International House Hunting 101

Just about the time I think I am beginning to understand the culture and ways are done in our new homeland, I realize I really have no clue!  This week, as we began our search for a new home, I entered the "no clue" zone again.  So, I thought I would bring ya'll along.  Perhaps between all of you and me (and some great teammates and immobilarias), we might successfully find us a new home!

A little background information - we are moving to a town that is about an hour away from our present home.  We are moving from what is referred to as a city (approx 200,000 people) to a pueblo (approx 22,000 people).  We are presently living in the Madrid province and moving to the Toledo province (we presently live north of Madrid and are heading to the south of Madrid).  We presently live in an apartment and we are looking for a chalet (translated to town home).

Real Estate companies are called Immobilarias.  There is no such thing as the MLS in Spain.  Some houses (both for sale and rent) are listed with only one immobilaria, while others are listed with several.  Sometimes things are listed by owner as well, or perhaps only by owner.  Many of the immobilarias list their properties online at real estate search sites, but they don't give addresses of the properties.  Some immobilarias respond to your request for more information almost immediately, while others never respond. 

And of course - there is the whole language thing - they all speak Spanish.

Do you have a feel for the task ahead?

So, let's rewind to last Friday - International House Hunting (IHH) Day 1.  Hannah and I met our new teammate and toured the school on the side of the town where we "thought" we wanted to live.  Afterwards, we headed to our first immobilaria (of course, there was a stop for 2nd breakfast in there).  We explained to the worker at the immobilaria what we were looking for, the area we wanted to live in (the north), and that both families desired to find a chalet.  She shared a little information and then told us that she could not show any properties that afternoon (so we made an appointment for Monday - watch for IHH 102).  We then visited 2 more immobilarias who each told us they had no properties to match our needs.

Hannah and I then spent the next hour and half driving up and down streets writing down phone numbers and addresses of potential rental properties.  Friday was followed by a weekend of Internet searching, emailing, and praying for direction. 

End of Day 1 - no new home.