Posted: Tue Nov 5, 2019 3:09pm
If you will be renting for a week at a time you have to make sure that every property has a Tourist Licence otherwise it will be an illegal let and you will probably be charged a cleaning fee of about €50 at each place. Estate Agents will ferry you around to view properties but without a car you are going to severely limit what you can see of various areas as public transport is not brilliant and taxis are limited and expensive.
You need to use an independent abogado (solicitor) for any purchase and don't be pushed into a decision because there are always hundreds and hundreds of properties for sale so there is no rush.
You don't say if you are looking to move here full-time but either way Brexit could have major repercussions for you, for example, if all four of you are buying jointly, each of you will have to pay non-resident's tax and this will increase post Brexit. You will also be limited to 90 days stay in 180. If you intend moving here, income requirements for Residency will increase from about €700 to €2,400 per month.
Also keep in mind that what you see in January could be totally different in August but on the plus side you will experience the coldest part of the year so will realise you will need heating of some kind.
Jim's guides - your complete guide to Spain
This also contains a guide to searching this site for the wealth of information that is already here.
I would recommend that you hire a car for at least some of your time here and that will probably entail getting an International Driver's Licence. If you use the search bar for Announcements under Everywhere, there is another excellent guide from UKHandyMan4Hire for tips on hiring cars here.
It is very expensive to buy and sell property here and many take months, if not years to sell. If you do decide to buy, make any deposit subject to proof that the property is exactly as described on the deeds and that it has a Habitacion Certificate.
Some areas are prone to flash flooding although the terrible storm in September this year was the worse in over 100 years and affected the towns and villages in the floodplain when floodgates had to be opened to ease pressure, flash flooding is usually more regular in built up coastal areas where due to the sheer amount of rain that falls drainage channels become blocked and overflow and roads become raging torrents as the water heads to the sea or lakes.
If you get it right, this is a beautiful part of the world to live or have a holiday home.