How easy to settle in Spain fro Brits?

Trebor007 wrote on Thu Nov 12, 2020 10:20am:

Hello. We are a  retired married couple aged 63 and seriously considering relocating to the coast of southern Spain however are filled with trepidation about such a monumental step to take. This is particularly so since we have never really visited Spain for holidays as usually went further ...

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...afield.

The attraction of Spain for us now is the climate, safety/security situation, relative distance to the UK for family visits etc and hopefully the fact there are lots of similar likeminded people so we will not feel isolated, as we are aware of the potential language complications as we do not speak Spanish. We do  not want to go somewhere and experience a barrier and difficulty with our day to day living situation as communication is so important to quality of life though we would be prepared to learn the language however being realistic, this is going to take time and be an ongoing process.

We are considering visiting the area and either renting properties in a few different locations for a month at a time so as to get a feel for the place and whether we like before deciding where to settle and probably buy a property. The other consideration was to get a campervan locally and do likewise for 6 months. Any thoughts please?

We are not sure which area to go as yet however we want somewhere close to the coast, ideally not overly touristy as prefer a more settled community rather than one in constant flux as we think it would be easier to ingratiate ourselves in that more stable environment. Any thoughts on the best areas of southern Spain to achieve this?

Our question is, are there forum members who have experienced what we are anticipating doing and can offer some help and guidance please? Appreciate a lot of uncertainty in our ask however any help would be really appreciated.

Thank you in anticipation.

Regards 

Rob & Tania

Trebor007 wrote on Thu Nov 12, 2020 10:20am:

Hello. We are a  retired married couple aged 63 and seriously considering relocating to the coast of southern Spain however are filled with trepidation about such a monumental step to take. This is particularly so since we have never really visited Spain for holidays as usually went further ...

Read more...

...afield.

The attraction of Spain for us now is the climate, safety/security situation, relative distance to the UK for family visits etc and hopefully the fact there are lots of similar likeminded people so we will not feel isolated, as we are aware of the potential language complications as we do not speak Spanish. We do  not want to go somewhere and experience a barrier and difficulty with our day to day living situation as communication is so important to quality of life though we would be prepared to learn the language however being realistic, this is going to take time and be an ongoing process.

We are considering visiting the area and either renting properties in a few different locations for a month at a time so as to get a feel for the place and whether we like before deciding where to settle and probably buy a property. The other consideration was to get a campervan locally and do likewise for 6 months. Any thoughts please?

We are not sure which area to go as yet however we want somewhere close to the coast, ideally not overly touristy as prefer a more settled community rather than one in constant flux as we think it would be easier to ingratiate ourselves in that more stable environment. Any thoughts on the best areas of southern Spain to achieve this?

Our question is, are there forum members who have experienced what we are anticipating doing and can offer some help and guidance please? Appreciate a lot of uncertainty in our ask however any help would be really appreciated.

Thank you in anticipation.

Regards 

Rob & Tania

Steve6 wrote on Thu Nov 12, 2020 12:47pm:

I would suggest booking an Airbnb and go out for a few months. The rates are very good on Airbnb. We tend to go the winter months for winter sun. I settled very easily in Spain and met a lot of friends. I now live back in the UK. At least if you go out for a few months you will get the feel of th...

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...ings. Go to different areas around Torrevieja. The climate is very nice. I would look at Torrevieja as it has a great bus station and you can get to many parts of Spain from there. Guardamar de segura is another great town. Both have great supermarkets, shops, bars and beaches. We should have gone out again in March but with the virus it was not possible for us. We normally spend 12 weeks a year in Torrevieja. Hope this is of help.

tebo53 wrote on Thu Nov 12, 2020 1:38pm:

Hi,

Firstly, nearly all who have moved over here have experienced what you are thinking about and going through, although most of us probably visited Spain and fell in love with a certain area before deciding to live here permanently. As you are not old enough for receiving your UK government pension...

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... and move to Spain, you will not yet be entitled to have the S1 healthcare provided by the UK government which means you have to have private healthcare. 

There are financial levels of income that you have to prove to the local authorities amongst other requirements to prove that you wouldn't be a burden on the state before  you're able to apply for residency. 

The Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca are fantastic places to live out your retirement and if you can settle easily it can be a relaxed and comfortable way of life. Don't worry to much about speaking the language as there are plenty of local interpreters who are willing to help with medical and legal situations. Learning enough Spanish to say "hello" and "how are you" will work wonders for a short period and learn as you go along. 

We have lived on the outskirts of Benidorm for 7 years and love it here. The area we live is fairly quiet during the day and night but we can walk to the busy areas or night life with bars, restaurants and entertainment within 15 minutes. Ideal for us and we can catch buses easily to any of the local towns. There is a multinational community here and are all good company when we are meeting up for social events. 

You need to spend time in different places to see which suits you both the best. Don't forget that the weather here can get very cold in winter and extremely hot in the summer months, which often makes some expats return to the UK to escape the prolonged high temperatures. 

I wish you well with your decisions. Please ask if you want more information. 

Steve 

Kelvin1960 wrote on Thu Nov 12, 2020 1:53pm:

The previous replies are good.

After 1.1.21 you can be in the EU for 90 days in any rolling 180. I suggest you use that time to see lots of different places and to experience the extremes of climate.

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As tebo53 says, life is relaxed, but your EHIC will be of no use to you after the end of this year, so be sure to take out travel/health/repatriation insurance.

Once you have found a town you like, and a few properties you could afford, check back here for advice on all the legal stuff. 

Some upfront advice ... the post-Brexit rules will be quite a bit different from how things work now, so allow 2000 Euros/year per couple for private healthcare (assuming no bad pre-existing conditions). You will need to be able to demonstrate an income of 32,000 Euros per year for a couple to gain Residency.