Job Discussion Forums

spaz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 15

i'll be arriving in buenos aires in january. at that time i will begin looking for a place to live, which i understand will not be an easy task. i was thinking that i would like to live with locals. it is fairly common where i'm from in toronto, canada, to rent a room in a shared apartment. how common is this in buenos aires. are there listings of people looking to fill a room in their apartment (for example in local newspapers)? or are there agencies that can help you find this?
thank you.

mr gary · Joined: 03 Oct 2005 Posts: 12 Location: Bangkok

Yeah, I'll be arriving in Jan too. I've heard there's a lot of apartment sharing and it makes me a bit nervous. I haven't shared since I was at Uni, about 10 years ago. All I remember is arguments about the washing up, endless debates about leaving the toilet seat up or down, and 'Who's been eating my Cheerios?' There was always some guy who took hours in the bathroom and had a tendency to leave floaters. And there'd always be a guy with some high-maintenance girlfriend who'd visit and complain about the fact that we hadn't cleaned the place since Elvis was alive.

vivaBarca · Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:19 pm Post subject:

YanquiQuilme�o · Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 122 Location: Quilmes, Argentina

Amen to what VivaBarca said.

Things here just do NOT work out like you were planning. Not that many Argentines share places with strangers. This is a very "first world" thing to do. I'm sure you'll find a place eventually, but plan on living in that hostel/hotel/pension a lot longer than you ever intended.

Things can be pretty frustrating here when it comes to housing.

DAML · Joined: 30 Oct 2005 Posts: 17

Hello everyone,
I am new to this forum, joined because I too will be arriving in Buenos Aires in January. I share some of the same concerns about living arrangements - I am also not crazy about staying in a hostel for too long. My goal in Buenos Aires is to practice my Spanish while teaching English, so living with a local would be ideal. However, as YanquiQuilmeno said, this may be difficult to find. I am not sure if anyone here would be interested, but since some of us are arriving at the same time, we could get together in January, at least for a little familiarity on first arrival and company in exploring the city. Spaz, I too am from Toronto, although I am now in Brazil.

spaz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 15

that's a good idea DAML.
we should exchange info on what hostel we're gonna be staying in (for the first little while), etc.
it would be nice to have some familiarity at first.

sheena maclean · Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 5:04 pm Post subject:

Yes I agree witH the problems of finding accomodation here. I was living in a hostel for 3 months (!!) before I found somewhere to live. I am now only paying 300 pesos per month including everything and living with a great Argentinian flatmate that was looking for an English speaker. Not great for my Spanish practice, but for 300 pesos per month I can't really complain. But beware don't come here with high expectaions or you will be sorely dissappointed, IT'S A STRUGGLE SOMETIMES

DAML · Joined: 30 Oct 2005 Posts: 17

I guess it depends on what kind of expectations you're talking about - if it's in reference to the quality of places, etc.. I'm not too worried about that, I'm used to roughing it. I'm not too keen on spending three months in a hostel though, mainly because of the price. What would you say is the biggest obstacle to getting an apartment there? Is it the guarantia thing everyone talks about? Tell me if I have this right, the guarantia is kind of like someone who serves as a reference for you so you can rent a place? They have to sign the contract as well? I'm kind of used to how things work in South America, having been in Brazil for the last few months, and I fully understand the general "struggle" you speak of. Spaz, have you already looked into hostels? I haven't, but maybe I should be doing that.

chaquitamaria · Joined: 25 Aug 2005 Posts: 20 Location: Buenos Aires

Glad to hear there will be some fellow Canucks in Buenos Aires in the New Year. I'm from Ottawa (and Sakatoon) but I'll be in Buenos Aires by November. When you get there, we should get together!

YanquiQuilme�o · Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 122 Location: Quilmes, Argentina

Renting here is a nightmare. It won't matter if you get together with 3 other foreigners. There is absolutely no way you're going to get a guarantee. Just trust me on this one ... you will not get a guarantee. Do you know any Argentines well enough that they will put their personal property on the line in case you damage your apartment? In addition to the guarantee, you need some pay check stubs for proof of your salary. You're going to be working under the table, at least at first, so you can forget about having a legitimate recibo de sueldo.

Let's just say, for fun, you have a guarantee and several paycheck stubs. You rent a $500 peso apartment. You will probably need to deposit $500 pesos as well. Plus pay about $1,000 pesos as a commision to the real estate agency. Plus pay about $300 pesos in "legal fees" to verify your guarantee. Oh, yeah, most apartments don't come with refrigerators. Some don't come with stoves either.

Furnished apartments for foreigners don't require guarantees, but your teachers salary usually won't allow you to afford these places. I found a furnished place here in Quilmes, but the rent was $1000 pesos a month. I'll be lucky to make $1500 pesos a month here.

The demand for apartments is so great, why on earth would a landlord want to rent to a illegal immigrant with no guarantee, no pay check stub, and the ability to flee the country?

I hate to be so cynical, but people need to know they'll be spending way way way more time in the pension/youth hostel than they have planned. I am still in my miserable student residence.

REDLEY · Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 5:46 pm Post subject:

Hola Yanqui...

Argentines we rent for 2 years minimum, unfurnished (not even refrigerator) plus we secure payment with a property (garantia). So landlords can just forget about their apartment for 2 years, the payment of rent is secured, and the Landlord doesnt need to buy anything for the apartment.

If you are a foreigner, you can rent apartments that are fully furnished, that dont requiere garantia...and all expenses included (even cable Tv and WIFI internet) for AR$ 1.500 a month with 2 bedrooms in the best neighbours of Buenos Aires like Palermo, B. Norte, Recoleta. If you have a roommate it would be AR$ 750 each. If you rent in Congreso, Constitucion, and some other neighbours its cheaper.

Another option is to rent a room in a house or apartment...the price is about the same.

Good luck.

DAML · Joined: 30 Oct 2005 Posts: 17

Thanks for all of the info Yanqui and Redley, it's good to have a clearer picture of what to expect. I am bringing some savings with me, so personally, the AR$750 doesn't sound too bad. If I could cover rent with my teacher's salary, that would be all that I need. Redley, how would I go about getting a room in a house/apartment? Would I find such ads in a newspaper, or is there a better place to look?

spaz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 15

this is exactly my question too.
how do you find the room in the house or apartment - where is it advertised?

sarahe · Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 18

maybe there's something you all know that i don't, but is living in a homestay/with a family a totally bad idea??

i was planning on doing so for at least the first couple of months and i figure it shouldn't be too outrageously expensive. Of course, you don't have total independence and you are living as a guest in someone's home, but i just thought i'd offer it up as an idea to those of you who are getting frantic about the renting situation.

good luck with it all! Very Happy

YanquiQuilme�o · Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 122 Location: Quilmes, Argentina

If you're staying for a year, by all means, save up some money and get a kick-a.s.s furnished apartment in Palermo. The situation is bad for those of us who are trying to live here long-term.