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Los Alcazares

Posted: Mon Jul 5, 2021 5:10pm
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Posts: 12

star1 helpful points

Location: Mar Menor

Joined: 14 Jun 2021

Hi everyone,

We are looking to buy a holiday home in Los Alcazares in the next year or two, to spend up to 6 months per year in Spain. We do intend on going out to rent for a period to get to know the area. I would be grateful for any advice. We would be interested in a property,

  • Within a 20-minute walking distance to the beach. 
  • Walking distance to amenities. (Shops, restaurants etc)
  • Apartment, Townhouse, bungalow with solarium or sun terrace/balcony. 
  • What is the average cost of living? E.g. electricity, council tax, etc. Is there a list?
  • Are there any specific areas we should look at below 100,000 euros? No flood area. Do they exist?
Many thanks in advance.

Posted: Tue Jul 6, 2021 4:58pm

RichT

Super helpful member

Posts: 1143

star1271 helpful points

Location: Lorca

Joined: 13 Sep 2019

Posted: Tue Jul 6, 2021 4:58pm

Hi - I can help with the cost of living question...

Electricity - slightly more expensive than the UK, but you are unlikely to have gas and won't require as much heating as you would in the UK. Budget for €100-€120 per month. Obviously, this depends on your consumption - so if you have aircon, a pool, etc. then your costs go up.

Property purchase costs are high - allow 12%-13% on top of your actual purchase price.

Council tax (IBI) is a lot lower - generally around 20% of what you would pay in the UK.

Food (supermarkets) - comparable to the UK, dining out a bit cheaper, alcohol a lot cheaper.

Car tax lower; fuel about 10% lower.

Broadband similar.

Under the current rules, as a non-resident, you can only spend a maximum of 90 days in every 180 days in EU (unless you are an EU citizen - e.g. Irish), although this may change over time.

Hope this helps!

Posted: Tue Jul 6, 2021 5:06pm

TangoKid

Original Poster

Posts: 12

star1 helpful points

Location: Mar Menor

Joined: 14 Jun 2021

Posted: Tue Jul 6, 2021 5:06pm

RichT wrote on Tue Jul 6, 2021 4:58pm:

Hi - I can help with the cost of living question...

Electricity - slightly more expensive than the UK, but you are unlikely to have gas and won't require as much heating as you would in the UK. Budget for €100-€120 per month. Obviously, this depends on your consumption - so if you have aircon, a pool, etc. then your costs go up....

 

Read more...

...

Property purchase costs are high - allow 12%-13% on top of your actual purchase price.

Council tax (IBI) is a lot lower - generally around 20% of what you would pay in the UK.

Food (supermarkets) - comparable to the UK, dining out a bit cheaper, alcohol a lot cheaper.

Car tax lower; fuel about 10% lower.

Broadband similar.

Under the current rules, as a non-resident, you can only spend a maximum of 90 days in every 180 days in EU (unless you are an EU citizen - e.g. Irish), although this may change over time.

Hope this helps!

Hi RichT, that's very helpful information. Cheers

Posted: Tue Jul 6, 2021 5:13pm

GerryT

Helpful member

Posts: 288

star78 helpful points

Location: Los Alcázares

Joined: 26 Mar 2021

Posted: Tue Jul 6, 2021 5:13pm

RichT wrote on Tue Jul 6, 2021 4:58pm:

Hi - I can help with the cost of living question...

Electricity - slightly more expensive than the UK, but you are unlikely to have gas and won't require as much heating as you would in the UK. Budget for €100-€120 per month. Obviously, this depends on your consumption - so if you have aircon, a pool, etc. then your costs go up....

 

Read more...

...

Property purchase costs are high - allow 12%-13% on top of your actual purchase price.

Council tax (IBI) is a lot lower - generally around 20% of what you would pay in the UK.

Food (supermarkets) - comparable to the UK, dining out a bit cheaper, alcohol a lot cheaper.

Car tax lower; fuel about 10% lower.

Broadband similar.

Under the current rules, as a non-resident, you can only spend a maximum of 90 days in every 180 days in EU (unless you are an EU citizen - e.g. Irish), although this may change over time.

Hope this helps!

I've only been here a month, so early days. Although there's an Aldi,Lidl, I found the prices a lot dearer than UK overall. Yes,there are some good value meals eating out,definitely. Beer cheaper, definitely. Electric a lot more expensive,definitely.

But..weather...much much better than UK

Council tax equivalent.. much much cheaper

Great choice of restaurants, bars

Beach within walking distance

Think the positives far outweigh the negatives

Posted: Tue Jul 6, 2021 5:24pm

TangoKid

Original Poster

Posts: 12

star1 helpful points

Location: Mar Menor

Joined: 14 Jun 2021

Posted: Tue Jul 6, 2021 5:24pm

GerryT wrote on Tue Jul 6, 2021 5:13pm:

I've only been here a month, so early days. Although there's an Aldi,Lidl, I found the prices a lot dearer than UK overall. Yes,there are some good value meals eating out,definitely. Beer cheaper, definitely. Electric a lot more expensive,definitely.

But..weather...much much better than UK

 

Read more...

Council tax equivalent.. much much cheaper

Great choice of restaurants, bars

Beach within walking distance

Think the positives far outweigh the negatives

Many thanks, for the information. Have you heard much about the flooding issues? I love the look of the beach area and the main restaurant area but unsure where is best to live. We aim to go over there next year to look around. 

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Posted: Wed Jul 7, 2021 1:14pm

Posts: 29

star8 helpful points

Location: Los Alcázares

Joined: 10 Jul 2018

Posted: Wed Jul 7, 2021 1:14pm

El Carmoli on the hill is ok, we have a home there (actually on the market)

10 mins walk to beach, a bit quieter but there are a couple of bars, one, Chill Out is also a restaurant which is ok.

Posted: Wed Jul 7, 2021 1:25pm

TangoKid

Original Poster

Posts: 12

star1 helpful points

Location: Mar Menor

Joined: 14 Jun 2021

Posted: Wed Jul 7, 2021 1:25pm

Jonte54 wrote on Wed Jul 7, 2021 1:14pm:

El Carmoli on the hill is ok, we have a home there (actually on the market)

10 mins walk to beach, a bit quieter but there are a couple of bars, one, Chill Out is also a restaurant which is ok.

Thanks, Jonte54.

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 9:11am

Posts: 43

star21 helpful points

Location: Los Alcázares

Joined: 13 Oct 2016

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 9:11am

Hi, I bought what they call a corner quattro in Los Narejos 6 years ago and it matches all your requirements in terms of distance from beach, amenities etc - we love it. We're also fine with regards to floods as while the volume of water can be incredible, we're far enough out of the town  centre/old town not to be affected.

In a 'normal' year we come and go, spending roughly 16 weeks a year in Spain. The new 90 day rule doesn't hurt us but we have friends who used to come for the whole winter and now can't do that.

We shard a communal pool with 39 other properties which is perfect as we're not there all year so don't have to worry about maintenance. Our Community fees are €350 per year and we pay the council a bit less for their fees so in total, under €700 per year which is less than half of what we pay in the UK.

Like the other guys have said, some food is cheaper and some is not but there is plenty of choice. It's the same with eating out in that there is every cuisine you might want and a choice of cheap or expensive depending in what you want.

I might be bias but just can't fault the area and can't wait to go back. We're booked to go out end August 😊

Hope that helps, please feel free to get in touch if you need more info.

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 9:40am

TangoKid

Original Poster

Posts: 12

star1 helpful points

Location: Mar Menor

Joined: 14 Jun 2021

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 9:40am

NeilH53 wrote on Fri Jul 9, 2021 9:11am:

Hi, I bought what they call a corner quattro in Los Narejos 6 years ago and it matches all your requirements in terms of distance from beach, amenities etc - we love it. We're also fine with regards to floods as while the volume of water can be incredible, we're far enough out of the town  c...

 

Read more...

...entre/old town not to be affected.

In a 'normal' year we come and go, spending roughly 16 weeks a year in Spain. The new 90 day rule doesn't hurt us but we have friends who used to come for the whole winter and now can't do that.

We shard a communal pool with 39 other properties which is perfect as we're not there all year so don't have to worry about maintenance. Our Community fees are €350 per year and we pay the council a bit less for their fees so in total, under €700 per year which is less than half of what we pay in the UK.

Like the other guys have said, some food is cheaper and some is not but there is plenty of choice. It's the same with eating out in that there is every cuisine you might want and a choice of cheap or expensive depending in what you want.

I might be bias but just can't fault the area and can't wait to go back. We're booked to go out end August 😊

Hope that helps, please feel free to get in touch if you need more info.

Excellent, thanks that information. Very practical. 

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 3:38pm

Posts: 13

star1 helpful points

Location: Los Alcázares

Joined: 28 Jul 2021

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 3:38pm

We are in the process of buying at the moment and with the research we have done can concur with what has been said. We have bought near to the old town and researched the floods the property we have bought was affected built has been defended since this has only happened once in 2019 the property was built in the early 70s so not too concerned. We complete in September

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