If you're looking for a permanent home in Torrevieja, check the dates before getting too far into an enquiry. Some properties advertised as ‘long term’ are only available over winter because the owner wants them back for summer. They can be useful if you're here for a few months, but moving out in May is a different proposition when you've come to live here.
Where to look
Start with Idealista, Fotocasa and ThinkSpain; there are direct search links below. Use the available filters, but read the dates in the description too. An agent may have more than one advert for the same home, so keep a note of the address and contact rather than treating every result as a separate option.
Search by neighbourhood as well as town: the centre, La Mata, Aguas Nuevas, Los Balcones and El Chaparral may all appear in your results. What matters is whether the address works for your routine. If you don't drive, check the walk to shops and your usual journeys before arranging a viewing.
What to put in your first message
Give the agent enough information to answer properly: who would live there, when you need to move, your budget, whether you have pets and whether it will be your main home. Ask explicitly about summer availability. This avoids a long exchange about a property that was never suitable.
Have ID and income evidence ready, but check who you're dealing with before sending sensitive files. If your income is a foreign pension or an overseas salary, a short explanation in Spanish can help the owner understand the documents. You shouldn't need to send unrelated banking information just to introduce yourself.
Use the viewing to check everyday things
Look for damp, try the hot water and ask how the home is heated in winter. Check mobile reception, noise and anything important to your daily life. A sea view is easy to judge from a photograph; a noisy bedroom or unreliable shower is harder.
Ask what you pay on top of rent and whether there are restrictions on communal facilities. If the home is still a serious option, request the draft contract and inventory. Read the duration, renewal and notice terms yourself, especially if you've been promised something verbally.
Before paying a reservation
Get an itemised breakdown of the money due: rent, the fianza, any additional guarantee and proposed service charges. For a habitual-home tenancy, the LAU puts estate-agency management and contract-formalisation costs on the landlord. If a charge is described as ‘admin’ or ‘tenant services’, ask what it covers and why you're being asked to pay it.
Confirm the owner or agent's authority to let the property and who receives the payment. The reservation terms should explain when you can recover the money and how it is credited if you sign. Seeing an advert on a familiar portal doesn't establish any of that.
When you collect the keys
At handover, photograph the meters and existing damage and send the record to the owner or agent. It takes a few minutes while you're both there and gives you something concrete to refer to if a bill or deposit deduction is disputed later.
Before you go ahead
- The home is available for the dates you need, including summer.
- You've checked the address and viewed it yourself or through someone you trust.
- You understand the contract and each amount you're being asked to pay.
- You've checked who can let the property and who receives your money.
- You have copies of the inventory, receipts and opening meter readings.
Useful places to look
These links open the searches mentioned in the guide. Check each advert's dates and terms with the advertiser.
Common questions
How early should I start looking?
Start researching areas and preparing documents ahead of the move. When enquiring about a home, give your actual move-in date; a property available now may not be held for several months.
Should I pay a holding deposit?
Check the property, the person taking payment and the written reservation terms first. You need to know what happens if either side withdraws and whether the payment is credited when you sign.
Sources and further reading
Official information checked on 12 October 2026. Rules and procedures can change; verify the live source for your exact circumstances.