help: recommendation for English speaking realtor ASAP (San Juan)

Most agents speak English, so that shouldn't be a problem. However, I recommend using Google Translator to initiate your communication and let them know your primary language is English. Establishing a respect for the language is helpful in this relationship.

I recommend using the following:
Beatriz Rosario 787-560-2300

If you have a realtor, please ask if they're the listing agent, because they don't like splitting the commission and often won't respond if you have your own realtor. With the exception of extremely high end rentals.

There are tons of apartment options on clasificadosonline.com
You won't need a realtor, but again, initiate communication in Spanish.

Good luck with your search.

Thank you so much for the great advice!! As we have to move ASAP and w a little baby I’m so stressed out. Thank you again!!

Do not stress! The housing market here is crazy - not always easy to find housing.  Manage your evicted m expectations. An alternative could be a monthly ABNB, which is what we did while we scouted neighborhoods. We found a perfect posh location in Ocean Park. Good Luck...and stay focused and determined.

Awww thank you!! Fingers crossed . We have to sign a long term lease off the bat (oy vey :p) so hopefully something good comes up.

May I ask how Ocean Park is like? We had been a little weary of venturing out of San Juan proper. Is ocean park a convenient location for grocery, doctors, hospital, restaurants etc? Is it fairly easy/fast to get to San Juan for government stuff needed? (Sorry if I’ve go so many questions :p)

No worries! Ocean Park is between Condado and Isla Verde (all in San Juan). There are a lot of apartments in all of those areas - but it's a high traffic, tourist area,  close to the beach. You'll be close to most things,  but be prepared for lots of people. Condado/Ocean Park and parts of Miramar can be very costly, but nice. Again, only complaint - tourists. It also has a high foor score - can walk mostly anywhere. You'll also be fairly close to the airport. Most grocery stores close too : Freshmart and Supermax are over there. Most Most government offices are relatively close,  but depending on the office, could be anywhere. Just really depends. Overall,  it's a centrally located area. Stay out of Old San Juan (not ideal for family) and Carolina (not the safest).

Ah gotcha, tourist = noise right? . Thanks again for all the awesome tips!! Hope you have a great night!

Hi Tina   sorry to bother you one more time please?  This question might sound silly, I was wondering because part of my plan is to buy a lot of the stuff my baby needs from Amazon after we land in San Juan. I have used a random real address in San Juan to check that Amazon would delivery these things to PR. The part I was wondering is if you’ve had experience ordering from Amazon? If yes what was the delivery process like? I’d Amazon say it takes a week to deliver, don’t s packages generally arrive fairly on time? And if we rent an apartment or condo, how does the post service tend to leave the package - is there usually a front desk that receives and holds on to them? Or do they deliver and leave things at the door for the actual apartment? Or do you have to personally go somewhere like the post office to pick them up etc?  I was wondering about how easy receiving packages would be as I probably will be ordering g a bunch of things all at once... any experience you might be able to share would be so appreciated . Thank you in advance, Diana

I belong to Amazon Subscribe & Save -- which means I get multiple items from Amazon at once. They are on time, but it does take longer. At least Amazon will ship to Puerto Rico. A lot of merchants won't. I can speak to how packages are handled at a condo/apartment, but Amazon is a great way to go

😂😂 It's okay, thats why this is a forum. I use Amazon for a lot of stuff (a silent shareholder at this point). It's no next day service, usually takes 3-5 days, but you'll get it. I live in a gated community,  so they leave my packages on my property by my driveway.  At my condo, they left in the mail room- which was secured. If its a large building, I don't think Amazon is required to deliver to the door. If you need to order baby furniture,  start now. All furniture takes 3-4  weeks at a minimum from any store on the island - even IKEA. Once you're here,  if you see it, buy it right then and there. Dont wait! I needed help when I moved, so I'm here for all questions. Do not hesitate to ask about whatever, I probably have an answer.

Thank you so much for the kind offer! Gosh yeah I was trying to put a PR address at lots of merchants and there’s no drop down field for PR...  which got me nervous it’s so great Amazon would still work

Awww thank you that’s so kind of you <3 

I had the exact same thought about I might as well be an Amazon share holder by now hahah   thank you for the furniture order tip!  goodness that’s a long time! Is that cause they don’t have inventory in the store and have to ship whatever you order from elsewhere? wow yeah that’s quite a long time for sure

I’m also curious we saw some nice condo listed around Miramar area, likes you said it seems rather walkable to places, for grocery trips or restaurant trips does it even make sense to drive in a car? I imagine that there would be little available street parking? Would paid or unpaid parking garages be a good option then? Or people mostly just walk to get groceries etc? I swear I’m not lazy but if I get a lot of stuff for our family of 4 I’m not sure how I could carry it all on foot :p

Miramar is a hybrid and you can walk, but it depends. Think gentrification at the early stages. You could take Uber to the grocery stores. A lot of stores have minimal parking in the busy parts of San Juan. But,  there are plenty parking garages and you'll be fine. The furniture situation is purely lack of inventory. This is why you must act quickly. Not sure, if you're buying or bringing a car but remember the excise tax for shipping. Buying a car will be a markup of 25-30%.

I could help if you still need a Realtor. Sorry I wasn't here earlier

Got it!  Yeah I just saw a video and there was a line going into the Walmart parking lot. Uber both ways does seem like perhaps it’s easier in that case.  We are bringing one car cause my husband is attached to his :p we are selling mine because he said we can get the exact same car locally at the same price so that does seem a good deal.

Where would you say has the best fresh produce quality and variety wise? I still hope to make food for baby myself and saw some reviews saying Walmart might not be the best place for it? Would you say supermax or some other store might be good for that? currently I get frozen broccoli, corn, carrots, blueberries and make purée, and pressure cook purple sweet potato, orange sweeen potato and zucchini. Would these be easily found in any of these markets you think?

O no worries thank you jay!  Just wondering how much commission usually does the renters pay the realtor for finding an apartment for them? Thank you!  ***