Couple sitting on floor in front of furniture and moving boxes (milkos (123RF))
There is plenty of variety when it comes to housing in Spain. Whether you end up living on base or choose to find a house locally, it will be exciting to settle into your new home.
Bldg. 1960 | 727-2398/2698, 956-82-2398/2698
The HSC is your first stop when it comes to finding housing in Rota. Within three days of arrival, you must check in at the HSC and sign up for the weekly mandatory Housing Welcome Brief. It is good to have an idea of whether you want to live on or off base before you attend the Housing Brief.
• Accompanied personnel with families may choose whether to live in base housing or find a home off base.
• Unaccompanied personnel above E-4 may choose to live on or off base.
• Unaccompanied personnel E-4 and below are required to live on base in the unaccompanied housing facilities. E-4 Sailors with more than four years of service may request authorization from their chain of command to live off base.
The HSC will help you find a property off base and sign your lease agreement. The following steps outline the house-hunting process.
1. Attend the mandatory Housing Brief.
2. Once you’ve decided to live off base, make an appointment with HSC.
Bring a copy of your orders.
Be prepared to sign documents verifying you understand the process.
HSC will give you a promissory note. It must be signed by the landlord of the property you are interested in and is valid for three days at that point. This saves the property for you and gives HSC time to ensure it is properly listed and inspected.
3. Search for available houses.
HSC has lists of available properties, or you can see them on www.homes.mil.
Note the ID number of properties you are interested and bring them to the HSC who will verify that the home is available.
HSC can take you to tour available properties and can help negotiate items.
4. Once you’ve found a property, have the landlord sign the promissory note. Return it to HSC and fill out the pre-contract. This form helps HSC prepare your lease agreement within 48 hours.
5. Sign the lease; it will be for a minimum of one year. Both you and the landlord must sign the lease and fill out a move-in inspection form.
6. Return the lease to HSC. After that, HSC will begin your allowances, process your TLA claim and refer you for loaner furniture.
The area around NAVSTA Rota has a large variety of homes, and the location you choose should be dependent on your family and lifestyle. Here are a few things to consider when visiting potential houses.
Areas nearest to beaches will experience an influx of Spanish vacationers during the summer months. During this time, expect more noise late into the night, busy restaurants and difficulty shopping.
Visit the home at night to see if the area is busy or loud in the evening.
Be sure your home includes an assigned parking spot, and that it will be labeled with a “Vado” sign for your license plate. Measure the parking space to verify your vehicle will fit.
Make sure your pets have adequate space, and the landlord approves pets in the home.
Verify the rental payment method.
Rent is set; however, other items can be negotiated.
Two air conditioning units are required. You can negotiate more.
You can negotiate an awning for sunny patios.
Garden and yard services cannot be negotiated into the lease.
All negotiations should happen before shaking hands with the landlord. A verbal agreement is valid in Spain.
Rota—Apartments, townhouses, duplexes. Walking distance to the beach, restaurants and shopping. Near to the base, but heavily affected by summer beachgoing tourists.
El Puerto de Santa María—Suburban-style single-family homes with larger yards in established-planned communities. Will primarily require driving to restaurants, shops and restaurants.
Chipiona—Single-family, duplex and townhouse homes that tend to have more space or larger yards. Walkable to beach, restaurants and shopping, but affected by summer tourists.
Sanlúcar de Barrameda—Large homes for less rent. Can be urban or rural, near to the beach. Far from the base and will most likely require parents to drive students to DoDEA schools or bus stops.
Rural Homes—Large typical Spanish homes with big yards and quiet rural locations are available outside of communities. They will require driving to all services and can be near or far from the base.
Your OHA for Spain is determined by pay grade and number of dependents. Visit travel.dod.mil/Allowances for an OHA calculator.
It is recommended that you find a home priced within your OHA. This allows for fluctuations in the euro to dollar exchange rate. It is allowable to sign a lease over your OHA; however, you will be required to sign a memo acknowledging this choice.
• The NEX Customer Service department offers a bill pay program that makes it easy to get rent and utilities paid. Rent can be paid with any credit card, debit card, check or cash. It is also possible to have a credit card saved on file so rent payments can be made while deployed or on TAD. Hint: Use your NEXt Level Rewards card to earn cashback.
• Spanish bank transfer using an IBAN number. Most banks allow this to be set up automatically.
• Cash. This is not common, and it is not recommended. But, some landlords still request cash. Be sure to get a receipt.
All incoming families are authorized free loaner furniture like beds, tables, lamps, cribs and couches for up to 90 days. This is to allow you to move into your new home before your household goods arrive.
Kitchen items
The Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) has a free loan locker with kitchen items like pots, pans, small countertop appliances and silverware that can be checked out for 30 days.
Appliances
Personnel living off base are provided with free 220-volt loaner appliances for the duration of your tour. These include dishwashers, refrigerators, microwaves, stoves, freezer, washers, dryers and dehumidifiers.
Your landlord is responsible for setting up your utilities. They will remain in the landlord’s name, but it is important to establish how you will pay. You may need to pay your landlord directly or pay the utility directly from a Spanish bank account with an IBAN. Expect to see the bill from the landlord prior to paying and get a receipt.
