# Summer Relocations Possible?



## ButWhy (Feb 17, 2014)

My wife and I would like someday to relocate to probably Spain - she is a native Spanish speaker - or perhaps France or Italy. 

To get a feel for what life would really be like there and to do some "scouting", we would like to live in Spain over the summer. My question is this: can you get small apartments there (1 or 2 bedroom) for 3 months at a pretty reasonable price? We could pay $1000-$1500 per month. If so, how do you go about finding these apartments?

Thx...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

ButWhy said:


> My wife and I would like someday to relocate to probably Spain - she is a native Spanish speaker - or perhaps France or Italy.
> 
> To get a feel for what life would really be like there and to do some "scouting", we would like to live in Spain over the summer. My question is this: can you get small apartments there (1 or 2 bedroom) for 3 months at a pretty reasonable price? We could pay $1000-$1500 per month. If so, how do you go about finding these apartments?
> 
> Thx...


:welcome:

the only real issue you're likely to have will be the fact that you want to come in the summer. Properties which go for 1000€ a month the rest of the year will often be available for 1000€ a WEEK! 

however - it will all depend upon area - it's a big country.....

this might give you some ideas though Villas in Spain | Cheap & Luxury Villas | Apartments to Rent in Spain


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## Leper (May 12, 2010)

Making an opinion of any place in Spain between May and September (incl) is bordering on lunacy. However, there are those who will take your money. Renting a good 2 bedroom centrally located apartment on the Costas works out @ €500 per calendar month from October.

It is a Renters Market on the Costas at the moment and therefore I suggest you go to a hotel for a few days and visit as many apartment complexes, housing estates, etc that you can. Knock on doors and you will find a place to rent very easily.


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## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

Leper said:


> Making an opinion of any place in Spain between May and September (incl) is bordering on lunacy.


Why? I arrived in Spain in June, initially for four months, but decided to stay on longer.

I felt it was better to see what the place was like when it was infested with sunburnt tourists. I knew that if I could survive that period, the quieter, cooler winter would be no problem at all.


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## ButWhy (Feb 17, 2014)

Thanks guys.

Well, that is what I noticed: it looks like all the sites show places to rent at "vacation rates of $1000 to $1500 per week". I would like to stay for a much longer period of time.

So I guess the only way to do that is to visit and chat with the locals, eh? My wife will be able to do that. I can understand a lot of Spanish, but am not very good at talking it.

By the way, it would be tough to come any other time of the year right now than summer because we will have two kids in school.


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## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

ButWhy said:


> Thanks guys.
> 
> Well, that is what I noticed: it looks like all the sites show places to rent at "vacation rates of $1000 to $1500 per week". I would like to stay for a much longer period of time.
> 
> ...


I sent you a private message with some information. Hopefully you find it useful.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

David1979 said:


> I sent you a private message with some information. Hopefully you find it useful.


Why a PM? 

Maybe it would have been useful to everyone.


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## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

snikpoh said:


> Why a PM?
> 
> Maybe it would have been useful to everyone.


Just highlighting my personal circumstances and how I made my journey to Spain from the UK, what steps I took and so on.

If I posted it here we'd likely see the thread derailed by posts saying that the way I did it was wrong, wouldn't work for most people, isn't recommended and so on.

The best way to cut through that is not to post it where everyone can debate it and discuss it.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

David1979 said:


> Just highlighting my personal circumstances and how I made my journey to Spain from the UK, what steps I took and so on.
> 
> If I posted it here we'd likely see the thread derailed by posts saying that the way I did it was wrong, wouldn't work for most people, isn't recommended and so on.
> 
> The best way to cut through that is not to post it where everyone can debate it and discuss it.


Thats not how a forum works. We share info - the correct info. If you think your way would be critised for being wrong, then maybe it is and you shouldnt be advising it, either publicly or privately!

The discussion needs to be had, so that those who are asking have the knowledge to make their own minds up

Jo xxx


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## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

jojo said:


> Thats not how a forum works. We share info - the correct info. If you think your way would be critised for being wrong, then maybe it is and you shouldnt be advising it, either publicly or privately!
> 
> The discussion needs to be had, so that those who are asking have the knowledge to make their own minds up
> 
> Jo xxx


I'm not giving anyone legal advice, or advice on anything that can get them into trouble.

The OP says they wish to check out Spain over a certain period of time, which was described by one poster as "lunacy".

I did my initial visit during the same time frame the OP is talking about, and didn't have any issues, and that's what I told him, I also told him the various factors I took into consideration when spending my initial four months here such as access to a travel network for checking places out and so on.

I simply couldn't be a**ed getting into a debate about when is best to visit somewhere and so on, and posted my thoughts on that matter earlier in the thread.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

David1979 said:


> I'm not giving anyone legal advice, or advice on anything that can get them into trouble.
> 
> The OP says they wish to check out Spain over a certain period of time, which was described by one poster as "lunacy".
> 
> ...


I think the point being made by that poster was that (in his opinion) it is lunacy to spend just 3 or 4 summer months to decide on the best place to live in Spain.

It would take far longer than that and at various times of year.

It still comes as a major shock to a lot of people that it gets very cold in Spain and the houses/flats are simply not built or designed to deal with the cold. It also surprises some people that various coastal resorts close down for the winter. 

Spending just the summer in such places gives completely the wrong impression.


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## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

snikpoh said:


> I think the point being made by that poster was that (in his opinion) it is lunacy to spend just 3 or 4 summer months to decide on the best place to live in Spain.
> 
> It would take far longer than that and at various times of year.
> 
> ...


First of all, the OP is coming from the US, which isn't cheap.

He/she mentions that they have the summer timeframe to work with. Maybe he/she doesn't have the time or money to visit in the winter and suchlike?

I, having come to Spain at the same time as he or she's talking about, simply PM'ed them some information on what I did, and what I was looking for.

He/she may wish to take that information on board, or he/she may not. That's their choice.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

David1979 said:


> First of all, the OP is coming from the US, which isn't cheap.
> 
> He/she mentions that they have the summer timeframe to work with. Maybe he/she doesn't have the time or money to visit in the winter and suchlike?
> 
> ...



Thats all fine and dandy lol!!! No need to PM it really was there - tis a forum and we chat, debate and discuss. all part of the whole picture

Jo xxx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

David1979 said:


> I sent you a private message with some information. Hopefully you find it useful.


All points of view are welcome and are useful.
I did some things "the wrong way round" too as we probably all did. I didn't have any healthcare in place for example. I had a job and started working without my "tarjeta de residencia" which was perfectly legal at the time (you had a paper to say things were being processed, and I was supposed to get health cover until I got on social security, but I wouldn't actually recommend that it be done that way. 
You did it your way and you can tell it like it was, but of course you should defend your corner.

If I was the OP, I'd be looking into the visa that's required as that's where most US citizens find difficulties...


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## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

Pesky Wesky said:


> All points of view are welcome and are useful.
> I did some things "the wrong way round" too as we probably all did. I didn't have any healthcare in place for example. I had a job and started working without my "tarjeta de residencia" which was perfectly legal at the time (you had a paper to say things were being processed, and I was supposed to get health cover until I got on social security, but I wouldn't actually recommend that it be done that way.
> You did it your way and you can tell it like it was, but of course you should defend your corner.
> 
> If I was the OP, I'd be looking into the visa that's required as that's where most US citizens find difficulties...


When I decided to move to Spain I didn't spend months on end researching where I was going to live, paying for visits, and eventually waiting years before making the move. 

I simply identified somewhere that I liked the sound of, checked it out a couple of times on short breaks, then made the move. I obviously had my own personal circumstances such as finance and the like sorted (as I assume the OP will have), but there's only so much planning you can do before you eventually have to find a starting point and give it a bash.

By the sounds of it the OP's starting point was checking somewhere out over the summer, same as me. I simply PM'ed him some pointers on what I did when I came over in the summer, what I looked out for and so on.

I just didn't fancy getting involved in the tedious discussions over cold winters, why I was probably "lucky" that the way I did things worked out for me and so on.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

David1979 said:


> When I decided to move to Spain I didn't spend months on end researching where I was going to live, paying for visits, and eventually waiting years before making the move.
> 
> I simply identified somewhere that I liked the sound of, checked it out a couple of times on short breaks, then made the move. I obviously had my own personal circumstances such as finance and the like sorted (as I assume the OP will have), but there's only so much planning you can do before you eventually have to find a starting point and give it a bash.
> 
> ...


I think the people that are lucky nowadays are the ones who come here without a job and manage to find an ok *legal* post that will *cover any more than their basic needs*, that lasts for* more than 3 months*. In fact, that's not just someone who's lucky, it's bordering on a miracle! That does not of course include Gibraltar. If you did that, you're lucky and good for you. Somebody out there has got to strike lucky now and again!
Now, if we're talking about someone who's single, who doesn't have dependants and who wouldn't lose too much by coming out here and trying, most people here would say the same - give it a try.

If you're not on you're own, if you'd be giving up legal jobs which cover your basics and you might be in financial difficulties if you didn't find work, the answer has got to be go somewhere else/ move to a better place in your country of origin/ shelve the plan for now, but don't try coming to Spain 2014 on a wing and a prayer.

BTW - can the OP receive PM's?


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## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

Pesky Wesky said:


> BTW - can the OP receive PM's?


:noidea:


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

ButWhy said:


> Thanks guys.
> 
> Well, that is what I noticed: it looks like all the sites show places to rent at "vacation rates of $1000 to $1500 per week". I would like to stay for a much longer period of time.
> 
> ...


the problem for you is that the maximum time you can stay is 90 days, & long term contracts are for a minimum of 6 months - so although you might get a deal it's unlikely


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

David1979 said:


> :noidea:


I thought you could only send *and* receive PMs after 5+ posts:confused2:


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## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I thought you could only send *and* receive PMs after 5+ posts:confused2:


Maybe.

Which means all the discussion about sending PM's was for nada!


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