Finding a House
Buying or renting are the two most normal ways to find somewhere to live. If you decide to buy, the purchase agreement signed by the buyer and the vendor is usually attested as a deed of sale. In other words, the contract is signed before a notary public who takes it to the Land Registry to certify the sale. If you decide to rent, it is usually a private document between the two parties.
The housing can be freehold, state-subsidized or state owned. There are public information services (Etxebide, together with private developers and estate agents.
Public assistance for accommodation
Public assistance is available for purchase and rent of accommodation. For entitlement to public assistance in the Basque Country, you must enrol with the Basque Accommodation Service-Etxebide where you will obtain information and the application form to be filled in. Applicants must provide the basic data of the members of the family who will be living at the new accommodation.
Apart from obtaining information, you also need to ask for and hand in the form in the Etxebide Partner Office Network.
Options
The Basque Accommodation Service-Etxebide provides a number of options:
- Buying a new house (two procedures).
- Buying a used house.
- Purchase of housing at a fixed price.
- Renting a protected dwelling.
- Renting a social dwelling.
- Renting a used dwelling.
Requeriments
Anyone can enrol in the Etxebide Register who:
- Is over 18 years old, or is an emancipated minor.
- Is registered as resident in Getxo or another town in the Basque Country.
- Has not obtained protected accommodation over the two years preceding the application, except in the case of rented accommodation.
- Provide evidence of minimum income and which must not exceed the maximum income. The minimum/maximum limits for assessed annual income are the following: from €3,000 to €21,100 for renting empty housing - Bizigune Programme. From €3,000 to €25,000 for renting social housing. From €3,000 to €39,000 for renting protected social housing under general conditions and other types of dwellings. From €9,000 to €39,000 for the purchase of protected housing under general conditions. From €9,000 to €25,000 for the purchase of protected housing under special conditions. From €12,000 to €50,000 for the purchase and renting of housing at a fixed price.
Data are checked by the Authorities.