House Hunting International, Day 1


We meet Tania and Anna from IAD at the first property, a 3br on the Rua 5 Octoburo a major avenue just two blocks outside the old City center of Faro.

It is a nice but older remodeled property on an upper floor of an apartment building. We saw it online, now in person. Price good, sorta view, great location.

There was a link, but I think it might have sold.

The second apartment was right around the corner from the first, even closer to the supermarket and central market if Faro. A small 4 flat building, top floor, brand new 3br:

https://www.iadportugal.pt/anuncio/apartamento-venda-7-divisoes-faro-se-e-sao-pedro-206m2/r13713?_locale=pt

Great kitchen layout. Garage storage, home automation, fancy tilting vent/slider doors to the balcony, great A+ energy rating. But no views.

Then we saw an apartment North of town near the University. It would be good to rent but we didn't like the layout.

Prices in the 350-370K Euro price range. Add about 8% for costs and taxes plus some for currency exchange.

Then Tania had us follow her over to a new apartment in Tavira, a smaller town about 30KM East of Faro. On our first trip two years ago, Paula-the-nicest-attorney said we should take a look there.

Nice big, new, something of a view and walking to a major mall with a supermarket, stores, and movies. A short (walkable) distance from the center of Tavira. 

The problem is Tavira. It is old pretty and has conveniences, but got not quite the vibe of the other towns. We stayed there a couple of nights, went to the mall and walked around downtown. Nice enough... But... Tavira just didn't have the same feel...

Footnote: Part of it could have been our hotel. The Hotel Vila Gale was nice, new and big enough, but was kinda oddly laid out. It was a large mini suite. None of the wall light switches actually did anything (the lights had independent switches).

But the biggest issue was that(decent food choices) eating breakfast in the dining room  was like a giant old age home cafeteria with decent food variety. It isn't like I'm a Spring Chicken, but the demographic was not young...

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