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Family moving to Costa Blanca

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 8:03pm
11 replies191 views5 members subscribed
sophm

Posts: 8

Location: Javea / Xàbia

Joined: 20 Apr 2018

Hello everyone,

I hope you can help. My family are hoping to move to the Orba Valley area of Spain by early 2019 after many years of consideration. We are coming out in August for 3 weeks to view properties and suss everything out a bit more but I really wanted to ask a few questions, which are probably very hard to answer but I just hoped for some professional insider knowledge!

My husband and I are hoping to buy a property with the view to running yoga/alternative therapy retreats for both people overseas and locals. I can see there look to be some established yoga businesses already in the area which I hope is a good sign. I have also heard the Spanish are quite enthusiastic about yoga. For those of you experienced in the area, do you think it's already over saturated or there is still a need for something like that in the foothills of the mountains. 

Any thoughts of feedback GREATLY appreciated 

Sophe xx

Stephanie86

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 6:08pm

Stephanie86

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 2748

2063 helpful points

Location: Lliber

Joined: 4 May 2017

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 6:08pm

If you say there are already several established businesses, then perhaps your best bet would be to go and try and set up in one of the coastal resorts - a ‘go-to’ place/town, rather than ‘the foothills’. If you are hoping to start the kind of luxury retreat, then the foothills may be a good idea - look up the one in Altea - sorry, dont know the name but my friends from Uk flew over to it for a few days, so presume its fairly upmarket, with hotel facilities and other activities. Or look for places with large expat populations - Javea etc. The Spanish may well be keen on yoga and so forth, but would respectfully suggest that this may be more so in more sophisticated areas such as Barcelona/Madrid. In other words - THINK hard!!!!

sophm

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:40pm

sophm

Original Poster

Posts: 8

Location: Javea / Xàbia

Joined: 20 Apr 2018

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:40pm

Thanks for that I appreciate what you're saying. We are coming out in the summer so that will help us to understand a bit more about the yoga landscape and popularity. Thank you for replying.

We have been looking at the Lliber as a possible place to settle. We have 2 children and was recommended that although expensive, its a great place. I wonder if perhaps an area on the outskirts would be a good place for the Yoga retreat AND a good place to live. 

This is something we have been planning for 10 years and now we're starting to get close it's a mixture of emotions but I'm very excited! So much to think about though - namely schools! 

x

Stephanie86

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 10:48pm

Stephanie86

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 2748

2063 helpful points

Location: Lliber

Joined: 4 May 2017

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 10:48pm

Northern costa blanca much more expensive than southern CB. Lliber extremely nice place to live, but very small village, believe expats outnumber Spanish. Mainly local generational families, highly unlikely to want yoga!!! Effectively ‘out in the sticks’    And anyone coming to your premises would need car and you will be running children everywhere. Really depends what you want, but think this area not the best for your venture unless spending oodles setting up luxury resort to attract people. There is/was local retreat technically part of village but several kilometres away called Marnes, which I believe may still operate which ran ‘retreats’. Suggest you look it up. Be aware that money not as flush as it was, huge unemployment and also wage rates much lower than UK, hours much longer and difficult to make a living. Also enormous amount bureaucracy to comply with Spanish requirements. You will need largish cushion of cash to tide you over, you will need private medical insurance and proof of income for residency - sorry, but it’s no longer that easy.

Davebev1

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 9:13am

Davebev1

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Posts: 1558

2196 helpful points

Location: Playa Flamenca

Joined: 7 Nov 2017

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 9:13am

Both north and south Costa Blanca would be suitable locations.  And regarding price of property well that depends on many factors.  It isn't actually true to over generalise and say the north is more expensive, larger older villas with good size plots are often more common in the north and very keenly priced.  (Even further north and inland from Valencia you will find property is less expensive but cooler still in winter).  So your budget and what type of surrounding you are seeking will determine what you can buy no matter where you look.  The main difference is topography and weather - if you like mountains and valley views go to north Costa Blanca, if you want flatter countryside and drier slightly warmer winters in an agricultural area then go to south Costa Blanca.  

If you are looking for peace and quiet then country properties are reasonably priced, but both you and your guests will be car reliant.  If you opt for town or resort living then larger plots are pricey and wont be that quiet.  You accessibility from an airport with all year round flights (such as Alicante) will also need to be considered - people don't want to have to do a long drive after their hours of travelling.  If you are offering airport transfers then you also have to cost up fuel, time getting there and back and maybe motorway tolls.  I'm sure these are factors you have already considered.

Take your time to research your market.  The Spanish are not necessarily going to go to yoga retreats or classes run by the English.  Your target market is more likely to be northern Europeans either living in Spain or coming on holiday specifically to your retreat.  Check out your future local 'competition' and be able to finance your first year in Spain to give yourself time to get established.

I wish you well in your new venture.

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sophm

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 9:22am

sophm

Original Poster

Posts: 8

Location: Javea / Xàbia

Joined: 20 Apr 2018

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 9:22am

Thank you so much. I am overwhelmed by how helpful and kind everyone is being on here. Yey!

I have taken all this onboard and this summer we intend on doing lots of trips north and south. Personally I feel drawn to the quieter life, inland around the orba valley area. But of course I am open minded. The retreats would be focussed on UK yoga teachers, they would bring their own groups out, but I also want to make sure I consider the Spanish too and open it up to them. I am doing some research into yoga teachers/retreats at the moment and though I can see a few operating in the Denia/Javea region, not many are inland - probably for a reason but that's something I will look into.

Regarding the day to day life in Spain. How do you all find it? Are you happy there and do you ever regret moving out?

Stephanie86

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 9:48am

Stephanie86

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 2748

2063 helpful points

Location: Lliber

Joined: 4 May 2017

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 9:48am

Life here will be what you make of it. It is most definitely NOT England in the sun! To a degree there isn’t that much social mixing between Spanish and expats of whatever nationality, although that is a generalisation and long term residents certainly mix as do much younger people and those educated here. Most people who come here do struggle initially at least with complying with Spanish bureaucracy which is overwhelming. I know some people who would never go back and others who cannot wait to leave. The winter period can be extremely cold and unexpected, heating is required to many people’s amazement! Life here is very very different now to that which it was when I first came here with my parents over 50 years ago. Spain has s now a modern country with all facilities etc, but inland areas are in principle still very rural. There are several private schools mainly dealing with expats, one famous one near Lliber, but quite a few use state schools. I could go on, but these are just a few thoughts.

Davebev1

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 10:00am

Davebev1

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Posts: 1558

2196 helpful points

Location: Playa Flamenca

Joined: 7 Nov 2017

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 10:00am

I have to split my time due to UK family commitments so I can't say how it feels to live full-time in Spain (sadly).  But one day I may finally get to stay permanently at the Spanish house! I am far more relaxed when there, even though still working (I work from home via the internet from both locations), and just feel generally healthier after a week or so in the sun with lots of fresh sea air too.  I walk more and still manage to socialise more despite keeping on top of work, so it feels like I balance life/work better when there.

My parents lived in north Costa Blanca for 24 years so I know a lot of it well.  When we bought we went south as I needed to be very near a good hospital (although no complaints about how my Dad was cared for in Denia) but I wanted a drier winter, and less windy and hilly roads, and as splitting my time I wanted to be closer to an airport too as I have limited ability to drive after dark and sometimes go out alone.  So your own needs play a big part in finding the right location and sometimes head needs to rule heart.  Heart said a villa in the countryside with a good size plot and lovely views, but head was telling me I need close neighbours, good transport links, a small garden manageable on a part-time basis and good safe walks by the sea, so that is what we bought.  They actually would have cost about the same!  It was definitely the right decision, I can see that now with hindsight, so no regrets.

sophm

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 10:00am

sophm

Original Poster

Posts: 8

Location: Javea / Xàbia

Joined: 20 Apr 2018

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 10:00am

Thank you. I am sensing a cautious tone in your emails which I appreciate - I imagine you have seen a lot of people come and go over the last 50 years? Do you think it's a mix of financial worries and bureaucracy that makes people move back. And feeling isolated? I do fear for my oldest little girl who is very settled here, but also the negatives of parenting in this country for me are getting worse and worse. Namely the pressure on children, the none stop living on a device culture amoungst a few things. Which of course is down to parenting but when the cold winters just seem never ending - this year has been so dreadful it's very hard to wrap kids up and spend days outside when it's just freezing and bitterly cold for so many months. 

sophm

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 10:03am

sophm

Original Poster

Posts: 8

Location: Javea / Xàbia

Joined: 20 Apr 2018

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 10:03am

Davebev1 wrote on Wed Apr 25, 2018 10:00am:

I have to split my time due to UK family commitments so I can't say how it feels to live full-time in Spain (sadly).  But one day I may finally get to stay permanently at the Spanish house! I am far more relaxed when there, even though still working (I work from home via the internet from bo...

...th locations), and just feel generally healthier after a week or so in the sun with lots of fresh sea air too.  I walk more and still manage to socialise more despite keeping on top of work, so it feels like I balance life/work better when there.

My parents lived in north Costa Blanca for 24 years so I know a lot of it well.  When we bought we went south as I needed to be very near a good hospital (although no complaints about how my Dad was cared for in Denia) but I wanted a drier winter, and less windy and hilly roads, and as splitting my time I wanted to be closer to an airport too as I have limited ability to drive after dark and sometimes go out alone.  So your own needs play a big part in finding the right location and sometimes head needs to rule heart.  Heart said a villa in the countryside with a good size plot and lovely views, but head was telling me I need close neighbours, good transport links, a small garden manageable on a part-time basis and good safe walks by the sea, so that is what we bought.  They actually would have cost about the same!  It was definitely the right decision, I can see that now with hindsight, so no regrets.

Thank you so much. It's very interesting to hear your point of view. You sound very knowledgable!

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