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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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