I’ve been looking at idealista website for rentals, it’s quite user friendly and has English translation.
Hope this helps

 

Thanks for that. We have also looked on their site and as you say, it is quite good. I just need some local estate agents in the area who we can go to.

 

Hi! from UK. My Wife and I are relocating to the Vera Playa area of Almeria Province in October this year. We have managed to find a temporary appartment to rent for the first 3 or 4 months at a very reasonable price. We have looked at several agents in both Mojacar, Turre and Huercal Overa. You could try places like "Blue Sea Villas" "Kyero" "Idealista" etc. We have read that there are quite a few scams going on within the "Idealista" site, but can't confirm this. I would think that if it looks to good to be true, then it probably is. "Voss Homes", "Solutions Habitat Ideal (Dutch Couple that speak English and very helpful in Mojacar Commercial Mojacar Playa") "Spanish Property Choice" and "New Horizon Villas" in Zurgena. Best to have a good look once you get there. Hope this helps. Ade

 

Hi Ade, thank you for your help. I will look into the people you have suggested. We will be going over from Tenerife on the 6th of July, so hopefully, we will find our ideal place.

Many thanks
Stephen

 

Can anyone recommend where we should look for long-term rental properties?

Well, Almeria Province is about 4 times the size of Tenerife, or about the combined size of the counties of Kent and Essex in terms of km²! So it's a big place.

It's also worth pointing out I think that mainland Spain, particularly Almeria, will have more extreme temperatures than Tenerife. Tenerife tends to have a better year round climate—it's cooler in Summer and warmer in Winter. Almeria on the other hand can get very hot in Summer, June, July, August can easily push mid 90s and higher, inland can be even hotter without the cooling coastal sea breezes. Winter tends to be colder, particularly when the sun goes down, out of the sun it can be quite chilly. So you might want to bear this in mind when looking at properties. You'll probably want to look for some form of a/c for those summer months and some form of heating for winter. Cooling and heating obviously have costs associated with them.

As to where to look, well all along the Almeria coast are nice locations, it's a very nice part of Spain in my opinion, but then I'm biased because I have a property there!

If you want to be reasonably close to a British expat community, without necessarily being in it, I'd suggest you start with Mojacar and radiate out your search from there. Mojacar has quite a thriving expat community, but there are plenty of very nice places further up the coast both North and South from Mojacar. Vera, Vera playa to the North and Carboneras to the South for example.

As a general guide, you'll find Villas inland and apartments on the coast, both have their own strengths and weaknesses, pluses and minuses. That's not to say you can't find Villas on the coast, you can but they're generally a lot more expensive than their inland counterparts and inland apartments tend to be cheaper than their coastal counterparts.

The advantages of Villas is their seclusion, privacy and quietness (if you're lucky). The downside is they may not necessarily be close to amenities, shops, bars and restaurants etc and if inland will be hotter than properties on the coast. It's vice versa for apartments, they may be closer to amenities, but will be generally noisier. What you go for is obviously down to whatever priorities you might have.

I'd suggest using some of the property websites and get a feel for what's available in what place for inland villas and coastal apartments. Use that knowledge for when you go there to look yourself, because there's no substitute for simply going to the place and getting a feel for whether you want to live there or not.

 

Thanks for the reply. Yes, we are aware of the weather in Almeria, but trust me, Tenerife gets into the high 30s in the summer months. The problem we are finding is that the properties on the internet are not available. We contacted Almeria Rentals, who had dozens of villas for rent, but when I contacted them, they had 2 villas available!!! I think the only thing to do, is going to the estate agents in the area and see what they can offer.
Many thanks for your input
Stephen

 

snap


Snap ive been finding exactly the same, apparently they never update the websites..friends who live there told me its typical for the area..

carol

 

Hi If you go on Spainhouse.net there you will find a list of many agents. As i too are looking for long term rentals i found them earlier tonight.
good luck.
Carol

 

We managed to get a lovely 3 bedroom 2 bathroom with its own pool and garage for €550 a month. Its 10 minutes from Albox, so its ideal. We went through Sol Y Mar and they had a few more villas available if you are still looking.

 

Take a look at the rental section of http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/2725-faqs-lots-useful-info.html

 

PuertoUK is starting on the inside lane and perhaps 50 metres head start of most people aiming on a 100 metre sprint. He's lived in the Canary Islands. He knows the ropes. He has a lot of homework done. Like what was pointed out Mojacar Playa might be a good place to start. Most Irish and Brit residents there lived in other areas on the mainland and islands and bought for keeps in the Mojacar area, I kid you not. But, don't let me railroad you into thinking Mojacar Playa is the best place since Valhalla. You'll have to make up your own mind.But, for a start it is low rise.

Internet + apartment/villa sales - good as an introduction but below par when it comes to hard facts regarding sales. I don't know why estate agents continue with this practice of advertising properties that are not really for sale. I know fifteen years ago when we were buying it was probably the most frustrating single item in our property hunt and we had lived further up the coast towards Alicante before the move.

While you are sussing where you should live permanently apartment rental (2 bedrooms, centrally located, front line, good quality) can be rented for around €650 + €100 electricity in the off season per month. So I reckon you'll not be rushing to purchase. If you do purchase it is helpful to know that property in Almeria province is cheaper than similar property elsewhere in Spain.

When you visit the area you will notice the most modern railway tracks and railway tunnels indicating that high speed trains will be operating; but be aware these tracks won't see a trainload of passengers before 2023 despite what you might hear from those honest estate agents.