I dont know where to start, help!

jfj thanks we are going to look at Vera area.

Roberto you have made my night, really looking forward to my holiday now from a murky, wet, dull horrible day here!  Margaretx

Around Vera is great but it is a touch quiet compared with say CDS and CB

I love it and have bought a winter home nearby at Huercal Overa and prices are very competitive....lower than CDS etc

Lots of facilities, schools but working over there is perhaps a matter of ' having a go' but if your plan is to get work from the ex pats then 'if you are in an area where there are a lot of them' then you have more chance 

Many in the area do very well but clearly you have more chance in say Costa Blanca, where there are more expats, than in the Vera area

But if you are good ,it does not matter where you are , you will do well     

Hi,

Welcome, one of the best things you can do, you've done already.   YOU'VE FOUND THIS SITE!!!!!!!!

If you need any advice on Vera, Mojacar or Turre or actually most of Almeria I will try my best to help you.  I noticed on an earlier posting that you are thinking about an international school,  We do have one opening in 2008, so if your little boy was to go there, it seems like it's going to be a great school, but even though I don't have any exp with schools directly, a lot of the Spanish schools around here, have spanish-english classes to help both sets of children understand and converse in each other's language.

I've known this area for nearly eight years and it really is a great area that the Spanish and now some other nationalities have tried to keep to themselves for a while.  We're a friendly bunch and funnily enough I was speaking to a family on Saturday night from Inverness who are thinking about moving over for the same reasons as yourself.

There is a really good show called the proeprty investor show in Glasgow this coming weekend which might also be a good source of infor, lots of different companies. 

 I would also recommend checking a place out under your own steam, that way you'll get a real feel for the area and deal with agencies that are legal  You'll also find that your money goes a lot further around here and I know we don't have flashy shopping centres, but loads of great friendly markets and friendly people.

The only problem that I find about living here as that you'd wish you had done it early!

Good luck and If you need any advice give me a shout.

Regards

SJ

Hi SJ

thanks for your advice...I may take you up on your offer of advice in the near future, I'm very grateful. We have arranged flights and car hire to Alicante beg. february for 3 days to look at areas etc. Hopefully I will have gathered plenty info before then!

gracias Margaretx

Hi Margaret

Bear in mind that Sean who posts as Georgia on here is based on Costa Blanca & may be able to help you with suggested areas & properties.

Have you arranged accommodation yet for February? I know someone who has a 2 bed apartment in Algorfa if you need something sorted out.

Also, we completed on our purchase on Thursday, so as per previous discussions, that is now also available on th costa almeria.

Noreen

Reading through this thread I wondered if you have given any consideration to health care when you are living here permanently in Spain.

In the Valencian region (alicante) then as long as you have a form from the UK saying that you are opting out of UK healthcare you can get register in Spain.

Murcia is supposed to be providing this in the future as well but no news as yet.  Not sure about Almeria or other regions.

This could also be a deciding factor as you are both well below state retirement age.

You would have to pay into a private health scheme, another thing to factor into the cost of moving into another area.

Once your husband is working and paying into the Spanish system you'll be covered, if he goes self employed then you also need to find out how much he will have to pay in.

I don't have any further knowledge personally but maybe others can help you and guide you in the right direction.

There have been reports of couples who retired to Murcia but were 3 years away from state pension, husband had a serious illness and the costs spirralled causing them to loose their dream home in Spain.

Hi Noreen and margaret,

Thanks Noreen it's nice to be thought of.

If you need anymore info Margaret ask away.

Regards

Georgia

]

Semijubilada Hi.

Healthcare is one of the matters which I am going to investigate along with many others. Thanks for that piece of information. Other half thinking about going back and forth to the UK for some time after we move to Spain to work on and off until he manages to get working in Spain. This would provide an income enough as we would have no mortgage, but still need to live etc.

I think I was told by somebody that you are entitled to go back to the UK for the first 2 years after moving for any medical treatment required?

Regards

Margaret

Georgia, thanks.

"I think I was told by somebody that you are entitled to go back to the UK for the first 2 years after moving for any medical treatment required?"

Check that one out carefully. If you become resident in Spain, you will no longer be resident in the UK, therefore not entitled to free healthcare. (If you live more than 183 days a year in Spain, strictly speaking, you are a resident and should register as such). Of course, if you choose to remain registered with your GP in the UK, no probs, but then you can't really apply for the E106 to transfer your benefits to Spain. One or the other.

Trawl through the threads on Healthcare in Spain, and especially the posts by Bobaol - loads of useful info there.

Hi Roberto! thanks

Some fantastic weather in Torremolinos last week, back with a great colour (won't last long here though).  Margaretx

I read that if you are out of the country for 3 months then you are no longer entitled to the National Health.  When you return to the UK you will have to wait 6 months before you would be entitled to use the National Health service.  These new rules were being revised as they were unfair on the pensioners who may want to winter in Spain for longer that 3 months.

Maybe that's why you have to give API information each time you leave the country, when you return your passport is swiped at Border Control.  Big Brother could now be watching you.

Reports say that something has to be done about the abuse of the National Health system in the UK and in Spain.

Some people are using a EH1C (E111) instead of applying for Residencia in Spain.

I think the API is more to do with security after the Madrid bombings, but who knows? I think it's only Spain implementing it so far?

The EHIC is only good for emergency treatment, so not much use if you want a flu jab or something to treat a case of Benidorm Belly!

Hi all,

May possibly have a sale on my house! woo hoo! I have 2 kids ages 11 and 3 and had MANY troubles on Forums listening to debates on State School V Private. The area we are going to CB south (playa flamenca) is extremely full of british Expats, although when we first went out to imagine living there, i still got a bit of culture shock!  WE are going the state route simply because I want my kids to learn the language and culture as soon as they can to make the whole transition easier, although it will be hard in the start. I have a friend there whose daughter attends Playa Flamenca Primary and there are only 5 spanish kids in her class of 26.. She has made lots of friends and she could not speak a word of spanish when her parents put here in there..although Katy is learning VERY well and I am extremely proud of how well she is  learning the language.

Unfortunatly, I felt easier in a more british Area to start off with as I felt it would make the transition easier for us if we had more english spoken people around us so the area we have chosen is perfect for that, then once we are all more comfortable with the spanish way, we may move further inland, as I love to be in the country!

the last year has been a nightmare, I have been glued to this computer, and totally neglected my kids and cats and friends as all I could think about was my new life in spain. Its been so worth it, we now have house on market, we have paid deposit for a 6 month rental on our Villa, which is detatched, 3 bed own pool 700e per month all in, bills and everything! woo hoo.  I am so excited!  Thanks AGAIN EOS for all your help, you have def helped me with some very difficult decisions! Hope Margaret has the same treatment as I am sure she will!!

Sarah