What's the best way to find a long(er)-term apartment??

[steveinbsas]

Thanks betts! That's good info. Sounds complicated then...I guess I'll just move from place to place until I find something...I don't mind. Just for future reference, and not to beat the same point...you think that price I quoted (around $800 for a nice 1-br with everything in a good part of Palermo) is OK or am I overpaying by a lot? A lot of the craigslist prices are way over what they should be charging. Anyway, I should think they'd be willing to go even lower seeing how it's winter now, there's less tourism, etc., if you're willing to take the place for longer.

Send me a PM and at least I can connect you with the owner of the apartment I rented in Palermo in 2006.

 

[John.St]

... for around $800/month ...

A question: What is your $ - AR$ or U$S ??

 

[hyperborean]

A question: What is your $ - AR$ or U$S ??

I'm talking about US$ ...

 

[betts]

In response to BlahBlah's cash up front suggestion, here was my experience with that. The young couple was willing to prepay 6 months rent in advance, in lieu of the guarantia. This was for a 2 year lease unfurnished. There wasn't an owner that would touch it, they wanted that guarantia. One owner was willing to discuss a rental without a guarantia but they wanted one year's rent as a deposit not a prepayment. That means they would hold that money until the end of the lease term. Of course that would be crazy and young couple wouldn't even consider it.

So throwing money at the problem did not in this case seem to solve the problem. This is what I mean by what might make sense to us (ie prepay rent) doesn't make sense in this market.

 

[John.St]

... One owner was willing to discuss a rental without a guarantia but they wanted one year's rent as a deposit not a prepayment. That means they would hold that money until the end of the lease term. Of course that would be crazy and young couple wouldn't even consider it.

Good for them. There is a great risk that they would never have seen that money again, no matter how well they kept the apartment.

Provided my new connections in Club de gimnasia y esgrima (the snobby one, not the football club, and no humildes allowed as members) dont pay off, then a solution I am going to try, is to deposit e.g. 10, 15 or 20,000 AR$ in a bank account, money to be released only by signatures from (my pick of authorized notario + me), (from same + dueño) or from (me + dueño) - or possibly using a chilean lawyer friend with business in Arg.

I'll tell more when hard facts are available.

 

[betts]

I think the reason no one is coming forward and speaking to your price is that your definition of a "nice" apartment in a "nice part of Palermo" might be very different than someone else's definition of "nice" and budget needs/constraints. Here is what I saw based on my brief experience, the important factors in determining monthly rental are:
1) location/neighborhood (Puerto Madero-high rent, Almagro-lower rent)
2) age/type of building (high rise, charming historical building, new construction, newly renovated tend to command higher prices)
3) sq footage (the average here for a 1 br is between 45-65sq meters which is tiny by USA standards, but large for here and once you go over 70sq meters price seems to go up exponentially)
4) number of bedrooms (be careful as we looked at 2BRs that were more or less the same sq footage as a 1BR which just meant you had a bunch of tiny rooms but you paid more)
5) amenities in the building (elevator, 24 hr security, laundry, super/admin on-site, gym, pool, lounge area, parking spot etc. will all increase rent)
6) what is included in the monthly rent (does it include expensas (common area charges), electric, water, cable, internet, telephone, maid service, linen service)
7) quality and state of bathroom, kitchen and furniture. (granite counters, quality appliances, furniture is not partical wood)
8) balcony, terrace or garden
9) in high rises, the higher story apts and/or views increase the price
10) close to Subte/public transport
Now none of that was in any priority order, just what came to mind. Not knowing the specifics of your apt. makes it hard to judge if your $800USD per month is a good deal. To help you determine if your price is right, the more items your apartment has from the list above the better. You can also search a short-term rental agency site like Bairesapartments.com - if you enter Palermo and 1 BR and sort by lowest price first you will see that the starting price is about $800USD. Now compare sq ft and amenities and you start getting a better idea. Granted these short-term agencies will be on the higher end of the market due to the commissions the owners have to pay for the listing, most have weekly maid service and price will most likely include everything but telephone in the rent price. So keep all that in mind when judging the rent.
Hope that helps in figuring out if your apt at $800USD is a good price, without knowing much else about your particular place - it at least sounds in the range.

 

[mini]

In response to BlahBlah's cash up front suggestion, here was my experience with that. The young couple was willing to prepay 6 months rent in advance, in lieu of the guarantia. This was for a 2 year lease unfurnished. There wasn't an owner that would touch it, they wanted that guarantia. One owner was willing to discuss a rental without a guarantia but they wanted one year's rent as a deposit not a prepayment. That means they would hold that money until the end of the lease term. Of course that would be crazy and young couple wouldn't even consider it.

So throwing money at the problem did not in this case seem to solve the problem. This is what I mean by what might make sense to us (ie prepay rent) doesn't make sense in this market.

I rent a studio where I work without a guarantia. I pay 6 months at a time. There certain are those available but you have to look long & hard & be patient.

As for price: I was just looking for a studio/one bed for a friend who is coming over soon. You should be able to find something for that. I saw a number of cute apartments in good areas of Palermo & Barrio Norte for around US$800. (+/-). I also some pretty ugly ones... So..... YMMV.

 

[John.St]

I think the reason no one is coming forward and speaking to your price ...

Right on target, betts,

11) Floor material.
12) Water taps, gas, electricity (# switches etc.), cupboards and placards sizes if any.
13) How soon is the hot water hot, and - more important - for how long.
14) Laundry or washing machine, if any, if not how far to lavandería where you need to go at least once a week.

3) sq footage (the average here for a 1 br is between 45-65sq meters which is tiny by USA standards, but large for here and once you go over 70sq meters price seems to go up exponentially)

I have had similar experience.

I went to inspect a 3 bedroom with "living comedor amplio" - couldn't even fit my dining room furniture into the "amplio" room if we are to actually sit on the chairs, to say nothing of adding my brasilian (= huge) living room furniture. Many (most ?) Argentinians live much more compact than we are used to, no waste of space.

4) number of bedrooms (be careful as we looked at 2BRs that were more or less the same sq footage as a 1BR which just meant you had a bunch of tiny rooms but you paid more)

- rings a bell too

The dept. mentioned was 95 sqm but turned out to have 4, not 3, bedrooms plus 3, not 2, bathrooms - you couldn't swing a cat in other than the principal bedroom.

U$S 800 may be a great bargain or very expensive.

 

[davonz]

I think US$800 a month for 1 bedroom is a bit over priced at the moment.
There is alot of vacant tourist apartments in BA. Just look on craigslist. If you would have look there a year ago you would have notice that there is alot more (10 a day before, now often more than 100) advertised today.

I have been here for a while, and have rented a few apartments.
I first rented a studio in congresso begining 2007, US$380 per month, originally wanted $450, but i go discount because of longer term. 3 months or more you can get at least 10% off.

A friend told me about a 2 bedroom vacant in his fathers building in palermo - AR$700 per month, unfurnished. The owner was happy to rent too me for 6 months, only because he had met me before and knew my friends family very well, and the fact that they were also in the same building, and because i think he wanted to put off the hassle of trying to find new tenants. This would have been US$1000 if furished and rented to tourist short term.

So unless you know locals it is very hard to get local rates or to even find apartments that are not priced for tourist.
Also dont be in a hurry, i have found that if you look at an apartment and then walk away just saying you will think about it, you will usually get a call and they are willing to negotiate on price, were before the price was firm - especially now that tourist numbers are down and there is alot of apartments to rent (just check out craigslist).

Cash upfront also helps, but no more than 6 months. I have heard stories of people being ripped off.
If you are not here already and you have found something on craigslist or somewhere else, and they want a deposit transferred to western union to reserve DONT.. usually its a scam.

I have also put wanted ads on craigslist and usually got alot of replies.

 

[nikad]

In response to BlahBlah's cash up front suggestion, here was my experience with that. The young couple was willing to prepay 6 months rent in advance, in lieu of the guarantia. This was for a 2 year lease unfurnished. There wasn't an owner that would touch it, they wanted that guarantia. One owner was willing to discuss a rental without a guarantia but they wanted one year's rent as a deposit not a prepayment. That means they would hold that money until the end of the lease term. Of course that would be crazy and young couple wouldn't even consider it.

So throwing money at the problem did not in this case seem to solve the problem. This is what I mean by what might make sense to us (ie prepay rent) doesn't make sense in this market.

We rented like that for 5 years...