Hi,

I already registered at the forum long time ago, so long that I could not remember my initial username or password, so hence I re-registered ...

Already more than a year ago I was offered a job in Barcelona but decided to not take it because the salary was too narrow to get around. I however now decided to make the leap as I now got a much better offer (out of respect for employer I won?t name any names, but my salary will be about or slightly over 1550 euro netto per month ... Not spectacular but should be more than decent enough compared to what I was offered by another employer last year in the same city)

So here I am in Barcelona in a hotel, one week to go before commencing the new job, a week to focus on househunting. Of course, the sooner I have my own place, the better. Given my salary, I?d say the price range 600 - 700 euro per month for housing would be OK, although for a really good place I may go a 50 euro up or so.
I want to live on my own, that?s very important for me. No housesharing. This means I can forget about the center of Barcelona, but that?s OK, I rather live a bit out of the center in a flat for myself alone than to share a flat in the city center.

Prior to flying here I already asked around a bit and heard many stories, some of them contradicting each other:
- someone said in the area Eixample you can easily rent big apartments for 500 to 600 euro per month. Given its relatively central location it sounds a bit unlikely, but anyways, I don?t want to jump to conclusions and say the guy lies or so.
- as I said I like to be close to the sea (in my native country I also lived by the sea) but don?t mind commuting to work, I was advised to check Badalona and Llobregat and Hospitalet. All seaside areas and quite affordable (600 - 700 euro per month for decent flat is realistic) so I heard. I was advised not to check Barceloneta due to being too expensive. The same people who gave me this advise told me the public transport from/to the city to Badalona, Llobregat or Hospitalet is good at any given time.
- yet another person advised me Sabadell and Terrassa, which he said is very affordable (big flats for 600 euro per month easy to find, he says) and the areas would be very clean and modern. Sounds good if connection to Barcelona city is OK, about this I heard contradicting stories again: some said there is no train or bus after 9PM and that except for weekends you are obliged to return to Sabadell/Terrassa straight after work due to lack of later trains ... other people said this is untrue and that also to these areas there are trains and busses until late night.

So in the end I am not too sure what to believe anymore…

About rental conditions I also heard contradicting stories.
- someone said landlords can ask anything from no deposits at all to 5 months of deposit or anything in between (apparently 2 months deposit would be somewhat most common?)
- I was advised by someone to avoid estate agents due to high commissions and some even charging you for just visiting a flat without knowing yet if you?ll rent it ... others say that it?s pointless to use sites such as loquo.com or elalquiler.com because many of those landlords will in the end use an estate agent anyway once a deal is made.
- I hear stories about rental contracts for 1 year up until 5 years, while I also heard talks about contracts without specific duration where tennant just gives 1 or 2 months notice when he wishes to leave

I should mention maybe as well that I am single so I don?t need a lot of space, 40 - 50 square meters would be OK, everything more is a bonus. Furniture should be present already. Laundry service and shops nearby a very big bonus. It doesn?t matter if it is outside of the city, I care more about being somewhat near to the sea (if affordable) as I?m not a fan of the nightlife or so whatsoever. As long as the transport to and from the city is good (my job will be in the center) I don?t mind to commute a bit by train or bus.

So can someone give me some advise on how to start the househunting and which areas should be good?