best neighborhood for young couple

[amat]

HI,
Can anyone advise on your favorite neighborhoods and rental rates? My husband and I are moving to BA later this year. We are thinking of Palermo or Recoleta, though we plan to stay in a temporary place for the first month or so while we look. However, I am trying to do some advanced planning to see how our costs will change.
Right now, we live in Bangkok in a "trendy" area and spend about $800 USD per month on a 2 bedroom, 80m2 condo (not including utilities),nicely furnished, with security and pool. Would I find something similar in those areas? we could sign a 1 year lease.
Also, is it hard to find places that will take cats? Do you think we should plan on staying in a temporary apartment longer than a month if we arrive early in November and try to find a place? Or should that be enough time?
I've been looking at craigslist, various agencies, etc, but prices seem to vary a lot and are often aimed for short term rentals, so it's hard to tell.
Thanks for your help!

 

[steveinbsas]

Many have asked these questions and you will get some replies. If you research this site under the appropriate topics, however, you will find a lot more information. There are topics that compare neighborhoods and describe the rental process in detail. Though you are traveling with cats, I suggest you read the posts under the topic "traveling with teenagers/safety??" just to get started. Working with rental agencies here can be problematic as well.
You indicated that you are "moving" here, but didn't say for how long. Some use that term when they are just going to visit for a few months. Rental agreements/leases in excess of six months for non residents are rare, but do exist. The standard rental period for residents is two years, and usually requires a guarantee by a third party who owns property. Things are "different" here, as you will discover for yourselves.

 

[Matty]

Hi amat. It is best to just make an arrangement for your accommodations here for the first month and then during that time, you visit all the various barrios to see for yourself in daytime and nighttime the kinds of places that will be acceptable and unacceptable to you. Then when you have a feel for one particular barrio, you look for a local (in that very same area) listing place - they might have something for you long lease or short. Goodluck!
I am not sure about cats - but a neighbor across the street came in with a cat - from Italy!

 

[steveinbsas]

Matty's advice is 100% right. You will also be well advised to ask if your first apartment faces the street, is on a bus route (almost every street here is and buses here are LOUD), or close to a restaurant or club that features live music or "other" services. Not all apartments advertised in Recoleta are actually IN Recoleta, and there are others that might look "beautifully situated" on line, could be in a block with strip joints and sex hotels that are open until 6 AM (such as on Azcuenaga on the "back side" of the cemetery Recoleta).

One expat who has made many posts on this site rented an apartment (on craigslist) last year in Palermo Chico. It was on a lovely boulevard with lots of trees and looked like a park. The problem was that the first floor apartment he rented faced the street. After rummaging through all of the day's trash, the "cartonjeors" gathered late at night on the benches just below his bedroom window, talking, laughing, and singing until four or five in the morning. Following that, the professional dog walkers appeared in the boulevard by about seven AM . Dog walkers here usually have eight or more dogs at the same time. You can imagine the noise...and the smell. They don't clean up after the pups take care of business. My expat friend left Buenos Aires in disgust, vowing never to return. Please feel free to contact me as you look for that first month's
rental. I know Palermo and Recoleta well and will be happy to check
out a specific address for you.

 

[PecositaPri]

Hi Amat,
Just to address your question about cats. I'm moving down to BsAs in August and have the same issue. I talked to the HR people in charge of relocation for me and they were reasonably helpful. They said that it depends on the owner, but cats are usually fine for rentals (dogs can be more problematic).

 

[rmartinbuenosaires]

I moved here five years ago and brought my two cats with me. I had arranged to rent a temporary apartment through a local agency on a month by month basis until I found the place I wanted to buy. Anyhow....I had told the agency I was bringing the cats, they said no problem. However, when I arrived, cats in tow, the owner was there with the agency and she was NOT AMUSED at all about the cats. Well, as soon as she saw cash, her eyes glazed over and she was foaming at the mouth. She then demanded a deposit on spot because of the cats. I was basically trapped at this point, tired, cats screeching, her screeching, etc. Luckily I had enough with me. She did reimburse me when I moved out five LONG months later. As one person stated earlier, they naturally don't tell you that the street is noisy. I could not sleep the entire time I was there EVEN with earplugs. That would be Vicente Lopez (entre Callao y Rodriguez Pena). Suerte.

 

[perry]

For me the best Neighbourhoods by far for a young couple are Colegiales, Belgrano or Coghlan.
There are some beautiful streets in all these neighbourhoods and certainly a great lifestyle for raising a family.