Ariving on flight blah blah

Hi everyone, after many years of thinking, and the benefit of a relative moving to the costa blanca, we have decided to take the leap and move down to spain.

So the plan is to bring my wife, our 8 year old daughter and 6 year old son to the Orihuela area.

Im a web developer, and IT Contractor, ill be retaining a certain amount of online work from the uk, and will offer my services on a self employed basis.

My wife is a Lecturer in Beauty, and plans on starting a small mobile beauty therapy business.

We want to put the children into one of the local spanish schools, and would appreciate any advice on the local schools around San Miguel.

Anyway this is just to say hi and im looking forward to getting down to sort the legallities and school out before the summer gets here.

Craig

Craig

Like many others before you, if you really work at it and become part of the Spanish community as well as the expat ,you will then be on the road to a great life style

Just by putting your children into a Spanish School means you will meet the locals

Being able to work remotely is a big plus and it is best if you can if you learn Spanish

There are many courses, I am using the Open University- a bit expensive but very good material and teaching facilities with internet tutorials etc ..worth looking at anyway

Are you going to buy or rent?

If buying and you need a mortgage then think about getting your mortgage before you give up your UK jobs.....in Spain like UK if you have not got a job or just become self employed it is not easy to get a mortgage.....more difficult now that before the recession

Most agents you buy from can help you with all the bits and peices of becoming resident in Spain as part of the service

Also if you are buying now is probably the best time for 20 years to be a buyer!!......good deals available on good property

Good luck 

Thanks for the reply, your right integrating is the key i think, after all no man is an island...

i think at this point we will rent for a year, our capital is tied up in our uk property, and we all know nothing is going to change here in the uk, for at least a couple of years, our mortgage is at an all time low, so i think it actually helps as we know we can more than cover the mortgage by the rental income.

we figure we rent for a year in spain and re-assess the situation then.

work wise, i think we both know, its not a holiday, and we need to pay the bills, we just think it maybe a more relaxed way of life, and now is the right time for the kids.

 By the way i just had a look at your website, very nice, who did it for you..?

Craig

Hi Craig, welcome to EOS.  For the area you're looking in try contacting Georgia (real name Shaun!) here on EOS.  He's a local agent in this area with an excellent reputation and would be very helpful.  Good luck with your search!

Hi Craig

Have you also joined the dedicated San Miguel forum, just Google 'San Miguel forum', it'll be invaluable to you.

It's pretty local to us & I use it for all local knowledge, look at their main site too, excellent.

http://www.san-miguel-de-salinas.com/

ive not looked at the other site yet, but i will do..

we may need to come down next week, to have a look at rentals,

and have a meeting about some work for mrs cako... oh and to see the school

Craig

Hi Craig - I hope you like San Miguel - it is in a great location, being close to the coast but having the benefits of a real Spanish town.  You should find rentals are easily available and have come down in price recently. 

This area is great for families - I spent Friday at the amazing Medieval Market in Orihuela and today at the Mardi Gras parade in Torrevieja - not bad for off season activities!  The spanish really know how to have a good time and everything is geared to the whole family, unlike the UK where you often feel that kids are barely tolerated!

My art teacher has a child in school at San Miguel and she is very happy with the service they provide.

I'm not sure if San Miguel is the same as Orihuela Costa (we're just down the road from San MIguel) but here you need your NIE numbers and be on the Padron to register a child in school.  You need a rental contract to sign on the Padron.  Fairly simple processes, but time consuming, and remember to bring photocopies of all your documents as the local authorities won't take copies of anything for you.

Hope it all goes smoothly for you and just ask if there is anything you want to check out.

Hi all again, i was wondering if anyone had experience of La Herrada in los montisenos.

Also any opinion on the primary school in los montisenos.

Craig