Paul200

Hello,

My wife and I need some advice, as we are newbies to Portugal. We are looking to move to the Algarve and need some advice of where to move to, where there are more expats and English speaking doctors. Currently we are living in Arrifana and it is very difficult here, as my wife has some health issues and its very rainy here and as much as the locals do try to assist us the language barrier is an issue. ( we will do a Portuguese course but need to get settled first) How we got arrive in Arrifana is a story for another day. We are looking to rent a one to two bedroom apartment. Once we know the town to move to, we can book a hotel and set up viewings of apartments . Any help and advice will be very much appreciated.

Paul

Pulaski

How long have you been living in Portugal? If you have arrived since 31/1/2020, do either of you hold a passport from an EU country?

Paul200

Not long only arrived Thursday March 16 2023 we Have a D7 retirement visa.

Dafty

Algarve is not for everyone !
Very hot and getting hotter, very busy in july august.
Cooler out west but can be windy too.
Central Algarve is probably the busiest part
East, property still a bit cheaper and very easy for the occasional culture change, over the bridge to Spain
Your best plan is to come down for a week or so and get the feel of the area.
Even renting somewhere for a month or so is better if you can.
There are two main public hospitals Faro and Portimao along with various private hospitals all speaking english

Paul200

Thank you, we plan to come down for a week or so, but will look at getting rental apartment viewings. What are the best areas, i was told there are quite a few expats living in Tavira and is a very nice area to live?

Dafty

Yes, Tavira is probably as good a place as any to make a start. Lots of expats in the area and inland, Brits,German,Dutch etc.
Tavira was my first experience of Portugal, and I,m still here 36 years later !

Paul200

Thank you, we will make plans to go to Tavira to look for an apartment.

Paul200

What neighbourhoods would be good for us to live in, with easy access to shops etc ( we have a car) and of course expats?

Rosemary

On the subject of looking for apartments is Portugal like Spain regarding the fact that many owners putting a sign on the house with their phone number on it or are most places let through agents?

Rosemary

Lelandy

If it's the expat retirement life you are after then Cabanas de Tavira is probably worth a look. But be aware that the Health Centre is probably not more English speaking (not the doctors) than where you are now. There is a good private clinic in the Gran Plaza.

riv

You don't mention what your budget is and whether your desire is to rent long term or to buy. [ Although anyway the sound advice is always to rent somewhere for maybe six months before taking the expensive plunge to buy and maybe getting stuck with somewhere whose problems ( dogs barking incessantly, or, as in my case, cocks crowing incessantly - is this normal, btw ? I admit I am a townie but I thought cocks crowed at break of day and then had a rest for 23 hours - not so it seems, and btw I am not even in the countryside where I might have expected farmyardy rackets, I am one block down from the EN 125, so no traffic noise at all which made me think I was coming to Peace and Quiet..... ) ].

You seem fairly open save that you are majoring on the importance of proximity to other expats : if the latter is very important then my understanding ( from reading, rather than going there ) is that the Western Algarve, ie west of Faro, is more expat-ey.
But I don't know if anywhere west of Faro is as beautiful as Tavira.

If you get a move on you might just get a low season short term ( two months ) rental in Tavira for April and May. Just look at the various websites of estate agents and see what you can get for your budget.
Or maybe just book a hotel for three days and visit the Agents ( there are LOADS of them in Tavira ) and ask what they have got for immediate, short term, rent - perhaps somewhere with a nice view and a car parking space.

I suggest a two ( or maybe three ) month rental in Tavira simply to allow for the possibility you might want to pick on somewhere nearer the Western end of the Algarve for a further two or three month stint. Only then will you be able to compare the two.

Oh, and maybe ( if not already done ) join AFPOP and book in to the various social activities such as dinners which they advertise.

Paul200

Any web site suggestions, as i seem just to get holiday rentals and also what neighbourhoods with expats and access to doctors public and private?

riv

Well you have a car : nowhere is that far from anywhere else, certainly if we are talking coastal areas.

I think if you are vacillating worrying about what is the perfect solution ( remembering that we are , at the moment, just talking about a two or three month trial rental ) then you risk missing out on good solutions, which will be a sound base from which to explore. From June is High Season and broadly speaking short term rentals will double in price.

In your situation I would book into a hotel, maybe slightly on the outskirts, but with a good sea view, and parking spaces, in Tavira for two or three nights. Then just visit estate agents and ask them what they have for immediate availablity for two or thee months. State clearly your max budget. Ensure they understand you want this to include all utilities , incl. wifi as well as elec / local taxes / water / gas / service charges. You don't want that palaver for a short term thing.

They might have flats which have come in which they haven't got around to putting up on their websites yet.
That would be the benefit of being there, rather than examining the websites remotely.

Paul200

That is great advice. My budget is 1000 euros maybe at a stretch 1200 and we plan to rent long term. I am still trying to get a grip on the rental websites for Tavira and locating estate agents. Any suggestions?

riv

The big global website which includes ads from many different estate agents is idealista.pt

You can search setting price limits and geographical ones.

But honestly I believe that a day ( or days - please don't be surprised if online inquirires are not replied to ) spent getting used to how that works is probably wasted compared with just going there for three nights in a hotel and exploring on foot and going into the many estate agents offices you will see as you wander around.
If you spend three nights in Tavira you will IMMEDIATELY know whether it is somewhere you would like to spend two or three months.

Personally I would tell the Agents that your financial limit ( for the short term two monther ) is a thousand Euros per month to include all utilities. ( But you could stretch it a little if abs necessary ).

In High Season that probably would not work, not for anywhere nice anyway. But for what remains of the Low Season ( if you get a move on, as I said ) it might work : a landlord basically renting his/ her place out for the summer season might currently have it empty and be willing to let it go for a grand per month all in. But only till end May.

To give you a Very rough benchmark : five years ago ( searching on websites ) I managed to get a one month, low season ( April ) rental of a two bed in the coastal small town of Manta Rota for Euros 850 for the month - all inclusive.
It was a third storey flat in a low rise building - quite pleasant and peaceful but nothing to write home about. And Manta Rota is just a seaside village - that is ALL it has, a very nice beach. ( Whereas Tavira has many attractions ). It was good as a base from which to explore, but I would not recommend it for a two or three month stay, whereas I would recommend Tavira for that.

Prices have gone up hugely since five years ago - perhaps more for purchasing than rentals. Another reason why I think that GOING THERE in person for three days is more likely to come up with the goods than endless faffing around on websites, and then waiting for responses to your inquiries.

Again : you don't want to make the Best the enemy of the Good.