Ok... I have a list of areas!!

Hello everyone,

My family and I are in the process of looking for areas to live in when we relocate to Spain...

The areas we have been told to consider are;

Rojales
Daya Nueva
San Fulgencio
Villa Martin
La Marina
San Cayetano in Costa Calida
Los Altos
Daya Vieja

Does anyone live or know of these areas or can they point me to any info about them..

We need an area that is quite well contained as we don't drive (too expensive in UK!); good schools (we would prefer Spanish schools so out daughter can mix, she is still only 9mths old), we would like to live in a fairly well mixed community as well.

I have so many more questions but my mind has turned to mush (the baby is teething and driving us mad haha)

Looking forward to your responses,

Sarah + Family

Sarah & family

First of all how will you support yourselves in Spain ? Who is going to try for work ? What qualifications has that person ? Do you speak any Spanish ? Are you planning to rent or buy ? If you don't drive this must be factored in as well. Have you read any posts on this or other forums about these areas ? Ideally you should go on holiday & look around yourselves as what suits one won't suit others. Most of these places are close to each other on the Costa Blanca. However, without a car you're going to be tied.

My husband and I are both self employed and have our own businesses; I am a freelance copywriter and my husband is a web designer. Both of our businesses are obviously web based, so we can take our business anywhere (internet connection permitted).

We need to be somewhere that has a bus service or taxi service available and shops etc in walking distance or easy to get to at least...

We are planning on buying not renting.

We don't mind being tied as long as there are some ways of getting around and about without a car...

Sarah

Hi Sarah and family..............................the bus service here is pretty grim, at least around playa Flamence, Villa Martin and Los Altos!! The problem is really that buses do not run around the urbanisarions so you have a fair way to walk to catch one and their timetable leaves much to be desired mainly because of the vast amounts of traffic on the 332 which is one of the main roads!! They are widening this road but it's gonna take some time to complete.

Personally, I think Both Villa Martin and Los Altos are a bit 'out' of it especially for schools and medical stuff. Rojales is nice, but I don't know about schools there. I am in Playa Flamenca, which has it all, but it's not to everyones taste of course.

It would be a good idea to treat yourselves to a couple of weeks holiday in one of the areas you've mentioned and take a look at the other areas. There are lots of taxi firms and I know of at least two people ( not me!!) who would run you about without bancrupting you!!

Good luck with what you're doing, let us know how you get on.

Hi, thanks for replying so quickly

What is Playa Flamenca like for amenities, schools etc?

Sarah

Rojales could be a good place. It's quite extensive & next to Formentera, where many members have bought too. We have friends living in Benimar on the outskirts of Benijofar & it's easy to walk from Rojales into Benijofar, another lovely Spanish town with much of everything I think you'd need/want as well as Rojales. It's chokka with shops/bars/restaurants & mixture of people.

Here's a map showing Rojales, Benijofar & Formentera. Our property is just above the Salines de la Mata (salt lake).

Playa Flamenca has Karen too, don't forget .  

Sarah, Karen & I met on this forum then met in Spain & have a good friendship.  

Inbetween you being the President's missus, quiz mistress, running the slimming club & calming me down  you've no time for babies, Karen !

I think Sarah, you should go over & rent somewhere for a holiday as it's too important not to get this right. Without good transport links it's not going to be too easy to get around but you could contact "Georgia" (estate agent for RightMove Espana in Guardamar & a great guy who is a friend & posts on EOS regularly) & he would likely show you different areas. He usually advises people to rent first if that's possible so they have lots of time whilst living there in which to look around. He has been in Spain a few years & has a young family so knows about infant schools. His 5 yr old daughter goes to Algorfa local Spanish school.

What you advertising Karensun?

If you ain't got it, I can bring it next time I come sweetness  

Big hugs fluffy..........................

lot's to think about there, thankyou for all your answers :D

Although Playa Flamenca is sounding promising with the babysitting and all :P hahaha!!!

Thankyou Pat, yes we intend to come and visit a few areas as we realise that the wrong choice could be a costly mistake and the right choice means we will happy and settled for the rest of our lives! :-)

I'm writing down all these areas as you mention them so I can check them out :D

Thanks everyone! This is so greatly appreciated :-)

Sarah + Family

Hi Sarah, me again  All I see when you put smiley faces are these & I can't think why.

 :D and  :-)

Are you clicking on the smiley face above & adding them or are you typing what I/we see ?

Whoops

I've been shortcutting!! hehe

I would have thought that Los Altos would have been ok, there are 3 supermarkets in the area. Consum, Todo Todo (think it's called something different now) and Mercadonna.

Pick the right spot and you're near to the bus service which goes into Torrevieja.  From the terminus there you can get buses going in all directions.

Or why not go native and move into the town itself.  Rent/buy a flat and sample all the good things which Spain offers. 

If you don't want to get a car then I would have thought this would be the best option, it has a very good local bus service which is free to those registered on the Padron.

Other than that what about looking for somewhere nearer to the train stations inland, that way you can get about using those excellant services.

Not available nearer to the coast but we live in hope that something will be soon.

Hi Sarah

Not driving means that you have to have good public services on your doorstep and it is quite good and cheap in Spain...it wont be all that long before most of the country is covered by their high Speed train and the trip tp Madrid will be circa 2 1/2 hours- It is planned to connect to the French one

You will be able to find a nice mixed community which is not dominated by holiday homes and Spanish Schools are very good

With your daughter being 9 months she will grow up in a children friendly environment and will probably be bi lingual before she starts school so there will be no mixing problems

You will need to know all about the Spanish system and living permanently and working in Spain, Health service etc

Helping with all these matters are part of our professional service which is provided in conjunction with a Spanish firm who are very experienced

Not easy to make a decision via internet as you really have to go to Spain and be shown around and speak to people on the ground about moving to spend your life in Spain....only after you have done this and have full information can you finaly decide

Good planning is essential for a stress free move

I have responded to your PM

Brian        

Foot in mouth here.

I don't like the Orihuela Costa.  I stayed for two weeks in La Florida and one in Villamartin. They just seemed to be a mass of sprawling estates and if you don't drive, you are stuck in them.

My choice from the suggestions would be Rojales or Almoradi.  Almoradi in particular ticks all your boxes as almost everything you could want is there. It has a lovely, Spanish, bustling atmosphere. Many shops and a superb market every week.

Laury

Yeah, we like the look of Almoradi from what we have seen so far. We think that it will be close to the top of our list!

Sarah