Relocating to Costa Blanca - advice on best area

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 9:15am

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Siz1000

Posts: 15

1 helpful points

Location: Benirrama

Joined: 1 May 2025

Hi

My wife and I are looking to relocate to Costa Blanca region just after the summer. We have started doing some research on property websites but not sure which is the "best" area". Want to be no further than one hour from airport if possible. Want a 3/4 bed standalone villa with decent privacy (so likely not new build) with pool and area to entertain in nice district. Sea views in distance if possible but don't need to be near a town or bars /restaurants specifically. Have a budget up to €700k. This is to live and retire in all year round.

Suggestions on which could be a decent area for us to consider would be appreciated ... we intend to travel across in July to scout the potential areas. Pretty much open to anywhere across Costa Blanca region or even beyond if somewhere is better value/investment.

All suggestions welcome. Including where to avoid!!!!!

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Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 9:27am

REH19

Helpful member

Posts: 272

195 helpful points

Location: Villamartin

Joined: 10 Jul 2018

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 9:27am

Have you narrowed down whether you prefer north or south Costa Blanca ( ie of Alicante) they are quite different in terms of geography, coastline and price.

We bought our place at Villamartin with Masa International (estate agents) and found them very helpful. They specialise in all of Costa Blanca - you could have a look at their website, input your parameters and see what areas pop up for further investigation.

Most people will naturally wax lyrical on their own chosen village or area, so maybe a good idea to have some specific questions about your shortlisted areas first?

Good luck

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 9:36am

Siz1000

Original Poster

Posts: 15

1 helpful points

Location: Benirrama

Joined: 1 May 2025

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 9:36am

REH19 wrote on Tue Jun 10, 2025 9:27am:
Have you narrowed down whether you prefer north or south Costa Blanca ( ie of Alicante) they are quite different in terms of geography, coastline and price.
We bought our place at Villamartin with Masa International (estate agents) and found them very helpful. They specialise in all of Costa Blanca - you could have a look at their website, input your parameters and see what areas pop up for further investigation.
...

Read more...

...
Most people will naturally wax lyrical on their own chosen village or area, so maybe a good idea to have some specific questions about your shortlisted areas first?
Good luck

Thanks. Haven't narrowed down area at all to be honest .... I'm very well travelled but never been to this specific area of Spain before .... we prefer more house for our money (although not something big old and unmanageable) with maybe a more elevated aspect with sea views in distance.

I literally have only one week to see as much as possible and appreciate it's a fairly wide area, so hoping for some suggestions I can research! More interested in where to avoid tbh!

Reply

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 9:51am

REH19

Helpful member

Posts: 272

195 helpful points

Location: Villamartin

Joined: 10 Jul 2018

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 9:51am

Siz1000 wrote on Tue Jun 10, 2025 9:36am:
Thanks. Haven't narrowed down area at all to be honest .... I'm very well travelled but never been to this specific area of Spain before .... we prefer more house for our money (although not something big old and unmanageable) with maybe a more elevated aspect with sea views in distance.

I literally have only one week to see as much as possible and appreciate it's a fairly wide area, so hoping for some suggestions I can research! More interested in where to avoid tbh! ...

Read more...

...

I have no affiliation to Masa, but we did a viewing trip with them when we bought ours.

After knowing our criteria they lined up relevant viewings over a 3 day trip, drive us around and answered so many questions for us, showing us the areas as well as properties.

A lot if people will say rent first, don’t rush etc - which is sound advice as to move in Spain is very expensive - be we wanted to locate somewhere quickly and found that Masa did a lot of the groundwork for us.

We had not been to this part of Spain before but love where we chose.

If it helps we listed things like this as our preferences for area:

Close to beach, but not so close that you get caught up in high summer traffic, calm and quiet in immediate surroundings

Somewhere where we can walk and cycle safely

Not too seasonal - ie restaurants not all closed in winter ( usually golfers keep places open off season)

Shopping facilities close by - we can walk to restaurants and a little supermarket but are only a 10 drive from big supermarkets and Zenia Boulevard

Train station at Orihuela only 20 minutes, 45-50 to airport.

Finally future proof- what will suit you first the foreseeable ie a property which is easy to maintain and won’t cause you too much stress

I think you do get a feel for a place when you see it, but if any doubts, do wait as it can be very expensive to move

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 9:52am

TonySmith

Very helpful member

Posts: 752

612 helpful points

Location: Torrevieja

Joined: 1 Mar 2022

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 9:52am

Siz1000 wrote on Tue Jun 10, 2025 9:15am:
Hi
My wife and I are looking to relocate to Costa Blanca region just after the summer. We have started doing some research on property websites but not sure which is the "best" area". Want to be no further than one hour from airport if possible. Want a 3/4 bed standalone villa with decent privacy (s...

Read more...

...o likely not new build) with pool and area to entertain in nice district. Sea views in distance if possible but don't need to be near a town or bars /restaurants specifically. Have a budget up to €700k. This is to live and retire in all year round.
Suggestions on which could be a decent area for us to consider would be appreciated ... we intend to travel across in July to scout the potential areas. Pretty much open to anywhere across Costa Blanca region or even beyond if somewhere is better value/investment.

All suggestions welcome. Including where to avoid!!!!!

Have a look in this area. Easy access to N332 and 40min from airport. Served by 3 bus routes (A-costal route, A2-middle route and C- runs parallel to N332). Close to beach, on high ground (no flooding and sea breeze). Some very nice standalone villas on top end of Calle Argonauts and Calle Itaca from 500,000 to 750,000.

Area is Agua Nuevas (beside N332), Torremarina (central part) and Cabo Cevera (beach area).

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.004816,-0.6642203,3a,75y,88.1h,82.36t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s0EQFZVY_vwLRj6C9uocLBw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D7.638163423016806%26panoid%3D0EQFZVY_vwLRj6C9uocLBw%26yaw%3D88.1025532753474!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDYwNC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

I presume that you possess the correct passport for your move ie EU as opposed to UK, USA, Aus etc (ie 3rd country passports) which require visas

Relocating to Costa Blanca - advice on best area

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 10:01am

Sligogent

Very helpful member

Posts: 1685

979 helpful points

Location: Torrevieja

Joined: 31 Jan 2021

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 10:01am

If not familiar with the Areas you wish to purchase, it is Strongly advised by Forum that you Rent before the buy, mistakes can costs Thousands

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 10:03am

marcliff

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 3166

4000 helpful points

Location: Rojales

Joined: 5 Jan 2023

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 10:03am

As usual, and as REH19 says, you will get recommendations from many areas all saying they chose the best place. What might be right for someone may not be right for you.

One visit is not, IMHO, enough time to choose somewhere to live if you are doing it permanently. At your budget you will have a great choice but perhaps come over once and look around south of Alicante down to Murcia to see if any place suits you. Then another visit to look north of Alicante up to the Catalan border (or maybe not that far). The vast majority of places to the south will be within an hour of the airport at Alicante whiles further north you maybe rely on other airports like Valencia which don't have the same amount of traffic.

We've lived in 3 places here, all south of Alicante. Villamartin area, Torrevieja and now the urbanisation attached to Rojales. All have their good and bad points, from ghost towns in Winter to lack of public transport. From few amenities to a glut of experiences. We loved a fabulous detached house out in the country, for example, but a 15k return trip to get a pint of milk wouldn't have suited us.

Though getting on in years, we can still walk to most places around us, shops, bars, restaurants etc. As we get older the lack of public transport may slow us down a bit so something else to consider. Frontline properties very close to the beach may sound wonderful but the costs can be a bit silly and can sustain quite a bit of damage during some pretty horrendous Winter storms. A way further inland is cheaper but can be very cold at certain times and take a long while to get to beaches later on. We live less than 10k inland which, for us, is ideal and only takes 10 minutes to get the the coast and we have as more bars, supermarkets and restaurants than you could get through in a lifetime and is only 40 minutes from the airport. It is an all year round town and not a ghost town in Winter like the first place we had. But the lack of public transport, same as many inland towns, is the problem.Even in our first place which had an every 40 minutes round bus trip between beaches and city only operated in the Summer months.

Take your time and look around. Using estate agents is good but visit there by yourself as the agents will not show you the pitfalls and often embellish the truth. Also remember that, if you decide you have picked the wrong place, it is very expensive to relocate within Spain with the amount of taxes due and property prices do not rise anywhere near that of other countries. Taxes and associated costs are never recovered.

Best of luck.

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 10:04am

Siz1000

Original Poster

Posts: 15

1 helpful points

Location: Benirrama

Joined: 1 May 2025

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 10:04am

REH19 wrote on Tue Jun 10, 2025 9:51am:
I have no affiliation to Masa, but we did a viewing trip with them when we bought ours.
After knowing our criteria they lined up relevant viewings over a 3 day trip, drive us around and answered so many questions for us, showing us the areas as well as properties.

Read more...

A lot if people will say rent first, don’t rush etc - which is sound advice as to move in Spain is very expensive - be we wanted to locate somewhere quickly and found that Masa did a lot of the groundwork for us.
We had not been to this part of Spain before but love where we chose.
If it helps we listed things like this as our preferences for area:
Close to beach, but not so close that you get caught up in high summer traffic, calm and quiet in immediate surroundings
Somewhere where we can walk and cycle safely
Not too seasonal - ie restaurants not all closed in winter ( usually golfers keep places open off season)
Shopping facilities close by - we can walk to restaurants and a little supermarket but are only a 10 drive from big supermarkets and Zenia Boulevard
Train station at Orihuela only 20 minutes, 45-50 to airport.
Finally future proof- what will suit you first the foreseeable ie a property which is easy to maintain and won’t cause you too much stress
I think you do get a feel for a place when you see it, but if any doubts, do wait as it can be very expensive to move

Thank you. I will check Masa out. I am open to the option of renting first if the choices remain too large following our visit. Thanks again.

Reply

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 10:08am

Siz1000

Original Poster

Posts: 15

1 helpful points

Location: Benirrama

Joined: 1 May 2025

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 10:08am

Sligogent wrote on Tue Jun 10, 2025 10:01am:
If not familiar with the Areas you wish to purchase, it is Strongly advised by Forum that you Rent before the buy, mistakes can costs Thousan...

Read more...

...ds

Thank you for the advice.

Reply

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 10:10am

Siz1000

Original Poster

Posts: 15

1 helpful points

Location: Benirrama

Joined: 1 May 2025

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 10:10am

TonySmith wrote on Tue Jun 10, 2025 9:52am:
Have a look in this area. Easy access to N332 and 40min from airport. Served by 3 bus routes (A-costal route, A2-middle route and C- runs parallel to N332). Close to beach, on high ground (no flooding and sea breeze). Some very nice standalone villas on top end of Calle Argonauts and Calle ...

Read more...

...Itaca from 500,000 to 750,000.
Area is Agua Nuevas (beside N332), Torremarina (central part) and Cabo Cevera (beach area).
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.004816,-0.6642203,3a,75y,88.1h,82.36t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s0EQFZVY_vwLRj6C9uocLBw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D7.638163423016806%26panoid%3D0EQFZVY_vwLRj6C9uocLBw%26yaw%3D88.1025532753474!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDYwNC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
I presume that you possess the correct passport for your move ie EU as opposed to UK, USA, Aus etc (ie 3rd country passports) which require visas

Thank you for your information. Will check out the locations. Appreciated.

Yes, I am British but I have an Irish passport also.