Living in los gallardos

Hi, start by getting a map of southern spain, go north from Almeria, one of the airports that serve this area, you can go south to Malaga etc, or come north through Carboneras, Mojacar, Garucha, Villaricos, San Juan de las Terreras, theres Turre which is a bit inland from Mojacar which is proving popular.

We chose a small village 45 minutes from the coast called Urcal, close by the major town of Huercal Overa with a hospital with a great reputation, our village has a school, doctors surgery, local bar, small supermarket stocking most of what anyone would need.

The bar and village have both been featured recently on A Place in the Sun, several couples moved into the area inside a couple of months last year and theres a great community feeling with everyone getting together and helping each other. Darts nite Thursday gets busy in summer.

What age are you both ?, we're both pensionistas lol, partners villa has a pool, most other neighbours have either plunge pools, hot tubs or something in between.

Albox and Arboleas might come up in some responses, Albox being the bigger of the two, Arboleas as an area is pretty big and some small communities can be a bit remote. Lots of properties over in Arboleas will be advertised as having pools, the average size being 8metres by 4 metres with some going up to 10x5.

Roads are first class, motovia as ir's known runs from down south to oop north, Alicante and Benidorm north.

Vera is a popular area with lots of apartments and villas most with either private or shared pools.

Some areas have bus services some not but coach services are plentiful, trains dont figure much on the map but you can get to lots of major cities from Lorca, 

Any other more specific questions you might have just keep posting.

Major property agents for our area are Vosses, Mojacar have the couple recently on Channel 4 of Sun Sea and Selling houses.

You might find your ideal property just by simply googling an area. Rightmove comes to mind, Coles of Andalucia, Almeria property finder to name 3 more. There are two free weekly papers and a free monthly magazine, all three publications full of good information.

It would be a good idea to have a holiday in the area and drive round

Hi 

Thanks for your reply/ advice there’s a lot to consider.we are in our early fifties with grown up children so we would like an area for all of us to enjoy . We are coming out in June to have a look around and we have hired a car really love king forward to it . 

What is the cost of living there ? 

Do we need to look for part time work and if so is there work available? 

Regards Ian n Janet

Good luck both, so much better to be here and have lots of trips to different areas. For us, with no mortgage, cost of living is fairly low. Work isn't easy to come by though I'm afraid

Hi, theres not much work in Spain in general, veg picking is the domain of locals and migrants who dont mind working for the average €8 an hour, sometimes less.

If you have savings they wont get eaten up, pardon the pun because the cost of living in general is low. 

Partners villa has a pool which has pumps running an hour or so a day, cooker is electric, hob is electric, portable heater is bottled butane, an average of €15 per cylinder which lasts us with varied use around 10 days. Electric works out at around €75 for 2 months, water €45.

The Spanish version of council tax works out at around €240 per year !!, contrast that with her council tax in saffron walden which worked out at around £160 per month !!

Food is the cheapest expense, theres a local fruit veg and clothing and accessories market on in a town most every day somewheres.

A cup of great coffee is around €1 to €1.25, snacks the same, (tapas), fruit and veg is plentiful, fresh and tasty, bread comes in long loaves which for some reason lasts much longer than UK bread but is smaller in size, Spanish toasters cater for Spanish bread and are usually two slice ones.

Petrol is about the same as the UK but diesel is cheaper, most every gas station has an attendant who fills up your car, you dont need to tip, in Mojacar there are at least two pizza restaurants that do half price lunch deals, big pizza for €6 !! You can get doggy bags for when your meal beats you lol.

Mercadona superstores sell what we consider the best meat and chicken, certainly the best meatballs lol, and ribs !!.

Theres an iceland in Vera, nearest Ikea is in Murcia.

We moved out in March last year and because the community as a whole both Spanish and english is so great we've loved every minute of it so far. As I'm sure you will if/as/when you get to retire here.

Anything I've missed just ask lol.

Thank you for that it’s useful to know, hopefully we will be enjoying the sun soon

Thank you 

Hi Ian and Janet, you asked specifically about Los Gallardos and I think it's a fantastic place to live/holiday. We are on one of the smaller communities at Huerta Nueva, Los Cerezos, and bought about 15 months ago as a holiday home. Everyone is very friendly, a great pool, you can walk into the village in 15 minutes for the bars, restaurants, pharmacy, Tuesday market, British newspaper from the petrol station etc and it's only 15 minutes to Mojacar pueblo or the playa. You do really need a car here although buses do run to Mojacar Playa, Garrucha and Vera (playa and town).

We brought our children and grandchildren out last July and August and although it was hot (which suited some - me - more than others) all ages from toddlers to teens to late 50s had a great time. It really is a nice place to live or holiday. Property prices are still good although we've noticed an increase since we bought so don't take too long to decide. Of course inland, even 10 to 15 minutes, you get so much more for your money than you do with a front-line beach apartment. You can get pretty much everything in the area, internet and TV is generally good and there are plenty of reliable trades people to do work on your property.

The best thing is to come out on a holiday, drive around everywhere and see which places connect with you. We hated the popular locations up in the Costa Blanca like Torrevieja which you see regularly on A Place in the Sun, not because they weren't Spanish enough but you get no views, it's dusty and too busy. Here on the Costa Almeria we've got the sea, mountains and a bigger sky. It's quieter barring Mojacar Playa in July and August and just a more pleasant place to be.

Rob

Rob

Thanks for that info it’s goid news for us we are coming over in June for a week n hired a car really looking forward to it . 

Can’t wait for our new life in the sun 

Thank you 

I live in Vera Playa and really like it here, i find Los Gallardos too isolated but i dont have a car and i prefer being closer to the beach.  Property inland could be cheaper though.