One of the first major things we have to worry about when embarking on a year abroad is where we're going to live. It might seem very daunting to start with but the process of finding a new home is fairly simple and there are plenty of different types of accommodation to choose from.
I know it can seem tempting but something I really wouldn't recommend is trying to sort out a new flat over the summer while you're still in the UK. In order to make sure you have the best experience possible it really is a good idea to wait until you arrive in Spain/Madrid so you can visit the flat before you agree to live there and give it a proper once over. What is definitely an essential summer holiday task is organizing a place to stay for while you are searching for a flat during the first phase of your time abroad. If you're lucky this could be the home of a family friend or relative who already lives in the city you're heading to but if you're like the majority of us it will end up being a hotel, hostel or homestay. Each of these options has its pros and cons but the one I really would recommend is a homestay.
During my first 3-4 weeks of living abroad I lived in a homestay with a Spanish lady called Isabel. The advantages of this were enormous. Firstly, it can seem like you're in a desperate rush to find a flat at first and that you're wasting your time in a hostel or hotel. Being in a homestay meant that I knew I was going to be there for around a month and that I could use that time to search for flats in a more relaxed way while still having an "authentic" spanish experience. Secondly, it can be really lonely, not to mention expensive, living in a hotel room on your own whereas I always knew that there would be someone at home to chat to in Spanish. Isabel also proved really helpful as on my first day she took me to the city centre to show me round and I could ask her any questions I might have about living in Madrid. For some people a homestay may be exactly what they want for the entirety of their year abroad; there are many different types of "family" to take you in from middle aged couples looking to rent a room to full on families with several kids and accompanying pets. For me however, I knew that I wanted to live with a group of people my own age and so set about finding a flat.
Getting Started - What You Will Need
The first thing that you will need in order to get started on your flat search is a phone that is set up to work abroad. See my previous post:
Getting Started With a Spanish Mobile
I know it may seem scary that in your first week abroad you'll be expected to start talking to random spaniards on the phone but trust me this is the only way you'll ever start making progress with your search. It really isn't enough to fire off a set of whatsapp messages hoping people will get back to you - phone them up and organise a viewing then and there! (See advice on this below)
After you've got your phone sorted you need to find some flats that you're interested in viewing. There are plenty of places you can look to find adverts for available rooms.
1.
www.idealista.com - this was my favourite website for flat searching. True it has its limitations but it's free to use, has a filtered search option for prices etc and has a map of the city that allows you to search in specific areas.
2.
www.easypiso.com - this website was less useful but many friends have said it helped them. You create a little advert for yourself telling people who you are and what kind of flat you're looking for and wait for people to get back to you. Be warned you will be BOMBARDED with emails!
3. Paper Adverts - In Spain when people have an available room in their flat they often stick up little paper adverts on notice boards or lamp posts with a few details and their phone number to tear off. If you're studying at uni check the student notice boards regularly and, if you know whereabouts in the city you want to live, go for a wander through the streets noting down any adverts you find to call later.
4. Your "Network" - Make use of EVERYBODY you know when looking for a flat. You might be thinking that in the first couple of weeks you're unlikely to have a huge bunch of friends but I'm not just talking about your bosom buddies. Slip it into casual conversation with everyone you meet at work, uni or in social situations; a quick "I'm looking for a flat at the moment, do you know of any available ones in this area?" could prove very fruitful.
Contacting People
Once you've found a flat you think looks good and have a phone number you're itching to call, it can be helpful to write out a little script just to help you feel a bit more confident (I hope you don't think this next section is a little patronising but all I can say is that when I first arrived I would have liked a bit of help with this)
When Spanish people answer the phone they are likely to say "Sí", "Díme" or "Digame" and wait for you to speak.
First confirm who they are by saying something like "Hola ¿estoy hablando con ...........? once they've confirmed who they are just go straight in with explaining why you're calling, don't wait for them to say anything else...long phone pauses are awkward and dispiriting....
I've found a good phrase to begin with is - "Hola, te llamo porque he visto tu anuncio para una habitación en idealista.com ¿la habitación todavía está disponible?
If it is, organize a viewing with something like "¿puedo venir a verla? or ¿podemos organizar una visita?
They'll often ask you your name and how long you're planning on being in Madrid (or the city where you are) so it's a good idea to have an answer prepared for general questions like this.
If you have any make or break questions for them this is the time to ask them, before you travel all the way to the viewing.
Viewings
Try to go with someone you know when viewing a new flat but often this is impossible or just not practical. If you go alone make sure you tell someone where you're going and when you'll be back.
Flat viewings are often pretty brief affairs, sometimes you can turn up at 5pm and be done by 5.10pm. This means it's perfectly feasible to organise several viewings in the same day to maximise your search.
Bear in mind that sometimes online pictures can be a bit deceiving. Don't be disheartened if you get to a flat you thought would be amazing and it turns out to be less than great - there are plenty more flats in the sea!
Contracts and prices etc.
In Spain finding a flat is a much more casual affair than in England. Some landlords don't have a contract for you to sign and ask for the rent each month in cash. This may seem pretty dodgy but it's fairly normal and it's up to you to decide whether you want to do this or not. Other landlords will ask you to sign a contract for however many months you're planning on being abroad. This is often fairly flexible though and as long as you tell them a month in advance that you're planning to leave (i.e. if you find a better flat or just don't like it there anymore) then you'll be able to get your deposit back and get out before the end of your contract. Some contracts are not this flexible, however, and it's up to you to make sure you ask before you sign to make sure you understand what you're getting into.
Personally I would not recommend signing a contract that you are unable to get out of with your deposit intact. You really don't know someone until you live with them and if after a couple of months you're not enjoying your situation it can be a bit of a blow to have to leave without your deposit (which is usually a month's rent).
In terms of prices there's something for everyone. I know that madrid is a capital city but at the moment I'm paying 300 euros a month plus about 25 euros of bills on top of that. True this is exceptionally cheap but on average you can expect to pay anything between 350 and 450 euros a month. There are more expensive rooms out there though for those with more luxurious tastes!
Your Flatmates
I know that the year abroad dream is to live in a flat with a group of lovely natives and become fluent in Spanish (or whatever language you study) in the shortest time possible. If you manage to find a flat like this then you're all set. If you don't, however, it really isn't the end of the world. Obviously it is a good idea to live with at least one spanish person to get some practice in but if the spanish dream is proving elusive it really is ok to live with other European or English students. All this means is that you're going to have to put a bit more effort into your free time. Go to language exchange groups, organise one on one intercambios, chat with your colleagues or uni students over coffee etc. If you really TRY to speak Spanish you will and the fact that the people you say "hey" to in the kitchen every morning are English won't make much difference.
And lastly.....
Things to note:
The spanish are fairly lax in their use of the words "chica" and "chico" which in our minds would suggest a person round about our own age or younger. Just be aware that a flat of 4-5 "chicos" could mean that some or all are over 30 (which may not be a bad thing - don't dismiss a flat just because the people are older they may be really nice!)
Be prepared to spend most of your free time in those first few weeks looking for a flat. Apparently the average time spent searching in Madrid is 18 days but this can stretch to much longer if you're only organising a viewing every couple of days.
If after some time in your new flat you've unfortunately decided that you don't like it and want to move, make sure you've sorted a new place before you tell your landlord that you want out. I cannot describe the sheer stress of the frantic search that you're forced to take on once you've got a deadline after which you would theoretically be on the streets (or more realistically in a hostel or hotel for a bit). JUST DON'T DO IT!! :)
I apologise for the length of this massive post! As always if you have any questions regarding accommodation or anything else to do with year abroad or Madrid feel free to leave them in the comments below.
