The kind of rental you can find if you know where to look ...

For foreigners planning on moving to Madrid, finding the apartment, flat or room to rent is the #1 objective.
I will focus here on the process of finding a flat and what are your options, so you can yourself decide on the best option in your case.

To sum up, there are 2 ways to find a rental in Madrid:
1) via the major classified websites for Madrid rentals
2) via a professional who will conduct the search for you

Of course, there are also other options, such as requesting an university dorm room, or through a friend. I will focus here on these 2 key options which cover 90 % of all cases and are open to any person moving to Madrid.

1) via the major classified websites for Madrid rentals

The best classified websites are :

• Fotocasa – entirely free, with the largest number of flat rentals
• Idealista – entirely free, very well designed, easy to search and use
• Loquo Madrid – the largest amount of flatshare adds
• EasyPiso – specialized in flatshares, you have to create a profile and pay a small fee to contact most users,
• EnAlquiler – specialized in rentals

PROS: These websites will give you access to the largest database of flats, apartments and rooms to share. They have powerful search functions and alerts, and are easy to use.

CONS: Anyone can upload anything, so there’s a risk of scams (I do not recommend Craigslist for this reason: it’s full of scams) and 90 % of ads are in Spanish only.

A good option for people with plenty of time when they arrive in Madrid (18 days on average to find a flat according to this survey), a friend to host them so you don’t pay the hostel while you’re searching, and some elementary spanish to scan through the ads.

2) via a profesional who will conduct the search for you

If you have the money and do not wish to have to worry about anything for your rental search, go for the agent.

PROS: you are sure you will find the exact property that fit your needs. You will be able to consult an experienced profesional to help you choose. Relevant if you have very specific needs.

CONS: the price tag – 1 month’s rent plus VAT.

Real estate agents wil charge you a month’s rent (or more) to find you a flat within their portfolio. Most will not speak english or just a bit since Madrid is not as full of expats as the Costa.
You pay in fact for in this case fo the services they give to landlords.

In Moving2Madrid‘s case, we look for you 100% of the time, and all over the market, doing 5 to 10 visits a day, sending you a summary daily, preview all suitable flats, with photos and videos of the flat and neighbourhood. Above all, we focus on newcomers and foreigners who want to move to Madrid: personal service is included to support you before and after your move. We will charge the same and include the relocation assistance for all your questions throughout your stay, and we will deal for you for setting up utilities and reviewing the contract.

Conclusion: the option you choose depends on the time and money you have to spend.

In the end, the option you choose depends on 2 factors: time and money. If you do not have time for the search, go for #2: a professional. If you do not want to spend money but have time to search, go for #1: the major classified websites.
Then to choose the best company to deal with, I suggest you have a look and compare.

I hope this will help you decide the way you want to find a place to rent. Do have a look at my other posts about rental prices and cost of living in Madrid, the best neighbourhoods in Madrid and how to choose the one for you if you haven’t already, they are really helpful to prepare your move to Madrid.

As always, if you have any kind of question, do not hesitate to send me an e-mail with all your doubts and questions.

Yours madridly,
Pierre – Expat & Madrid Relocation Expert