back2thefuture

Dear all,

Hope you are all well.
My fiance and i are thinking of moving permanently to Spain. We are looking at the Valencia area to start with.

We will be moving from London and the different lifestyle attracts us...Nice weather, food etc.
We would like to be somewhere lively but also have nature etc...

Could you recommend any other areas that we should consider that are safe, good infrastructure, and good for raising a new family.

We are looking to buy a villa of sorts...our budget is around £120k...

Many thanks for any advice given

Leper

1. Advice Before You Move:- Do not sell your home in the UK. Rent it out and perhaps money gained will sponsor what expenses are ahead.
2. Rent in Spain for at least 5 months in the off season. During that time you will learn if Spain is for you. If it is, then the area in which you wish to live is also learnt.
3. Leave room for dignified retreat. Not everybody enjoys Spain.
4. What are the chances of you and your spouse getting employment in Spain?
5. Measure twice, cut once!

el collado kid

I think the advice here is spot on i would only add to speak Spanish would be a great advantage.The area we moved to is perfect for us and we love our life here in Spain but to raise a family is a different matter.Do your research even come for an extended stay being here and asking questions in person is best i.e estate agents town halls even the locals and to see area's in real life.I hope all goes well and if you make it good luck. Keep asking questions.

Coppyboy5

With this budget according to the real estate catalogue here you can afford to buy a 4-bedroom flat in the center of Alicante or a 3-bedroom house in Torrevieja (90 sq. m). Actually these are the variants I would buy for myself if I had that sum of money But tips from Leper are very sensible. Don't sell your home in the UK as their is always some chance to have problems with finding work.

Barriej

Im just going to agree with what has already been said.
But Im going to add my 2c.

Use the internet. These days with the level of detail on Google maps you can 'walk' along streets, see how many people are around and see how good or bad the parking is.
I would also suggest making a list of all the things you like and dislike with regard to areas you would like to move too.
i.e. Do you want a house, flat, villa?
Do you want city, town, village or campo?
How close to the coast, inland or up a mountain do you want to live. (this one will also determine the weather to some degree)

We were lucky with our property choice, but we have been visiting the area we purchased in for over 15 years (the wife's dad lives in the area)
We have a 3 bed 2 bath 2nd floor apartment (flat) in a small village around 7km from Altea. Its quiet but we have to drive to the nearest bar and shops. But it overlooks a mountain and from the roof we can see the sea.

Also try to visit at different times of the year. We have visited at every month over the last couple of years, but only decided to buy last year.

1sexsmith

IMO whilst it might all sound quite alluring there are a number of things you might need to focus on. First , be aware the lure of nice weather and Food will wane after a few years. Secondly , a young family needs to integrate to be able to give their children any real opportunities. That means everyone needs Spanish. Thirdly , work is hard to find unless you live in a major city and have high end skills. Fourthly, you need to consider the issue of family and friends when deciding where to start a new life

Monkey104

Opinion

I split my time between the UK (South East) and Valencia city. I can't recommend the city and surroundings enough, and coming from London / South East, you'll probably find things a bit cheaper than you're used to- I do, at least.

bob_bob

The OP must have gained all the info needed, they've not posted after starting the thread a month ago.