Helping Alex Rent Long-Term on a Non-Lucrative Visa
Alex thought she had everything under control.
Her Non-Lucrative Visa was approved. Her cruise was booked. She was preparing to move from Missouri to Spain with her four-year-old daughter.
The only thing missing was a long-term rental. Having rented homes in the US before, Alexandra assumed finding one in Spain would be relatively straightforward.
After seeing Homesmith had helped another American lady in a Facebook group, Alex got in touch.
The Problem
With long term rental demand high and supply limited as the summer season approached, Alex knew that competition for property would be fierce at this time of year.
But she had assumed her healthy bank balance and decent budget she would be able to find something. But what she hadn't realised was without a Spanish employment contract she was not going to make it onto a short list. Most landlords prefer applicants who allow them to obtain landlord insurance.
Alex was managing an international move, caring for her young daughter and didn't yet have the Spanish language skills needed to spend hours calling agents and chasing up enquiries.
She'd hit a dead end.
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Our Solution
Over five and a half weeks, 83 portal enquiries became 4 viewings and ultimately 1 successful long term rental.
Only 63% of the listing we contacted included a phone number, but we called every single one to establish whether a landlord would consider a tenant without a Spanish employment contract.
In the end the right apartment came through one of Nicola's preferred local agent partners. It was an off-market rental in Cambrils, never listed on Idealista, and we were the first and only party to view it.
Whilst Alex had originally asked for Tarragona or Reus, due to our local area knowledge we knew Cambrils still delivered the walkable lifestyle she needed with only a short train or bus ride back to the city.
When the contract came through we negotiated on her behalf, giving Alex more flexibility while still ensuring the landlord's costs were covered.
The Outcome
Less than six weeks after starting the search, Alex had signed a long-term rental contract and could finally stop living in hotel rooms and expensive but scruffy Airbnbs.
The Cambrils apartment included a lovely communal garden and pool, which Alexandra decided was worth stretching her original budget slightly for.
Today, Alex is busy navigating paperwork and finding a school, while her daughter remains focused on a far more important mission: finding the best playground in town.
