10 Positives & 10 Negatives About Buying Property in Inland Andalucia

Are you looking to move to a picturesque white washed village away from the hustle and bustle of the Costa del Sol? Do you hate all of the English bars & ex-pat haunts of the coastal regions and just want to escape to "Real Spain?" Then read on and get an insight to what rural Andalucia is REALLY like.

10 Positives about Inland Andalucia

1. It is stunningly beautiful - there are many kiometres of beautiful scenery, which includes soaring mountains (which are at times topped with snow), vineyard-lined valleys, orange groves, thousands of olive trees, meandering rivers and, of course, plenty of small, white washed villages. It is certainly a different image to the crowded & polluted cities in Northern Europe. There are two National Parks in Andalucia (Sierra Nevada and Doñana) as well as a Unesco Biosphere (Sierra de las Nieves) as well as several Natural Parks.

2. It is generally significantly cheaper than coastal areas for equivalent properties - you get much more space for your money. Although you won't find many 2 bed apartments in inland areas (which are ten-a-penny on the coast), you may well find a finca (farmhouse) with thousands of metres of land for the same price. Other common properties include village townhouses, which are located in the centre of every pueblo and cortijos, which are often grand farmhouse residences, which may have been previously occupied by the village big-wigs! You may well find the odd block of apartments built where some townhouses used to be, or on the edge of towns, but these are less common in rural areas.

3. The way of life is very relaxed, and it people are even reknowned in Spain (which is already more laid back than in other areas of Europe) for being laid back. This is a great benefit if you are looking to slow down your pace of life, relax and live in a healthier environment with less stress.

4. The Tapas bars are usually very cheap and serve authenic, good quality food. Who can imagine anything much better than passing a day with the locals sampling delicious tapas and drinking Rioja wine?

5. There are 4 major airports in the area (Malaga, Granada, Sevilla & Jerez) which mean that it is relatively easy to access from Northern Europe no matter what part of Andalucia you happen to be in.

6. Most towns in Inland Andalucia are actively looking to encourage foreigners to move to their areas, as it brings in vital income for them. So, don't be surprised to find that the local town hall in your area has a foreigners department offering Spanish lessons and support for ex-pats.

7. You can go skiing in the winter! The Sierra Nevada mountain range dominates the Granada region, and even though the summers get very hot, when you get up to the peak of the mountains in the winter, you will perhaps be surprised to find Europe's most Southern ski resort on your doorstep.

8. You can choose to visit the beach if you wish - it isn't so far away. Andalucia has three major coastal regions - Costa del Sol, Costa Tropical and the Costa de la Luz on its doorstep. It is also close to the Costa de Almeria. Certain inland areas from the Costa del Sol (such as Alhaurin de la Torre, Alhaurin el Grande, Coin & the Sierra de las Nieves) are actually between 10 - 30 minutes from the beaches of the Costa del Sol & manage to still retain the charm of rural Andalucia.

9. The ferias are great fun! The social epicentre of any Andalucian village revolves around the village feria, which will be the highlight of the year and will see all of the village party for a week. There will be flamenco festivals, food & drink, and don't be surprised to see national celebrities (such as contestants from the Spanish X-Factor) call in to even the smallest town to give a performance. Brace yourselves, though, as the Spanish really do party all night long, and will usually take the week off work!

10. The religious festivals, such as Semana Santa (Holy Week), really are taken seriously. Many of the participants will practice all year and such celebrations will often see holy relics, such as statues of Jesus and Our Lady, carried though the village on floats, accompanied by brass bands and followed by the townspeople. These celebrations are also accompanied by parties (although lower key than the feria's) and the obligatory week off work!

10 Negatives about Inland Andalucia

1. Language barriers - very few people will speak good English! This is obviously excellent if you truly want to learn the lingo, but no so good if you don't. Unlike the coast, very few people living inland will speak English so you will have to learn how to communicate with them in their language.

2. Work - Unless you have a job already lined up, or you are moving inland for retirement, work in the villages can be difficult to find and is usually poorly paid when compared to jobs on the coast. There are little opportunities available outside of agriculture, so if you don't fancy picking olives.....

3. Shopping - you can buy the basics in a pueblo in the countryside but you won't find any British shops there, and it will often be a journey to get to a large supermaket. Do your research and find out where the nearest supermarket or shopping mall is.

4. Slower pace of life - living in the country is slower. People don't need to hurry and have a lot of time. People in the country don't have to work so many hours as they do in the city so if you need something doing, prepare for it to be done "manana".

5. Public transport - transport links are not the same as on the coast. Buses run less often and do not connect to all of the other towns so it is important to have a car so you do not feel isolated. Most inland towns will not have a train station, or be near to a trainline, connecting them to bigger cities.

6. Boredom - prepare to have nothing to do except enjoy the lovely views and the sunshine. The cinema or theatre might be an hour's drive away so make sure you are prepared for this peaceful life in the country. If you're looking for peace and quite, great, but if not, be prepared to reconsider your options!

7. Schools, hospitals, etc - if you have children you really need to do your research and make sure there is a good school nearby and that usual services such as a post office, hospital, etc are not too far away.

8. Electricity - prepare for blackouts during the winter as the electricity in some of the pueblos can get switched off during a storm. If you're buying a house they sometimes come with their own generator, which is a great backup if this does happen.

9. Tele-communications - some villages are so isolated that broadband and other methods of communication are unavailable. Mobile phone and television reception can also be poor in some villages. Can you live without such methods of communication?

10. Social life - it might be that your neighbours are 5 miles away across many fields. If you're the social type who likes to spend time with other people then make sure you move to a home that is near to others and just a short walk to the local village.

All in all, if you find a property for sale in Inland Andalucia or in other areas of inland Spain, the golden rule is to make sure that you've done your research. How do you feel about the positives and negatives that we've outlined in this article? Think about it, and only go ahead if you like the positives and can live with the negatives!