Living In A House Versus Living In A Apartment

[sleslie23]

I am a poor guy from Congo. How can a Congolese be richer than the esteemed forum members from USA and Western Europe.

In my case, it wouldn't take much.

 

[EdRooney]

I am a poor guy from Congo. How can a Congolese be richer than the esteemed forum members from USA and Western Europe.

You are Mobutu Sese Soku and I claim my £5.

 

[ElQueso]

Ceviche, you did say "Budget is not an issue." Thems is some pretty strong words

But seriously, there are various themes related to a house, and for me, mostly positive. The biggest reason I'm still in Recoleta and not in a house in Colegiales, or Belgrano or something is that everyone in my family either works or goes to school somewhere within 5 blocks of 9 de Julio.

I find apartments to be horrible for the most part. Too much noise going on above, below, to the side, etc. At least in a place where you can usually find a house you only have to deal with traffic and party noise, although a bit more laid back in many "residential" neighborhoods. Even houses that are attached to others (common in the city), you have only two sides, not four, to worry about noisy neighbors.

I used to live in a 250 sq mtr house in a closed neighborhood, outside the city. I had a pool and about 1200 sq mtrs of property to go along with it. I employed a pool guy to keep the pool clean, and a lawn guy to take care of the plants and grass and such. Total cost me about $100-150 USD a month. We had enough people in the house to take care of cleaning and such, and either I, or someone I hired, took care of little maintenance issues. Not a big deal at all.

Ceviche, there are houses in the city that are very doable and actually have not so much grass to worry about I have a friend who owns a 500 sq mtr house near Paraguay and Uruguay, not 5 blocks from where I live. It has a little patio out back on the ground floor and a roof (which he's thinking about putting decking on top of) with a small efficiency apartment on it. Wide lot, 3 floors + roof, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms in-suite, huge den, huge dinning room, etc. I think that's probably not what you'd be looking for, but that was just an example of houses that are not in the sticks without a lot of exterior maintenance - although interior maintenance would be something else for a house that size.

I've looked at places in Colegiales and Belgrano that were nice little houses, from 100 to 150 sq mtrs, in quiet neighborhoods. I know someone who found a 300 sq mtr house with a pool and a quincho in back and a little bit of grass, for about $1500 USD a month.

You might also be interested in a PH (I still don't know what the letters stand for, after 8 years here!). Those are like narrow houses, usually two floors, going from the front to the middle of a block or something (various configurations). They are all over the place. I had a friend who had one in Colegiales and it was quite nice, including a sun deck on top with a parilla. We used to have some pretty cool asados over there.

Don't let the house nay-sayers influence you! If I could find a cheap house in Recoleta or thereabouts I'd jump on it!

But I'd never go live in a closed neighborhood again, I don't believe. Too enclosed (walls, gates, armed guards checking you in and out in a car), apart from everything (though usually pretty safe) and I found the class of people who live and own homes in those places to be a bit too snooty for my tastes - and they don't like Paraguayans!

 

[Pensador]

I am a poor guy from Congo. How can a Congolese be richer than the esteemed forum members from USA and Western Europe.

You would be surprised or maybe not. I worked with a guy from Etheopia on a few projects some time ago. Dosho Tessema a very smart hard working guy and great to work with. Sadly he passed this year. He invented the box flew among other things. Started in the US with only $500 at the age of 17 and the rest is history.

http://africansuntimes.com/2014/10/ethiopian-born-bowflex-inventor-entrepreneur-dead/

 

[ghost]

I am a poor guy from Congo. How can a Congolese be richer than the esteemed forum members from USA and Western Europe.

Blood Diamonds?

 

[Ceviche]

Excellent post El Queso. The first useful response I got in this thread apart from brickbats.

Yes, i said, budget is not a problem..but the word budget implies, their is a upper limit!

 

[argsteve]

i would go for the house or ph in a second if money is the same...it is so tiring or frustrating to hear people all the time coming and going through these thin walls and doors in apartment buildings... these older argentine women yell and talk so loud i can hear them a block away... i can hear phones ring .. hearing toilets flush.. hearing sounds day and night... that wont totally stop with a house.. but I think a little outside space even for a pet..... or of course a nice area with a parilla.. is worth it for sure!!!

I am living in mar del plata now ... different living than BA to some degree.....but I am thinking of selling the apartment and moving to a house... I cant see it costing more for upkeep.. when you think about the 2000 pesos or more you pay for a apartment expenses every month... the upkeep on a nice ph or smaller house is the same or less... and the safety thing... well it depends on the property.. but that i think it is also the same... and to rent.... hell yes!!! why not!! some nice outside space... quieter ... more living area .... there is no downside to me.

 

[Hybrid Ambassador]

I concur, besides El Queso-San likes American muscle and classic cars too.

 

[nlaruccia]

Security is a huge issue when owning a house in BA. My friend has a gorgeous house on Honduras and Armenia and has it broken into twice despite the bars on the windows. She wants to sell it and move into an apartment.

 

[Tilda]

I always thought that a house was the way to go. We rented one in Accassuso and were very happy. Now, we made it look quite unappealing for thieves with a bamboo fence so rickety that you couldn't even climb it without falling over on you bum. And we didn't own a car.

But for a few weeks before moving here we stayed in my brother in law's apartment and I loved it. Three bedrooms and living room in one floor and a study and patio on the roof. Shared pool in the complex and some lawn area as well. If I had to live in buenos Aires again I would choose something like that. At the moment the other brother in law is bumming there rent free, but the gossip is that he is out by the end of the year in favour of an actual paying tennant. I haven't heard what the rent would be.