,
> We are looking to buy a property in the Costa del Sol, Almeria, Calida area - not decided exactly where yet.
> 
> The question I have tried to ask here before is where are the slum areas?
> ...


Malcolm I don't think a list of poverty areas will help you much.

If you decide on the type of property you want and can afford, you simply visit them and make an assessment. Go into a couple of local bars and try the toilets (I'm being serious, it will tell you a lot) and inspect how the people treat the rubbish collection areas. 

There are of course areas of poverty and areas of higher crime, but they are blatantly obvious. If nothing else the property prices will give you a clue. 

And of course there is no rush as a buyer. Do take your time and research any property. Where I live a flat for less than 50K will be in a lower economic area. A flat over 100K will be in a better area. Same applies to houses, villas, whatever.

Anyway good luck with your search and enjoy the experience. You can meet a lot of interesting people of whom you can ask lots of questions.

ps: Lynn beat me to it :spy:


----------



## Malcolmcolvic (Apr 4, 2018)

Thanks for that. 
Before I say this I need to say IB was born and brought up in a council house 50 years ago so am not a 'snob'.

My concern is that it is very clear here in the UK living near a slum makes it much more likely to be a victim of crime carried out by the residents of the slums.

My daughter used to live in a very nice part of south London but was close to Brixton which has police no-go areas drug peddlers etc. and although she did not live there the people in her area were always a target for robberies, rapes, car theft muggings etc.
I don't want to make this mistake in Spain.


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

I think you're more likely to be a victim of crime in an affluent area, particularly if the property is left empty part of the year.

People don't tend to sh1t on their own doorstep.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> I think you're more likely to be a victim of crime in an affluent area, particularly if the property is left empty part of the year.
> 
> People don't tend to sh1t on their own doorstep.


That's how it works in my town.

Rarely do we hear of burglaries in the 'low rent' area, nor in the 'old town', which isn't low rent, but is where the majority of locals live, in old, traditional apartments.

Burglaries tend to happen in the 'posh' urbs on the outskirts, where a majority of properties are holiday homes.


----------



## Malcolmcolvic (Apr 4, 2018)

Thanks for all the info. Our plan is to move permanently to Spain.
Although we only have about £150k we don’t want to make the mistake of buying in ‘crummy’ area.
There are many examples here in the UK now of areas that most people don’t want to be near.
I think the best advice we have had is rent for six months and explore.
There seem to be some very nice similar villas that vary considerably in price and they are only a few miles apart – which does make me think the areas must differ wildly.
Almost identical villas in Nerja vary from £90k to £140k, and I have noticed the same in other areas.
I live in Norfolk (UK) and could very quickly list the areas that are ‘undesirable’, I was hoping for a list in Spanish towns. We will drive around for a few months and make our own list, Thanks everyone.


----------



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Malcolmcolvic said:


> Thanks for all the info. Our plan is to move permanently to Spain.
> Although we only have about £150k we don’t want to make the mistake of buying in ‘crummy’ area.
> There are many examples here in the UK now of areas that most people don’t want to be near.
> I think the best advice we have had is rent for six months and explore.
> ...


You must be looking at different property adverts to the ones I see. I live not very far from Nerja and it's rare I see advertisements for 1 bed apartments for €100k, let alone villas.


----------



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Here are the houses (all types) for sale in Nerja on idealista:

https://www.idealista.com/venta-viviendas/nerja-malaga/con-chalets/pagina-4.htm

And by the way, in spite of it being such an expensive area, I have personally been the victim of a crime in Nerja (my purse was stolen from out of my handbag, in the street). Could happen in any busy area, anywhere.

Bag snatching by youths on motos is not unheard of either. Nor is drug dealing.

https://www.diariosur.es/axarquia/guardia-civil-desmantela-20180207234008-nt.html


----------



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Burglaries are far from unheard of either (and the victims in these 18 cases wouldn't have been living close to a "slum" as they took place in rural areas):-


https://www.diariosur.es/axarquia/cuatro-detenidos-robos-20181113104146-nt.html


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

You can gain a lot of information if you go to Google Earth and switch to "Street View" and take a virtual wander around places to see what they look like.


----------

