Insanemoo

Originally Posted by Insanemoo
Hi, My name is Marnie, but I like to be called Moo!
I am happily married to a wonderful man and have 2 lovely teenagers...
I suffer with premature arthritis and as such, have decided we need to head to sunnier climes... yaaay
We haven't even started yet lol.... We thought it might be nice to speak to others who have made the decision to relocate to Spain. We are primarily looking to move to the Alicante area, Valencia and around those areas. We are looking at rural properties in need of some renovation. It would be lovely especially to hear from anybody in these areas as to what it is like? Do they enjoy and even maybe their own stories and experiences...
Any advice would be greatly appreciated...
Many Thanks in advance....

Rosemary

Hi and a warm welcome to the Spanish forum on BE. Myself and Fred James are the moderators for the Spanish forums whilst BEVS moderates Europe. Moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. This is so that members gain the information that they are looking for and find their experiences on the forums to be friendly and worthwhile.

Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderator who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are usually friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge about the issues of living in Spain. I hope that you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

shazzabob

Morning if you have medical needs dont be to far from towns , im doing the same this year

Neptuno

How old are your teenagers?
This could be an important issue re education and employment
Remember, it can be very cold and damp in winter, in Spain

Insanemoo

Hi, they are 15 and 16.... But the hubby is staying in the uk to work and coming out every other weekend and last week in every month.... Hoping to get them into college over there, yet can always stay in uk if not....t was our retirement plan but my back pain cannot wait for another 5 years r so....

Neptuno

Spain won't be a cure for back pain! If you want an even warm temp all year, The canaries are a better bet
Your teenagers-They are at an age when they need you, so is leaving them in the UK ( or do you mean you want them to go to college in Spain?)a good idea? What would they do after college. They are unlikely to find work in Spain.
Have you're researched tax liabilities ,can be complicated if your husband works in UK, yet the centre of his interests is Spain?
Have you considered your health cover?
You can pay into the Spanish NHS after being resident for 1 year, but would need private health cover in the meantime, which probably wouldn't cover your existing health condition, or if they do, would be at high premium.
Have you seen the financial criteria for residency ?
Would you be looking for work in Spain, as it would be highly unlikely that you would get any?
Sorry to sound negative, but moving to Spain is a huge issue, with much to research!

G-Diffy

we are on the Costa del Sol and have to say that the winter climate is a lot less beneficial to joint and muscle ailments than we expected. Canaries is a good shout.

Countryboy1

Just some points from the experience of two couple who moved to Spain. I will example one couple who moved from the UK to a rural part of Spain in the Alicante region. Both their experiences were very similar.
They wanted a "project" to renovate an old property. Firstly there was no running water and no electricity supply! Water was brought to the property in tankers and they bought a generator.
I will summarise from here. They are now back in the UK as firstly the female of the couple was very nervous about being so isolated. It was totally black at night in and around their whole area. Next, for some reason which I don't quite understand, they could not install a shower or bath as there was insufficient power to heat water. Next, the renovation work needed was far more than they had envisaged.
Finally, on the occasions they returned to the UK, on return they found on several occasions that their property had been broken into and items stolen. The generator was stolen as was solar panels they had installed. In the end it all got too much as they were so far away from other people.
I'm not saying this is common, but just warning that the dream of a totally rural retreat and the renovation of an old property can bring huge problems.
It nearly brought their relationship to an end.
Doing research is probably the answer!

Moses2013

As mentioned, weather won't cure back pain and you're already in a sunny part of the country. Don't rush into things and do plenty of research. When you say rural, how rural do you mean and are you keeping a place (own a place) in the UK? Some people can live anywhere, but life in Spain will be very different and isn't just sun, so be aware of that. I would also wait until kids complete education.