How to rent a Spanish home: A short 5 step guide to help you rent in Spain
Who wouldn’t want to live in a hot country, with so many beautiful beaches, a fascinating culture, friendly people, delicious foods, amazing sights, and so many things to do? Nobody could say they don’t want all that could they? But to experience Spain to its full you’ll need to rent a Spanish home.
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Renting a Spanish home has been made simple with these short and sweet five steps.
1) Where do you want to stay?
Before you take a single step out of your door or start packing your bags you must be certain on where you want to stay in Spain. Firstly think of the area. Would you like to live in Islas Baleares near the beautiful Cala Agulla beach? Or would you rather live in the heart of Spain, Madrid for instance, and experience the life in the bustling capital? Once you have decided on the place you must decide on the house or apartment. Once you have narrowed down to the very town or even streets you would like to rent in, it makes it so much easier to find the perfect place for you. Maybe you are going alone or with one or two people, so you need a smaller house? Or maybe you are bringing the whole family and need a bigger house? You should choose the house that fits your needs.
2) How long do you wish to stay?
Maybe you and your family, friends or even just you, want a “swallows” break – just a few months of winter sun. A nice holiday out of the country during the colder months is a great thing for the human body and mind. It is just lovely to be out in the sun, relaxing by the pool, swimming in the sea or even nights at the bars.
Perhaps you are thinking longer term. Perhaps you would like Spain to be your permanent home. Getting the most out of Spain and all it has to offer is made so much easier with long term rentals in Spain.
3) Necessary items
Now that you have your place found, what’s next? Well to rent a house in Spain, it must be made official by a few documents, however, it isn’t complicated. Firstly, you need to prove your identity with your NIE number. From there you must prove residency status, and also you must be able to prove that you are be able to pay your bills there.
Finally, if you decide to work when you are in Spain, you need to prove your tax ID number. The landlord of the house you wish to rent may have some other requirements of their own.
4) The Costs
Costs in Spain tend to vary. If you wish to live in an apartment in a big city like Malaga, for a 3-bed you could be looking at anywhere from €1000 – in some cases much more. However in smaller towns in Spain it can be much cheaper, even for the entire house. It all comes down to location; For instance, do you want to live right next to the beaches, or perhaps you don’t mind driving to get there?
Other costs include deposits, which will usually be based on your monthly rental amount. You do get the money back at the end of your stay, but only if nothing is broken. Utility bills are another cost, but tend to be cheaper than the UK or United States.
5) Making the Move
The four steps above are the most important steps you need to know when it comes to renting a Spanish home. This isn’t a step exactly, but it is a helpful and interesting tip. Renting long term in Spain is a lot cheaper than many other countries. It is the dream of so many people to live in a sunny paradise. However, you don’t necessarily want to just buy a house straight away in Spain. Long term rentals are the perfect way to getting the feel of your chosen location: a test run to confirm life in Spain is really for you.
In conclusion, now you are ready to go and rent your first Spanish home equipped with the do’s and don’ts. Good luck!
Elle, along with Alan, is the owner of Spain Buddy and the busy web design business – Spain Web Design by Gandy-Draper.
Born a “Norverner”, she then spent most of her life “Dann Saff” before moving to Spain in 2006. Elle’s loves are Alan, the internet, dogs, good food, and dry white wine – although not necessarily in that order.
