MySunnyLIttleCorner.com
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Spanish Culture & Traditions
  • Travel
  • Let's Talk about Food!
  • Naval Station Rota Links & Information
  • About

Blog

Housing in Rota, Spain

10/22/2013

46 Comments

 
Picture
Beach in Rota
If you are planning a move to Rota, Spain and are lucky enough to have the option to choose between living on the Navy base or  "out in town" (on the economy), there are a lot of things to consider to decide which is the best option for you. 
For us, living on base was never an option, but lucky for us, we wanted to live off base anyway.  If you are considering living off base (I'm biased, but I think everyone who can, should) here is some info for you to consider when making this decision for yourself.
Picture
Alleyway in Rota
There are basically three or four main areas where Americans who live off  base tend to put down roots...of course there are exceptions to this, but the majority of people live primarily in the cities of Rota or El Puerto de Santa Maria ("Puerto" for short), with others in the cities of Chipiona and Sanlucar.  This post will focus mainly on Rota and Puerto.  Rota is convenient with its close proximity to the base.   From nearly anywhere in Rota you could easily bike to the base, and many services are within walking/biking distance.  Rota has a lovely old historic center ("Old Rota") as well as an area known as "New Rota", which if I had to guess was built in the 1970's.  The newer part of Rota is where you are likely to find more single-family detached type of houses, vs. apartments or condos in the more dense city center.   Rota has several beaches, a beautiful waterfront/boardwalk/marina, and a passenger ferry to neighboring Cadiz (the oldest civilization in Europe). Rota has a population of about 30,000, and encompasses an area of approximately 32 sq. miles.
Picture
Playa de Santa Catalina, Puerto
Located just south of the base is the city of El Puerto de Santa Maria.  Much larger, and more spread out than Rota, Puerto has a population of nearly 90,000, spread over an area of about 62 square miles.  More than half of Puerto's population is clustered in the densely urban city center, with the remainder spread out over a wide area.  Puerto is dotted with many neighborhoods that are reminiscent of the typical subdivisions you may be used to in the States. Several of these neighborhoods (urbanizations), including Vistahermosa, El Aguila, Las Redes, El Ancla, and El Carmen, and Quatro Pinos are an easy 10-20 minute commute to the base.  Homes in Puerto tend to have larger yards, many with outdoor pools, and easy access to several beaches.  Within each neighborhood you are likely to find small commercial areas designed to serve the local residents--most neighborhoods have a bakery, a tapas restaurant, a pharmacy, and a small store for convenience items.  Larger supermarkets are readily accessible with ample parking, and a full selection of grocery and household items at much lower prices than the neighborhood mini-marts.  

Picture
Urbanization of Las Redes, Puerto
When you arrive in Spain the Base Housing Office will work with you to find a place to live.  Your Housing Office representative will ultimately be the one who negotiates with your potential landlord on your behalf, and will walk you through the lease-signing process.  While Housing is your primary resource, using social media (see link below), and networking with other people can be a great way to find a house as well.  Any home you choose must be on the base-approved housing list, and sometimes a great home may not show up on the list if, for example, it is still occupied but the family has plans to move out soon. You might also identify a home on your own through a "for rent" sign (in Spanish, "se aquila"), in which case you can request that it be added to the housing list.  Housing will have to inspect the home and approve it, but this potentially opens up more options for you to consider.
Rota, Spain Military Housing on Facebook
Rota Naval Community Q&A
Living off base is a wonderful way to become immersed in the Spanish culture.  I have wonderful neighbors who have been so kind and gracious to my family, and even though we don't speak the same language, we manage to communicate just fine.  I love that I live near the beach and am fortunate to have a beautiful pool to enjoy.  The convenience of my corner market, and fresh baguettes every day, is a luxury few can experience in the States.  We are getting to enjoy the experience of living in a foreign country, with the safety-net and convenience of the base nearby--we can still shop for some familiar items if we want to, go watch American movies, and enjoy all the activities the base provides, if we want to.  This is an opportunity most people only dream of...make the most of it by living among the natives and soaking it all in!

Some things to consider when deciding where to live:

1)  Do you have children who will attend school on base?  The school bus will pick kids up off base, depending on where you live.  Just a side note here...the busing is fantastic.  All buses have a bi-lingual bus monitor that rides the bus to and from school each day and checks students on and off at each stop--very safe and efficient!  This is something you will want to verify with housing before choosing a home if you don't want to drive back and forth to base twice each day. Or, maybe you would like your kids to attend Spanish school?  Living in town makes this an even easier possibility.

2)  Consider your budget.  Take into account the cost of utilities in Spain.  We have found that electricity in Spain runs about 3 times what it cost us in the U.S.  This will vary somewhat depending on the home.  We have a large, older home, with a heating/cooling system that is old and inefficient. This costs more to run.  Logic would dictate that a newer home with tighter windows, newer heat, etc. might warrant lower bills.  We also have a pool which draws a lot of energy as well.  Some homes require two separate water bills--well water for the garden, and city water for the house.  Many homes have propane gas to heat the water.  All of these things add up, so be prudent when you are thinking about your monthly costs...it's not just the rent, but utilities as well.

3).  Negotiate to get what you want.  Once you have found a house, The Housing Office will negotiate on your behalf if there are things you would like the landlord to pay for, update, etc.  The answer might be "no," but if you don't ask, you will never know.  We were able to negotiate yard & pool maintenance into our rent, new faucets, and permission to paint...think about what you want, and get it out in the open before you sign the lease.  Decide what you can and can't live with before you come to the bargaining table.  You are not going to get to move again unless you pay for it out of pocket, so choose wisely!


46 Comments
Mike
10/22/2013 07:17:54 am

Buyer beware. And , every choice may involve some compromise as no house has it all.
U R house is excellent! But, am sure it is not perfect.
And, U have added a personal touch to it.

Reply
Isabel link
6/23/2014 12:07:26 pm

We left Rota Spain a few months ago with tears. We are trying to keep our house in El Puerto very close to Rota base, if you want to rent a house there please visit www.peraino.com/egipcia
Thank you

Reply
Amparo
2/19/2015 01:21:11 pm

is it still available? is this through base housing? I am a single 30 year old female and I feel in love with you house. The only thing is that I am not scheduled to arrive until April/May and I wouldn't be surprised if its gone by then, and of course I would have to see the neighborhood first too before I say I want it. So let me know if it is through Base housing and you may be lucky when I am ready to agree : -)

Reply
Felix Morion link
2/25/2015 02:53:31 am

Which house or apartment ar you interested in?
Thanks for your coments

suzan white-house link
10/30/2015 07:55:01 pm

my husband and i will be moving to rota with our gdaughters ages 4-5-8 and we need direction
please call or email us 904-466-1009

michael hose
10/30/2015 07:51:42 pm

please contact us wa are moving to rota and need information
904-466-1009

Reply
michael house link
10/30/2015 07:52:24 pm

please contact us wa are moving to rota and need information
904-466-1009

Reply
jed
5/25/2016 11:30:14 am

how's the rent going? I might purchase property there

jed,

Reply
Felix Morion link
8/16/2016 05:07:22 am

In this moment I ha e an Apartment available DIRECT on the beach with there bedroom a, two bathroom and 50 m2 terrace
Garage and atore and common pool
Price 1440€

Jessica coles
10/6/2016 11:17:03 pm

Hello do you still rent out your home in Spain?

Reply
Mathew Klopp
2/9/2017 03:53:40 pm

Hey I saw you're home, if it's still available please let me kno asap. I'll be moving there in 2 weeks, thanks!

Reply
Ashley
6/25/2014 01:01:20 pm

I am moving to Spain July 28th and its just me and my husband and 2 dogs we are young and this is our first time on our own, its my husband first duty station and im excited to go but I need help on that's best for us. if anyone can help that would be great.
thank you!

Reply
Desiree
9/27/2014 09:24:43 am

Ashley,

I came across your question and wondered how your move with the dogs went . My husband and I are considering a move to Rota in the future and also have two dogs. We are concerned about whether there are house with yards and whether there are any kennels where we could board them to travel.

Reply
Felix Morion link
11/19/2014 08:09:22 pm

I have a house with big garage and 2.000 m2 of garden for your dogs.
The whole property is complity closed

Reply
Felix Morion link
2/25/2015 03:42:56 am

I have a House in my Web, cottage Falcon Crest, 5 minutes by car to the Rota Naval gate.
It has 2.000 m2 garden, complity close, especial good for a couple with dogs
As I am going to do some improvement it will be complity available in one month

Reply
mike house link
10/30/2015 08:03:57 pm

my wife and three g-daughters 4-5-8 yrs old will be moving to rota.
i was stationed there 1978 and loved it!
please, would you help 904-466-1009 snitzie@nsm.com

suzan white-house link
10/30/2015 07:57:41 pm

my husband and i will be moving to rota with our three gdaughters ages 4-5-8 and need direction (bringing our dog also) please call or email 904-466-1009

Reply
Isabel
7/6/2014 03:51:40 am

Ashley, If I can help you with something let me know, my personal email is ringabell@hotmail.com.
You are going to get there just in time to enjoy the beach!. There are many places to visit, I always liked to go with our family/ friends coming from the States to Sevilla, Setenil de las bodegas, Ronda, Nerja.... I hope you have a great time in Spain!

Reply
Tracy
8/26/2014 09:41:36 am

My husband just had his order changed to Rota. We are excited to explore! I would love to get as much information as I can before we come. We will be arriving with a dog and a newborn. Where can I look to get a better idea of housing, etc.?

Reply
Karen Hemmett
8/26/2014 04:34:20 pm

Hi Tracy!

I am so excited for you to be coming to Rota. Here are a couple of Facebook pages that might be helpful to get an idea of what types of homes are available.

Search Facebook for Puerto-Rota Rentals, and Rota Military Homes.

If there is anything I can do to help you, or if you have questions about anything, don't hesitate to ask.

Karen

Reply
Tracy
8/27/2014 03:05:49 am

Karen,

What about POV's? I have a diesel jetta that we are debating bringing...is diesel a good idea? the quality of fuel? I know it sounds weird. Poor quality can ruin a car.

Housing- are there certain sized objects that we should leave in storage, like our king size bed?

Thank you for being so responsive! I have had a hard time getting any responses.

Tracy

Reply
Tracy
8/27/2014 03:05:55 am

Karen,

What about POV's? I have a diesel jetta that we are debating bringing...is diesel a good idea? the quality of fuel? I know it sounds weird. Poor quality can ruin a car.

Housing- are there certain sized objects that we should leave in storage, like our king size bed?

Thank you for being so responsive! I have had a hard time getting any responses.

Tracy

Reply
suzan white-house link
10/30/2015 08:09:38 pm

i was wondering if you could help. my husband and i with 3 g-daughters ages 4-5-8 will moving ti rota please give advice
thank you

Reply
Tracy
8/27/2014 03:06:22 am

Karen,

What about POV's? I have a diesel jetta that we are debating bringing...is diesel a good idea? the quality of fuel? I know it sounds weird. Poor quality can ruin a car.

Housing- are there certain sized objects that we should leave in storage, like our king size bed?

Thank you for being so responsive! I have had a hard time getting any responses.

Tracy

Reply
karen
8/27/2014 05:04:18 am

Tracy, would you email me at khemmett2010 @gmail.com? If you don't mind, it's much easier for me to reply to you that way. Thanks!
Karen

Reply
Jessica
9/26/2014 11:40:02 pm

Hi Karen! I have just been offered a position in Rota and was hoping you could answer some questions for me. Your email address:
sunnylittlecorner@gmail.com wasn't working. Is there a better way to send you some questions? Thank you!

Reply
Karen
9/27/2014 07:38:46 am

Hi Jessica,

Not sure what's going on with the email. The address is actually mysunnylittlecorner@gmail.com. If you just copy and paste this address into the email "to" field, it should work fine. If not, let me know and I'll send you another address to try. Looking forward to chatting with you!

Reply
Jessica
9/28/2014 12:20:14 am

Thank you Karen! I tried again and I think it worked this time!

Jessica
9/27/2014 11:55:57 pm

My husband and I are currently living in Colorado, and I was just offered a job on the base in Rota (not affiliated with the Navy). I have some questions and was hoping someone could answer them. Any suggestions or recommendations would be great!

I was hoping you could tell me a little about the cost of living. Is it similar to the US or a bit cheaper?

How easy is it to make friends and have a social life? We are not affiliated with the Navy base and would either be living in Rota or Puerto.

My husband is trying to get transferred to the European division of his current job, so how accessible are flights to other parts of Europe from Jerez or Sevilla?

What is the public transportation like from town to the airport?


Thank you!!

Reply
Jessica
9/27/2014 11:57:20 pm

My husband and I are currently living in Colorado, and I was just offered a job on the base in Rota (not affiliated with the Navy). I have some questions and was hoping someone could answer them. Any suggestions or recommendations would be great!

I was hoping you could tell me a little about the cost of living. Is it similar to the US or a bit cheaper?

How easy is it to make friends and have a social life? We are not affiliated with the Navy base and would either be living in Rota or Puerto.

My husband is trying to get transferred to the European division of his current job, so how accessible are flights to other parts of Europe from Jerez or Sevilla?

What is the public transportation like from town to the airport?


Thank you!!

Reply
Steve
10/6/2014 02:15:45 am

Can you help us? My wife and I would like to rent a 2 bedroom house or apartment in or around Rota this winter season. Anything available?

Reply
Karen link
10/6/2014 04:43:36 pm

Hi Steve! Are you just looking to visit Rota for the Winter? Or are you moving here and looking for a long-term rental? Email me at mysunnylittlecorner@gmail.com with more information and I will try to put you in touch with someone who can help. Thanks,

Karen

Reply
Felix Morion link
11/19/2014 08:19:30 pm

I have an apartment available direct on the beach, complity furnishure with a pàtio, private garage and common garden and pool.
It has two bedroom, Bath, Hall, a big patio, air contioned, Kitchen, etc..
You can see it in my Web www.rotaforrent.com its Apt nº 4
contact f.morion@hotmail.es

Reply
Mark
8/6/2016 09:46:27 am

hi could you tell how much please

mike lappin
8/15/2016 03:54:17 pm

what is your rent price. I lived in rota in the 70s I was in the Maries.My wife is from lalinea spain .we got married in Rota chuch.We going there in may of next year what are the going prises. thank you.

melanie
10/30/2014 05:38:30 am

Hey there. My husband, daughter and I are moving there in june and are so excited. How hard is it to get a house on base? Also we are not sure if we are going to bring our dog. We want to travel a bit while we are there. Are there places that will take car of our dog if we plan to go out of town?

Reply
Charley
11/1/2014 07:14:47 pm

Hello Karen,
My wife and I are moving to ROTA as I have accepted an offer on base with the NEX.
What is the selection of rentals off base? We are looking at a long-term rental until we find a place to purchase.

Reply
Karen link
11/6/2014 04:52:46 pm

Hi Charley,

There are many different types of rentals to choose from off base. Once you get here, the best thing you can do is check out the different areas near the base to see what feels right. Each city has it's own vibe and once you look at a few places, it will start to become clear what feels right for you. Housing will help you when you get here, as well as the community resources that are available to assist in this process. I know you are going to find a place that you love! Any way I can help, please let me know!

Karen

Reply
Nate
11/16/2014 09:49:01 am

Hi everyone, I recently returned back to US soil, after amazing 3 years in Rota, Spain were I enjoyed every single second. If someone need help to find a good apartment, I know the perfect person for that, very friendly and helpful. If you want his contact info feel free to e-mail me at spartans_7_1@yahoo.com. I telling you best duty station ever.

Reply
Katie
12/13/2014 02:29:50 am

Nate,

Can you tell me more about your tour there? Were you on a ship? I am up for orders and considering applying for a DDG in Rota. I have a newborn. What would you suggest? Also, my husband is not too excited about doing an overseas station for the fact that jobs for military spouses are limited to basically on-base unless you are a speaker of their language. How are the civilians with speaking English....and are there opportunities for spouses to work out in town that you know of? Thanks for the help. Please email me at katie_beth2002@yahoo.com when you get a chance.

Reply
Amparo
8/2/2015 08:02:34 am

I have a penthouse apartment for rent in Rota very close to the base. It has a beautiful living room with a great view of the bay. The apartment has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full kitchen and community garden with swimming pool. This apartment can be rented fully furnished or unfurnished and also includes air conditioning, wi-fi, AFN-TV connection and free cleaning service once a week. The cost is 1060 Euros per month. Please contact Amparo Gomez at 619-527-554, or via e-mail at: realutrera@telefonica.net.

Reply
ELEANOR link
11/1/2015 02:18:28 am

Rota is so cool.......... Must try once

Reply
jed
5/25/2016 11:29:11 am

Hello, I am a member of the USAFR and will not be stationed at Rota. However, I am considering purchasing property there. Any/all comments welcomed. thank you, js

Reply
Angelica
5/31/2016 05:52:24 pm

hi like to know the average apartment rent, if electric bill is 3 time high then America what mean. I leave in Las Vegas en 3 b, 2/12 bath, gas, trash $70.00 and s. and electric bill in summer is $300.00 with change,
I have pool and heath with gas $160.00,
I'm trying to get a job at Commissary a Rota Spain.
can you help, please with question.

Thank you

Reply
Mathew Klopp
2/9/2017 03:52:17 pm

Hello, I'll be moving to Rota in a couple weeks. I'm moving there with my wife and two kids plus our dog. Please if anyone has a home avaliable let me know!!
mttdill@gmail.com

Reply
sylvia & Lance Peterson
11/29/2017 06:32:16 pm

Hello Matthew,
My husband and I are retired and our best friends who are originally from Madrid, Spain have lived here in the USA for 30 years, and are now moving back to their homeland on December 11th. They have been trying their hardest to get us to also move to Rota. They will be living just 15-20 minutes away in El Puerto in a beautiful historical building. So this is very comforting to us. My husband would move at moment's notice, but I am very reluctant to leave the United States and go live in a foreign country. They have told me that Rota is beautiful, and that many Americans went there with the intention of living there a short time, and ended up staying there permanently. So if I could please impose on you and your wife, to write to me and let us know your experiences and how you like it. I want to do it, but I am a total Chicken! Maybe hearing from another American who has just moved there will be the nudge that convinces me to take a chance. Thank you so much for your time. Sincerely, Sylvia & Lance Peterson. Our e-mail address is LPeterson2017@aol.com

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Archives

    August 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    October 2013

    Categories

    All
    Columbus Day
    Electricity/Appliances
    Holy Week
    Housing In Rota
    Semana Santa

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly