Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 9:31am
After 9 years living in Ibiza we finally sold up last November. We love (almost) everything about Ibiza, but as my wife & I are both retired, the daily cost of living was just too high so we've chosen Andalucia.
In February we took the ferry from Ibiza to Denia and we drove all along the coast, stopping at places that looked "interesting", to get a feel of a place that no amount of reviews or videos can truly reflect. Like you, Daisy, we're looking for a balance of traditional Spanish culture and a vibrant, English speaking ex-pat community. My Spanish is minimal and I need my regular fix of English football.
Geographically we loved both Mojacar and Nerja. Both beautiful to look at with stunning vistas, but, (in our humble opinions), a little overwhelmed with ex-pats. We even looked as far as Sotogrande, which is a large marina development only 28 kilometres from Gibraltar and its tax free shopping. Incidentally, in the 2008/9 recession in Spain, Sotogrande was the only area where property prices did not go down, so a detached villa in the hills may be worth a look.
For us, Estepona has the ideal balance. A traditional medium sized Spanish town with a delightful historical centre and right on the beach. It has a growing sophistication akin to Marbella but without the price tag, although prices are rising. Having said that, since the coronavirus, the property market has been stagnant. Now that we're coming out of lockdown estate agents have been flooded with enquires, but most analysts predict prices will fall in the next six months, especially once the summer rental market is over. So no need to rush.
Remember, one man's meat is another's bag of chips, so travel up and down the coast and choose the area that's right for you.