# Moving to Bilbao -- advice on rentals



## geez (Apr 4, 2010)

We're soon to move to Bilbao for 6 months to a year and am having trouble finding decent places to rent. There seems to be a real shortage of quality furnished rentals available for those of us not in the student or short-term tourist rental markets. I've successfully used Loquo in the past when we lived in Barcelona but have spent the past couple of weeks being given the run around by scammers.

Any suggestions welcome.


----------



## Guest (Apr 4, 2010)

geez said:


> We're soon to move to Bilbao for 6 months to a year and am having trouble finding decent places to rent. There seems to be a real shortage of quality furnished rentals available for those of us not in the student or short-term tourist rental markets. I've successfully used Loquo in the past when we lived in Barcelona but have spent the past couple of weeks being given the run around by scammers.
> 
> Any suggestions welcome.


I can't help too much since I have no clue what the rental market is like in the city, but here's another spot to look: Anuncios gratis Inmobiliaria Vizcaya
(El Correo is one of Vizcaya's most popular newspapers, this is the site they use for their online classifieds.) 

If you're willing to live a bit out of the city, the metro makes living outside the center city easy.

Other general rental websites: 
idealista.com &#151 casas y pisos, alquiler y venta. anuncios gratis
Segundamano.es: anuncios clasificados para comprar y vender portátiles, moviles, coches, pisos...
Alquiler Habitaciones, Piso Compartido, Compartir Piso

Good luck!


----------



## geez (Apr 4, 2010)

Thanks halydia for your excellent leads.


----------



## Guest (Apr 4, 2010)

geez said:


> Thanks halydia for your excellent leads.


Not a problem. Let me know if you've got any more questions about the area. 

Good luck!


----------



## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

halydia said:


> Not a problem. Let me know if you've got any more questions about the area.
> 
> Good luck!


Yeah I need a week in in early July for 4 to attend the music festival .... any good lodgings up towards the West? (It's up on the hill I believe)


----------



## Guest (Apr 4, 2010)

Stravinsky said:


> Yeah I need a week in in early July for 4 to attend the music festival .... any good lodgings up towards the West? (It's up on the hill I believe)


BBK Live? 

I did a quick check on hotels.com and you've got some interesting prices. Click on the maps bit and it'll give you a good idea where things are. When my family comes to town, they've had good luck with both Hesperia properties. I've stayed at the Silken Indautxu as well. They're all a bit posh but decent places to stay. Last year they were even running busses from Barakaldo to the concert site, so between the metro and special busses I wouldn't be TOO worried about being far from the concert site. 

And if you're going to BBK Live, I'm wicked jealous. Dropkick Murphys are playing and I'm going to be on the wrong continent! (I'm from the Boston area, and it seems I'm always in the wrong spot to see them.)


Note: If looking at the Hesperia properties, Hesperia Zubialde is more convenient to public transport than the one across from the Guggenheim with the colored windows. Zubialde is a five minute's walk from the bus/metro/renfe/euskotran station and just behind San Mames stadium.


----------



## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

halydia said:


> BBK Live?
> 
> I did a quick check on hotels.com and you've got some interesting prices. Click on the maps bit and it'll give you a good idea where things are. When my family comes to town, they've had good luck with both Hesperia properties. I've stayed at the Silken Indautxu as well. They're all a bit posh but decent places to stay. Last year they were even running busses from Barakaldo to the concert site, so between the metro and special busses I wouldn't be TOO worried about being far from the concert site.
> 
> ...


Yep, BBK Live. Mainly for Rammstein, but there are a few other good bands on also ... and Paul Weller I believe ... thanks for the hints

Steve: Im not exactly sure where it is, only that its on a hill overlooking Bilbao and I think its up towards the ferry port end ... just before on the left of the motorway


----------



## Guest (Apr 4, 2010)

Stravinsky said:


> Yep, BBK Live. Mainly for Rammstein, but there are a few other good bands on also ... and Paul Weller I believe ... thanks for the hints
> 
> Steve: Im not exactly sure where it is, only that its on a hill overlooking Bilbao and I think its up towards the ferry port end ... just before on the left of the motorway


Enjoy. Wish I was in town that week. 

Concert site is here: KOBETAMENDI


----------



## jockm (Jun 23, 2009)

*Further rental qwezzie...*

Continuing on from the question about renting in Bilbao, I would like to know whether most rental properties are advertised on the web? We currently use idealista.com and enalquiler.es (I can never get segundamano to work for some reason).

For example, in my city in Australia the majority of rental properties would be advertised on the web, with only a few in the newspapers from private owners. Rarely would you see a shingle hanging from a property advertising it is for rent (I have, however, seen this in Spain). I guess that the north of Spain might be different to how it works in more expat areas so I thought the system in Bilbao might be a bit like La Rioja...? 

My hubby and I are wondering if the sites we are currently using to check out flats in La Rioja are representative of pretty much what is available, or if there is a whole other network we can tap into when we are actually there (real estate agents, newspapers, ads in bars...?) Another thing we are noticing at the moment is that the turnover of pisos seems verrry sloooowwwwww (a good thing for us as we don't get there until mid year!).

Any clues as to whether there are other sources we will be able to access when we get to Spain for rental properties, or is the web representative of pretty much what will be available?

Thanks!


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jockm said:


> Continuing on from the question about renting in Bilbao, I would like to know whether most rental properties are advertised on the web? We currently use idealista.com and enalquiler.es (I can never get segundamano to work for some reason).
> 
> For example, in my city in Australia the majority of rental properties would be advertised on the web, with only a few in the newspapers from private owners. Rarely would you see a shingle hanging from a property advertising it is for rent (I have, however, seen this in Spain). I guess that the north of Spain might be different to how it works in more expat areas so I thought the system in Bilbao might be a bit like La Rioja...?
> 
> ...


As halydia has already said "El Correo" newspaper is the be all and end all in Bilbao, but it has a web page no doubt too. And you will find to rent signs on the windows. Would you like me to ask my in laws (many of whom speak English) who live there if they know of any other place to look? PM me if you want.


----------



## jockm (Jun 23, 2009)

*Woops*



Pesky Wesky said:


> As halydia has already said "El Correo" newspaper is the be all and end all in Bilbao, but it has a web page no doubt too. And you will find to rent signs on the windows. Would you like me to ask my in laws (many of whom speak English) who live there if they know of any other place to look? PM me if you want.


Hi Pesky Wesky, it was Geez that asked the original question, not me. I was asking more generally about approaches to finding a rental (because we will be looking in La Rioja) - but I suppose it depends on the town you are looking in as to the best approach! Sorry for the confusing highjack! No doubt Geez will get back to you on your offer.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jockm said:


> Hi Pesky Wesky, it was Geez that asked the original question, not me. I was asking more generally about approaches to finding a rental (because we will be looking in La Rioja) - but I suppose it depends on the town you are looking in as to the best approach! Sorry for the confusing highjack! No doubt Geez will get back to you on your offer.


I think it just shows how easy it is to confuse a Pesky !!


----------



## geez (Apr 4, 2010)

*Bilbao search*



SteveHall said:


> It is well known that Bilbao is one of the few cities in Spain with a shortgae of accommodation. That said my experience has always been that "there is somewhere" you have been given some excellent advice and the only one I would add is Sublime Management although I see Richard's site is down (?) Top guy. married to a local. I'll see if he can help.
> 
> Where are you looking to live more precisely


Thanks Steve, catching up with myself after a few days. Completely agree with you about Bilbao -- we lived in a 'Fawlty-esque' hotel for six weeks last year which isn't something we usually have to do. In other postings in Spain we've had no trouble finding great places to live as we've found owners like the fact that we can pay a bit more and that we can make no claim for continuous tenancy which I'm told is why lots of property sits vacant.

As for location, the other half will be working near the airport so we have fairly happy with any spot well connected to the metro. Probably not keen on a flat above a bar in the Casco Viejo but other than that we are pretty unfussy.


----------



## geez (Apr 4, 2010)

*Bilbao search*



Pesky Wesky said:


> As halydia has already said "El Correo" newspaper is the be all and end all in Bilbao, but it has a web page no doubt too. And you will find to rent signs on the windows. Would you like me to ask my in laws (many of whom speak English) who live there if they know of any other place to look? PM me if you want.



Thanks Pesky, I'd appreciate any leads. Can't see your PM details on your profile... am I just being particularly thick today or is it that difficult to do? thanks again.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

geez said:


> Thanks Pesky, I'd appreciate any leads. Can't see your PM details on your profile... am I just being particularly thick today or is it that difficult to do? thanks again.


Ok, we've worked it out now!


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

One of my BILs got back to me saying that don't forget not to limit youselves to Bilbao its self, but to try other places that are near a metro station. The metro is quite extensive and once it gets out of the city much (if not all of it) is above ground, so it's like a train. Plencia, Sopelana, Berango, Getxo, Portugalete for example because you'll only be half an hour max. away from the centre by car and you'll have public transport as well.
No more nuggets of wisdom, sorry!


----------



## geez (Apr 4, 2010)

*Bilbao + Plenz/cia, Getxo, etc*

Pesky Wesky, that's great advice and I think I've almost got my head around the various Spanish and Basque spellings of locations in the outer 'hoods too. Thanks again and thank your BILs for me too.


----------

