I am curious as to how many of you have moved within Spain and your reasons for doing so.

We always advise people to rent before buying in order to ensure that they have chosen the right area for them so I wondered whether some have moved around. Some people are natural nomads who want to experience lots of different areas whilst others are likely to remain in a place for a long time.

Rosemary

We have moved three times but are still renting. The reasons for moving are simple, to a better built home ( not so damp and cold), to a different area with better access to suit our needs and lastly to be more within a Spanish community as that was the reason for coming to Spain in the first place.Now I will be moving back after my husband died 6 weeks ago (that was Shergar) and the children want me to be nearer to them and not to be alone over here but I wish I could stay here as my Spanish friends are great but as they say, blood is thicker than water. My move to Uk will be my 4th move to a different country but hey ho what a life experience, I guess better than never doing anything. I am getting off the subject so off I go.

I am so sorry to hear your sad news, it is a very difficult time for you please accept my very sincere condolences.

Rosemary

I moved from Córdoba to Málaga. The reason was for a job with significantly more pay - the pay in Córdoba was poor and I was eating into savings. The main difference was the climate, the winters are far less harsh in Málaga. Getting to and from the airport is also miles easier of course in Málaga.

Otherwise my life was pretty much the same in both, I lived in an ordinary flat in an ordinary city street and I loved both in their own ways.

Ex-pat, my condolences. Don't rush into anything too soon, when my dad died my mam was told to wait at least four seasons before making any serious decisions. Keep your options open for a while if you can. Thinking of you.

We moved from Ciudad Quesada, Rojales, Alicante Province to inland Granada Province around 12 years ago. Our home in Rojales was originally our holiday home. It was great for holidays but when we moved out permanently we soon realised we did not like living "on" a community with all the arguments about the pool etc. We looked around and rented a cave house for a short while to see if we liked it. We did so bought one in the area. We now live "in" a very Spanish community and, although we sometimes think about moving, can't think of anywhere else we would like to be. Climate here has seasons (at present our surrounding mountains are covered in snow) but the summers are long and dry.

Ex-pat, sorry to hear your news. Hope all goes well for your future wherever you find yourself living.

Ooh, you bought a cave house?

The very first time I went to Granada I looked at renting one of those in Sacromonte. I can't remember why I didn't, whether it was lack of availability or the idea of walking back in the dark on my own.

Granada was where my love affair with Spain started

We spent a week in a cave house in Huescar and found it very good regarding maintaining a set temperature and it was a good experience. Loved the area too. Visited so many places whilst there and thoroughly enjoyed the whole place.

Rosemary

I moved from near the coast to a small inland village. I prefer being in a very Spanish place with few foreigners and I prefer being rural/agricultural and don't care about shopping and stuff. I have far more friends and good acquaintances here than i did in a larger place near the coast.
I got known very quickly here because I could never find my house! I'd wander around in my usual hopeless daze and people would call out, "Hola, tu casa esta por allí!" That went on for weeks, before I could find it reliably on my own - and it's only a small village! Being an eejit is in convenient, but a good way to make friends.

Our cave home is only 13km from Huescar and we love the area. It can be remote for someone who wants the variety of restaurants etc that are on the coast but we are always given a warm welcome by the Spanish bars we visit. Trying to speak Spanish is a must though if you want to live this far inland. The Spanish often surprise us by answering in English but those that can't seem to appreciate our attempts to speak to them in their own language (some, quite rightly, insist on it). If we lived in the UK we would expect foreigners to speak English so fair is fair.

One thing I miss - the only thing - is being near enough to a really good public library and media centre. (I don't know what they're called in English, but I mean a mediathèque - a library that also has CDs and so on and all the press and proper, trained librarians.) For that, one needs to be near to a really big city.

Was the " Shergar " bit a typo or predictive text?

Not a typo it was her husbands BE name.

Rosemary

I didn't realise- sorry

We have just moved to the Vendrell area (Santa Oliva) from Torremolinos.
My goodness it is quiet here and going for a walk is incredibly boring. The smell of manure instead of sun tan lotion takes a bit of getting used to as well. Only one tiny flea market to mooch around every week. On the positive side, the house is much nicer(well it will be after a fair bit of work).
Hassle with the health service not being national, still waiting for Tarragona SS to get their act together. Bars are a bit scarce here too.....................

So you are experiencing a totally different area of Spain which is great to hear. Not only a new area to investigate and enjoy but also new people to get to know. Are they friendly and inclusive?

Good luck with making the house exactly how you want it.

Rosemary