Moving with kids summer 2011

[BAwithkids]

My husband, two daughters (4 and 6) and I are planning to come to BA for a sabbatical year summer 2011-2012. I will be working in Belgrano, and my husband will be taking classes somewhere. We would LOVE any suggestions for:
* where to live (safe, quiet, no car needed)
* how to find a nice furnished apartment (3-4 bedrooms)
* schools (we want the girls to learn Spanish, but also want them to be somewhere were the teachers and at least a few kids speak English, so they don't feel isolated)
* how to connect with expat families for playdates, etc.

THANK YOU for any suggestions you have!

 

[jenh]

Belgrano is actually a pretty nice and (based on the number of kids in my apartment building pool) kid-friendly neighborhood. Not having a car is tough, I would think especially with kids, but doable, as cabs are still relatively inexpensive and the subway and bus connections on main roads (such as Cabildo) are plentiful. Around the subway stops of Juramento, Hernandez, and Olleros in Belgrano there are many apartment buildings that would suit families. It's definitely a safer and more family oriented area (in my opinion) than downtown or Palermo. It is also pretty quiet.

If you are coming for a year, I would say to talk to a real estate agent who does local listings and not a tourist-oriented one, as you will get a much better price. Some owners will be willing to furnish an unfurnished apartment (or in some cases they have several places and can shuffle furnishings around for you). You are likely to get a better deal this way, especially for a larger apartment, but also be wary and make sure you trust your real estate agent. Speaking good Spanish helps. Don't sign a lease without having someone fluent who at least knows a little bit about contracts/law take a look at it.

 

[BAwithkids]

Thanks Jen - this is really helpful. Belgrano sounds like a great area, especially if we can find a school that's convenient for my kids. I've been looking mostly at the furnished tourist apartments, and hate knowing that we would likely be paying a substantial premium in that market (even with some negotiation). The idea of an owner willing to furnish an apartment is very intriguing - I hadn't thought of that. Do you know how I could find a reputable real estate agent? How hard would it be to try to find a place from here, as opposed to looking once we get there? Showing up without a permanent home is a little scary, because we're already disrupting my kids lives so much!

 

[jenh]

My company set me up with an agent from a place called RentalCorp - it was only OK but I did find an owner who agreed to furnish a 2br/2ba very spacious apartment in Belgrano. I think I am still overpaying, but not as much as I would have for some of the tourist rentals, and I was looking for a very specific area on short notice.

If either you or your husband can make an advance trip or come down earlier and try to find a place/semi-establish the household, that will be much easier. It is a little bit (or a lot) "buyer beware" with photos. For example, one place that they had sent me photos of and told me how great the area was ended up being nowhere near the area I thought and had previously had 2 chain smokers living in it (although I had specified non smoking). I wouldn't sign a year lease without seeing the place.

I don't know if you have read elsewhere on the board, but setting up every little thing here takes MUCH MUCH longer than it does in the US... it is frustrating, but I would seriously advise you to consider one of you coming down a little bit in advance of the other and trying to sort some stuff out. I think it would be tough to do that with kids in tow.

Are you bringing your things with you or having an international relocation service send you a crate? If you are getting things sent rather than trying to bring everything at once, you could come with suitcases and stay the first week or two in a tourist apartment while you search for the "permanent" place.

 

[BAwithkids]

Thanks again. It would be hard (but not impossible) for my husband to take an advance trip (he is fluent in Spanish, I am definitely not). We also have a contact (sister-in-law of someone we know in the US) who is a real estate person in BA. We were considering offering to pay her to search for places and negotiate for us. Do people do things like that? I feel like she's trustworthy...

 

[jenh]

If you know someone local who can help you and negotiate for you, etc., I would definitely go that route. Just be sure you read the contracts thoroughly before signing and have an idea from talking to people (for example on this board) of what is usually included in rent (such as 1 visit from a cleaner a week and the "expensas" for the building) and what is not so you don't get cheated.

 

[Roxana]

I am from Palermo, a neigbourhood located next to Belgrano. The main real estate agencies for locals in Palermo are Covello and Interwin if it helps.

I know there are good English speaking schools in Belgrano, but I cant help with the names of them.

 

[peaco]

Hi, I'm here for only 4 months -- I rented an apartment through an agency called ByTArgentina <[email protected]> -- a woman I know in Boston who grew up in BA uses them for her occasional month-long stays and she recommended them. They found me a very nice apartment in the charming neighborhood of Las Canitas (next to Belgrano) -- the apartment is a one-bedroom, small but nicely furnished, with large balcony and a rooftop pool. And it seems to be reasonably priced although maybe it's not! (I still don't quite know what the going rate is so maybe I'm overpaying.) Also, I found the agency people to be quite friendly, helpful, responsive and honest.

 

[Roxana]

I can recommend a very good and affordable lawyer to read carefully your lease before you sign it.

 

[BAwithkids]

I can recommend a very good and affordable lawyer to read carefully your lease before you sign it.

Thanks - I'll keep that in mind when the time gets closer.