danda

Hi All after 16 years in Australia the wife is now thinking of moving to Spain for retirement I think she's lost the plot but I might be swayed if it's as good as here, Oz has been really good to us we have a great life and everything we need but she's finding it a bit too far to travel back to the UK , can any one give any info on Spain where to go whats a good place any and all help appreciated,
thanks in advance,
Dave

Rosemary

As Concierge for the Spanish section of BE I would like to say hello and welcome.

BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

pwwm

Spain is quite large, if you say whether you wnat to near ex pats, beach or inland etc what sort of life you wnat then I am sure everyone will give you their own opinion, for us we love it here, very very few expats, weather year around is good, bt hot in summer but goes for all Spain, we scuba dive so wanted a rocky coast, we specifically stayed away from complexes etc. So you need to give us all an idea of your ideal

Leper

If you are not looking for work Spain is a great place with its warm climate for most of the year. If you or your wife are looking for employment Spain is not the place to go. You would need much luck, sorry, infinate luck.

But, for retirement Spain is ideal. Rental property is cheaper these days (especially long term, €500 for a two bedroom apartment per month in a decent location). By renting you have the advantage of spending several months in one location before moving onto the next. If you are hell-bent on buying property, then renting is the way to go (especially off season) until you find a place where you want to settle.

You will want an airport nearby (choice of airports is better). Obviously, you need a supermarket, medical centre, restaurants, bus stop, opticians, etc etc. So be careful of spending time in a ghost-town. A ghost town is one that is active in July and August, but from October on the supermarket closes and the population retreat to their main homes.

You dont need to be able to speak Spanish, but if you do, it helps. Also, learning Spanish is fun and separates you from those who just wont "sing."

If you are buying property, inland is way cheaper. If you want visitors or might want to rent out your place when not in use, then coastal Spain could be your choice.

Things to think about:- High Rise; Ghost-Towns; Accessibility; Neighbourliness; Do-we-need-a-car?;Medical Centre; Shopping; Level Ground for walking; Friends.

pwwm

Sorry have to disagree, if living in a non expat area you do need Spanish, why it must be taken into consideration. Personal choice, and we made it. Here we have everything as said above apart from many expats. But have fun looking

Rosemary

Agree with you. Spanish is definitely needed in areas where there is a lack of ex-pats. I would also suggest that even in areas where there are a lot of ex-pats it would still be useful and help you to deal with any issues.

Rosemary

montgomail

Even as a holiday home owner in Denia - I needed to speak Spanish in order to deal with the practicalities of setting up a home. This was in 2003 and I suspect it may be slightly easier now but, even so, there was no shortage of Brits in the town back then.