My husband and I are moving to the Valencia area of Spain the end of this year. We are both US citizens and currently live in the US on pension. What areas of Valencia are best when looking for apartments in Valencia, i.e., Campanar, Olivereta, El Centro, etc.

Thank you for your help.

I hope one of the reagulars who lives in Valencia see this and offers some advice.

My question is why did you choose Valencia and are you aware of the Schengen Agreement restrictions?

"Best"? It depends on what you are looking for. Most upscale? Closest to museums and concerts? Beach view?

Fortunately there are many rent by the day/week/month furnished flats now so you can get a feel for a neighborhood before you take the big plunge. I strongly suggest that or a reasonably priced hotel fro a couple weeks when you come.

If you are not fluent in Spanish, I highly recommend hiring a relocation specialist who not only will translate and help keep things in line in a rental agreement, but will prepare many visits to flats in your price range to see. Most assistants also include registering you at or at least showing you the closest hospitals as well as entertainment and sports' facilities.

Realize that Multiple listings do not really exist most places, so you must go from agency to agency and/or scour the internet for days at a time.

You should be able to find a nice, clean simply furnished one-two bedroom flat for 650-1,000E/month plus electric., gas., telephone, internet, etc.

Do be warned that recently many owners ( due to our very slow judicial system) are asking for a bank guarantee of one year's rent to rent to foreigners. Hopefully you will be lucky and not encounter that.

If I can be of anymore personal assistance you can contact me at my screen name at yahoo dot com, but put something about Fodor's in the subject or I might delete it by accident.

Good luck.

You don't mention it, but presumably you have obtained the appropriate visa...?

That real estate agency only has sale properties in Valencia..