JRS

Hi anyone
I am new to this site and am flying out in may/june to buy property as a holiday home but also to spend a couple of months in the winter. I have a husband and grown up family with grandchildren but I will also be bringing my elderly mother who may stay occasionally on her own. So here is the question....
I have been recommended 2 areas: costa esuri and Los Montesinos.
I need a place that is safe for all with a communal pool that has nice surroundings rather than private one as I wont be there to maintain it and I also think that it is nice to have others to chat to.....I need somewhere that is within walking distance for shops and bars etc and somewhere with a sense of community. As the tow areas are 9 hours apart I may have to visit them on two occasions so ANY info or comments anyone has will be really appreciated.
Regards
Jacqui & Greg

johnnyone

Do not go by reccomendation alone, research these places before you go and you may save yourself a lot of travelling around to unsuitable places. I do not know about Los Montesinos but there is considerable information about Costa Esuri on the Ayamonte thread.

Dxf

Hi

The Costa Esuri has but one shop currently; Ayamonte is not really within walking distance unless a 5 kilometre walk each way is acceptable.

Davexf

missile

Los Montesenos is quite a nice little town. I would suggest Rojales has much better facilities and may suit you better. If you would like to be closer to the beach, I would recommend Guardamar del Segura.

With elderly and young you may consider close by medical facilities essential?
FYI: There is a 24 emergency facility in Rojales.
The nearest hospital is Torrevieja, although it is nowhere near Torrevieja.
There is an excellent residential home in Ciudad Quesada.

For a holiday home, proximity to an airport with regular flights may be another priority?
I would suggest Costa Blanca South is far easier to get to than Costa Esuri.

MikeJ

To b fair it's 3Km to the nearest supermarket and maybe 5km to the town centre. Use of a car is advisable, though. However, there are many other compensations eg

• it's on the Costa De La Luz, which as the name suggest - it has wonderful light and sights.
• it's far away from the Brit expat conclaves
• it does have a few expats but you probably need some Spanish language skills to get on.
• it's away from the mass costas developments, was originally a Spanish holiday destination, Brits have only found it comparatively recently
• it has enormous beaches right on the doorstep
• it is on the border with the Portuguese Algarve so you have the best of both worlds
• the weather is more variable than the med coast but it benefits from a cooling atlantic breeze in the summer so it never gets too oppressive
• property is currently very cheap, especially if you can buy from the banks

I could (and will if you ask) go on. We've fallen in love with the place and wouldn't be anywhere else.

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

JRS

Thank you for the information and yes please go on..….. The friend who recommended this area feels the same way you do!! I have read everything I can find on the internet, but it seems the area is now looking like getting some money back to complete some of the unfinished projects, am I reading this right?
My mum is 78...do you think that there is enough going on for her if she stays alone? She is very active and would happily get the bus if there is one.
Regards Jacqui and greg

JRS

Thank you very much, I will do some more research into the places you suggest too.
Jacqui and greg

JRS

Can you please tell me how to find the contact us link. I have searched everywhere!
Thanks

missile

If you click on Rosemary's Avatar you will find the option to send her a private message.

EsuriJohn

So have we. However you did not mention the clincher for us all those years ago.

Faro airport although in Portugal is only 40 mins away and has fights from all regions of UK and most airports in those regions. We have family scattered over the whole of the British Isles and Eire and it is easy for them to book flights to come visiting which we enjoy very much. If there are problems we have back up at Sevilla airport 90 mins and Jerez about 150 mins. Winter schedules are not quite as good as summer but prices can be really cheap if you book early.

If you are not a flyer there is the option of sailing from Portsmouth/Plymouth/Poole to Bilbao/Santander/Gijon and a leisurely drive down over a couple of days stopping of at some of the most iconic cities in Spain toll free deserted motorway all the way.

There are one or two nice developments in Ayamonte town itself if you thought the 5km from Laguna Square was too far. The community that is growing here on Esuri is very nice not bitchy at all which does seem to occur in the Brit enclaves on the Med coast.

If you want to do more research you could contact Michael O'Halligan one of the most knowledgeable agents around these parts with an amazing array of contacts and information. Have a look at his website InfoAyamonte for his take on the area.

Rosemary

Also clicking on the members name above the avatat gives a drop down menu for you to sellect from.

Rosemary

JRS

Im so grateful for all this. Ive looked at Michaels web site and its so useful, thankyou. And yes we would consider driving over at some point so the sailing option is great to know. Thankyou for taking the time to help, its such a minefield trying to find the right place for the whole family.
Jacqui

missile

It is an important decision. Take your time. Maybe rent for a month before committing.

Buying a new home in a foreign country is stressful and don't add to that by trying to rush. You will know when you find the right place for you and yours.

Enjoy and be happy.

MikeJ

Well, up to a point. Ayamonte ayuntamiento is about to receive 5.7million Euros of bank guarantee for Costa Esuri. This is ring-fenced for maintenance and upkeep of the infrastructure. The uncompleted bits are the responsibility of the developer or owners.
There are some green shoots of growth in the local economy which will increase the towns income and employment. There is going to be a waterpark (funded by Russians I believe) opening in 2015 - its well away from the houses but will bring employment. There is a planned Marina right next door, but this still looks like a wish-list item as there is some uncertainty about funding (although the Mayor keeps promising it will go ahead)
There has been quite a lot of movement in the property market - currently at knock-down prices, not good for us owners but good for buyers.

Depends how active your Mum is. If she drives then there are plenty of things to get involved in - particularly if she wants to learn Spanish in a social context. The bus service is currently a bit seasonal but intense lobbying is going on for an improved service, although to be honest if she doesn't drive and doesn't establish a network of friends quite quickly then it could be a bit isolating. Hope that's not a showstopper.