Hello from sunny Scarborough

Hello, I have just joined this forum and hope to now have access to loads of information and advice!!

Me and hubby have been holidaying in the Costa Blanca region recently and have decided that we would like to look into buying a holiday home there where we can spend the winter months (and following recent lovely english summer weather, maybe the summer months too!)

We have loads and loads of questions and are really interested to hear about other people's experiences, so hopefully we can get to know some people on this forum and "pick their brains" (what an awful expression!)

We are coming back to the Costa Blanca in September and hope to have a good look around then to see which areas we would like to concentrate on for house hunting.

About us - Ken is retired and enjoys photography and fishing (not at the same time!) and i have loads of years of work in front of me yet (worst luck!)  and i like to socialise and meet people. 

All advice about looking for a home in Spain will be gratefully received.

thanks
AuntieEm (i have my very own ruby slippers you know)

Hi Auntie Em,

Welcome to the forum. We are a bit further south on the Mar Menor.  Ask away. 

oooh can i borrow your ruby slippers ... pleeeeeeeeeease!  (they would make a fine avatar)

Well, i have been reading lots on this forum - its very helpful.  I was concerned about healthcare as Ken has a heart problem (and is generally falling to bits!) but as we are not planning to stay for longer than 3 - 4 months a year for the first few years at least I recon that we will be covered by E111 for emergency treatment and we will take out holiday type insurance too i recon - does that sound right?

I would be very interested to hear about what its like to live in the area.  I also had some concerns about leaving you house empty for long periods of time and wondered if anyone had any advice about that.  Also because we are not going to be living permanently in Spain is there any advice about where we should think of buying and what type of property - eg although i would prefer a house would an apartment be better because there is more likely to be other people around even when we are not.

If we are only staying a few months can be bring a vehicle from the UK and do we need to register or tax it in any way in Spain?

Oh so many questions!!!! Thats a start anyway - I hope you havent lost the will to live reading through this lot!!

Thanks for listening

Auntie Em x

Here's my thoughts on your questions.

Heathcare - No need to worry as any problems will be sorted under your E111 first as emergency treatment, anything else would be covered under your holiday insurance - just ensure that you mention his excisting problem.

You'll need to check about the amount of time you intend to stay in Spain as currently if you are out of the country for more than 3 months you are no longer entitled to National Health in UK.

Where to live - I live in Spain for a total of 3 months of the year and mainly visit in winter for 2 to 3 weeks each visit.  I fly out and rent a car each time.

I bought a resale on a urbinisation in Torrevieja, I have English neighbours each side who water my pot plants and generally keep an eye on the property for me.  When I go out the area is quiet as the majority of homes are owned by Madridleanos but in August it's a different story.

If you buy a resale then you should be able to see how the other homes are occupied, I spoke to someone recently who was moving as they didn't like the area they had bought off-plan as when they moved in most of the homes were holiday homes.

I have a house but whatever you buy take in to account the community fees and what you get for them.  Ours are 120 euros a year some can be 10 times that amount.  Our annual cost works out around £1k a year for Electric, Aqua. Phone, Suma, Community Fees, annual taxes and English TV.

I do get a problem with damp in one of the bedrooms but I think that is due to ventilation and when I'm there I keep the shutters closed and window open in that room.

I use Space Bags for storage of clothes and bedding.  When I leave I make sure the wardrobe doors are open for ventilation and leave one window open behind the shutters at the top of the house.

I've been told that empty homes are not usually targetted by burglars as they are mainly looking for Passports, money and credit cards.

Car - an English car can be used in Spain for 6 months in a year so you would be ok, although one thing to bear in mind is that with English plates you could be targetted by some of the unsavoury people around.  Just ensure when you're coming over that you are up-todate with all the latest scams around.  Read the english papers on-line, the letter pages are quite good.

When you hire cars you should always take any stickers off before you leave the airport.

Zena

thanks very much for taking the time to reply

we will bear all your advice in mind.

Would you say there are any areas around torrevieja that you would give a wide-bearth when looking for a place?

thanks

Auntie Em

Hi Aunty Em,

Welcome to EOS

My Dad was born in Scarborough, lovely area.........................

We own in Playa Flamenca which is just outside Torreveija.

The only area I would say to avoid buying in, and I will more than likely get slated for this, is La Marina.

It is one of the largest urbanisations in Europe, has lots of problems with crime, is near a land fill site and has weekly quarry blasting! The properties are also hard to re-sell. sorry anyone who owns there and loves it, just my opinion of the knowledge I have of it.

I agree with all that Zena has posted, very good post with sound advice.

Good luck Auntie Em!

Kind regards,

Hello again, although I have owned a house in Torrevieja since Oct 2003 I wouldn't claim to be an expert on the area.  I can only pass on information I have gleamed from the newspapers and what has been passed on through my neighbour who has lived in spain for nearly 20 years.

It would appear that there are problems on the Torretas (paper) and on Lago Jardin 1 (neighbour).

You haven't said where you will be staying in September or where you have been before in the Costa Blanca, it might help others to suggest areas to visit.  Also what are you looking for in a holiday home?

It's a buyers market out there so choose wisely, once you narrow down your search why not rent in the area before you commit to buy.

Zena

thanks again Fibby and Zena

I knew i would be glad i joined this forum!!

We will be in Quesada in September (Dona Pepa 2) and thats where we have been based before.  We have vistied most of the places along the coast from Terrevieja to Alicante (usually on market day so we can have a morning of shopping and an afternoon/evening of exploring!)

We just found most places we went very friendly (although whether that was because we had our happy tourist faces on and we not making too many demands i dont know LOL)

Because of Ken's health - which is not bad but i worry - I would like to be within easy travelling distance from a good hospital and facilities where English is spoken - although my Spanish is getting better, but i recon if i was stressed out then my Spanish might be non existent or decidedly dodgy!

If we were coming to live full time we would have chosen somewhere more inland and scenic and slightly more remote, but because we are just coming for holidays (for a few  years at least) we would buy nearer the coast in a more urban area.  We might also try to rent out when we are not there, although that is not a neccesity, but it would be easier to do in an area where people want to holiday and has facilities for holidaymakers nearby.

For us we just want to be in a friendly area where we will have the opportunity to socialise, both with the Spanish and the ex-pat communities.

Gosh - another long epistle.

Thanks for all your advice - please keep it coming!

Auntie Em

The area you visit at Dona Pepa 2 is a good area to start.  It is a nice, residential area and not too far from the hospitals you say you want to be near.  The Torrevieja hospital (public) is not far and the San Jaime (private) is even closer.

You are, however, far enough away to avoid the noise and pitfalls of Torrevieja itself but close enough to get in to the restaurants and shopping.  Guardamar and Elche are also quite close.

South of Torrevieja near San Pedro is also a nice area as is Los Altos if you want to be closer to the public hospital. 

There are other forums which deal exclusively with these areas, there is one that deals purely with Quesada, for example.  It's not as lively or busy as this forum (which is brill, by the way) but it does give a few inputs into living there.  I'm sure you already know there are several dealing with Torrevieja.  You must, however, take them all with a pinch of salt as it is usually only people with problems who tend to post. 

Enjoy and hope we can help you further with any questions you might have.

We're just along the road from Dona Pepa 2 & we'll be out in September too for a holiday. My husband loves river fishing though hasn't been in years but would likely take it up in Spain after he retires in March & we can relocate. (We're currently non residents living in the UK.) We have friends living permanently at Benimar2 outside Benijofar & the husband goes river fishing so they'll go together. I used to work at a photographers when I left school & loved it. I processed & printed both B/W & colour photographs.

I just know you'll meet great new friends on the forum. I've made many & we've actually met quite a number too, including Georgia & Gillespie, both estate agents. Georgia's in Guardamar & Gillespie's in Puerto de Mazarron. We saw Gillespie when he visited Georgia on the same day we did. What great guys they are. We've met Gina (Candyfloss) & her husband & Trish & John, who post as JPD. We've also met Tina (Tinasolera or Spanish bikini) The information is fantastic in here, you'll learn so much. Enjoy.

WOW! Thanks everyone

I've written everything down - we are so going to enjoy the house hunt!

Can anyone suggest where the best place to go would be to meet up with people socially and get to know about the area and speak to other ex-pats.  I have seen the bowling club at Quesada mentioned elsewhere.  We would love to meet people and get the lowdown first hand!  (I also there's a bit of dancing and general all-round fun going on!!)

thanks

Gina

I have borrowed your lovely ruby slippers - i hope you dont mind, but i couldnt resist.

Love

AUNTIE EM

You sure suit them, Auntie Em.

We have a thread on here for members to post their holiday dates on, should they wish to meet other members in Spain, so if you click on this link which will take you directly to it you can resurrect the thread on behalf of us all.

Click link >>>>>>> WHO'S UP FOR A MEET, POST HERE !

thanks for that

i have posted where you suggested

Ken is getting his fishing gear ready as we speak! 

Auntie Em

Hi Auntie Em

The slippers were for you, glad you got them . Not sure about the area you are looking as i sid we re further south, but any info you need about where we are just ask.

Gina, if Auntie Em & you & yours (do say hi from us won't you ?) are out at the same time as us we can meet at our house, bet you've lost the details

(You didn't really find a nude pic of Brad Pitt, did you ? Send it to me, share & share alike, come on. )

I'm listening to the music on this site http://www.stinalisa.com/   it's so lovely especially the Nostalic section, go listen to some. Click on pictures to take you to pages with many songs on each. Close your eyes & absorb the moment, ooeeer.

we are not arriving until 24th so you will have gone home   ..... unless you decide to stay longer!

Auntie Em

some more lovely ideas ... thanks Pat. 

I am looking forward to visiting all these places and looking at them with fresh eyes (well fresh if there is  not too much wine drinking the night before!) 

thanks

Auntie Em x

Auntie Em

My hubby said his friend, Pete, fishes on the Segura river. Pete says you need a rod licence but he also said it was free,  you just needed to ask for it. I'll find out more in September & let you know before you go over if you remind me .

 Sorry we miss each other September  but we go first week November then for a whopping 23 nights (eat yer heart out, Gina ) over Christmas & New Year.