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How to rent an apartment in Spain as a foreigner:
1. We Call at 10am. No messages through the websites. Use WhatsApp.
Through trial and error, we have learned that 10am seems to be the best time to call anyone for anything in Spain. For realtors, it must be their “in office” hours, while the later hours are more likely to be when they are out showing homes. Always use whatsapp, it’s what people use in Spain. Don’t use email to contact them. You can leave a message or not, they usually do call back by just having a missed call.
Below you will find a video I made at move out of a typical larger sized piso in Zaragoza, Spain. I believe we paid about 1300 euros for this place, and it was quite large with outdoor patios, large bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a doorman, etc.
2. I write a rental profile and offer it at a certain point during the conversation, depending on how it goes with requirements.
This document has been a huge turning point for us. In the beginning, I did not do this. We still didn’t have a big problem finding rentals, but I will say that this has kicked it up a notch. If we can get past the point of not having to have a spanish work contract, then we offer this document, which I edit according to location and property. <click the image below for a copy of the template>
I got this idea from an agent in Barcelona who actually asked us to write something up describing what we were looking for and how we made our income. I googled her terminology and found that it is not a completely foreign concept, however it’s also not something that we had ever heard of before. It is similar to a resume, but of course it is not exactly the same. We keep it to one page, concise, brief, etc. We share the important points that an owner would want to know. We seek to build confidence in who we are and what our resources are. I hope it helps you! <click the image below for a copy of the template>
3. We know the law.
I read it through CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau), so that we would know what to expect in terms of leases, our rights, etc. CAB is a an excellent resource for foreigners in Spain. This allows us to know what to expect in terms of the rental contract, what is standard, what could be added on, what we can ask for, etc.
4. We have our boundaries written down,
in terms of what deposits we will offer or not. We have best, worst, and middle case scenarios. That gives us 3 choices and some wiggle room during negotiations. Within these three scenarios, we have never missed an opportunity for a good rental from a reliable landlord. I mean, listen, it’s easy to jump the gun and feel rushed to get a rental. After all the process of moving to Spain includes the need for a long term rental, in order to process the second part of the residency visa, but you do not want to get stuck with something or someone horrible, just because you felt rushed by the process. Slow down, keep pursuing the process calmly, and it will all come together.
5. We call a lot of places.
If the owner or agent says they absolutely require a job contract in Spain, then that place is off the table. If they require 6 months rent deposit, an aval, etc, then those places are also off the table. We don’t consider these options at all, since we have them built into our list of boundaries. We go through a lot of phone calls. This is normal for foreigners. You could make 50 phone calls over a two week period and only get 3 possibilities. That is okay…go see those places, and pick the the best option.
6. We set a budget that’s higher than average,
to increase the chances the owners will work with us and decrease competition. Owners who set their rental cost up on the higher range are looking for higher income earners. Although you may not feel like a high income earner in your home country, if you are moving to Spain on a residency visa, then there is a good chance that you would be considered a high earner here. Owners who are looking for higher earners are also the ones who will be the most flexible with renting to foreigners, whom they consider to be higher earners.
Here is a video I made at the two year mark, after we had achieved our first two rentals. It has been since then that we added on the renters profile.
7. I include screen shots with proof of income in the rental profile.
As noted in the template above, at the bottom of the one page letter, I add screen shots of any income that I have referenced in the profile. This is essentially proof of what I have written about in the profile.
8. It is normal for an owner/agency to prequalify you financially,
before showing you a place. While this is unusual in the USA, it is very normal in Spain. In the US, you would only be prequalified if you were wanting to BUY a house, but in Spain, you will be pre-qualified before you see them home. This way, the owners know that someone is coming to see their home who can afford to rent it. At this point, they have essentially agreed to rent to you, but it needs to be confirmed with an in person meeting while you see the house. Consider this an interview, be on your best behavior, and be prepared to sign paperwork and pay a deposit. It’s very possible that you will go from the property to the agents office to get this finished, right after you see the house.
9. Expect 2-3 weeks to find a place.
Expect another 1-2 weeks to be able to move it, no matter what timeline they give, it takes them at least a week or more to get a place ready for a move in. That’s right, two weeks. We have never taken longer than that to find a property in Spain. In fact, most homes we have lived in have been found over a 2-3 day period of visiting 3-4 homes and then making a decision just as soon as we found the one from those 3-4 that fully met our boundaries (financial, location, space, outdoor area, etc). We know there could be compromises in some cases, which is why we have multiple scenarios that we are willing to work within, as noted above.
I’m sure there’s other details I’m skipping over for the same of simplicity, since it’s already complicated, so let me know if there’s something else. You can leave a comment on this post, or message me on IG.
If you don’t have a high enough Spanish level, then it changes things.
You’ll need translation, or to speak in English and wait until you find someone who also speaks English when you call. This obviously will limit the places you can consider, it will increase the number of phone calls that you need to make, and it will clearly take longer to secure a rental.
Importantly, you need to be here.
It’s intense and stressful. It’s not advisable to rent without seeing a place in person. Also expect to meet the owner in person at the appointments. As I mentioned before, this is an interview. It’s also not a two person process. It’s a crowd 😆. For us it’s always been the four of us + agent if the home is listed with one + owner + whoever else the owner brings 🫣.
Please remember as well, that if you meet an agent who is friendly and willing to help you out, share with them what you are looking for, let them look through their properties or consult others on your behalf, but I do not recommend locking yourself down with one agent. The system here does not work like it does in the US. Agents do not share property list, there is no central database for rentals… so you have to do a lot of the work yourself, or have someone to do it on your behalf, but make sure that includes reaching across multiple agencies and not paying to work with only one place. You will definitely get ripped off if you do this.
Lastly, good luck, you will survive. This will one day be a distant memory, and you will be like me- sharing your own suggestions to others who are “stuck” trying to find a rental “without a Spanish job contract”. 🙂
If I haven’t said so already, I am happy to answer questions. They come in regularly, especially about schools and renting in Spain. You can comment below or message me on IG.
If you’ve found this content helpful, you can show your support by buying me a coffee.
Thank you for reading,
Ashley
