Header

5 Key Tips to Buy a Flat in Madrid

January 30th, 2012 | Posted by Pierre in House Hunting | Pierre - (1 Comments)
How can I find this perfect apartment to buy in Madrid ?

How can I find this perfect apartment to buy in Madrid ?

How can I find this perfect apartment to buy in Madrid ?

Real estate market trends for 2012 reveal that average home prices in Madrid will fall another 20 percent, at least between 2012 and 2014, after having already dropped by an average of 20 percent since 2007.

The market being full of risk and opportunities, I recommend you follow these 5 tips – a short summary of what I would recommend to clients and friends:

1)   Beware of the market variations in Madrid, and buy now only if you plan to hold the property for more than a minimum of five years.

2)   On top of the purchase price, you will have to spend 10 to 15% in taxes, commissions and fees.

3)   Real estate agents in Madrid usually charge commission to the seller: 6 percent is the average. This is different to other parts of Spain. However, some agencies, such as Red Pisos, charge 3 percent to each party, the seller and the buyer. Just be aware that, in most cases, you will not have to pay commission, but it may occur.

4)   Negotiate with patience and preparation. All real estate professionals know that average advertised prices are 20 to 30 percent higher than the final sale price. To negotiate well in Madrid, you need to be patient, have alternatives and be prepared.

5)   Get help, you will need support, and keep in mind that real estate agents payed by the seller are not your friends. It’s recommended that expats use the services of a flathunter: a professional who can help get the best property at the best price.

If you want more advice, do check my website Moving2Madrid with the detailed version of this post, all the interactive maps to choose the best neighborhoods and more advice.

If you have a specific questions, do not hesitate to send me an e-mail – I will come back to you within 48 hours.

Yours Madridly,
+Pierre-Alban Waters

The “Zarzuela” – a Spanish mix between a musical and a play …

December 12th, 2011 | Posted by Pierre in Entertainment | Lifestyle | Pierre - (0 Comments)
"Los Sobrinos del Capitán Grant": a very entertaining Zarzuela

"Los Sobrinos del Capitán Grant": a very entertaining Zarzuela

"Los Sobrinos del Capitán Grant": a very entertaining Zarzuela

Saturday night, instead of watching the most sacred thing on television in Spain (Madrid vs Barcelona for those who live on Mars), I went to see my second zarzuela.

“Zarze….what?” might you say. No, not the fish stew which also has the same name – good try. No, this zarzuela is a traditional and popular Spanish music theatre, in between theatre and opera.

Really entertaining and funny – and so authentic. Lots of Spanish jokes, but they do put the subtitles on a screen when the actors sing. Even without understanding it all, every Spanish trait and stereotype is exagerated. This zarzuela also includes a song all guiris will find very interesting: a Spanish and a Scottish woman fight over a man, and compare how lovers demostrate passion to each other in their respective country.

All in all, I had a great night, enjoying authentic Spanish art, so I recommend to all guiris !

C/ JOVELLANOS, 4, 28014 Madrid

915 24 54 00‎ · teatrodelazarzuela.mcu.es

 

Do not hesitate to comment and/or send me an e-mail if you have any kind of question.

Here was my post for GuiriGuide. For complete “how-to” guides to make your move to Madrid easy, have a look at my blog Moving2Madrid.com !

Madridly yours,
+Pierre-Alban Waters – Moving2Madrid.com – Google+ – Twitter – Linkedin – Newsletter

 

PS: Thanks to the guys at WM Madrid de Calidad for choosing me as the winner of the free tickets. Do have a look at their sites where they give free tickets everyweek !

Relaxing Week-end Getaway: Alcalá de Henares and its Parador

December 5th, 2011 | Posted by Pierre in Pierre | Traveling outside Madrid | What's Happening Madrid - (0 Comments)
View from the major square of Alcala, Plaza Cervantes

View from the major square of Alcala, Plaza Cervantes

View from the major square of Alcala, Plaza Cervantes

Alcalá de Henares is great place to go for a short relaxing week-end out of Madrid, for guiris who have already been living in Madrid and need a really easy to organize escape to rest, enjoy the food and the nice views without even having to look into a guide if you do not want to.
First of all, it is really easy, quick and cheap to reach: only 35 minutes from Madrid in normal short-distance “Cercanías” train, with trains every 10 minutes. So the a great idea if you just do not want to think about time tables, changing trains, or going to the airport. Straight from Atocha, and here you are !
To be frank, Segovia and Toledo have more monuments and history. However, Alcala has the right amount of things to see -it’s the birth place of Cervantes, the author of “Don Quijote” – so you can stroll its city center in no rush and still see everything, but never get bored.
There is one thing that Alcalá has which neither Toledo nor Segovia have: a Parador. A “Parador” is a state funded hotel chain with a 5 stars quality standard, always in unique monumental buildings. For more details and photos of all these beautiful hotels, please do visit their website.

The patio of the Parador, where you can have breakfast and drinks.

The patio of the Parador, where you can have breakfast and drinks.

This parador has only opened a few years ago, after some extensive works to adapt the convent to what would be now this 5 stars hotel.
The good news is that it is only 57 € per person with their amazing breakfast for under 35 and over 55, depening on the time of the year. A really great price. And they also have really great quality-to-price ratio if you include a Spa circuit for two.
My program would then include arriving Saturday afternoon, have a coffee at “Cafe Hemisferio”, sample some turrón at “Salinas”, walk to discover a bit the historical centre and have some tapas, for instance at “Indalo”. Or you could go for a good menu at Casa Bayton on Plaza Cervantes, to taste local recipes. During the afternoon, going to the Spa could be a great idea.
Then resting on sunday and profiting from the amazing buffet the Parador has. The rest of sunday will be used to finish visiting Alcalá, getting lost in its quaint little streets around its main square Plaza Cervantes.
The good thing is that you can either visit Alcalá without staying overnight, or profit from the Parador. You choose, but do visit Alcalá since many foreigners living in Madrid just forget to visit it !
Hope this will give you some ideas for your next getaway !
Here are the adresses of the places I mentionned in my post:
  • Indalo: C/ Libreros, 9, 28801 Alcalá de Henares 918 82 44 15 ‎
  • Salinas: Plaza Cervantes, 21, 28801 Alcalá de Henares 918 88 15 22 ‎
  • Casa Bayton: Plaza de Cervantes, 21, 28801 Alcalá de Henares

I enclose here my selection of photos so you can get an idea of how is Alcala

Do not hesitate to comment and/or send me an e-mail if you have any kind of question.

Here was my post for GuiriGuide. For complete “how-to” guides to make your move to Madrid easy, have a look at my blog Moving2Madrid.com !

Madridly yours,
+Pierre-Alban Waters – Moving2Madrid.com – Google+ – Twitter – Linkedin – Newsletter:


 

Interactive Map of Best Private Schools for Expat Kids in Madrid

November 21st, 2011 | Posted by Pierre in Household | Logistics | Pierre - (0 Comments)
Interactive map of the Best Schools for Expats Kids in Madrid

Interactive map of the Best Schools for Expats Kids in Madrid

Interactive map of the Best Schools for Expats Kids in Madrid

Today, I wanted to share an interactive map I did with the Best Private Schools for Expat Children in Madrid.

I wast trying to help an american family to choose the best school and realized how hard it was to get a global picture. So I worked on simplifying the decision process for the first criteria: location. After doing some good research, this map lists all the good schools, and really helps to understand to realize that, for instance, private expat schools are mainly in north-west madrid and the suburbs. Oh, and if you wondered about prices: from 4,000 to 20,000 €  a year.

As for other details or if you want more advice on how to choose the best school, head to my detailed how-to blog for moving to madrid tips: head to this specific “how to choose the best private school for expat kids” post on Moving2Madrid.

Of course, as always, if you need any help or advice for choosing a school and/or moving to madrid, do not hesitate to email me !

Madridly yours,
Pierre Waters – Moving2Madrid
+Pierre-Alban Waters

Map of the best neighbourhoods to move with your family to Madrid

November 7th, 2011 | Posted by Pierre in House Hunting | Logistics | Pierre - (0 Comments)
Just for you, my interactive map of the best family-friendly neighbourhoods in Madrid !

Recently, I have been getting questions from people moving to Madrid with their families. And the questions of parents organizing a move to Madrid are quite different to the questions of expats moving alone or as as couple. To make their search easier and give them a simple and visual guide to decide which neighbourhood would be the best for them, I created this interactive map of family-friendly neighbourhoods:

Just for you, my interactive map of the best family-friendly neighbourhoods in Madrid !

Just for you, my interactive map of the best family-friendly neighbourhoods in Madrid !

 

The best family-friendly neighbourhoods in Madrid have been indicated, with a short description, with also rental prices for those in the center of Madrid where prices are quite uniform.

I advise you do the following:

  1. Take a look at the map, first to get used to how Madrid is distributed and what are the options.
  2. Then try and calculate thanks to google how long would it take to go to work and to the very center of Madrid, Puerta del Sol.
  3. Check if the rental prices comply with your criteria
  4. Check detailed posts of these neighbourhoods: Salamanca, Retiro, Chamberi. As for the suburbian neighbourhoods, as they are so diverse, do a search on google images and do some google street view to get an idea of how it is to live there.

Of course, “your mileage may vary” and this selection is a reduction of reality : it is intended to simplify your search and give you useful tools and insights to feel safer and more confident about your move to Madrid. I know many happy families in other neighbourhoods and if you have any question, do not hesitate to email me or tweet me @pierrewaters.

Madridly yours,
Pierre Waters – Moving2Madrid

My google+