Living in Roquetas de Mar

We have a small flat in Roquetas de Mar and go there for a break from country living from time to time.  We did a lot of looking around and talking to people before buying the apartment a couple of years ago.  From what we have learned and witnessed, the urbanisation (tourist part) is pretty dead in the off season months and bus service  becomes a bit unreliable at this this time also.  We bought in second line by the port and the Romanilla and Salinas beaches are often more protected from the harsh winds you can get on the other side towards the touristy part.  We have a Consum and Dia supermarket close by.  Las Lomas area just at the back of the ultra modern St Ana's Church has new Duplex developments sprouting up that could be worth looking at.  We used Inmobilaria Rueda (George/Jorge), Avenida Sabinar who were extremely helpful and honest.

Further towards the centre the residential areas to avoid would be on the right hand side of the Avenida de Roquetas travelling down from Gran Plaza.  Near the bullring seems ok and  around the auditorium area near where the Market is held, Avenida Juan Carlos as well.  

Property looks cheaper in La Gangosa La Mojanera and Vicar but there are a lot of emigrant greenhouse workers etc who live there which you may prefer to avoid.  There a cheaper properties in El Parador which is not far and between the two shopping centres of Vicar and Gran Plaza but you may not find north european neighbours.  It´s more a outlying area for families and working people of various ethnic groups. 

Two things I ought to mention is that it can be a good idea to buy a place with parking, especially in the tourist urbanization.  Parking seems easy compared to Mojacar, Garrucha and Vera in the Port area where we are.  Further into the town it is certainly a good idea to have your own space or garage.  The other point I want to make is that if a swimming pool is important to you, if you buy a property in a residential complex rather than a touristy one, undoubtedly your community fees will be less but the swimming pool if there is one, may only be open from mid June to the 2nd week in September or just when the children are off school!  Hope this has been helpful to you.

Hi Juanida

Thank you so much for your very informative reply.  We are so very grateful and it has given us plenty to think about.

I have read your reply a couple of times and have also made some notes on what you have advised.

With best wishes

Donna 

This was a very informative account, many thanks!

However we would comment on two issues:

“From what we have learned and witnessed, the urbanisation (tourist part) is pretty dead in the off season months and bus service  becomes a bit unreliable at this this time also.  We bought in second line by the port and the Romanilla and Salinas beaches are often more protected from the harsh winds you can get on the other side towards the touristy part.”

We moved into the Urbanisation in the Avenida Mediterráneo area in May last year. Contrary to what was said, this is still a fairly vibrant area in winter, not at all dead! Yes, some hotels are closed at this time, and some restaurants/chiringuitos along the paseo too. Some offer restricted (weekend) opening hours. But our tapas trail group can always easily find somewhere on a Friday lunchtime!

Is this part more ‘touristy’? Certainly there are a lot of tourists on the Avenida and paseos from June - Sept but that may be no more so than other seafront parts of RdM. 

The wind? It’s a lovely breeze most of the time - and it’s a relief on a hot day. During August our max-min thermometer recorded 39c in the shade on the terrazza at one point, that intermittent breeze leavens that! So take your pick I guess ...

The port and marina are lovely areas too but we have been told of excessive noise levels in that area during the summer. Admittedly we have not experienced that directly.

Hi Chrisso  

Many thanks for your reply.  Again very very helpful.  We have decided to drive down to Roquetas de Mar with notebook in hand with the advice and comments you and Juanida have provided.

Regards

Donna

Hi Donna

If you wish just private message us whenever, and we can meet up at a bar for a chat and tell you what we know. 

Chris 

Donna was not saying she was buying - or even flying here! But it did seem best to us in 2018 to rent in Roquetas before buying, so that is what we did.

I think it's definitely a good idea to rent first Chris.  It really is a very personal matter as to what appeals to each individual isn't it? I myself used to prefer Mojacar in the the winter and moved away because of the noise, the traffic and growing number of tourists in the summer, although other people love it during high season.

Anyway, if I move again I shall definitely rent first if we're undecided on the place or area.

 A young man we know who rents in the golf club area of Roquetas said it was a bit dead in the winter with many businesses closed but that was a young persons point of view and the same happens by the port anyway.  We haven't found the port area noisy but maybe right by the beach along the promenade it may be noisy in the summer as sometimes you get people barbecuing on the beach.

You may well be right about the further Serena Golf club end, it is quieter there. We have rented in the Urba (about 15 mins walk to beach) since arriving 15 months ago, it’s fine - quiet most of the time but occasionally noisy at Fiesta time. Are barbecues allowed on beaches? Seems surprising that dogs are (rightly) banned but not barbies...

The bus service is the same all year and is cheap and very reliable.