Purchase property

I live "next door" in Mar de Cristal.

Yes, Los Nietos is a nice area. This time of year it is very quiet with owners going back to Cartagena, etc. A few people may turn up at weekends.

Lots of places for sale, and few do sell as who wants a place they will only use for 3 or 4 months of the year?

Forget winter rentals. No one wants them.

I have been here over a year and never heard of any crime, even with most places empty.

Nearest shopping is Los Belones and more at Cabo de Palos.

Mercadona online is very handy and their site is easy to use, delivering in a 2 hour time slot a day or two later. Minimum order is €50, and the fee is €7.21 though I understand it costs them €16.

They use pictures of products and English is available.

While it is quiet in the winter, there's a small but active expat community - mostly Brits and Irish but some other northern Europeans, too. They tend to get together on Thursdays (weekly quiz and bingo) and through the weekend. The AAVV (residents association) has done a lot to bring expats and Spanish together, unlike in other villages, and has also driven some improvements such as the pedestrianised village square. The village gets a lot busier in the summer when holiday home owners arrive. We've had a holiday home there for 20 years and never had any problems with crime. There are always stories about new developments - take them with a pinch of salt. If you like the village, go for it. If investment comes along, it's a bonus.

We have an apartment at Los Nietos that we’ve owned for 6 years.  Never heard of any crime in the village throughout that time.  The AAVV is definitely the hub of the village and is bringing expats from all over Europe together with the Spanish.  Bars are reopening and there has been improvements at the playa and village square over the past 2 years after years of neglect. The Renfe train service to inland villages and Cartagena is great.  We have a doctors surgery, the pharmacy and Spar open all year round and the bakery is great.  If they can just sort out the terrible paving stones along the playa it would be a massive improvement.  But you can’t eat an elephant in one sitting.