Hi everyone!!, i?m a spanish girl and I just thought that if you need any advice from a native or if you have any questions about my country, maybe I could help you.I also want to say that my scottish neighbor and friend is looking for new students for her Spanish classes,(she?s living here since she was a child so her Spanish is perfect) so if you are moving to the Alicante area ( Arenales del Sol,El Altet,Santa Pola..)and you are interested in learning Spanish quickly, please let me know .Thank u very much and welcome if u are moving to Spain! 😊

live in Santa pola ....

I’m scottish - and am looking at the Alicante area to try and find the best spot for a pensioner..and I WILL be wanting to learn the longo when I come over after selling the house here in OZ! Will get back to you when the time comes! Butperhaps your scottish friend can give me advice where to look for a place as I will probably be over sometime in june/july..

oh - almost forgot..would my computer and TV work over there? its 230V here but I know there’s adaptors and the like..Maybe better to sell them here and buy over there??? just the thought of moving all the data over daunts me..

woody2 - 03 June 2010 10:25 AM

I’m scottish - and am looking at the Alicante area to try and find the best spot for a pensioner..and I WILL be wanting to learn the longo when I come over after selling the house here in OZ! Will get back to you when the time comes! Butperhaps your scottish friend can give me advice where to look for a place as I will probably be over sometime in june/july..

Hi,finding a good place to live in Alicante depends on whether you want to live close to Alicante city, if so there are areas on the coast where many expats live such as Gran Alacant (Santa Pola) which offers many kind of services in English,therefore u won?t have any problem if u don?t speak a word of spanish but it?s always good to learn at least the basics.This town is 10 minutes from Alicante city and 5 min.from the airport .But personally I prefer the area of Altea,Javea, Denia and Calpe, where you can find expats too, but these villages are really beautiful,to me that?s by far the best area of the entire Costa Blanca,especially Altea which is very close to Benidorm and enjoys a privileged position between the sea and the mountains, though it?s 50 km far from Alicante city. Hope this helps u a little 😊,anyway my friend would be glad to help u out too.

woody2 - 03 June 2010 10:27 AM

oh - almost forgot..would my computer and TV work over there? its 230V here but I know there’s adaptors and the like..Maybe better to sell them here and buy over there??? just the thought of moving all the data over daunts me..

Here it?s 220V, you only need to buy an adapter, so you don?t have to sell your computer,only u will need to buy a new television ( which already has TDT ,this means Digital Terrestrial Television ) or maybe to buy an adapter and the TDT device ( DTT device)for your tv , but honestly i think to buy a new tv is going to be cheaper.

jurdyr - 01 June 2010 09:47 PM

live in Santa pola ....

I live between El Altet and Arenales del Sol

woody2 - 03 June 2010 10:25 AM

I’m scottish - and am looking at the Alicante area to try and find the best spot for a pensioner..and I WILL be wanting to learn the longo when I come over after selling the house here in OZ! Will get back to you when the time comes! Butperhaps your scottish friend can give me advice where to look for a place as I will probably be over sometime in june/july..

Hi again,my friend told me that if you?re looking for a peaceful and quiet place with beautiful sea views you would like very much Gran Alacant,which is an urbanization of villas and bungalows in front of the sea,up in the mountain surrounded by pine forests,which is about one kilometer to the beach.It?s an area of expats from UK,mostly retired ( 50-65 years old) and you will find there any kind of services,banks,shopping centers,pharmacies,bus service,hairdressers,family doctor,restaurants,bars,parks,supermarkets with everything u need, the weekly street market selling goods,emergency services,clinics,internet cafes,etc..and u can do a lot of activities,walking on the beach,golf,flying,sailing,fishing,shopping,cycling,etc..the advantages of living there is that you can go anywhere walking,also the air u can breath there with that clean smell of the sea and the mountains,and the great views to Alicante and the island of Tabarca, which is the only inhabited island on the Alicante Coast and a marine reserve, and if the day is clear u can even see the island of Benidorm and the rock of Ifach, i think it?s a great place to live,so it?s worth it.And the properties there are relatively cheaper than in other parts of the Alicante area.Anyway i wish u good luck with your choice 😊

Thank you so much for all your advice! Now I have a special area in which to look! Gran Alicant seems to be the kind of place, but unfortunately not too much for sale in the way of villas in my price range (185000) I would prefer a villa for the dog’s sake, and I need furnished, and set up for Sat tv too, LOL! have seen a lovely one in Calpe, but its so difficult to judge when you don’t know the area! But as soon as I come over there to look, I’ll be trawling the area between Denia and Calpe!! Good one about the computer..thank goodness for that!! A TV will just have to be bought when I get there! When they advertise fully furnished, by the way, does anyone know if that includes things like a TV, etc? reckon mine will have to go with my house here - which is a same cos its only a year old!!
How much would a couple be able to live on per month over there? Incl. food, elec, telephone, etc but not rent. I’ve read somewhere about 800euros a month..Would that be about right?

woody2 - 04 June 2010 07:00 AM

Thank you so much for all your advice! Now I have a special area in which to look! Gran Alicant seems to be the kind of place, but unfortunately not too much for sale in the way of villas in my price range (185000) I would prefer a villa for the dog’s sake, and I need furnished, and set up for Sat tv too, LOL! have seen a lovely one in Calpe, but its so difficult to judge when you don’t know the area! But as soon as I come over there to look, I’ll be trawling the area between Denia and Calpe!! Good one about the computer..thank goodness for that!! A TV will just have to be bought when I get there! When they advertise fully furnished, by the way, does anyone know if that includes things like a TV, etc? reckon mine will have to go with my house here - which is a same cos its only a year old!!
How much would a couple be able to live on per month over there? Incl. food, elec, telephone, etc but not rent. I’ve read somewhere about 800euros a month..Would that be about right?

No problem,it?s a pleasure to help u.I know what u mean,it?s always a question of luck to find the right place to live when you do not even know the area,the neighbours,etc..that?s why it?s better to rent a property first.
And yeah when they advertise fully furnished,this usually includes television, fridge,microwave,and (air conditioning in some cases).So actually u won?t need to buy a new tv if u are going to rent a house,but if u are going to buy a house ” fully furnished”  may mean that the house has furniture,fridge/freezer,oven,but most likely it will not include a tv.
A couple could live here with less than 800 euros per month,but 600/800 euros is an approximate figure.

Thanks again for good advce!! Think I’ll stick to the Gran Alicante area and Calpe, then! And everything is a compromise, isn’t it! I may have to rent first to be able to find the right spot - but being the age i am, I would love to go without yet another move!! if you have a friend who is a real estate agent, perhaps when the time comes, she can keep her eyes and ears open! Its a lot easier for them to decide if it would suit me once they know what I’m looking for too. My main concern about the ones I’m looking at in Calpe is that it might be too hilly to carry groceries etc…

Calpe, Denia, J?vea and Altea would be good choices,  Gran Alacant too because its proximity to the main towns Alicante capital and Elche and also because it has a beautiful virgin beach with sand dunes and pine trees and a long esplanade towards Arenales del Sol to go for a walk,bike ride,etc..I don?t know any real estate agent,but when u come here contact any of them,they could give u a better advice and all the information you need to buy the house you?re looking for and they know how to get a better price,etc..but also if u can, spend some time in the area and ask the neighbours how?s life there,if it?s a noisy or a quiet place,where are the supermarket and all the services,etc..in order to get more information and avoid mistakes.Regards 😊

Thank you very much for that!! Seems like I might actually be better renting as you say, until I have had a good look around! But I do love Calpe and the area near there, down the coast as far as a little south of Alicante. Costa del Sol is now right out of the ball park!!