Advice on apartment search

[kansaskid]

I plan on moving to BA in October for 4-6 months with a couple friends. One wants to book an apartment online before we arrive. I suggested that we find a place once we get there. Any advice?

 

[EMR]

I would do it when you get there. You can always find a place for a couple of nights, hotel or apartment for 2-5 nights and go see places before you decide. Gives you more flexibility and allows you to negotiate. Online is not the best way I think

 

[2GuysInPM]

I agree with EMR. Book yourself in a hotel for 3 to 5 days, and start calling and making appointments to see apartments with 2 or 3 different agencies during those days. Be sure to take into account the neighborhoods, location, the noise, public transport, etc.

There seems to be more avilability for rentals now that tourism has gone down, so you should have choices to pick from.

 

[Katie]

I agree with EMR: there's just too much risk in trying to rent a place before you see it (aside from scams, imagine doctored or staged photos). I can reccomend a great hostel in San Telmo if you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay while you search.

 

[jez]

kansaskid, if you are looking to find a furnished apartment when you get here, that is available straight through for 4-6 months I think you will be hard pushed, if you are looking for somewhere to stay for a month, then travel and come back later you will have more luck. I have a 2 bedroom Apartment in Palermo Soho (http://www.stayba.com) that I rent and it's already booked up for 2 weeks in June, a week in July and another in September. If you turn up in October and find a place that is free for 4 - 6 months you would have to question if it was nice apartment and why it didnt have at least some bookings.

Try some reputable agencies:
www.ApartmentsBa.com - high end
www.LetsGoArgentina.com - more affordable
Both agencies have been around for about 4 years.

 

[Joe]

I made the mistake of booking a place online for a month. As others have advised, it is better to rent short term, either a few days in hotel or a week at most in an apartment.

My apartment is fine but extremely noisy due to the traffic (also very bad air due to the car/bus exhaust). This might not bother some people but I really regret booking for a month by internet!

I'd look for a place on a high floor (better air, less noise, more light) or contrafrente (on the back of the building). BsAs is very noisy so finding a quiet apartment is a challenge...

I'm using stayinba.com and they have been good about showing me places for my next month.

 

[dsc]

I made the mistake of booking a place online for a month. As others have advised, it is better to rent short term, either a few days in hotel or a week at most in an apartment.

My apartment is fine but extremely noisy due to the traffic (also very bad air due to the car/bus exhaust). This might not bother some people but I really regret booking for a month by internet!

I'd look for a place on a high floor (better air, less noise, more light) or contrafrente (on the back of the building). BsAs is very noisy so finding a quiet apartment is a challenge...

I'm using stayinba.com and they have been good about showing me places for my next month.

Joe, if I may ask..

Which area of town are you in now and which agency did you originally use to find that place?

 

[Joe]

Joe, if I may ask..

Which area of town are you in now and which agency did you originally use to find that place?

In Recoleta, on Juncal very close to the Libertad corner. I used
http://www.stayinbuenosaires.com/

I previously gave a bad web address for stayinba, my apologies.

 

[djlinse37]

Well Joe, there's your problem! You're in Retiro, not Recoleta The boundary, per http://mapa.buenosaires.gov.ar/ runs down Uruguay and Montevideo! I live nearby (regular visitor to 5 Esquinas area) on Cerrito near Libertador, so I'm in Retiro as well.

Noise drove us out of a short term rental (early) on Arenales y Ayacucho last spring (Sept). Now that you're here, you can check for colectivo routes, etc. That is definitely harder to do on-line. And the owners/agents always say "It's really quiet.", as we specifically asked for quiet with a young daughter and a light sleeping wife. The other thing to watch for, if possible, is 'major' motorcycle delivery routes. That was more the problem on Arenales, along with a very active nightlife (or at least traffic going to/from said nightlife).

The problem with renting too short a time when you first arrive is that you'll spend your first days/weeks looking for a place, and you still may not have a lot better information. Unless you are really sensitive to noise, etc., a week can go very fast.

 

[dsc]

I consider earplugs a necessity when I travel (especially in Latin America).

Served me well in Panama City