georgewoodie

Apartment search

Can anyone offer their experience with any of the following apartment renters. I would like to know if you, as a renter, found them to be accurate in their descriptions, honest in their dealings and prompt on the return of the damage deposit.

We are interested in Recoleta or Palermo. All comments would be appreciated.

We are seeking two quiet, clean, comfortable and safe apartments for two couples. We do not want a rowdy place.

Any experience with:

Bairesapartments Argentina
Buenos Aires Habitat
Friendly Rentals or
My Space BA?

All other suggestions welcome.

Thanks,

Woodie

yestravel

Havent rented an apt in BA, so cant provide a response to your specifics. Have you looked on Trip Advisor forum? Lots of discussions on apt rental companies and lots of locals and travelers who are pretty familar with the apt rental market in BA.

avrooster

Hi, Woodie!

As you know, I'm a local and therefore haven't used those firms, so I cannot answer your question.

However, I have been scouting the short term rental market for another forum member and I MAY have an idea worth investigating.

Please remind me of the dates of your stay, as the idea may be valid if you are planning to stay for a comparatively long period, such as a month.

Your post clearly indicates that you want TWO separate apartments, not ONE apartment for TWO couples. Right?

In the same building, nearby, or not even necessarily in the same neighborhood?

georgewoodie

avrooster:

Thank you for your reply.

Yes, two apartments for January 31 to February 6 and after that, one apartment from Feb 12 or 13 to March 17.

Both in the same building would be preferred, near by would be second best.

My wife and I have been to Argentina several times and bragged so much about Buenos Aires and the whole country that our daughter and her partner will be coming for a short time as well. Therefore the two apartments.

We will first be going to the Galapagos, then to Machu Picchu and Lago Titicaca, Puno and Lima. Our travel will end in Buenos Aires.

Our daughter and partner will be off to see some of the country from February 6 to about the 12th or 13th returning to Buenos Aires to go home.

While they are in the countryside, we want to go to Uruguay for a few days at the invitation of some Portenio friends.

Our travel is fully booked up to Quito, done from home. Our travel from Quito to Buenos Aires is right now being arranged by an agent in Buenos Aires but not yet completed.

Once we have those dates fixed, we will know our flight number, arrival date and time and can then firm up our following plans [apartments] for Argentina.

With all our travel before arriving to Bs. As., I am reluctant to carry a lot of cash for apartment security deposit and final rent payment.

I much prefer to send our initial payments by bank wire and pay the balance the NEXT day after arrival so I can go to a bank and cash some AMEX cheques and so eliminate the need to carry all that cash during our first portion of travel.

A large damage deposit is also a problem as we must pay an exchange rate to get the US$ cash and then pay it again when we get home changing the US$ to Canadian $. A lower deposit would be a great help, otherwise it is like throwing money away.

Complicated? I hope it can work.

Right now, I wanted to avoid shady operations by getting the advice of fellow travelers on this site.

Woodie

avrooster

Well GeorgeW, my idea may work for your "Feb 12 or 13 to March 17" stay.

It involves using this search engine to seek your apartment:

http://www.topinmobiliario.com/

It is in Spanish. If you have trouble using it, e-mail me and I'll help.

scdreamer

Can't speak to Buenos Aires apartments, but we have used VRBO.com to rent apartments in Athens, Venice, Rome, Paris, San Diego, and Seattle, as well as two homes (in Ashland, Oregon and Hood Canal area, Washington.)

We have had very good luck - I would say 95% of what you read and see in the photos on the website is accurate. The only bad experience we have had was that an apartment in Seattle was not in the best neighborhhod, despite it being described as "up and coming."

You deal directly with the owner, which in my opinion is good.

Skiergirl

I can possibly assist you-email me at abbysiegel43 at gmail dot com and we can chat. I have a realtor in BA who is available to help.