Moving to Costa del Sol - foolish?!

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Member since 21 June 2016

rdr31Member21 June 2016 09:05:11

Hi, I am new to this site and was just after some advice, please. And I have searched for posts re moving, but I can't seem to find any that are more up-to-date!

My husband and I are looking at moving to Spain. We have visited many times (my grandparents had a place in Torre Blanca), and I have a family member in Alhaurin de la Torre. We would be moving with our 5yr old son, and 1 year old daughter. I have wanted to move there from being 17, but I met my husband and we married and had children instead!

I work from home (a few hours a day, but always potential for more hours), my husband is a self employed heating engineer. We would be considering me working more hours, and my husband helping at home more and looking at work casually (not a requirement straight away). We have savings which would cover us for at least a year also.

The reasons we want to move there -
- the family rich lifestyle, I love strolling through the park in Benalmadena (can't remember it's name!), On a weekend and seeing all the families.
- the festivals
- I'm not going to lie, the weather!!
- I prefer their views re breastfeeding and child upbringing (okay odd point, I know, but breastfeeding rate in UK is 1%!!!, And there is constant battles between formula vs breastfeeding which drives me insane).
- I am not exactly happy with the schools system here, they are so restricted due to the government, there are so many rules and guidelines to follow that I feel the children are being pushed too hard. My son is happy at school, but they have basically said by next year he NEEDS to be up on par with everyone else , there is no resources to help him a lot more.
- the constant propaganda re people on benefits, it seems people just want to talk about this all the time.
- the public transport is so much better. The trains are out of this world compared to the grubby, stuffy compact trains in the UK. It makes any commute miserable.
- I find the cost of living cheaper in Spain (food shopping wise), if you buy local produce (which we would/do)

Cons
- the economy, how bad is it?
- maybe the schools aren't much better. Do we chose a bilingual or Spanish state school?!
- fitting in, for us and our children.

We love Mijas Pueblo, Benalmadena pueblo, Los Pacos (although not sure we would live there?). Also I imagine Mijas is very busy with tourists in the height of summer. Any insight into these areas? Pros and cons.

Where do I even start ay looking to move? I.e. the legal requirements?

I will be so grateful for any advice/tips/info.

Thanks

rdr31 Member

Member since 21 June 2016

rdr31Member21 June 2016 09:07:03

Also we would be looking to rent, we sold our house on February and are currently renting at the moment as there was nowhere suitable to buy again.

Mczwz Active member

Member since 04 June 2014

MczwzActive member22 June 2016 23:30:16

Hello, there! Welcome to the site. It's an excellent place to ask just these types of questions as most folks do . . .

It would appear to me, though, you're way ahead of the game since you've already had first hand experience of different areas; it seems you even have a favorite area, too?

You mention you have or had family in the area? I would suggest looking to them for guidance as they may be more familiar with your own family background.

It appears to me that the reasons you have for moving here are excellent and could apply fairly across the board of preferences and opinions; the ones against, however, seem to me to require a personal preference decision . . . as in, what works best for you . . . such as school for your children and "fitting in." As long as one operates with an open mind, an awareness that everyone is different, "fitting in," I feel, is pretty much the same everywhere in the world: courtesy, understanding, and good humor go a long way.

In terms of the economy . . . it may be a good idea to see how Brexit turns out; whether there are any continent-wide economic repercussions, etc. Other than that, based on what you described, it sounds as if your family is pretty well prepared economically for a good period of time to "see if this will work!"

I think the best start for legal requirements is an embassy or consulate in your home area; of course, as long as England is still part of the EU, the questions appear to be fairly easy to answer regarding taxes, employment, etc., but consultation with a knowledgeable advisor may be of assistance. There are also many good sites providing very good information to at least get one started.

Here is one from the EU resident perspective: Ideal Spain: Moving to Spain.

You won't really get "advice," per se, no one can really give you that . . . just lots of folks sharing their opinions, ideas, and thoughts, based on their own experiences . . . with constant reminders that everyone is different . . . what worked for one may not necessarily work for another. . . but,

Best of luck to you in your adventure!

Michele

Jacquena Member

Member since 06 May 2019

JacquenaMember06 May 2019 15:29:59

Hi there,
I know this post is from a few years back but I was wondering if you actually did the move?

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