En Blanco vs En Negro, being on the radar in general & driving

[John.St]

Unless something has changed, you don't need a DNI to open a bank account. ... Things do change here and that may be out of date but that's how it was a few years ago.

Several reports on this board indicate, that you no longer can open a bank account w/o a DNI - but I cannot conclude for a dead cert that you won't be able to find a bank, which is willing to bend the rules.

 

[jago25_98]

Ah. I work at sea ~6months a year so that will invalidate any residency attempt I make?

It's usually 1-2 months at sea, then 1 month at home...

 

[el_expatriado]

Several reports on this board indicate, that you no longer can open a bank account w/o a DNI - but I cannot conclude for a dead cert that you won't be able to find a bank, which is willing to bend the rules.

You can open a bank account with a CDI and your passport at Banco Nación. I know two confirmed cases of expats with no DNI who have done so.

 

[Rich One]

3) being a PT allow you to rent temporary appartments that are very expensive. lR allow you to a 2 years contract but probably expensive. Citizenship allows you to long term rental at local prices.

Um..what? Renting long-term (usually) requires a guarantia and has nothing to do with your residency status. Anyone (perma-tourist, temp resident, permanent resident or citizen) can rent a long-term, unfurnished property at "local" prices provided he or she has someone willing to act as guarantia. Or sometimes a guarantia isn't even required if the person is willing to pay up front.

Your comment is accurate however....! yesterday I was offered an apt rental in Arg $ without garantia. Paying 16 months in ADVANCE on a 24 month Contract...!! To cover 12 months rent ,1 month Deposit, 2 months commission, first month rent....!!`

On a local 2 year contract you can walk away after 6 months paying a 1 !/2 month penalty...!!

 

[citygirl]

Hence the last line in my comment - guarantia isn't always required if someone is willing/able to pay rent up front.

Residency/citizenship has nothing to do with the options of renting. Anyone can do it if they have a local family member/friend willing to act as guarantia or want to pay a large sum up front.

In your case, they asked you to pay a year up front and a month security (the commision has nothing to do with the landlord). That's not an unreasonable deal IMO.

However, it's also worth noting that depending on how long you are planning on being here, renting an unfurnished apt isn't always cheaper. Back when I was renting, I had the option of renting an unfurnished apt as I had access to a guarantia. By the time I calculated what it would cost me in time (let alone headaches) to furnish an apt in a reasonable style, deal with buying all the appliances, getting all the services set-up, etc - it was actually cheaper to rent a furnished apt.

 

[jago25_98]

Ah, I missed that if I got residency I'd be taxed twice on my foreign income... in theory...

Citizenship would be useful to hide the shame of being British in some places of the world... but I don't think it's possible to have citizenship without residency

 

[Bajo_cero2]

I don't think it's possible to have citizenship without residency

look for the thread "citizenship for foreigners". Start reading by the end.

Citigirl, when i asserted there is a difference between being a foreigner or a citizen regarding rentals, i meant to rent under reasonable terms even without garantia and without paying a lot in advance. I have been renting this way for 15 years.

Right now i live in Borges and Guemes, 2 ambientes and i pay 1500 pesos expensas incluidas. It is a deal, for sure.

To rent paying in advance is illegal and you give too much power to a landlord who later missbehaves.

Regards

 

[Sockhopper]

....depending on how long you are planning on being here, renting an unfurnished apt isn't always cheaper. Back when I was renting, I had the option of renting an unfurnished apt as I had access to a guarantia. By the time I calculated what it would cost me in time (let alone headaches) to furnish an apt in a reasonable style, deal with buying all the appliances, getting all the services set-up, etc - it was actually cheaper to rent a furnished apt.

Would you please provide figures showing how your comparison of renting both ways worked out? Also, how long ago did this happen and how long were you going to be renting for?

Did you work out how long it would have taken your rental cost to even out each way- ie. how long would you have had to rent the unfurnished place before the cost you had to spend on furniture would have begun to pay for itself in contrast to renting a furnished temporary apartment?
Thank you!

 

[citygirl]

It was a few years ago so the prices are out of date.

But it's fairly easy to pull some base numbers from Falabella just to start the process.

So just thinking of furnishings for 1 room.
Master Bedroom: 1 King Size Mattress Average price on Falabella - 4000 pesos. Headboard, 1800 pesos. 2 bedside tables, 2000 pesos. Flatscreen 32 TV: 3100 pesos. TV stand, 1000 pesos. Air conditioner: 4000 pesos. Rug (decent quality) 1000 pesos. Safe: 500 pesos. Sheets (3 sets): Average price here for a decent quality of 500 TC sheets. 1000 pesos a pair. Desk: 1000 pesos

21.000 pesos for just 1 room. Now multiply that by X amount of rooms.

And I haven't even talked about the cost of things like a washing machine/dryer, refrigerator, oven, blenders, microwave, multiple ACs (at least 2 more). And then buying plates, forks, knives, glasses, towels,, etc, etc, etc.

And for the record, the prices I posted above aren't even for what I consider "good quality" stuff. That's for Falabella quality things.

(To be fair, you could probably sell things when moving and recover costs but I never factor in a potential as an absolute return on investment. )

And when renting long-term, unfurnished, don't forget that building expenses aren't included in that rent. So factor those in.

If you were renting for years and years, yes of course it's a better deal to go unfurnished as eventually you can/will recoup the costs. But for anything under 3 years, it doesn't make any sense IMO.

ETA: At the time, I was paying about average 1600 USD a month for a 120 square meter. 2 br, 3 bathroom apt, furnished, in a doorman building on Libertador on a high floor. I prob would have paid about 4000 pesos (or let's say 900 USD) to rent it unfurnished. Apt expenses were anout 1000 pesos a month. So about 1150 USD a month. It would have easily cost me 20,000 USD (and honestly, prob more) to furnish the apt halfway decently. So I would have had to rent for 4+ years unfurnished in order for it to have started to be a "good deal" to go with unfurnished.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

well, i have to admit that you got a deal there.

I am looking for something bigger right now because i am having a baby for dezember and my mother in law is comming from Korea for giving us a help.

There is one I señe in paraguay and pueryredon for 2500 pesos plus expensas (3000 total) but seems that it is freeze for now.

Yesterday my former landlord offered me 150 m2 in junval and libertad for 3500 usd, seems too much.

On the other hand, when you deal with temporary rentals, you have to choose very well the landlonrd. I met some of them who were obvious criminals while i was looking for appertment.

Regarding falabela, at the corner of borges and ssta fe prices are half of what you quote regarding the matress and accesories.
Regards