Reasonable Housing in Puerto Rico

Special Kev,

         I am posting on here since the moderator asked that we discuss health issues on that post.  We were extremely lucky to find this house and it was not by chance. We had been researching houses for about 1 year from New York(where we were from) and then when we finally got here and were able to look at stuff, many of the places were not available or not longer being rented. 

         We were staying with friends in Humacao and what was only supposed to be a week or so turned out to be 3 weeks and I was done by that time and was willing to take anything. ( You know what they say about two women in a kitchen doesn't go and this is a very good friend of ours but I was done.

         Anyway, we first looked on the east coast since we really wanted to be in the Luquillo area and we saw two houses there but were not for us, We also looked in Fajardo, Naguabo and Yabucoa.  I didn't want to be in the same town as our friends ( I know but it is a girl thing) and we almost got a house in Yabucoa which is the town next to Humacao. The house was very nice, the price was incredible($650) since they were going to Orlando but it had a very long and steep driveway that I couldn't get over since on occasion my huby would have to go to NY and I wasn't driving that long steep driveway. It didn't bother me that it was up in the hills because the view was incredible but no way.;

          Then we decided to look on the north coast and we went to see a house in Vega Alta and it was ok, it had a nice yard with many fruit trees which my hubby likes and near the stores but the inside was excuse the word, but crap.
 
          Next was a house here in Quebradilla which was near the stores and was a pain in the neck to get into since it was rented and the tenant was never available, the owner was in CA and we had all the conversations by phone or text. Anyway we finally got to see it and it was filthy and you know what the tenant told us , that since she wasn't moving out until the end of July (this was the beginning of June) that she wasn't going to clean it. Imagine. I asked about the appliances and she said no they were hers and she was taking them.

         Then we went to see this house which the man had told me that it was a big house and I said that was ok. So we met him and got here and once we got here, I saw that it was a big house and when I came inside and I saw the beautiful wood staircase, I fell in love.  I looked at my hubby and he knew that it was the one.  Originally it was $800 but then my hubby talked him down to $750,  he said that he should of offered $700 and maybe he would have taken it. but anyway, we got it and the owner even took us to the water and electric company to change the accounts into our name . We also had to go to Aguadilla to a lawyers office to make the contract which was ok but we had to pay for the lawyer fee of $50.00 but hey I wanted it so that was that.

        One of the advantages we have is that we both speak Spanish, which makes it easier in dealing with owners I believe.  Sometimes it doesn't work though because they try to take advantage. This owner was anxious to rent it since he was leaving to Orlando to work and in the end, he came back and we thought that he would want the house back but thank goodness no. He has offered to sell it to us but we can't right now and his price is still too high but in the end we might go for it. We are very happy here.

      I know that I can write a book about our adventures in searchin for a house.  Anyway, welcome to Puerto Rico.

Tonie