Renting through agencies

[Eyja]

I was quite shocked to find out that real estate agencies here take a month's rent for their troubles! I was going to rent a bungalow for 800 euros a month and the agency wants 900 for its trouble. One month in advance, another as a deposit and 900 for the agency. Wow! Well, I couldn't rent it anyway since it does not have a phone line and I need that for the computer since cordless places seem to be as rare as a snowballs around here.

Is it o.k. to live in Puerto Rico? So many of you seem to live there, but it seems a bit crowded to me and perhaps more for the young generation... I am not ready to move into an institution just yet, give me a few more years, but to have to either walk up to your house and die on your doorstep or use your car anytime you want to go out of your house seems a bit too much. How do you do it? Also; Is it sunny all day, the valley being so narrow? I mean, doesn't the sun disappear early and come late? Sorry about my ignorance, have only been on the beach (crowded!) once and drove through it a couple of times and the traffic was terrible.
Having spent the time in Mogán, maybe that is why.

Nice to be connected again... nice to be able to read the mail here. I am dying to know more about the economy and the politics here, buying Canarias7 every day, reading the headlines and some more, my Spanish is not that good ... YET! Where is the best place to find out something - in English - e.g. about the situation in the housing/renting/buying business. All I could get from yesterday's paper in this area is that the price of electricity will go up and that the Canarians must be careful. There are a million questions I would like to ask, but whom?????
Eva

[mary]

Finders fee from the agency of a months rent is quite normal. From that fee at least you have some protection and (in theory) they do the leg work and find you somewhere. That can be a bit galling if you walk in and want the first place you see.
Our clinic is above the roundabout in Puerto Rico and we dont get sun into the clinic until the afternoon, but you will find in the summer that, that is what you want as otherwise your house becomes an oven.
The problem with PR is that it is so hilly and some people dont find that suits them.
San fernando can be cheaper but it is the other side of Playa del Ingles. You need to look around more before you decide where to live really and get to know the areas.
There is a free newspaper called RTN that is produced fortnightly that may give you some information. Tips and info is good if you are looking for property.

[libbyo]

The sun comes across the valey of PR during the day. Morning on the Puerto azul side comming across by late morning/early afternoon. You choose what you prefer.

Walking the hills keep you fit! and taxis are cheap on shopping days. I think some shops deliver as well.

The "local" community is very mixed with the youngsters to the retired, each finding their own neiche, and what they enjoy most.

Many people choose to live in Agua La Perra on the edge of PR, its a bit quieter, but still accessable.

Before you decide, check everything out, keep going back to the resort/place you like.

Oh telephone lines. If you are renting- some places will let you put a line in ( at your own expence) you just have to ask.

Keep asking the questions, and good luck.

Libbyo :)

[Eyja]

Thank you both very much for your replies. And I actually have found a place to rent, the one who didn't have a telephone line, but they are putting one in at their own expense! So everything looks good at the moment although it has been going up and down.

And I will get to know the areas better when relaxed instead of living in a hotel. Do you know what Arguineguín is like?

Let me tell you one thing about computer companies here. Two companies advertise in Tips and Info and I have sent them e-mail twice, no reply ever from the first one, the other sent messages of having received the e-mail and were going to be in contact soon. More than a month has now passed. So, I wonder why they advertise?
Have a good day.
Anything special going on this week-end that I could send my friends who are leaving next week to? Puerto Rico or wherever? Everything closed because of Spanish Christmas?

[mary]

I'm sure theres a thread on here about a 3 kings procession. The procession should be going on, on Thursday night.
For the kids:
Before the children go to bed, they put out some straw for the camels and one of their shoes by the front door
When they get up in the morning, their shoe will be surrounded by pressies. The 7th isnt an official holiday but people usually shut anyway - this year its on a saturday so that doesnt matter. 8th is a holiday too.
You'll probably notice that the beaches are busy as everyone celebrates the hols

Re computer companies: alot of the computer people have more than one job and over the past 2 weeks, may have been occupied with christmas. E mail again - you might have to nag a bit as everyone gets a bit manaña.

[libbyo]

Sounds good. Good luck.

Arguiniguin is nice, much quieter than the resorts, but has many ex pats of all nations living there. Some nice shops and restaurants too.

One thing to remember is that the Canarians work on manana time! so keep asking, they will reply. Ex pats get into it very quicky as well!!!!!!!! LOL

Can any of us help with your computer problem?

Libbyo :)

[Linda and phil]

Hi, not sure what your looking for, but if your going to arguinegan try here.
http://www.scancomputer.com
Hope this helps.

[Eyja]

thanks again for the advise. Computer problem solved for the time being, you don't know how lucky I am to have this girl for a Spanish teacher, she has friends all over who help and she is willing to spend time helping me find somewhere to live, advertise, reply to adverts (my Spanish is hmmmm not that good yet...) etc. So, I will keep in mind this forum if I get into trouble. I am terrified at the moment, the people I am renting from are putting in a phone line for me, ADSL, and Telefonica has promised it within a week, I don't know how much I will have to pay and whether the "week" will turn into months...

[libbyo]

I found telefonica, ok. They were quite quick, but it was about 80e to do it. Ive got a phone no of a telefonica engineer that speeks english. PM me if you need it.

Friends on the island are what makes it the special place it is. Enjoy them

Libbyo :)

[mary]

When you move here all you need is one person to guide you around everything. Dont worry, the first year is hard but you'll soon be able to look back and laugh at things you have had to do etc. I always say when people moan about the paperwork etc here - just consider that you are being born into a new country. When you are born in the uk,you have to register the birth etc and then set up schools, find a doctor, get qualified in something, get certificates for whatever you do, when you are 18 you automatically get your social security number, get a job and so get your national insurance number, buy a house, speak to the bank manager etc etc
All of that has taken years to do and we move here and wonder why it takes so long to do anything. But we are starting from scratch here.

Ask everyone for advice as we've all had to do most of what you need to do. That's why i started writing on here as i wanted to share some of the knowledge I had. I never knew about this forum when i moved over here and I wish I had. it would have made life so much simpler.