Would love advice on PR real estate agents

Hello!

My boyfriend and I are a couple in our late twenties/early thirties, coming to PR in January for five weeks to check out property on the island, as we're interested in hopefully investing in a small, affordable place!

We need all the info we can get, and would love to know if anyone knows of any good real estate agents??  We obviously don't want to get conned or misled, so would be hugely grateful for any advice on this.  Anyone got any good names?

While we're staying in PR, we'd love to stay near downtown Rincon, or possibly Ocean Park/Puntas las Marias, so it would be great to find some agents that we could talk to about finding budget rental accommodation for a month as well (we already have accommodation in San Juan for the first week).

Huge thanks to anyone with any advice!

Kat

Check out the "friends of Rincón " group in fb. There some folks there that have rental and for sale properties around that area. My advice will be to rent first and explore the area before committing into any property in the island. Also, cash will get you a much better deal since local banks will be harder in getting a loan.

Take a look at some of the comments here in the forum for more information.

Good luck and welcome to the forum!

I agree with Adlin, you are a young couple and should really get to learn the island before you commit to a particular town or area. Rent first for a year before you make an expensive mistake. Selling the place you just purchased will be hard, some proterties are in the market for more than a year before they are sold.

Rent first.

What are you doing for jobs?

Thanks so much adlin20.  I've requested to join the Facebook group!  Is there a particular place on there I can find bits about properties, or is it a case of scrolling through?  We totally plan on renting first, and this would be an initial trip to the island to see how we feel and what we think of the different areas.  Good tip re cash as well.  Cheers!

Thanks so much ReyP as well.  Totally agree that we'll need to long-term rent before buying.  This will be an initial trip.  Whereabouts do you live on the island (if you don't mind me asking)?  Any tips on real estate agents on the island?  My boyfriend is a private cook and I'm a book editor.

Cheers guys!

Kaffa, I purchased a lot in Ceiba to be close to my family, the east coast and the metro area where I grew up.
Moving in about 18 months then will rent while my house is build.
When you are ready to buy do let me know and I will get you a good realtor. In the mean time the local realtors will do fine but you will likely need to work with several of them.
Rey

I built our retirement house in Sabana Grande. We are original from Guayanilla and we are planning on retiring in a year or less. We are leaving to PR tomorrow and we'll be down there until January.

There are plenty of good deals to buy right now, but unless you're ready to commit for a few years it will be hard to sell. Spending time in the island will allow you to see different areas and see what area is better for you.

PR unemployment is high and if you don't speak the language even harder. Do your homework and you should be ok. Plenty of folks here in the forum with great advices.

The fb group can give you an idea of properties and cost, unfortunately you will have to search. Type "casa" "renta" "alquiler ". Those words should bring some properties. Also look in clasificadosonline dot com.

The vast majority of the ones moving to Puerto Rico are either retired, been offered a job in PR, or have a US job that allows them to work remote.

With an 11.5% unemployment is hard to find a job in PR and if you are not fluent in Spanish it is even harder.

I do not want to give you a lot of hope because your chances of making money are low.
Rey
PS. US unemployment is 4.9%, there is no comparison.

Thanks guys.  Again, I really appreciate the advice!  I work for a publisher remotely, so that's no trouble, and my boyfriend is a private cook.  He's got some experience working as a personal chef in the Caribbean – do you know what the demand is like in PR for private cooks?

Thanks for the offer of putting me in touch with a good realtor, ReyP.  Do you happen to know where would be best to look to talk to someone in property about a monthly rental?

Thanks very much for the fb group and clasificados advice, adlin20!

Really appreciating this website and forum!

We have several members in the Rincon area but they have yet to come online to provide advice. Not being in the island means that I can not help you with those month to month rentals. During the period of November to April the Rincon area is in full swing with all the snow birds making it hard to get a place. Driving around looking for  For Rent or Se Alquila sign is the best way followed by a local real state agent. But they are not very good at calling back and not very reliable.

Boots on the ground is the way to go or wait until somebody from that area comes to the forum. Talk to the people in friends of Rincon about the rental.
Rey

Thanks ReyP – great advice.  I've put a post up on Friends of Rincon.  Although we're aware that boots on the ground is the best way to do these things, it would be lovely to be able to sort out an affordable, pleasant monthly rental in advance.  We shall see!

Cheers.

Use AirBnB and other sites like that in the meantime, hotels are too expensive, hope friends of Rincon comes thru for you. Also try the classifieds http://www.clasificadosonline.com/m/Bie … earchM.asp

Hi, Kat.  You could also try Rincon Rentals...there is a couple of them with that in their group name.  We use Airbnb along with homeaway.  Most will give you a price break for a month's stay if you put in your dates and see what comes up.  Good luck!