Airbnb strains Buenos Aires' housing market

[MilHojas]

Argentina: Airbnb strains Buenos Aires' housing market – DW – 03/09/2023

City living is becoming increasingly unaffordable for Argentines. Many are blaming online rental platforms that mainly cater to tourists. In Buenos Aires, long-time residents say much-needed housing is being converted into short-term rentals.

www.dw.com

 

[sts7049]

sorry, but this is BS. airbnb is a symptom, not the cause. rental regulation is what is causing this.

 

[Stantucker]

Here we go with another law related to renting that will probably be just as much a disaster as the former one, which, as sts7049 indicates, is the root of the problem, not temporary rentals. Can this govt be any more incompetent?

 

[NoSoyDeAqui]

in this solidly middle class area of Caballito BA there are four (4) Airbnb rentals...yeah

 

[antipodean]

This is a government that says inflation is phycological. How can you expect that they can publicly accept that a single annual rental adjustment in an operating environment of 100%+ inflation is going to enough cooperation from property owners to open up additional supply within the formal market...

But of course first you just dictate the problems away, knowing that never works, create another problem on top of the problem you already had, and finally blame it all on an "enemy" which appeared after you created said problem, in this case the evil multinational AirBnB monster... just sprinkle on some amnesia dust to ignore the fact it was going strong here many years ago when it was still possible and comparatively easy to find long term apartment rentals... and presto, you have people crying out for social justice which just happens to be your political slogan. Welcome to Argentina DW...

 

[Jay J.]

sorry, but this is BS. airbnb is a symptom, not the cause. rental regulation is what is causing this.

Actually, the root cause is the people who reflexively vote for the corrosive socialism which creates the (blue rate) : (official rate) disparity which attracts those with $, €, £, R$, ₽, ¥ .... which increases the demand for short-term rentals. But as you'll never convince them of that, well, smile and enjoy the advantage.

"It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled." - Attributed to Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain).

 

[Quilombo]

From my POV the main issue is the following:

- Landlords don't want to rent out their units because they fear in a climate of 100% inflation people will be unable to afford the rent and they'll have to fight to evict them
- Mortgages no longer exist causing tons of issues with supply and people renting when they would rather be homeowners

The root problem in both of these cases is inflation. You can create all sorts of rental laws but much like the laws meant to control the dollar, they won't do anything because people know that reality is different.

Airbnb is no different than the flood of temporary rentals one could see on Mercadolibre previously, the difference is that it's priced in dollars/is a foreign company, but they don't actually own these units, they just facilitate the rental of them. They're an easy target for the Ks, but again, the real problem is inflation.

 

[Redpossum]

This is a government that says inflation is phycological. How can you expect that they can publicly accept that a single annual rental adjustment in an operating environment of 100%+ inflation is going to enough cooperation from property owners to open up additional supply within the formal market...

But of course first you just dictate the problems away, knowing that never works, create another problem on top of the problem you already had, and finally blame it all on an "enemy" which appeared after you created said problem, in this case the evil multinational AirBnB monster... just sprinkle on some amnesia dust to ignore the fact it was going strong here many years ago when it was still possible and comparatively easy to find long term apartment rentals... and presto, you have people crying out for social justice which just happens to be your political slogan. Welcome to Argentina DW...

I think you must have accidentally gotten a little of that amnesia dust on yourself there, Anti. Finding an apartment in CABA has never been easy. OTOH, to be fair, you did say "comparatively", and I will agree that it is harder than ever.

Overall, then, this is an interesting discussion.
We all seem to agree that inflation is the root of the problem, but what to do about it? I don't see an overall solution.

I will point out that the shithead behaviour of the real estate agents is one factor that makes the apartment search process even more exhausting and difficult. They charge massive commissions, but they aren't responsive at all, and their attitude is just atrocious.

 

[Fiscal]

I think you must have accidentally gotten a little of that amnesia dust on yourself there, Anti. Finding an apartment in CABA has never been easy. OTOH, to be fair, you did say "comparatively", and I will agree that it is harder than ever.

Overall, then, this is an interesting discussion.
We all seem to agree that inflation is the root of the problem, but what to do about it? I don't see an overall solution.

I will point out that the shithead behaviour of the real estate agents is one factor that makes the apartment search process even more exhausting and difficult. They charge massive commissions, but they aren't responsive at all, and their attitude is just atrocious.

What behavior?

 

[Ries]

As the resident Democratic Socialist, I have to point out- the inflation rate in Uruguay is supposedly 8% or so. And their rents are at least double, and they have the same outcry against AirBnB. Pretty much everything in Uruguay is double or triple, and thats in dollars.
The inflation rate in NYC is supposedly 6% (yeah, right) and there, they are passing all kinds of new Airbnb regulations based on similar citizen complaints.
Of course, the rents there are more like 3 grand for a studio apartment, but sure, blame the left. Like that propolice anti separation of church and state commie mayor they have no.
You guys always have the same refrain- all problems are socialism.
But the airbnb issue occurs all over the world, because, capitalism.