Hola Allen
You are doing the right thing in deciding to rent first: as you (and Justin) say, living here is totally different from visiting Spain on holiday, and too many people have made very expensive mistakes. You will find lots of information through Eye on Spain. EOS members have had many different experiences - some bad but the majority seem to have been very good. John and I had a bad experience first time round, as we bought an off-plan property, didn't find out about bank guarantees until after paying the deposit and then, while we were being given endless reasons for the non-appearance of the said guarantee, the developer went into voluntary administration. IF we are lucky we may get some of our money back, but we're not holding our breath!
However our story has a happy ending as we are now living in Jumilla (just over an hour from Alicante) and enjoying our new life here. From our experience, it is cheaper living away from the coast and there is always something happening here, whether it is a local fiesta or a concert in the local theatre or an event involving Jumilla wine!
Good luck with your move and do keep us informed about your progress!
Sue