# Furniture Rental in Barcelona?



## FogCityNative (Dec 23, 2009)

We are moving to Barcelona soon.

Some of the apartments we've seen on the Internet and we like are rented unfurnished. It is way too expensive to transport our household goods to Spain from the USA. We do not want to buy furniture as it ties us down to possessions. We are selling everything we own here; why buy it all over again?

Are there any household furniture companies in Barcelona that rent decent quality furniture and not cheap plastic IKEA student type throw-away products?

Thanks in advance.

Norm


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

FogCityNative said:


> We are moving to Barcelona soon.
> 
> Some of the apartments we've seen on the Internet and we like are rented unfurnished. It is way too expensive to transport our household goods to Spain from the USA. We do not want to buy furniture as it ties us down to possessions. We are selling everything we own here; why buy it all over again?
> 
> ...


Just doing a google on "alquiler muebles de hogar, Barcelona" comes up with a few companies via Paginas Amarillas (Yellow Pages).....the majority of which though seem to be for events/conferences, etc. I'm not sure if that set up is as popular here as it is in the States - and if it is, I've no idea of how expensive it would be. Probably best sticking to a furnished property - or buying a few basic sticks of furniture. There are some cheap outlets around for that.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

FogCityNative said:


> We are moving to Barcelona soon.
> 
> Some of the apartments we've seen on the Internet and we like are rented unfurnished. It is way too expensive to transport our household goods to Spain from the USA. We do not want to buy furniture as it ties us down to possessions. We are selling everything we own here; why buy it all over again?
> 
> ...


I don't know about transporting. The best way to find out is to Google it because you're the only one who knows exactly where you are, which port or airport it would go from etc and you'll get up to date prices. BUT I don't know anyone who's done it so I presume it's expensive. Also you say you could sell your stuff in the US, as you could with the stuff you buy here.
PS Ikea does have cheap plastic throw away stuff, but they have ALL kinds of stuff . Some of it is pretty sturdy and it's all at a good price. You should have a look at the stores in Spain. If you rent a furnished apartment there's a good bet that most of the furniture will be from Ikea anyway!


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## FogCityNative (Dec 23, 2009)

*Cost of transporting goods . . .*

Just to give you an idea of the cost, 75 cubic feet on a pallet from West Coast US to Barcelona (about 12 large boxes or 16 smaller boxes) costs over $1,000 (U.S.). That doesn't include packing, which we'd have to do ourselves.

A 20 foot container, door to port, $4,500 (U.S.) again doesn't include loading here or delivery there.

Unless one is being relocated by a large corporation with plenty of money, moving household goods is just not worth the cost.

Norm


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

FogCityNative said:


> Just to give you an idea of the cost, 75 cubic feet on a pallet from West Coast US to Barcelona (about 12 large boxes or 16 smaller boxes) costs over $1,000 (U.S.). That doesn't include packing, which we'd have to do ourselves.
> 
> A 20 foot container, door to port, $4,500 (U.S.) again doesn't include loading here or delivery there.
> 
> ...


Sorry - didn't read your post correctly. I thought you had asked if it was too expensive to transport


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## FogCityNative (Dec 23, 2009)

*Furniture Rental*



Tallulah said:


> Just doing a google on "alquiler muebles de hogar, Barcelona" comes up with a few companies via Paginas Amarillas (Yellow Pages).....the majority of which though seem to be for events/conferences, etc. I'm not sure if that set up is as popular here as it is in the States - and if it is, I've no idea of how expensive it would be. Probably best sticking to a furnished property - or buying a few basic sticks of furniture. There are some cheap outlets around for that.


That's all I found too! Convention and party rental. 

But there is a well know company here called Cort Furniture Rental that says they can arrange furniture rental overseas. (Cort is owned by Warren Buffet's company, Berkshire Hathaway)

BTW, anyone have an idea of the average percentage discount people are getting on apartment rentals in Barcelona. Apparently, there's a glut of places for rent and landlords are desperate for tenants. We've seen some places that have been advertised for many months on end without being rented. 

A friend rented a huge apartment that was advertised at 3,000 euros for only 2,000 euros. The owner snapped up the deal, not even a counter offer, which suggested she still may have paid too much.


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

There's usually not much negotiation in BCN, Madrid or Bilbao centres where there is a lack of quality accommodation. I'm not sure where you get that there is a glut. It has NOT been my experience over the past 4/5 years when I have been there regularly. Sure, in the coastal areas just find a property you like and start to haggle away but I'd be interested to see what you can get in BCN at a discount. I have found Barcelona Apartments, Barcelona Flats, Apartments in Barcelona, Flats in Barcelona reasonable.


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## FogCityNative (Dec 23, 2009)

*Long Term versus Short Term*



SteveHall said:


> There's usually not much negotiation in BCN, Madrid or Bilbao centres where there is a lack of quality accommodation. I'm not sure where you get that there is a glut. It has NOT been my experience over the past 4/5 years when I have been there regularly. Sure, in the coastal areas just find a property you like and start to haggle away but I'd be interested to see what you can get in BCN at a discount. I have found Barcelona Apartments, Barcelona Flats, Apartments in Barcelona, Flats in Barcelona reasonable.


I think you are correct when it comes to short term vacation type rentals; they keep the prices high and have built in a vacancy factor to their budgets. Many are owned by ex-pats. They'll be full in the summer and maybe make enough to carry them through the off season.

We are looking to rent for at least a year and not a vacation type property on the beach or on the Ramblas; we are looking to rent from Spanish owners and not ex-pats who may have other income back home or are holding the place as an investment or to use themselves when they visit.

If it is anything like here in the US, as people have lost their jobs and their mortgages have re-set to higher interest rates which they can't afford and can't refinance out of, they look to a long term renter to allow them to hold on to their property until the economy improves. 

Because if they bought with little or nothing down as happened here, they have no equity and so selling leaves them with nothing. And foreclosure isn't very pretty. So, they're stuck; not willing to allow foreclosure, can't sell at a profit, can't qualify for a refinance because of low income, no income or the property doesn't make appraisal and can't afford to stay there on their current income at the higher mortgage amount. All that's left is to rent the place out long term. 

And if they are making the payments every month without a tenant, when someone comes along willing to pay the rent every month, plus the deposit and the bank guarantee, it can be the money they need to keep afloat. Then they will negotiate and take less rather than keep letting the place sit vacant waiting to get "their" price. Unless they're rich and just don't care, in which case we move on to the next place until we find something we can live with.

That's our theory; we'll see if it turns out to have any truth to it.


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

Good Luck, I have to say that this is not the Spanish mentality I have seen. They usually prefer to try to stick out for a high price and risk the property being empty! I don't understand it myself but ......


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## FogCityNative (Dec 23, 2009)

I only need one desperate owner. I am leaving USA because I can't afford the health care ($850 a month plus $1,500 annual deductible plus co-payments for every office visit, test or service) and I can't abide the politics. At age 61, there are no jobs for a former small business owner. Luckily, I think I qualify for a UK Passport as a dual national as my dad was born in Bristol, UK in 1906 and immigrated here at age 13 in 1921. Don't need a car in Barcelona either.


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## ivorra (Sep 24, 2008)

For what it is worth, neighbours here in Barcelona negotiated a sizeable reduction in their rental last year. They had been long term tenants in a Spanish owned property and simply could no longer afford the rent. The landlord evidently preferred to hang on to reliable foreign tenants at a lower rent than take a chance on the depressed rental market. I get the impression that English and American tenants are regarded as a good bet here probably because it is expected that they would pay more (no longer true in the case of the English!) and that they are perceived as being dependable.


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## geez (Apr 4, 2010)

Late to reply but thought you might still be looking.

I've rented several furnished places direct from owner which I've found via loquo.com (Spanish version of Craigslist). Be aware that Nigerian scammers haunt the listings but loads of legit owner-renters use it too and I've had a couple of good experiences. Expats are often favored over locals too due to increased flexibility we offer (ie inability to claim continuous tenancy, etc).

Can't advise on furniture rentals but another point in favor of IKEA furniture or better still renting a furnished place is the inaccessibility of most apartments in Barcelona. Moving furniture in and out is a trial to say the least, involving scissor lifts in closed-off streets, etc. Many buildings in Barca don't have elevators and when they do you'd better be skinny. This means lugging furniture up narrow stairwells... hence the popularity of flat-pack.

I move around often and always take a short-term initially until I figure out where I want to live in a city. Another reason to consider this in Barca is to test if you can cope with the noise levels in an area or within the apartment block itself. You can usually do deals with vacation rental places for about double the weekly rates on a monthly or multiple monthly basis. Business is slow in the vacation apartment market so try your luck.


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## Irishgirl (Sep 26, 2008)

Hi there,
I live 40 mins south of Barcelona and we negociated a very good deal for our furnished apartment, and yes landlords are looking for reliable tenents. Remember if you are renting from an agent the you may have to pay up to 4 months up front. Best of luck with the apartment hunting!! Hope you find what you are looking for )


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