' Gastos comunes' Real Estate

Oregon Woodsmoke from Bend, Oregon, USA - 02/04/08 14:13

I am looking at real estate listings for sale and the apartementos list "gasto comunes"

I am hoping that apartementos are condos. I think maybe the gastos comunes are the association fees which pay for the maintenance and gardening.

The price of the gastos comunes just about knocked me off my chair. A $(US)150, 000 apartemento has gastos comunes of $12, 000! Yikes!

But then it occured to me that maybe the price is in US dollars and the gastos are in pesos? I hope?

Is the price given for gastos usually by the month or the year?

I can speak a small amount of Mexican Spanish, and I can read (barely)the real estate listings, except I can't figure out some of the local idiom.

Any help would be appreciated.

Comment #1 Steve Bowman from Piriapolis & Savannah, Ga - 02/04/08 17:11

Woodsmoke-

I feel like you have it figured out. The common area fees are in Pesos, annualized.

About US$S578 or $58/month for the 12, 000.

Steve

• Coastal Uruguay

Comment #2 Wilbur Corncob from Punta del Este - 02/04/08 17:38

You need more of an explanation of what the gastos comune include (or not).

In *SOME* buildings it included the HEAT. Sometimes it is higher in the winter, sometimes the winter heating costs are amoritzed over the year.

In *SOME* buildings it includes a doorman and/or security guard. That may be a few hours a day to 24/7.

It always includes the general building costs, elevators, cleaning the common area, often water.

You (we've) always gotten a detailed accounting every month and the total building costs (whatever they include) are divided porportionally across all the apartments in the build.

That means if you have a building of 1 apartment per floor you'll generally have the total cost divided by 7 to 10. If you have 4 apartments per floor it would be the total divided by between 28 and 40.

We lived in an apartment on the Rambla and the gastos comune started at 2, 000 something and went up to about 3, 000 and included heat!

So before you say yikes, see what that cost includes... I think the 12, 000 pesos per month tend to be the 1 apartment per floor type buildings.

Some building have swimming pools, gyms and other common areas that maybe costly.

I would watch out for the places with radient electric heat. Unless someone shows you actual electric bills that heated the place to a comfortable temperature I would not believe that it is the same or cheaper than gas or disel based heat.

I have never seen gastos comunes listed for any period other than monthly, except when they have two figures, one for the summer and one for the winter.

I would read "$(US)150, 000 apartemento has gastos comunes of $12, 000!"

As US150K for the apartment and 12, 000 pesos (US)$578 PER MONTH!

Comment #3 Joanna (76.245.210.180) - 05/20/08 12:24

I am interested in the property/houses under $50, 000 or so in Uruguay. I would like to plan a Search trip soon. I, of course, would like to locate where i can get the most for my dollar but also in a nice place.

any details on property would be wonderful, the areas.

Muchas Gracias! Joanna

Comment #4 Larry (63.176.159.242) - 09/22/08 07:11

Are you looking for something under US$50, 000 in Montevideo or the rural areas? There is a big difference in prices and lifestyle.

It is probably better to learn a little Spanish or find a friend that can help you out... rather than looking for an English speaking realtor.

Comment #5 Bekah (63.176.159.130) - 10/31/08 00:29

Did you try looking this stuff up on the net and looking at prices and selection for the amount you want to pay. I am sure by doing this, you will have more luck in finding what your looking for.

Comment #6 Danielle (63.176.159.95) - 01/06/09 00:09

Also, if you did not find what you were looking for on the internet I would look in a local newspaper thats from the place where your looking to locate at. There is always cheap apartments and houses in there, that you could rent or rent to own. Good Luck.

Comment #7 Joaquin (63.176.159.4) - 07/06/09 20:49

Hi!

I love Uruguay, neat place. Real best kept secret over there! And there´s a lot to do.

This web page I find is most sensible to figure out what to do and ahere to go.

Montevideo has great condo offers, check this out!

Best regards and good luck!

J.

• Escape artist

Comment #8 Lee from Pocitos - 07/06/09 21:04

I think we're getting off track from the original topic of gastos comunes.

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