Renting: A Difficult Game

Renting an apartment long-term in a difficult game for a foreigner (extranjero) in Buenos Aires. Firstly, the reasonable prices are usually not easily available for extranjeros (which is why the expensive furnished apartments do such a good trade here) because strictly you need what is called a “garantia” to be able to rent. This would be a person that owns property in Argentina that can sign for you as a guarantee on the contract, to safeguard against you running away or trashing the apartment or something! Also, you are almost always expected to sign an agreement for 2 years, although people tell me that even if you do sign it is not always strictly enforced if you want to move on early.

HOWEVER, a garantia is not always required. You can often speak to the owner (dueno) and try to reach an agreement, which may involve you paying a large deposit, or paying a lot of the rent up front (maybe 6 months to a year) or even paying a little over the asked rent rate. A lot of owners will not want to do this, but it is worth asking…

Buenos Aires Apartments Key Search Resource: Clarin

If you speak decent Spanish, probably the best place to look for renting is the Clarin website (the most popular BA newspaper). This is where you will find the best bargains, the prices that locals pay:

• Go here and click on “Inmuebles”

Then search for the type of housing you want to rent, for what price, in what areas etc. But, this method only works well if you are in Argentina. The usual process is to buy Clarin every day (or search the website every day), find what apartments etc you like the sound of, then turn up at the address and viewing time detailed (sometimes waiting in line on the street to do so!) for each one. If you are currently in another country, you have two options if you go down this renting route:

• Pay someone in Buenos Aires to do it for you (a locator). Give me an email or leave a comment if you would like me to recommend somebody for you.
• RECOMMENDED: Come to Buenos Aires personally to find the place you want. Either you could do a “pre-visit”, staying in a furnished apartment and spending each day looking for places to rent, then renting somewhere ready for when you make the move, OR you could make the move and stay in a furnished apartment until you find a place.
BUENOS AIRES TRAVEL GUIDE SPECIAL HINT: Find an Argentine boyfriend/girlfriend to help you out with the whole Buenos Aires apartments searching process! Not only will you find more doors open with a local on your side, but this has some nice side benefits too

Additional Search Resources

These links should also help you out in your search for a cheap, long-term apartment rental in Buenos Aires:

• The YesBA Mailing list (sign up through that link)
• Craigslist Buenos Aires
• La Nacion Classifieds (2nd most popular newspaper in BA. Clarin is the mainstream tabloid, La Nacion the more serious broadsheet). There may be some repitition between Clarin and La Nacion listings
• www.BuscaInmueble.com
• www.ArgenProp.com.ar



Final Buenos Aires Apartment Rental Tip

Look for properties that are being rented by the owners themselves, not by the Inmobiliarias (estate agents), as the big agencies will be more expensive and will not be reasonable with people that do not have a garantia, whereas owners will be open to discussion……….and possibly even sweet-talk from your good-looking Argentina girlfriend/boyfriend!

Good luck to anyone looking for long term apartment rentals in Buenos Aires – I think you will probably need it!