How to find housing in Spain (what actually helped me in Tenerife)

Finding a place to live in Spain sounds simple until you actually start looking. When I first moved to Tenerife I thought I’d just go online, pick somewhere nice and that would be it… not quite. Things move fast, people don’t always reply, and it can feel a bit chaotic at the beginning.

The main resource I used to find housing in Spain- Tenerife (and honestly everyone uses) is idealista.es. That’s where pretty much all the listings are. The biggest thing I noticed is that if a place is good, it goes quickly. So you kind of have to check it often and message straight away if you like something. And if people don’t reply, don’t take it personally, it happens all the time.

One thing I’d say is never agree to anything without seeing it first. I know it’s tempting if you’re not in Spain yet, but photos can be very misleading. Some places look amazing online and then you get there and it’s completely different. It’s also not just about the room, it’s the area, the noise, the general feeling, and especially the people you’ll be living with. That part matters more than you think.

Also don’t be afraid to ask loads of questions before saying yes. It’s your home at the end of the day. I always ask things like if bills are included, how long the contract is, if there’s a deposit, and really importantly if you can register at the address. It might feel a bit awkward asking everything but it’s much better than moving in and realising something isn’t right.

Realistically, most people moving here (especially at the start) end up sharing a flat. Renting alone can be expensive and sometimes harder without the right paperwork. But honestly, sharing can actually be such a good experience. Some of my favourite moments have just been staying in, cooking together, trying food from different countries, just chatting for hours. It also makes a huge difference with loneliness when you first arrive somewhere new because you’re not just going back to an empty place every day.

One thing that’s really important and easy to miss is making sure you can get empadronamiento at the address. (Register at the address) You’ll need it for things like your NIE or TIE, so it’s worth checking before you move in. Not every landlord allows it, especially in shared places, and it can be a headache later if you don’t have it sorted.

If your Spanish isn’t great yet, it actually helps to learn a few basic phrases for viewings. Even just trying makes things easier and people appreciate it. Things like asking: if bills are included (¿el alquiler incluye los gastos?),

if there’s a deposit (¿hay fianza?),

how long the contract is (¿cuánto tiempo es el contrato?),

if you can empadronar there (¿se puede empadronar aquí?),

if it’s available now (¿está disponible ya?),

or how many people live there (¿cuántas personas viven aquí?).

You don’t need perfect Spanish, just enough to get by.

Overall it can feel a bit stressful at the beginning but once you get used to how it works, it’s fine. For me it was just checking idealista all the time, going to viewings, asking probably too many questions, and being open to sharing a place. It might not be perfect straight away but you’ll find somewhere and it does start to feel like home quicker than you expect.