| Author | Message | ||
     Terry Lynn Unregistered guest |
Other than Buenas Aires, which communities are most popular with internationals? | ||
| lili chu New member Username: Lili Post Number: 1 Registered: 11-2005 |
I have a questions: 60 yrs old, want to retire in BA, medical system? price of apartments? (old one) best area? How is San Telmo safety? American Banks? apartments can be purchased with mortgage? what is the interest paid by Banks? I have to become citizen of Argentina in order to live in BA? Thanks a lot, Lili | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 198 Registered: 12-2004 |
Lili, Michael at www.apartmensba.com is the best person to answer your questions. In general, you can purchase a good flat for less than USD $200/150k. I have heard that the medical system is far superior in the US, however, my experience is that it is a very good one, depending on your medical insurance. Considering your age I would prefer a neighborhood other than San Telmo. Most apartments -if not all- get purchased cash but there could be some alternative dealing I do not know of. Michael Koh will know more, for sure. The interest you can get at a Bank will probably be more attractive than the one you can get within the american Bank system but together with that comes the risk. In the last two decades, Argentina has shown little stability in its financial, monetary system so I would discourage anyone thinking on keeping their life savings -earned abroad- in an argentine Bank, in particular, since your age does not bode well for taking unnecessary risks. You might be able to live for a while without becoming a citizen. Since you are not thinking of working you will not require a work permit. But not having a DNI or any other local document will make your life somewhat more difficult (like opening bank accounts, etc). Check with this guy who is an expat in Argentina. He probably has good advice. | ||
| lili chu New member Username: Lili Post Number: 2 Registered: 11-2005 |
ROBERT, THANKS FOR YOUR E-MAIL, but what's wrong with San Telmo? I have only $40.000, Recoleta is very expensive ! For $150-$200 thous I move to Florida. | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 199 Registered: 12-2004 |
Oh... then, let me give you an update on Florida, at least the part where I live, Miami. A two bedroom -spacious at 1600 sq feet- brand new apartment in miami beach, ocean front, goes for 1.5 mill. I probably stretched it a bit and the real range may be 100/150 for a 3 bedroom. Yes, you can find one bedrooms for a lot less, too. San Telmo can get pretty funny at night. Some streets may be ok but some other ones may not. If you are 60, why risk it? It is a nice, alternative neighborhood but you can find a similar experience (old houses and quite neighborhood) in the area of Palermo viejo with houses as big as the ones you can get in San Telmo. Don't get me wrong. I like San Telmo but I am considering several other factors... your age, nationality, etc. When all factors get combined San Telmo may not be the wisest choice in spite of the great beer/peanuts/music you get on Saturday nights. | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 200 Registered: 12-2004 |
Terry, how should I understand *communities*? Buenos Aires is both a state and the capital of Argentina (City of Buenos Aires) and more than 3 million people live there, over 10 million if you take into account Great Buenos Aires. I have heard that there are many foreigners in southern patagonia, places like Bariloche. Or even El Bolson and Esquel. Rosario may be a nice, smaller city that may appeal to foreigners. (Message edited by admin on November 09, 2005) | ||
| Apartmentsba.com Junior Member Username: Saint Post Number: 40 Registered: 5-2005 |
Lili, More and more of my clients are buying properties here and retiring here. Why? The cost of living is so darn cheap. Also, the quality of life is so high if you have a source of U$S funds which you will in a few years with retirement payout of social security, pensions, etc. The medical system here is good. The physicians of course are better in the USA but there are many American trained physicians or that went to USA medical schools here. My personal physician went to UCLA medical school, speaks perfect English and used to live in California. I do have private medical insurance. I pay u$s 50 per month and that is for full insurance with no co-pays. There are many good health plans like OSDE, Swiss Medical and others. OSDE is one of the best. It's what I have. I pay 150 pesos a month. I've never used it. Why? If I get sick and it's minor I just go to my personal doctor. He charges me 100 pesos ($35) for a visit and he is even willing to make house calls!! That amount of money is what I was paying for my co-pays in the USA. Prescription drugs are very cheap here compared to the USA and most things you don't need a prescription. Just go to any pharmacy. Apartment prices are going up and have been and will keep going up so don't expect any really really cheap places. Not much you can get for your budget. Budget about at least $900 per sq. meter for anything decent. (1 sq. meter = 10 sq. feet) so obviously you can't get much for your savings. Renting is cheap though. You won't do any banking here. No one trusts the banks here. Still, it's VERY easy to do banking here with USA bank accounts. Open an online bank at places like www.bankdirect.com / www.netbank.com / www.everbank.com All will give you free ATM cards and you can withdraw up to u$s 500 (1,500 pesos) per day with no fees from the banks or the ATM machines here. Very easy. Mortgages here are rare. For foreigners impossible. The locals pay 12% interest and have to have 50% down and the time frame is only 10 years. No thanks. Almost everyone pays 100% cash for their properties. Nope, you don't have to be a resident to live here. Argentina is one of the easiest places in teh world to live without residency status. Just cross the ferry every 3 months into Uruguay (4 times a year). Very quick and easy. Hope that helps. BA is a wonderful place and I really love living here. In fact, I don't think I will ever live in the USA again. There is nothing I miss about the USA. It's a real paradise here if you have US Dollars. | ||
| bevian0 Unregistered guest |
Hi, I'e been living in the USA for the past 25 years and I am now fed up. I am orginally from London. I can not afford to grow old in the USA. I am 49 and I've been looking for somewhere else to live. Europe has become increasingly expensive. I decided to take a trip to Argentina and Uruguay this past September....I fell in love with Argentina...I felt that I woke up from a 6 year coma....Culture, art,Food etc. I was ready to move straight away.... With my head out of the clouds...I need to know what it really takes to live well as a foreigner in Argentina....And what the economic future holds. The ideal situation would be for me to have a business and my own home, this way I am ensured an income. My question is, how easy is it to own a business and property in Argentina and do foreigners have the same protection as locals? and how easy is it to transfer money out of Argentina. Is it best to keep your money outside Argentina? Is it easy getting Busniss permits for such things as restaurants? Is there a lot of corruption? How about residency permits? Thanks for youe help | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 322 Registered: 12-2004 |
Welcome, bevian0! The answer to all your questions is yes, IF you have the right contacts. Otherwise, there may be bumps on the road. My experience is the opposite: I am an argentine who left the country in 1991 to move to the US and comparing both systems I'd say some homework is in order. After 25 years in the US you may have become too used to, to the easiness of how things flow here only to barely notice that almost everything falls into place (maybe not the right one, at times). One of the attractions of Argentina is that it happens the other way, things that are supposed to fall don't even fall, so you are in for suprises. No doubt life becomes more interesting but at some point you may start missing your coma. Don't get me wrong. I love my country and don't want to be a party-pooper but I will hate to see that you move and then become disappointed after a great first impression. At a minimum, you simply cannot determine anything about Argentina's economic future. So far, so good. And there are indications that the present steady progress may last for a while but whether it is 3 more years or 25, noone knows. The benefits Argentina has experienced in the recent past are based in part to a worldwide recovery of commodities' pricing, in addition to a phenomenal currency devaluation. As tourism becomes more prevalent and consolidates as an industry, you could see some of the cheaper pricing erode and become par to international standards. And as commodities' pricing weakens, you could see internal politics come into play. Both of these moves may bring back disruptions... nothing new to us, but something that may not be part of your british DNA or american blueprint. However, the fact that there are 36/37 million souls enjoying the pleasures of less governmental enforcement, of a more open-minded society and a general relaxed attitude towards *everything*, says that things are probably NOT that bad. In my humble view, you have to play it by year in Argentina whereas in the US you have to play by the rules. This notion will come to you quickly if you can spend more time confronting the daily little struggles all argentines go through 7x24. Many, many argentines keep their savings abroad. Many also bring them back when appropriate but 'not-so-deep' in our minds we know it is a gamble. And there is nothing more thrilling in life than placing bets! Expats will probably give you a more precise view of what has worked for them. Generally speaking I would think that having an income that is not based in Argentina is *good*. For example, if you have a pension in us dollars or receive money from abroad. If you want to keep it completely local and generate income within Argentina from a business such as a restaurant, then, other considerations may come into play. As for owning property, that is probably the easiest thing to achieve. I know nothing about residency or work permits, unfortunately. There are a few members of this forum that have successfully moved down to Buenos Aires, started their own business and surpassed anybody's expectations, including their own. For them, life is heaven in Argentina. I think at the core of their success lies that they could see the reality of the picture and were able to exploit great inneficiencies. | ||
| Apartmentsba.com Junior Member Username: Saint Post Number: 43 Registered: 5-2005 |
Hi Bevian, You aren’t alone. I assist many foreigners (many from the USA, UK and Europe) on a weekly basis. They are planning to retire here in the next year or so and I have helped them with purchasing property here. They have the same plan as you do – to retire here. Retiring in the USA or Europe has just gotten terribly expensive. When you factor in cost of living, medical care, prescription drug costs, housing, utility bills, etc. many will have a shock when they hit retirement. Many just can’t afford to live there. Argentina is an excellent place to retire or semi-retire in certain situations. It’s NOT for everyone though. It is a good option if you have SIGNIFICANT savings built up or you have a steady steam of income coming in from investments, property rentals, or retirement plans or pensions or social security or disability payments. If you have no savings, no steady steam of income then you may want to rethink things. It is VERY difficult to make any significant income here. The cost of living (inflation) has kicked in and it’s estimated to get even more expensive. Never forget that Argentina –before the crash- was one of the most expensive cities in the world. I don’t foresee that ever happening again but I do see the cost of living going up. The only thing certain about Argentina is that there is no certainty and things will keep changing. There is some sort of financial disaster about every 10 years. I also fell in love with Argentina my first trip here. I felt like selling everything I owned and moving here. I had a wonderful life in the USA, made quite a bit of money, lived in the big house and drove the BMW. I didn’t move here to escape a bad life. I wanted to move here because I really fell in love with the city. Before I moved here, I formulated a business plan and I worked on it for 2 years before I moved here. I flew down here over 15 times before deciding to move here. It was all that planning that has enabled me to have a successful business after I moved down here (that and a lot of hard work and investment within Argentina and building up a good network and contact base). To answer your question, even if you got involved in a business you can’t guarantee that you will make significant income. Most foreigners fall in love with Argentina and want to move here or do move here but quickly move back to their home country because they never really thought it through and didn’t have a good “game plan” of how they will make money or survive. Doing business in Argentina is probably one of the most difficult places in the world to do business. The system is really ‘broken’ here. There is a lot of unethical businesses and it’s really tough to get things done. There is a LOT of red tape on seemingly simple things. There is corruption as well. Never forget Argentina is ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world – (see - http://www.transparency.org/cpi/2004/cpi2004.en.html - Tranparency International’s annual survey). Argentina is in the ranks of many African nations like Congo, Niger, Cameroon, Sudan, Angola, Zimbabwe and countries like Iraq, Bangladesh and Haiti. You really have to have good contacts, good lawyers and good accountants and advisors. These things should serve as a wake up call to the current situation here. It’s NOT easy doing business here. I own 3 successful corporations here in Argentina and I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the way things are done here. However, it’s for all these reasons that my company has exploded so rapidly. I saw how inefficient/corrupt/unorganized the system and the companies are here and I worked hard, invested significant amounts of time and money and now we are a leader in our field. To answer your questions, it’s easy to purchase property here and you have the same rights and privileges as the locals. In fact, many private and public surveys estimate that as much as 50% of the high end properties in the past 3 years has been done by foreigners. As one of the largest buyers of residential property in Buenos Aires in 2005 I can tell you that those private estimates are true. More and more of Buenos Aires is falling into the hands of foreigners. I don’t see that trend slowing down. In fact, quite the opposite. I’m dealing/consulting with groups of investors that are planning real estate purchases here in BA in the tens of millions of dollars. There was just an article in the paper the other day about an Australian investment group that is planning to purchase u$s 60 million in real estate here in Buenos Aires. They are just one of several groups planning such purchases. I would say you are fine on real estate purchases here. I own several properties here and it’s quite easy to purchase property here. (Just make sure you stay current on your property taxes each year). It’s easy to transfer money out of Argentina. (Much easier and cheaper than transferring IN to Argentina believe it or not). It’s best to keep all your money OUTSIDE of Argentina. You can easily keep your money in offshore banks in the USA, UK and Europe. It’s not that easy to get residency here believe it or not. Argentina makes it difficult to get residency here but it can be done. One of the best things is that Argentina doesn’t limit you to the amount of time you can stay in the country. You can simply cross the border into Uruguay on the ferry and just come back the same day. You only have to do this every 3 months (4 times a year) and you can live here permanently. I know Americans that have been living here for 10 years or more doing this. Countries like Brazil make it very very difficult only limiting you to 180 days a year in the country and getting residency is very very difficult. I would say that you should really structure a solid business plan and plan in general before moving here. It’s not easy to make money and starting a business is not easy. I would say that most foreigners that try starting businesses here will fail. The key is making solid and important local contacts. That is essential in a country like Argentina. One of my businesses involves consulting and helping foreigners start businesses here. Most of the initial consultations I hear I end up telling the people their businesses would never work here. There are a lot of bad ideas here. Keep in mind many things that are great ideas in other countries like the USA/UK won't work here. It's a totally different culture/world here. The other good option is if you can do the same job that you did in the USA over the internet/phone/email/fax. I know people that did make it but they are basically doing the same thing they did in the USA. They just need high-speed Internet and a USA # and they are doing the same thing. Technology like Vonage.com is essential to living here. If you can work over the internet and do the same job this is a perfect scenario for you. If I didn’t take time before I moved here to build solid networking contacts within the banking, financial, legal, accounting and governmental sectors I wouldn’t have made it here. Also, keep in mind that you need to be prepared to invest a significant amount of money if you want a serious business. You can easily buy a business cheaply but it probably won’t produce much revenue. Just remember that there are very educated (some in the USA, UK, Europe) – in fact my bankers are educated in the UK, my lawyers in the USA, accountants in Europe -- They are totally bilingual and they aren’t making much money so how would you?? You need to think about these kind of things. I’m one of those people Roberto is talking about. I didn’t know how things would turn out here in Argentina but I knew that I would regret it later on in life if I didn’t at least try. I knew I could go back to the USA and very easily get a job again making a lot of money. I didn’t move to Argentina for the money (after all, who moves to Argentina to get rich??). I moved here because I love the city, the people and the culture. Even now I have received several offers to purchase my company for more than what most people would see in their lifetime. Still, I’m totally not interested as I didn’t move here for the money and I love what I do. Follow the advice of people that know what they are talking about like Roberto. I had the good pleasure to meet him in person. Listen to what people like him write about. They know what they are talking about. Never let anyone tell you that “it can’t be done” or that you are “foolish to move to Argentina”. In fact, not one person told me I should move to Argentina and everyone told me it was a mistake. I proved them all wrong. Just make sure you have a good plan and prepare your move ahead of time. As Roberto said, living here in Argentina is "heaven" for me and I don't plan to move back to the USA. Funny now I go to the USA for vacations! My best of luck to you. mike@apartmentsba.com | ||
| bevian0 Unregistered guest |
Dear Roberto & Mike: Thank you for your candor and honest insight. Both of you have given me food for thought; A consultation that is invaluable, thanks again. I knew that I would have to have a plan for my move, I do plan to return to Argentina in the next few months to see if there are any opportunities for me and how feasible it would be for me to really live there. I know that I would have to have a Business and I'm trying to think where my skills apply & what my niche could be. I am trying to make contacts all the time. I know that I will probaly need to go back and forth numerous times.... At the moment I live in West Palm Beach, FL I'm in the Hospitality & Travel Industry at the moment, I've owed a Cafe, an Art Gallery and ran a sucessful Supperclub in NYC. I've dabbled in Real Estate and owned a couple of Condos. I'm looking into Real Estate and seasonal rental in somewhere like Mar Del Plata or Punta Del Este. I also like Food & Beverage...And of course I looking into an online type of situation... IN SHORT I"M THINKING. I think that I might have a niche in the food & beverage background as I have very strong front of the house skills and my interesting look. Anymore thoughts guys? I would love more imput from you both. Thanks again | ||
| Apartmentsba.com Junior Member Username: Saint Post Number: 44 Registered: 5-2005 |
Bevian, You're certainly welcome. Just make sure to make a strong business plan BEFORE moving no matter what business you are going to do. Real estate might be your strongest play. I bought more residential real estate last year than any single individual in the world (based on the u$s amount spent) so I know a thing or two about this subject. I flew to Punta del Este a few times to look at real estate. While they DO have some gorgeous properties, the rate of returns are very very low compared to other areas. Granted, you can make 6% returns per year only renting out 2 months out out the year (high season is January and part of February). There isn't much of a rental season after that. That is why I passed up on buying real estate there. Mar Del Plata isn't as attractive as BA either. You will find that many people are in a similar situation as you are. They can't really make enough income here or don't have the desire to work or start a business. If you have the cash to buy a few properties you can live off the income. Just keep in mind purchases here are 100% cash with no mortgages so be prepared to pony up all the cash to buy and furnish a property. Rates of return are amazing though. Most of my clients NETTED about 11% - 15% per year on the rental income alone. (This of course doesn't count the capital appreciation of at least 30% a year that most made last year). A few are in your situation and are just living off the rental income. Just keep in mind that BA is as cheap or expensive as you want to make it. I just reviewed my budget and I actually spent more living in Buenos Aires last year in 2005 than I did in the USA. This doesn't include any business expenses. This is just personal expenses. You can have a very cheap life here if you want though but everything adds up. I live on Ave. Alvear where rents are in u$s NOT pesos. I go out to eat about 2-3 times every single day as I don't have the desire or time to cook. I am in about 10 taxis a day. I do a lot of clothes shopping. Also, i have always donated a % of all income I make to various charities here. And the biggest expense is traveling. Being in Argentina, I really love to travel around and hit Rio, Patagonia, Mendoza, Punta del Este, etc. Take whatever skills or business skills you have in the USA or another country and kind of throw them out the window. Sure they will help but it's another world here. I'm thinking about opening a restaurant/bar in the future but really hesitant. The reason why I would is because I can "cross market" and refer all the guests I have from all the properties I own/manage. This is a unique situation which would be very different than the average foreigner trying to open a restaurant here. The key is to prepare, budget and do projections of how much you need to invest and how much you can earn per year. Good luck! | ||
| laura zurro New member Username: Sapphos Post Number: 1 Registered: 2-2006 |
If you don't want to live in Buenos Aires directly, try the suburbs of Zona Norte. It's very green there with lots of trees, close proximity to the river, and a lot of sports. Very popular with expats from many countries(doesn't mean you have to hang with them.) We chose to make our move to this area rather than in Capital because although we love the city, we don't want to deal with the noise and pollution, and it was much easier to find a house where we could fit easily with our two big dogs. If you love outdoor sports and a much more laid back atmostphere, try Mendoza. The Andes are close by and there are tons of outdoor sports like mountain biking, hiking, hang-gliding, climbing, camping, etc. It's also within several hours of the Chilean border by bus or by car. We considered relocating there, but in the end decided we preferred to stay closer to a big city, but we would go back for vacation anytime. For the person who posted about buying in Florida vs Argentina. If you mean Miami, then it's true what Roberto said, real estate here is sky high and 200,000 isn't going to buy you much, and the cost of insurance just skyrocketed yet again. We sold our house just at the end of last August after a hurricane with minimal damage and as we were selling it I got a new tax bill (increase of $5,000  ) and a new insurance bill (increase as well and decrease in coverage.) On top of that we saw the house again after Wilma, and it had much more damage. So if you move to South Florida (or almost any part of Florida nowadays), expect high insurance, taxes, food, electricity (increased this year as well), and high real estate prices. And if you think that it will be easy to get a mortgage in Miami be ready to ••••••••••• of money down. I couldn't get four different properties to close easily last year because the properties have become so overvalued. If think that Argentina has a lot of corruption and problems, well it does but at least you know what to expect unlike the U.S. where you expect and don't necessarily get. Feel free to email me if you have questions.  (Message edited by admin on February 14, 2006) | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 326 Registered: 12-2004 |
Welcome, Laura. If you wrote "f-o-r-k out a lot" of money the script may have interpreted this with a 'u' and a 'c', sorry. I will do a minor edit to your post in a bit. Your contribution is most welcomed. We do however, prefer a lower profile without direct personal links. It keeps threads focused. If you are an expert in your field or provide important advice anyone with a brain will do what I just did . You have a nice blog and a nice background by the way. And will surely find success as a writer. | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 327 Registered: 12-2004 |
> will do what I just did. Just in case, I meant clicking on your profile not editing your post. | ||
| Apartmentsba.com Junior Member Username: Saint Post Number: 46 Registered: 5-2005 |
Laura makes some great points. If you aren't a "Big city person" there are so many towns in Argentina. I really love the South of Argentina. I really enjoyed Villa la Angostura and have plans to buy some land there and build a house. Bariloche is also great especially in the private community Arrelauquen. Just keep in mind property prices are really going up quickly down there as well. Also, just make sure you research the laws in buying properties in different areas. It's not the same as Buenos Aires. I would imagine you could rent a good place in the South if you like that type of setting. It's a really beautiful area. Laura was also right about the high cost of property taxes and just the general cost of living in general. If you have a source of income in u$s and can live in Argentina you can live like a king here.... | ||
| Terry Lynn Unregistered guest |
Test | ||
| james asbell New member Username: Gato Post Number: 1 Registered: 3-2006 |
I recently visited Mendoza on vacation and I am seriously considering purchasing vineyard property with the thoughts of retiring there in 4 or 5 years. However I am a little concerned about security issues, as barbed wire and private guards were commanplace. Should I be concerned? | ||
| t tyne Unregistered guest |
i live the south okanagan BC would like to relocate to area in AG to climate milder winters ie. mean winter 10c summer 25c anny such zones | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 370 Registered: 12-2004 |
t tyne, I think you should seriously look into Cordoba. (Message edited by admin on March 26, 2006) | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 371 Registered: 12-2004 |
James, your inquiry is very specific. Unless someone has had direct experience with this issue, in that location and related field, I doubt you will get anything from our answers. I personally can't imagine acts of violence against private commercial property in places like Mendoza, however, for what is worth, some large foreign landowners did report numerous incidents of 'cuatreros' stealing their sheeps (deep patagonia), like the Benetton's family. In all, it seems to have been an isolated case of a vindicative nature. But on the other hand, rural Argentina is typically *very* isolated and you cannot expect local police or local authorities to enforce anything. I've heard many many stories from friends living in southern patagonia about situations that would resemble the wild west a lot. | ||
| sandramann Unregistered guest |
My husband and I just got back from visiting family in Salta (and BA) and now we are seriously considering retiring to Salta. We have two small houses in NJ and would sell them both and use the money to buy a modest house in Salta and invest the rest of the money. Does anyone know how much a modest house would cost in Salta? Are there any other major expenses to consider - such as property taxes. I will eventually talk to my cousin about it but I want to do some homework first. | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 377 Registered: 12-2004 |
Hello Sandra, given that noone with specific information has chimed in here is my little help... These links may be a start in your due dilligence (I assume you handle some spanish) Camara de Turismo de Salta Casa de Salta Venta inmuebles Salta Inmuebles in Salta The last 2 links offer real estate in Salta and checking the listing may give you a vague idea. I was kind of surprise by some prices... (Message edited by admin on March 30, 2006) | ||
| Sandra Mann New member Username: Sandramann Post Number: 1 Registered: 4-2006 |
Thank you for the help, Roberto. I too was surprised by the prices of the houses given that everything else there seemed so reasonable. It was interesting that they were all given in US dollars too. | ||
| Rommel Angeles New member Username: Conguero Post Number: 1 Registered: 4-2006 |
Hello everyone. New to the forum and thanks in advance for the valuable information shared here. I too am from the US and considering living in Argentina for 6 months to a year. I'm saving money to support myself for the 6 months of being there but I am also looking for jobs to help support myself while being there. What is the average rental cost there? What kind of temp jobs do most foreigners do? Is there a demand of English teaching jobs in Buenos Aires? My background is in Telecom and I'm ok not doing anything related to my field. In fact, I'm looking at this 6months to a year to be a break from this life in US. I look forward to hearing from you. | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 385 Registered: 12-2004 |
Welcome Rommel! There is a market for teaching english for sure, but there is a lot of 'offer' already so you may have to work your way in. I know about a 2 bedroom apt. located in a decent area that goes for about usd $385/month. Don't know if that is average but will give you an indication. A one bedroom should be economical. Expats may have a different opinion but I am of the idea that you should try to get some income from the US, not from Argentina, as that may prove a lil' difficult, if not frustating, if not disappointing... There's been a huge wave of outsourcing recently and perhaps you can find an opportunity there like doing some light work for an american company from Argentina... In Buenos Aires, it will still be easy to break from your normal US habits. Can guarantee you of that. | ||
| Roderick Chapman New member Username: Roderick Post Number: 1 Registered: 4-2006 |
Hi, I have a few questions to ask you. I visited Buenos Aires in January and really liked the city. I am from Vancouver Canada amd was thinking of buying a little condo in a nice area (thinking of my semi-retirement down the road). What would be the average price that I would have to pay for a condo approx. 700 - 800 sq ft.? A few areas that I liked when I visted there was Recoleta and Barrio Norte, is there any other areas that you would suggest? Also is it hard to rent them out when you are not there? Also if I was to sell the condo down the road is it hard to get your money out of Buenos aires? Also is there alot of hidden costs to buying a place in Buenos Aires? Last question are the taxes expensive there to own a condo? If you could give me some advice to think about before I go any further with this idea I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks so much!!!!! | ||
| Apartmentsba.com Member Username: Saint Post Number: 56 Registered: 5-2005 |
Hi Roderick, Just about everything you asked is on my website (which has been called the most accurate and informative source of buying real estate in Buenos Aires in the world). www.apartmentsba.com/consulting You can read articles about Buenos Aires real estate here: www.apartmentsba.com/media Property is priced by the sq. meter so it just depends on the neighborhood. You can buy in Recoleta in non-ritzy parts for $1,300 - $1,600 per sq. meter while prices in my building where I live on Ave. Alvear are over u$s 3,000 per sq. meter. It just depends where you buy. In Barrio Norte you can still find places for $1,200 - $1,300 per sq. meter. You can have a company manage it when you aren't here. The city is crowded with rental companies. Some better than others. Just do a google.com search of apartment rentals buenos aires and you will get a long list. Selling real estate is easy. As a foreigner you will need a special permit from AFIP (like our IRS in Argentina) to sell. They will verify you are up to date on your taxes. Keep in mind it can take up to 75 days to get this permit once you request it. Other than that it is simple as long as you paid all your property taxes. Property taxes (or asset taxes) are only 0.75% of the purchase price. Moving money OUT of Argentina is actually very very easy. It's much easier than bringing it in which many find ironic. It costs as much as 1.5% of the amount you are sending to bring it in while it costs just a flat fee of usually less than $200 to wire an unlimited amount OUT of Argentina. Read the links I gave you and you will find everything you wanted to know. Good luck. | ||
| Kurtis Unregistered guest |
Million de gracias, Roberto y otros. This is the kind of info I have been looking for. This summer, I will visit BA and other areas as my usual vagabond self with the added incentive of finding a place to call home. I'm happy to have surfed upon this site on this enchanted evening. Chao | ||
| sofia Unregistered guest |
Hi,Could somebody please recomend me any immigration lowyer other than ARCA ( this one is extremely expensive )to make residential Visa for the family. Is it possible to do while in BA ??,and what about DNI ?? Please help with some info.. Thank you | ||
| Apartmentsba.com Member Username: Saint Post Number: 57 Registered: 5-2005 |
ARCA IS expensive but they are the only one to guarantee their work. I will post later about my experience with another big firm in town that I had a HORRIBLE experience with. There is NO firm in Buenos Aires as organized as ARCA. Lorena is very detail oriented and I can't recommend them enough. In the end, it's all about results and most of the local companies are really bad. I wish I could recommend someone else but the other companies I know that other people used had problems or never got their visas or the company made a lot of mistakes. I will post a very detailed post when I get back from my trip regarding this. Good luck. | ||
| Laura Zurro New member Username: Sapphos Post Number: 15 Registered: 2-2006 |
Hi Sofia, I am working with a company other than ARCA. Email me or private message me and I will be happy to give you their contact information. Yes there are problematic companies out there, but they are definately not the only company you can work with. Laura | ||
| Eunice Venables Unregistered guest |
Hi: I am a Canadian woman, aged 58 who has never visited Argentina but would like to spend this Winter...Oct-March living in Argentina. Not BA as too big and polluted; however, what would the weather and climate be like in Cordoba or Mendosa? I would like to rent a 2 bedroom furnished place....what would the rents be like? I also would like to take some Spanish lesson and do some volunteering. I would also like to visit Peru sometime in that period......any suggestions? What other places would you suggest, that offer a comfortable climate and would be a good introduction into Argentina living? Gracias. Euni. | ||
| Laura Zurro New member Username: Sapphos Post Number: 19 Registered: 2-2006 |
Hi Eunice, I'm responding to your question from travelsur. My husband and I recently relocated here, I'm from the States (NE) and he's originally from France. During our research time of which areas to relocate to, we spent several trips in Buenos Aires and her suburbs. The suburbs of B.A. are very nice and relatively quiet. There are some great country areas just outside of BA as well that are great and still give you access to the city if you want to enjoy that part. We also spent time in Mendoza. If you are looking for a quiet city with well priced rents, then you would probably enjoy Mendoza quite a lot. It's a much smaller city with Sycamore tree lined street. There are a lot of Europeans, partticularly Germans, and a good amount of retirees visiting. The architecture is also very European. Sarmiento Street is a walking street that is full of shops and restaurants and ends at the Plaza. During the summer (remember the seasons are reversed) it is quite dry in the area however. It was essentially a desert until the Mendocino's harnessed the power of water to hydrate the area. There are a number of short term rentals in the area but many of them are a bit older - I'm not sure what exactly you would be looking for in rents, but I still have the contact info of somone there that we rented from and I believe he had a larger apartment as well. If you like outdoor activities, the area is full of them, everything from trekking to cabalgatas (horseback riding) to rafting. Cordoba is supposed to be quite nice as is the city Rosario which is between Cordoba and Buenos Aires. Regarding Spanish, there are immersion programs everywhere. You will find in places like Mendoza and Buenos Aires, that there are people who speak English but it will always behoove you to attempt to speak Spanish first. If you don't have any Spanish under your belt already, I would at least try to do some casettes or a local class before your stay, it will make things easier for you once your there. I think I may still have some information that I saved from Mendoza for classes if you decide to go there, and you could email me for that. I have some information on our trip to Mendoza as well as part of the overall process of what we went through setting up here that you might find useful. http://movingtoargentina.typepad.com One last thing, anywhere around Buenos Aires you will most likely be required to pay your rent up front. In Mendoza, as a short term renter you will most likely run into the same thing. Just a forewarning. Research as much as you can before the trip. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time, it's a great country with great people (but always keep your eyes out for tourist targeted scams - like exist in many places in the world). Laura http://movingtoargentina.typepad.com | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 419 Registered: 12-2004 |
Eunice, adding to what Laura said, Cordoba may be of your interest too and I would suggest you do some research here. Cordoba is drier than Buenos Aires and offers a combination of outdoors as well as cultural activities. You may be luckier in Cordoba for volunteering work as there are many more churches. Culturally, you may get a little more from your stay here than in Mendoza and will have the opportunity to be in contact with many long term argentine traditions (folklore music, etc). It may also be a lesser known destination to foreigners (not locals) so you will have lots of oportunities to mingle. It is always a good idea to get here with some basic spanish if you are planning for an extended stay. For spanish in Argentina programs you can check some of the listings here. ILEE has offices in Cordoba. You can fly Buenos Aires-Lima anytime. A very common trip to Peru involves visiting the area of Cuzco and Machu Pichu (we walked the inca trail for 2 days), and then Aguas Calientes at the base of the mountains. I did this while living in Buenos Aires and remember it as one of the greatest trips I ever made. The Incas had an AWESOME culture! | ||
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