In episode four of When in Spain I look at how to rent a room or apartment in Spain. The focus is on Spain’s four biggest cities, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville. Click on the player above to listen to the episode and hear all about my ups and downs of finding somewhere to rent in Madrid. In the podcast episode I look at when, and where to start your search. Price ranges and advice on things to watch out for.

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I’ve seen apartments/rooms like the one in the photo below described as ’boutique living’. Don’t fall for any shit. It’s dog eat dog out there.

When should you start your search for a room or apartment?

Well, if at all possible avoid looking in September/October. This is the time of year when everybody and their dog is looking. There are a few reasons for this. University students, Erasmus students and teachers starting the Auxiliares program along with many other English teachers all arrive ahead of the start of the academic year and frantically begin their house hunt. January can also be a busier time of year to find rental accommodation. Also, people who have secured a new job just before or during the summer tend to start their contracts in September. If they’re relocating from a different city they’ll also be lining up to view properties.

How long will it take to get a roof over your head?

Longer than you might think. My advice would be to allow yourself at least two or three weeks. It took me a few months to find somewhere I was happy with. It’s very unlikely that you’re going to find somewhere in just a few days.

When should you look?

June or July is a good bet. August, possibly. Although many landlords and people looking for housemates tend to go away on holiday during August. November is another good time to look, once things have quietened down a bit, although there may well be less availability. The spring is also a good bet, March – May.

Where to conduct your online search…

Here are a list of the most common property search websites in Spain.

Idealista – The most popular site, many agencies tend to advertise here.

Pisos.com