Puerto de Mogan apartment

How to find an apartment part II – internet and agencies

How to rent an apartment – Internet or Agencies?

When we started looking for the apartment, we have looked at so many different sources that now it looks like a real market analysis. We used many options, starting from the ads on the internet, agencies and to the telephone numbers hanging on the windows. However, only few of the efforts were effective and only few sources had valuable up-to date information.

So here is our advice, where to look for an apartment in Gran Canaria.

Advice No. 1 – use specialized Spanish websites to find the long term rent offers.

Advice No. 2 – try agencies, but please read our tips below on how to deal with them. We had some unpleasant experience.

Advice No.3 Go and see the apartment before renting it for a longer time. It’s not a short holiday.  You are going to live there, so be sure that you get what you expect. Especially if you are with children.

Internet sites for finding an apartment

The most effective way for us to find an apartment, was the search on the internet. There are personal and professional ads (the latter ones, posted by agencies). Usually, you can filter them.

So here is the list of the most popular local websites to look for the rent announcements (with the variety of great choices of the various places):

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“Flat for rent” in Spanish is “piso por aquiller”. The descriptions are mainly in Spanish, but if you have troubles – just use google translator for the whole page. Surprisingly, it’s quite accurate. And after few searches you will be almost expert in Spanish real estate vocabulary.

Using the above links you will find both private and professional ads of apartments. For both options we would recommend to call them or to contact on Whatsapp (which is very popular in Gran Canaria). E-mails are not really working in Spain. You can wait for the reply for ages and never get it anyway. So take your mobile and use Whatsapp (everyone there has it!) or just call them for more information.

Agencies

One more way to search for flats in Las Palmas is using the local real estate agencies. There are so many of them! Actually there is at least one on every third corner in Puerto – Canteras or Guanarteme (Las Palmas). So just pop-in and talk to them what they have to offer for you. This is the fastest way to get the assistance here. Our experience with some of these agencies showed that the only possible way to get some answers from them is coming to their office! Phone calls, messages or e-mails, even if you have met them eye to eye already, doesn’t guarantee that you get the answers. This is the Spanish culture you have to deal with.

So to be more precise – arrange the meetings to see the apartments you like while you are at the agency’s office. Otherwise, you will have to come back to their office to arrange the meeting.

One more thing to have in mind – do not trust any word of mouth. Even if this word is from the agency‘s representative. Which means that you need to write everything in agreement (this applies for long term, not for short term rent).

We had some really bad experience with the Bramb Accesories agency in Las Palmas. And the positive surprise for us was Clarrissa‘s agency, which is something really unique. You will find more details in the below list.

List of real estate agencies and our experience with them

You can find below a small list of the real estate agencies offering to rent an apartment in Gran Canaria and our comments on personal experience with them.

1. Lovely weeks – positive experience. Great communication. As to our understanding, they have very nice apartments in different resorts on the island. I was in contact with Victoria, excellent and fast answers by emails. However, we did not use their service, because we have already found another option and stayed in Clarissa’s apartment.

2. Clarissa’s agency  unexpectedly we had some great experience. Don’t expect anything posh or very modern, but sometimes might happen. And you will be surprised about the assortment of apartments she has to offer in the first or second line to Las Canteras beach!

It is some kind of a fantastic retro (non-computerized at all) holiday rent agency, usually offering apartments for elderly people. Clarissa was a huge helping hand for our family, which we will never forget.

Clarissa usually works with elderly people. No e-mails, no credit cards, just old good telephone and eye to eye meetings. A bunch of colorful keys on the table next to the papers and invoices. Lots of clients coming-in and out. A dolphin on a wall. And Clarissa’s best friend –  dog on the ground. Let me introduce you to Clarissa, who knows EVERYTHING.

She knows who rents which flat, for which term. If they had paid or not. Moreover, all the financial and administrative information is hanging on her shoulders. She is the guru here. People often come to her office to pay the rent. Sometimes people come straight from the airport hoping to get some flat for the holiday in Las Palmas. And usually they get one.

It is some kind of a fantastic retro (non-computerized at all) holiday rent agency, usually offering apartments for elderly people. Clarissa was a huge helping hand for our family, which we will never forget.

So try her office, don’t expect a lot and this will be a definitely new experience.

3. A casa servicios inmobiliarios – good service. Great communication on whatsapp and by emails (after the first contact by telephone). I was in contact with Daiana, we have visited one apartment. They don’t have a wide range of flats, but worth a look. We have chosen another option at that time.

4. Best House: no answer. Even after few telephone calls and e-mails to the direct person got a bunch of sorry and no real interest in the client. After some time they had no person speaking English. Having in mind that they were so active with the announcements on the internet that was strange and disappointing. However, never have visited their agency. Maybe a visit there would change the opinion completely and things could work out.

5.  Bramb Accesories – we had a bad experience. While using their services we were treated with lies, disappearances, last minute information that we have to remove from the flat because they found another longer-term tenant, etc. Complicated communication with the agent and owner of the flat, often confusing.

Other options for apartment search

In addition to internet search and agencies, we have also tried calling the numbers hanging on the windows on the first line of Las Canteras. However, this might work if you are looking for some place for the next season only. Usually these apartments are available for the short rent periods and all of them were already booked in advance.

This is it from our side, hope this is helpful for the newcomers to Gran Canaria. More tips on how to find a suitable place to live for your winter in Gran Canaria can be found here.

Finally, if you have some good or bad experience with the above listed or other agencies, please let us know in the comments below. Also, you are welcome to share your suggestions and sources where to find the apartment in Gran Canaria. Especially for spending the warm winter there. We will be thankful if you share it with us!

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