There are several important things many freshly arrived expats do not know when looking for a flat. So here it is, the list of the 10 things I wish I would have known when I arrived here ! 1. Rent includes taxes but not bills in most cases Utilities are usually not included [...]
Internet is now part of the essential relocation pack for any expat, since it enables us to connect with our friends and family in our hone country and around the world. In fact, when I help fellow expats to move to Spain, I always take all necessary steps to have internet ready before they [...]
Most think the “Rent or Buy” question has an obvious answer: “If you can afford it, buy, since renting is throwing money away”. Wrong. I will tell you simply in this post why buying can mean throwing money away and renting can be the most profitable decision from a financial point of view. The 4 [...]
“Spain is different”. Rentals are a good example: Everything is negotiable or nearly, depending on the market. In a rental, all the conditions depend on the agreement you reach with the landlord. When you negotiate these conditions, it is essential you have in mind the law and the norm: yes, in Spain they are often [...]
Today I want to present you the Cortes & Letras neighbourhoud of Madrid. if you want a first overview of Madrid neighbourhoods, I recommend you read this and look at the interactive map to understand where Madrid neighbourhoods are located and search “cortes” for instance. This is how I would describe in a few words [...]
The public transportation system of Madrid is really one of the best in the world, as many international awards and expats living here will tell you. Metro & Co : These hard to find maps with all railway transportation systems However, something was missing … indeed, Madrid has 4 different types of railway tranportations: metro, [...]
Today I want to present you the neighbourhoud of Nuevos Ministerios & Chamartin – the business and financial district of Madrid. First of all, if you want a first overview of Madrid neighbourhoods, I recommend you read this and look at the interactive map to understand where Madrid neighbourhoods are located and search “Nuevos Ministerios” [...]
Finding the right school for your children is essential to your kids wellbeing in Madrid. Growing up in a foreign country is a unique opportunity to learn a new language and a new culture. Luckily, Madrid has many options to enable your children to learn and progress in a new environment. The main strength of [...]
You have decided to move to Madrid. Now, what is the best neighborhood choice for you if you have kids ? As always, choosing in which neighborhood to live in Madrid depends on your lifestyle and needs. And having kids, at least suggests a few lifestyle orientations. I will then underline the key criteria to [...]
The Retiro neighbourhoud of Madrid. Its name comes from the huge and beautiful public park called El Parque del Buen Retiro, nicknamed “El Retiro” by all Madridians. First of all, if you want a first overview of Madrid neighbourhoods, I recommend you read this and look at the interactive map to understand where Madrid neighbourhoods [...]