The conditions of the state-subsidized housing in Buenos Aires

The “Instituto de Vivienda de la Ciudad” (IVC, for its Spanish acronym) [Institute in charge of state-subsidized housing] has the objective of planning, and developing special programs in order people can get a house to live. This is accomplished trough the construction, urbanization and promotion of the life in community of all neighbors.

One of the most challenging and expensive programs is the one that points at urbanizing those disadvantaged neighborhoods and shantytowns of Buenos Aires. For the next 4 years, it has been established that 7,000 houses will be built, and in total (in the future time) it has been estimated that 25,000 will be constructed; plus, the necessary infrastructure.

Likewise, with the idea of improving the quality of life of the most disadvantaged sectors of the city, many public works such as the electrical installation; sewer system installation; improvement of paths; among others, is been done.

Another mechanism of providing state-subsidized housing is through the acquisition and repairing of old buildings or factories which are not being used or have never been fully constructed. Instead of building houses from scratch, the IVC buys these buildings through an open tender, and then it repairs them, in order to sell them and finance their selling, if necessary, for those who need it.

The IVC has a huge amount of programs that seeks to fulfill each family’s needs, in order every one of them can get a decent place to live. Most programs of the IVC have many years of functioning, but due to the crisis of the year 2001, and from there on, those programs had to be reorganized in order to be fulfilled.

The programs in charge of providing state-subsidized housing in Buenos Aires seem to be well planned. It is only a matter of seeing if they become a reality, so that many Argentine families can get to have a place to live, and improve their quality of living.

Living near the rail roads and construction sites

Living near the rail roads or being surrounded by constructions areas can be more than annoying. Those who have lived for many years can get used to the train passing by or its horn, but when it comes to construction noise, as it is temporary, it usually can be a bit irritating.

Even though the noise of the city is generally alike in all parts of the city, these particular noises can make things worse. Even though the ear can get use to a constant noise and in the end, you can live with it, it can still be stressful.

One positive aspect of living near the rail roads is that, if you take the train regularly, you don't have to walk too much. Nonetheless, the nearer you are to the rail station itself or the level crossing, the louder it gets, since many cars like to sound the horn so that the car in front of them moves, or the train sounds the horn when it arrives, when it leaves, etc.

Constructions around one’s home are a different story. As we have mentioned previously, this is temporary, which can be seen as a good thing. Nevertheless, as there are constant new noises, makes it more noticeable. Besides the noises, the dust and the dirt they produce (and get home) is really irritating.

On the other hand, buying or renting a house near the rail roads can be cheaper. The problem appears when you have to sell it, since it will also be cheaper. Contrary to that, in the case of constructions, if your neighborhood is having many of them, in the near future, this can benefit the price of sale of your house, since, if the constructions make the block prettier, it will be good.

To conclude, it will depend on every person to see the advantages and disadvantages of living near the rail road and how much it can affect you, whether it is noise or movement. On the other hand, constructions will generally be annoying but there is not much we can do, and, eventually, it will end up…

Apartments with amenities are preferred when investing

Since 2007, the amenities boom began to take shape and became more vigorous in Buenos Aires. Since then until these days, the extra facilities inside a building are really important when people decide to invest on a house. Due to this tendency, it is really common that constructors and real estate agencies build small apartments with a great amount of extra amenities.

Even though many people admit that they generally don’t use too much, the truth is that nowadays, thank to these extra facilities, the idea of living in an apartment, and not a house, is not that bad. For example, many people have always wanted a swimming pool in their houses, or a barbecue to invite friends over, or even a little garden to relax. All these things can be a part of your building now, making at least a bit of the dream come true.

Amenities have become really popular mainly for this reason. Plus, as it has become too popular, that itself generates an increase on the demand. This also makes more people now want an apartment with amenities.

Within the types of amenities you can find in an apartment building, there exist the ordinary and the extraordinary: Swimming pool, barbecue, SUM (Multiple Use Room), garden, gym, dry and wet sauna, golf court, yoga room, gym instructor, kids club (with babysitters), game place for kids, small cinema, deck with solarium, laundry room, among others.

The main targets who are interested in buying or renting apartments with amenities are the young people, the young couples, and marriages with children.

The reasons for choosing this type of houses are plenty. Firstly, it is believed that it is a good way to socialize with neighbors, and not only when they cross in the halls or at the entrance. Secondly, it is also believed that, as you have a gym at home or a laundry room, you don’t have to go out, or buy a washing machine for your apartment.

Anyway, for plenty of reasons, when it comes to investing, people choose to move to an apartment that, although it may be small, it has amenities you can use.

How much does the increase of buildings affect the floods in Buenos Aires?

During the last few years, and today as well, there has been an unstoppable increase in the construction of buildings around the city of Buenos Aires. For many years now, many old (yet renewable) houses have been demolished so as to become big concrete buildings. This has made many people think about a possible issue: how much can these constructions affect the floods that are already taking place in the City of Buenos Aires?

And the answer is quite simply: a lot.

The construction of many buildings reduces the useful area used to evacuate the water. Likewise, there are many new pipes installed and used, and there is no proper infrastructure to handle the great amount of water. So, if there is a big storm in the city, the water is unable to drain properly and it gets stuck; thus, generating floods.

Since there is no proper planning prior to the constructions of the buildings, and there has been a tremendous increase on the constructions of buildings around the whole city, many consequences arise from this; one of the most important is flooding. In order to avoid these issues, it is necessary that new long-term projects are done, which can organize the urban planning properly, in order this situation does not get worse.

Therefore, even though there have been many floods along the decades in many neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, due to a lack of proper maintenance or initial infrastructure, the reckless increase on construction is making the situation worse. Plus, if we have in mind that, due to global warming, we will be suffering more and more (and worse) precipitations each year, within time, the situation will become incontrollable.

All of this needs to be analyzed, both by the building constructors and the government, so the citizens of Buenos Aires do not suffer from more floods and more problems in their houses, now and in the future.

The difficulty in buying a house due to lack of loans

Nowadays, those who wish to request for a loan in Argentina are going through an epic quest. Applying for a mortgage loan has become a difficult target, as it has, saving in order to buy a house.

According to some data of 2010, an income of around $11,000 Argentine pesos was needed in order to become illegible for a mortgage loan in Argentina. This throws as a result, that a great part (and even the majority) of the Argentine society cannot even attempt to request a loan. Moreover, the bank, since the 2001-2002 crisis, has attempted to give short-term loans, aiming at consumption and not to long-term investment (i.e. buying a house).

What is more, and to make things worse, house prices are still on the rise, due to a series of economic uncertainties that the country is going through. The raise on prices, the decrease in the monthly savings, and the increase on the minimum in order to apply for a loan (plus the many other obstacles each bank put), make the idea of having your own house a bit remote.

On the other hand, for some years now, there has been an increase on the building constructions and real estate around the city. Those who can afford to buy a property see it as an investment, and they choose to rent it.

This being said, it can be concluded that the rental and construction businesses are and will be on the rise for some time, while the idea of having your own house for your family is a dream that is becoming more difficult to come true. Unless you are willing to starve and not consume anything for a couple of years (only if your income is more or less high), in the not too near future, you will be able to buy a house or at least be able to apply for a mortgage loan.

Project to urbanize the “Villa 31”

The “Villa 31” and “Villa 31 bis” [shantytowns], located in the area of Retiro (surrounding the “Arturo Illia” Highway), occupies around 31 hectares. Although there are no certain data on how many people live there, according to the census, it is close to 27 thousand; still, according to some private organizations, statistics show that the number amounts to 47 thousand people living in the “Villa 31”.

In that area, since the constructions they make are constructed with the materials they can get, more than 60 constructions are in danger of collapsing. This has generated an initiative of promoting the urbanization of the Villa 31 in Retiro.

Two years ago, a law to make the project of urbanization of the villa 31 was enacted. This law orders the creation of the “Mesa de Gestion y Planeamiento Multidisciplinaria y Participativa” [area of organization and planning] in order to organize and monitor the project. This organization team is formed by some member of the Legislative and executive power of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, the Technical team who created the fore-project of the urbanization of the Villa 31, and the elected candidates who live in the Villa 31 and 31 bis, among others. After two years, this group of people has signed a report which specifies some points that were still to be organized in order to start with this urbanization project.

In the law, it was stipulated that people was not going to be evicted from their homes; only those who were living on dangerous areas or houses that were overcrowded were going to be relocated. According to some information given, it is clear that in order to urbanize the Villa 31, streets need to be laid, as well as infrastructure work needs to be done (drains, light and gas). Is has been estimated that around 9 thousand houses need to be built.

After years of analyzes and dispute, the project for the urbanization of the Villa 31 seems to be moving. It is only a matter of seeing if, within time, if it finally becomes a reality.

Advantages and disadvantages of living on a “country house”

Currently, many people of the city of Buenos Aires are considering moving into a “country house”, outside the city. In Argentina, a “country house” is a type of gated community, with its perimeter delineated and security. This type of houses, besides offering security within its surroundings, offers a different type of living, which it is considered something very important on these days. For this reason, we will here mention some of the advantages and disadvantages of living on a country house.

Let’s start with the good things. One interesting thing about living in a country house is that you are surrounded by nature and live in a calm environment. People can go walking along "green”, peaceful areas without having to go too far, since almost every country has its own little forest or tree area. Moreover, kids have the freedom to go anywhere inside the country without parents having to worry about where they are and how they get somewhere.

Another issue to have in mind is security. Even though, nowadays, country houses are not free from burglars, and people have to lock their doors when they leave, it is not the same environment as in the city. Kids can play outside without having to worry.

Another advantage of living on a country house is that they usually offer a common area where you can celebrate birthdays, or any event. They also generally offer a swimming pool, in case you don’t have one at home.

On the other hand, one of the major disadvantages of living in a country house is distance. Even though these days, they are usually surrounded by malls or commercial areas, big supermarkets, etc., the city allows you to go and buy things without having to go on your car. This problem of the distance is generally bigger when you have adolescents at home. They usually want to go out on weekends, and you need to take them, or see how they go and come back.

An issue that is a fact whether you live on the city or a country house is neighbors. Wherever you live, you can always have some problems with them (not always, of course). The interesting thing about having problems with your country house’s neighbors is that you can “report” them with the administration of the place, should you not reach an agreement first.

As many things in life, choosing where to live is not easy; and everything has its good things and bad ones. Nonetheless, it is a matter of balancing the pro and cons in your particular case, and then decide whether you prefer to living in the city or in a country house.

Temporary rental for your property: fighting against uncertainty

Many people in Buenos Aires, who live on rent or have an apartment and put it on rent, know how complicated this can be. Especially on these days, where prices raise too quickly and yet the rent they receive, doesn't.

Since long-let contracts in Argentina must be of a minimum of 2 years, and rent prices don't go together with the general prices’ rise, a good solution for all this uncertainty might be to short-let your property.

If you rent your property temporarily, you will have the chance of adjusting the prices in an easy manner. If general prices go up in a short period, you can adjusted monthly, weekly,...according to your needs.

Plus, if you have your property on temporary rental, you may check between tenants, and so you can repair things, paint, etc., without having to arrange with a tenant or anybody. This is also good, since it avoids the property to ruin too fast, for lack of maintenance.

Moreover, if you have short-let contract, you can avoid having to deal with tenants who don’t pay their rent for months. If this happens, that persone won’t be back, and you wouldn’t have lost too much money.

Another reason for putting your property into temporary rental is the dollar situation. Argentina is going through a very unstable time, and it is hard to get dollars or change them. If you cash your rent in dollars, it is convenient for you, and for your tenant (if he is from another country), since you won't have to be doing currency exchanges.

So, due to the great uncertainty Argentina is going through, you shouldn‘t doubt in putting your property into the short-let business; it is far more advantageous than renting it in the usual way. You should definitely consider it. Do the math and see which is better for you.

Construction of 1 and 2 bedroom apartments; an upward trend

Nowadays, the construction business in Buenos Aires is on the rise; more specifically, the construction of apartments buildings. With the idea of seeking higher profitability, the construction companies are building mainly 1 and 2 room apartments. This may be profitable to businesses, but it makes big families stay out of the market.

These days, there are less and less big houses or apartments. Those houses which are on sale, once they are sold, they are destroyed and turned into buildings of 1 or 2 room apartments.

One of the reasons why this trend of building of 1 or 2 rooms exists is due to the rise on prices; the bigger the apartment, the more expensive is to buy it or rent it.

Moreover, another reason might be that, many people buy apartments as an investment. Should this be the case, they are more likely to buy a small apartment, in order to rent it more easily, and buy it at a cheaper price (than the big ones).

Notwithstanding these reasons, which are pretty logical, it should be noticed that big families, still look for bigger apartments.

In relation to this, even though the statistics show that, when renting, more people tend to look for a 1 or 2 room apartment, it is also the case that, when choosing to buy, the amount of people who look for a 3-room apartments higher than those of 1 or 2 rooms. For this reason, a good alternative of investment, with a previous market research, it could be to build bigger (yet not giant) apartments, in order to fulfill the big families' needs.

Even though the construction business still on the rise, and with that, the tendency to build 1 or 2 room apartments, you should consider checking if building bigger apartments could be profitable. On the other hand, if you wish to make an investment and buy a small apartment, you will have the chance of finding them all over the city; just do some research; you won't have any trouble in finding them.

Tips to save money on energy consumption

Besides being good to your wallet, saving money on energy consumption is good for the environment. If you consume less energy, this will prevent the global warming from getting worse; thus, avoiding all the consequences this has.

For this reason, we will now provide some tips for you to save energy, and money.

Heating:

-Don’t keep the windows open if the heating is on (ventilating the house only takes around 15-15 minutes)

-Install a thermostat, and keep it in about 20°C during winter (for every additional grade, you will spend 5% more of energy).

-Do not cover the heating sources with curtains, or the like.

- Close the radiators you don’t use, and turn off the heat if there is no one at home.

- Check the boiler periodically, in order to raise its efficiency and duration.

- The best heating systems go in the following order: solar, biogas, or bio-mass, wood, natural gas, propane gas, and butane.

Light:

- Use sun light as much as you can

- Don’t let the light on, if there is nobody in the room

- Use fluorescent or low-consumption lights (they may be a bit more expensive, but they consume 5 times less than the regular ones)

- Clean the lights periodically, in order to have better light.

- Use white or light-colored painting on your ceilings, walls and furniture (they reflect and distribute the light better)

Electrical appliances:

- Check the instructions manual of the appliance, and it will tell you how much it consumes. This is important when buying a new one.

- Is the appliances are old, check them, since they can generate energy loses that will be registered (and charged).

- TVs and radios consume energy even when they are off. If they have a light on, they are on stand-by mode. For that reason, it is better to unplug them.

- Fridges must be located on a low-temperature environmet, and 15 cm from the wall. If they loose the cold, the excluder should be changed, and you must avoid accumulation of too much ice (more than 2mm, will consume 10% more of electricity). Moreover, the average temperature of the food should be 3-5°C; lees than that will raise the (unnecessary) consumption. And, avoid opening it all the time.

- If you have an electric hot water tank, it will consume a lot. Choose the right capacity according to the amount of people that live in the house, and keep it to a temperature of 55°C.

- Air conditioners consume a lot, as well. On the other hand, vents (ceiling vents, on a low-medium speed, specially) don’t.

- Irons consume a lot of energy.

- If you have a dishwasher, wait until it is completely full. A full load of the dishwasher spends lees water than doing it manually. Moreover, lower the water temperature.

These are some of the things you can do to save money and energy. They are small things, that can do a lot.

At what time and how to get the garbage out

The waste pickup benefits all of us; this way, the city stays cleaner, and we also avoid having rodent friends or funny smells near our home. For this reasons, it is necessary that all of us fulfills with our duties so that everything works as it should.

Waste pickup is done from Sunday to Fridays in Buenos Aires, i.e. on Saturdays there is no picking up, so you should not take the garbage out.

The time to take the garbage out is from 8 pm to 9 pm. Should you forget to do so, do not take it out, unless you see the waste truck has not gone through your block yet. So, if there is no waste in your block, keep the garbage bag inside your house.

According to Law, if you are found taking out the trash out of the corresponding time schedule, you can receive a fine that goes from $50 to $500 argentine pesos.

On the other hand, in many places of the city, you may find big containers where you can deposit your garbage at any time of the day. You should check carefully, since there are two types of containers: recyclable and non recyclable, this way you can separate your waste. Of course, you shouldn’t through garbage on the streets; there are many bins around the city where you can through it.

Moreover, besides having to stick to the corresponding time schedule, there are some things you should know about taking the garbage out: Use plastic bags, or any waterproof material that prevents the liquids from licking, and; if you have any glasses or sharp items, rap them in newspaper, or similar, in order no one gets hurt.

Another tip, remember that if there is a weather alert, you shouldn’t take the garbage out either, since the drainages can block.

As you can see, there are simple steps to follow, in order to make the city cleaner and better organized.

Garages on the rise

Currently, Buenos Aires is going through a boom in the construction business. Each day, there are more and more new buildings (big, medium, and small) built in the city. Some years ago, many old houses tended to be recycled and they maintained their style; today, these houses are being sold and destroyed, and they become an apartment building or small houses (duplexes, and the like).

Now, you must be wondering, what does this have to do with garages? Truth is, garage buildings are also being demolished and becoming buildings. This means that nowadays there are less and less garages to park cars around the city of Buenos Aires.

This brings two major consequences: 1) the price on the garage rentals has increased everywhere, since there is more demand and less supply; 2) This has also made it harder to park on the streets.

Another true fact of Buenos Aires is that every day, there are more and more cars on the streets. During the last years, car sales have been going up, and they intend to continue growing. This can be seen in the daily traffic jams there take place around the city.

All these information can only bring one conclusion: the idea of renting or selling garages or parking spots would be really interesting. Since there are many cars out there that need to be parked somewhere, you can find them a solution, and gain a few bucks.

So, if you are planning to invest in something, do consider garage rentals or sales, since this can provide you a good income, if you do it when the time is right.

Government’s subsidy when renting an apartment

Government’s subsidy when renting an apartment

As from January, 1^st, the government’s subsidies will begin to be cut from the light, gas, and water utility bills. This makes that if you are looking for an apartment to rent, you should analyze which neighborhood will be more convenient, since, although all subsidies will be taken in all Buenos Aires, the prices will vary in every neighborhood.

As from January, 1^st, the neighborhood of Puerto Madero, Barrio Parque and the main country houses and club houses of the country will have their subsidies taken automatically.

Afterwards, the subsidies on the utility bills will be removed in the neighborhoods of Belgrano R, Corredor Libertador, Retiro - Plaza San Martín – Kavanagh Area, Alto Recoleta y Torres Catalinas, of the city of Buenos Aires, and the areas of La Horqueta, Barrancas de San Isidro and Punta Chica-Victoria, in the Northern region of Gran Buenos Aires.

Those buildings who have a reunion area or multiple purposes areas, swimming pool, gym, and a sports area (like tennis court or similar), will also have the subsidy removed.

It has been estimated that the charges on the utility bills, without the subsidies, may triplicate. Moreover, according to recent news, there will also be a raise in the charges (despite from the subsidy removal), which means the price could go a little higher. Even though it is not certain, according to some entities, the raise in the utility bills could raise between 150% and 400%, according to each person’s consumption.

So, there are many important things to have in mind when deciding which apartment to rent. Prices will vary between neighborhoods, and the different areas of Gran Buenos Aires, and you should now have in mind you will pay extra in utility bills.

Everything (including a more accurate percentage) will be clearer in the months to come, since they are still organizing the subsidy removal.

Sharing an apartment with friends

In these times, where rent is getting higher, there is a new tendency and people are starting to move in with their friends. When choosing to become independent, one always though about moving alone. Today, since life is more expensive, many are more interested in the idea of living with friends and sharing expenses.

The truth is, an apartment with more rooms, is more expensive, but when dividing costs, it is much profitable. If you have to pay a one-room apartment, it will be much more different and cheaper than having to pay half of a two-room apartment. Plus, you will also share bills, maintenance fees, and general monthly costs.

One the other hand, the bigger the apartment and the more rooms, more people can live there, and the expenses will be divided in more people. When choosing an apartment to share, it is always recommended to set certain rules, such as, who will take care of the different things: who will be in charge of paying the rent, or cleaning; when can visitors come; etc. This way, if these things are planned from the beginning, future problems can be avoided.

On the other hand, those who cannot find a friend to move in with, and really need to share an apartment, because you cannot afford the expenses, nowadays, it is becoming popular to share rooms with unknown people who are in the same situation. There are some Websites that specialize in contacting people who are looking for an apartment, and people that is offering apartments to share.

Another issue to have in mind is that if you are friends, you may sometimes think it is not necessary to have any contract or paper, although it is always recommended that you do. If, on the other hand, you are sharing an apartment with a stranger, do not forget to do it; avoid problems and sign a contract which stipulates all those thing related to the apartment.

How maintenance fees influence when buying an apartment

Maintenance fees may occupy a great percentage in people expenses. When buying an apartment, this is something you should bear in mind.

Maintenance fees of an apartment can, in some cases, equal the rental fee of a small apartment. For this reason, when we are about to buy an apartment, this must be something to consider. One can get really excited about having a swimming pool, a gym, or an area for multiple purposes, in one’s building, but this will imply paying a lot more in maintenance fees. This may, in the end, raise your cost of living a lot.

On the other hand, if you are planning to buy an apartment, so as to rent it to others, you must also have in mind that many people will reject your offer, though the rent is low, since the total cost will raise too much if maintenance fees are high. In the end, this will make it harder for you to rent your apartment.

For this reason, when you are about to buy an apartment, you should look for those moderate options. If you really want to have some of the aforementioned amenities inside your building, choose one or two of those that does not raise the total expenses so much. On the other hand, if you are looking forward to renting that apartment, it may be more important that it is well located and has low maintenance fees, rather than too many amenities.

To conclude, if you are in the search to buy an apartment, whether to live or to rent it, remember these tips especially that of not letting yourself get too excited about the amenities that the building include. Otherwise, look for a building that has a gym nearby, and so you can enjoy it without having to pay too much within your home expenses.

Temporary Rental in Puerto Madero

During the last few years, the neighborhood of Puerto Madero has become a very popular and exclusive area. Here, you will find a great variety of options when it comes to touring, eating, and/or having fun, both during the day and at night. This neighborhood used to be a port area, but within the years they managed to accomplish a very picturesque and an ideal place to stay during your visit to Buenos Aires.
If you choose to rent a temporary apartment in Puerto Madero, the calmness, the rest and the security will be assured.
Puerto Madero is really complete; since it is near the most touristic areas of the city, and at the same time, it is a residential area, so you will be able to be in a peaceful environment. The neighborhood of Puerto Madero is only a few minutes from the downtown area, from Retiro neighborhood, from San Telmo, and not to far from the colorful neighborhood of La Boca.
Moreover, besides the great nearby locations, Puerto Madero itself offers a variety of (really nice) places to visit. Within the vast list, you cannot fail to visit the “Puente de la Mujer” [bridge]; the “Fragata Sarmiento” [ship & museum]; the “Corbeta Uruguay” [also ship and museum]; the historic “ex Gran Hotel de Inmigrantes” [ex Immigrant's Hotel]; the “Molino Porteño” [a historic mill]; among many other monuments and places.
Those nature lovers cannot miss visiting the “Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur” [Ecologic Reservoir]. Here, you will find a great variety of native ecosystems from the “chaco-pampeana” plain area, such as grazing land, lagoons, scrubland, willow and acacias forests; a beach area; and a great variety of flora and fauna, which will definitely amaze you.
On the other hand, in the dock area, you will find many restaurants, bars, discos, and other places where you can enjoy all the day and night life that Puerto Madero and the whole city of Buenos Aires has to offer.
Thus, as you can see, although it may be a bit more expensive than other neighborhoods, Puerto Madero is perfect for those who are looking forward to resting while enjoying their temporary apartment with a river view, and at the same time, being near the main points of the city of Buenos Aires.

Picture by Fábio C. Silva, flickr.com

Temporary rental in Belgrano

Renting an temporary apartment in the neighborhood of Belgrano is a really interesting choice for those who want see it all and yet they wish to rest. The neighborhood of Belgrano is located in the North-West region of the Capital City of Buenos Aires. This gives every tourist the chance to rent a temporary apartment and be a few minutes away from the main touristic areas, the downtown area and the Northern region of Buenos Aires.
Belgrano is a residential and commercial neighborhood. This will give you the chance to rest quietly and at the same time, go shopping, have a drink or go out to dineer at any time. Moreover, Belgrano and its Avenida Cabildo have a great number of means of transport in order you can get wherever you want. The fastest of all is the Metro. The "D" line will take you downtown in just about minutes.
Within the neighborhood of Belgrano, just as in Palermo, there are some subdivisions: Belgrano R, Belgrano C, Bajo Belgrano, Barrio Chino [China Town], Barrio River (within the Bajo Belgrano).
One of the places you can visit during your temporary rental in Belgrano is China Town. During the weekends there are more things to see, and more people. Here, you may buy typical food and vegetables that you can't find everywhere. Even though this “sub-neighborhood” is smaller than many other china towns in the world, it is a picturesque place to visit.
If you choose to stay in a temporary apartment in Belgrano, you will have some touristic options nearby, such as:
- Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción [Immaculate Conception Church]: It is known as "La Redonda” [The Round]. This church is famous for the many characters from novels that went through there. One of the most famous ones are Ernesto Sabato’s ghosts in “On heroes and Tombs”. With its Greco-Roman style, this church is surrounded by green, and by a colonial-like house known as “la Recova de la Vicaría”.
- You may also visit some museums in Belgrano, such as the “Museo Historico Sarmiento” and the “Museo Larreta”.
- Something that all football fans cannot miss is the "River Plate" Stadium.
- Another point that might interest you is the “Club Hipico Argentino” [Argentine Riding Club]
As we have mentioned previously, in just a few minutes time, you can be in the downtown area and the main touristic areas of the city. On the other hand, those river and calmness lovers, can go to the northern area also in a few minutes.
The neighborhood of Belgrano is a different choice, ideal to rest and tour around the city of Buenos Aires, while you are in the comfort of your temporary apartment.


Picture by c.tanière, flickr.com

Temporary Rental in San Telmo

San Telmo is one of the most ancient neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. At first, this area of the city was inhabited by wealthy people. Afterwards, with the Yellow fever epidemic in the city, these people moved to the northern region of the city, such as Recoleta and its surroundings. From that time on, many foreign people who came through the port of Buenos Aires, started living in San Telmo, more specifically they lived in the famous "conventillos". Since then, the culture and customs of the neighborhood began to change, and today there are many signs of it; In San Telmo you will find many fairs, art, antique shops, and lots of color.
San Telmo was remodeled, and today you can find, besides many monuments and touristic places, hotels, hostels and apartments that are prepared to provide accommodation to tourists.
If you choose to rent a temporary apartment in San Telmo, you will be near the many touristic places of the neighborhood and the city, and you will be able to absorb all the culture, history and experiences that this place is willing to tell. Its cobbled and narrow streets give the neighborhood a colorful touch that makes San Telmo unique.
As every good touristic area, San telmo offers a great variety of bars, restaurants and places to go see a good tango show, as well as taking tango lessons.
During your stay in the neighborhood of San Telmo, you cannot miss visiting places like the Plaza Dorrego (which on Sundays, from 10am to 5pm offers a really nice fair, with antiques, handmade articles, and more); the “Pasaje La Defensa” (to check what a typical “conventillo” is); the “Casa Minima”; The “Viejo Almacen”; the “museo Historico Nacional”; the “Iglesia Ortodoxa Rusa de la Santísima Trinidad” [Orthodox Russian Church]; the “Parque lezama” (located on a natural slope); the house of Esteban Loca (well-known poet, military man and journalist during the 1800s); the “Mercado de San Telmo”; and more… San Telmo is a place filled with beauties and indescribable surprises.
Choosing to rent a temporary apartment in San Telmo is an interesting choice, since it offers a privileged location, near the main touristic points of the city; its antique houses will make you travel through time, and; the tango, its people, its life will make your trip to be a unique experience... The neighborhood of San Telmo is definitely a good place to rent an apartment.

How to choose an apartment for rent in Buenos Aires

Although choosing where to stay during a trip shouldn’t be too complicated, some people take the time to choose properly and to avoid having trouble. Likewise, as the city we are travelling to is probably unknown, choosing a temporary apartment requires some time and precaution. Nonetheless, in order to facilitate the task, we will now mention some tips for you to consider when choosing a temporary apartment for your trip.

First, you should choose where to stay, and that will depend on the purpose of your trip, among other things. If you travel for business, it will probably be convenient to stay in an area near the office, the commercial area o the downtown area of the city, in order you don't have to be travelling too much every day. If, on the other hand, you are travelling for pleasure, you will have to see if you would rather rent an apartment in the most touristic area, in the downtown area o further from the crowds, if you want to rest. Something you should bear in mind when choosing the place to rent is to check if that neighborhood or area is safe; you should also see if you have the proper means of transport to move freely around the city.

Besides location, you will also have to choose the apartment, of course. Besides the amount of people that travel with you, the number of bedrooms you'd like and those essential details, you should take into account the following things: find out (and check in the photos) if the apartment is bright enough. Although some people don’t care about this, others believe it is crucial. Moreover, you should also find out if there is a commercial area nearby, since you will probably need to buy food, groceries, wash your clothes if you stay for too long, park you car if you take or rent a car, etc.

A question that may be important to ask and no so many people know or remember, is to see if there is a construction in the surrounding area. Loud noises and too much dust might cause some avoidable problems.

All in all, even if it is important to make the right inquiries in order to avoid unexpected surprises when you get there, you should also remember that it will be a temporary apartment, and you will not be living there for your whole life. Moreover, if you are going on vacation, you will probably be touring around all day and you won't spend long hours inside.

So, taking all these into account, you may now look for that apartment that suits your needs and you may enjoy your stay.

Temporary rentals in Recoleta

Famous and luxurious, the neighborhood of Recoleta is a really interesting place to consider when renting temporarily. This neighborhood of Buenos Aires is located in the downtown area of the city, and it is a place where culture, history and modernity merge to create something unique.

If you decide to rent temporarily in Recoleta, you will be near the main touristic areas of the city, you will find many means of transport, and you will also be able to go on foot to many of those places.

Known to be a neighborhood of wealthy people, the buildings of Recoleta characterize for being chateaus and petit hotels of Parisian style. This, together with the great amount of shops of international recognition and its tree-filled streets make Recoleta a gorgeous neighbourhood to stay during your visit to Buenos Aires.

Within the places you may visit in Recoleta, you will find the "Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes" [National Art Museum]; The "Centro Cultural Recoleta" [Cultural Center]; the "Palacio de Arte” [Art Palace] in “Palais de Glace”; The National Library; “Plaza Francia” and its handcraft fair during the weekends; The design shopping mall “Buenos Aires Design”; the hotel Alvear and its great architecture; the Avenida Alvear and its luxurious cafés and shops; and the most famous of all places: the Recoleta Cemetery.

The Recoleta Cemetery is famous for the great amount of characters of international recognition that are buried there. One of the main graves that people visit is the one of Evita Perón. Nonetheless, graves are no everything in Recoleta Cemetery: its amazing statues and monuments are something worth seeing.

Moreover, the neighborhood of Recoleta is also a great option to go to grab a bite or have a drink. In Recoleta, you will find a great variety of restaurants and bars. Whether more or less luxurious, this neighborhood offers variety.

All in all, Recoleta has a lot of history, lost of culture, green spaces, beautiful streets, and more…It is definitely a place you cannot fail to visit during your trip around the city, and even better if you rent an apartment in this great neighborhood of Buenos Aires.