Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:00pm
Good morning Kier66
We live in NI and are fortunate enough to own a wonderful house in Torrevieja. As you probably are aware, Torrevieja is a working town so is busy all year round
It is on the coast which is another plus. Our place is on the La Mata side so we are within walking distance to the stunning, sandy beach. Lots and lots of shops and restaurants nearby too.
People don’t seem to understand that winter in that part of the world is cold after the sun goes down During the day the skies are blue and it is usually sunny and pretty hot but by 5pm it becomes cold. Most properties are built for the summer season with no insulation or heating. Beware
If you find an apartment in an area you both like, look for air con which heats in the winter and cools in the summer. A door closing into the hallway is a must or the possibility of installing one. You can install small low cost radiators throughout once you buy. Allow for this and you will need an oil filled heater or gas fire too.
Storage. Vital. Remember all those beach chairs, heaters, suitcases and more need to be hidden away.
Clothesline. Check for a big communal line on the roof. You need somewhere to dry the washing
Parking. A must
Room for bicycles
Patio / terrace south facing with an awning for intense sunshine in summer months
Neighbours. Check out and listen for dog barking which is enough to drive you mental. Look for neat and tidy properties .
Most people will advise that you rent for 6 months to a year in order to get a feel for the area
Bus service Also very important
We used to regularly take the bus into town until we became lazy and hired a car and subsequently bought one.
If you buy an apartment, is there a lift? Remember your luggage and shopping have to be carried upstairs!
So many important things to consider. Do your homework and you won’t have any regrets.
We absolutely love Torrevieja as do our grown up children.
Make sure you can put a sky dish up for British tv. We always bring our skybox out so that all the sport is readily available. We subscribed to Netflix last January for their lowest tariff ( not sure but €7.99 monthly rings a bell) brilliant especially if the weather turns bad as sky stops working and no tv to watch. Last Easter during the torrential rains which lasted for 3 or 4 days, we watched back to back episodes of Outlander and were as happy as Larry!
I hope this helps you.
The other end of Torrevieja encompasses Playa Flamenca, La Zenia and Cabo Roig all beautiful but very English which is great if you want lots of English speaking company. Our side of town is cosmopolitan, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, French, some Irish and English but not so many. More Spanish really.
You will be very happy in this location. You should have no difficulty finding something in your price range. The prices never really went back to the high end so now is your chance to buy.
Good luck
Anything you need to know, please ask.
Best wishes
Rosemary.