'Renting an Apartment in Montevideo' Real Estate  

Renting an Apartment in Montevideo

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Real Estate, Uruguay

Lee from Pocitos -

Here are a few random observations after having looked for an apartment again in Montevideo.

When we first arrived, we searched for a one bedroom apartment so we could get out of the hotel and take our time looking for the place we really wanted to stay.

We quickly found a nice one bedroom furnished apartment and rented it for three months. The location was excellent and the apartment nice, but way too small.

From there we easily found and moved into a nice two bedroom furnished apartment facing the beach. Location was unbeatable as was the view and rent. We signed a six month lease. I won't say how many times we renewed that lease!

The only real problem with the apartment was that it is furnished and its time to get our own furniture to really feel at home. It is also a little bit small.

The search for an unfurnished apartment has been a little frustrating. First, there seem to be plenty MORE furnished apartments (at least in the Pocitos area).

Secondly, the immobilario says that the apartment owners are more interested in having property put up for deposits than cash. To rent an unfurnished apartment will require a 5 month cash deposit (though some ask for more).

We found an excellent apartment, the owners agent said the owner would only take 2 year (no 1 year) lease. We thought about it and told the owners agent right there we wanted it.

The next day we were informed that the owners wanted to rent it to some friends instead. We looked at a bunch more apartments and said we wanted another one.

Too late someone else already grabbed it! We look at more and there are two good ones, both priced in Pesos rather than dollars (most of the furnished apartments were in dollars). We made an offer in dollars (at about 10% off the asking price in pesos) on both places.

One owner indicated they probably didn't want to reduce the rent. The other accepted our offer in dollars (since I earn my living in dollars, it makes sense for me and probably for the owner too).

The deposit is pretty scary, but it will be deposited in a special "escrow" bank account under both our names so at least the landlord can't spend it all and have no money to return the deposit with.

Unfortunately that bank account can only be in pesos so the value will probably decline over the term of the lease.

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Comment #1 Lee from Pocitos -

The lease signing was set for March 20th at 3 pm (15:00 as they would say here). I thought it would be a quick and painless process.

First step was to convert the dollars to pesos for the deposit. Second step was to meet the owners real estate agent at the Banco Hipotecario del Uruguay in Centro.

Fortunately, he had already been at the Bank for sometime and had a number. It was still over an hour wait. The lease was quickly reviewed and signed. It included a 5 page or so "inventory" which seemed quite long for an unfurnished apartment.

Finally our number was called and the clerk entered all the information quickly and then said we need to wait for the cashier to call my name and then I could pay. The cashier would return my passport (I think this is a little trick to keep people from leaving without making the deposit; by the time you actually get service you are well beyond the point of leaving).

I'm a little concerned that we acknowledged the inventory without actually being present in the apartment. This concern was heightened when we could two small items that were broken in the apartment. The inventory however mentioned these were broken.

The electricity seemed to be a little more tricky. Normally it is very easy to simple change the title on the account to your name.

However, there was an outstanding bill and UTE (the electric company) said service would be shut off if this wasn't paid by the 23rd.

Our real estate agent said don't worry the owner will pay it. Well, the 23rd comes and it still isn't paid. I am worried that if the electricity gets shut off it will be more of a problem to turn it on.

I decide that it is best just to pay the old bill than to deal with having it shut off. However, a quick trip to the UTE office changes everything for the better.

The line was short and service quick at UTE. We had two options. Change the title to my name on the account and worry about the old bill(s), or sign a new contract. The new contract meant agreeing to pay a 750 pesos fee (about US$30).

That seemed to be the best way to go and no worries about the past. That fee is billed over six months (and you have no option to pay it at one time).

Getting the internet moved was another issue I'll talk about in another message when the process has been completed.

• Banco Hipotecario del Uruguay

Comment #2 Shirley (190.64.29.55) -

What would happen if you didn't change the electricity to your name? I know someone who just left the account in the previous tenant's name -- the bill is delivered to the apartment, and the current tenant pays it in cash at Abitab. Is there a potential problem doing with that?

Comment #3 Lee from Pocitos -

No problem doing that, and I suspect if you just change the "title" on the account your just doing that. However, then you are stuck paying for any (and all I suspect) outstanding bills on the account.

In Costa Rica you always do that (even if you purchase a property) because it is too hard to have them changed. Here it is trivial.

Comment #4 Lee from Pocitos -

As expected with any more there have been good points, little frustrations and big frustrations.

What has been really good:

All the furniture and appliances were delivered on time.

What has been most frustrating:

Having the telephone and internet moved. The internet will be the subject of a new message. The phone was moved on time, and they forget two things: 1) to tell us we had a new number and what it was, and 2) to allow outgoing calls.. so we had a pretty useless line for a day.

Besides the internet, the stove is probably second in line for most frustrating. The stove was delivered on time, but missing one piece. The store promptly provided it.

The gas company had to send someone to inspect the gas and would later sending someone to turn it on. The gas inspector missed the original appointment, but showed up today.

After looking around he said that we need to have two 10 cm (5" diameter) holes cut in the glass of the back door. One at the top and one at the bottom. That raises only two teeny tiny problems: 1) what will the owner of the apartment thing about that and 2) a nice cold draft/breeze once fall kicks in and winter approches!

The second problem with the stove is that although the man came on time to convert the stove from propane to natural gas, he left because we didn't have the flexible tubing to connect it to the gas main (the store could have told us this wasn't included in the installation). He left and was going to call with the price but never called or returned. Of course the problem with the phone may have contributed to the issue there.

The apartment building is quite new, and I suspect the prior tentant used a natural gas stove without having the back door windows hacked up.

Comment #5 billie surmick (201.227.26.98) -

Hola, I am an American living in rural Panama, but trying to check out Montevideo. From what little I've been able to find about rentals, it sounds almost impossible.

Can anyone tell me average rent for one person in apartment or small house or would it be better to look outside the city?

Comment #6 usagigirl from neoearth -

I wonder why there are more furnished apartments available. Often those, atleast in my area, are harder to find. Personally I would rather have my own furniture.

Comment #7 Wolf. Dressel (203.147.0.44) -

Hi,

my name is Wolf. Dressel and at the moment I've been living and working for about almost seven years in south-east Asia.

This will change this year because for my new assignment Montevideo will be the place to stay. Whatever I'm doing I've been working as a freelancer since a long time, that's why I must organize everthing myself. Despite the fact that I'm still far and not that well informed somehow I do fell pretty curious to gather some basic knowledge. So here I go: I need a nice apartment, furnished, 40-75 sqm., of course in a safe area of Montevideo, preferable not that far from downtown and affordabel. Definitely I'll arive in late November, that's my time-frame. Whoever will get this, thanks in advance for any effort you might put on to reply to me. Anyway, have a nice time, thanks. Wolf.Dressel

Comment #8 mary kaye (205.213.113.92) -

interested in finding small furnished apartment for at least one year in the older part of montevideo, but cannot for the life of me find prices anywhere. can anyone advise re: general cost of living and suggested minimum monthly amount to live cheaply and or reasonably? planning this from small town in wisconsin, resources fairly antiquated or unavailable. thanks, mary kaye

Comment #9 Wilbur Corncob from Punta del Este -

The buscando casa dot com site should give you a really good idea.

Is there a reason you want the Old City area specifically?

• Buscando Casa

Comment #10 Wilbur Corncob from Punta del Este -

For cost of living you can check out the prices of stuff at the grocery store at Tienda Inglesa. It is one of the big supermarkets here and they carry TV's, DVD's, Computers, Accessories, Appliances etc. They also have a pharmacy.

You can lookup the prices of any of that stuff online.

There is no reason for you to have a car. A bus ride anywhere in Montevideo is 15-1/2 pesos (64 cents). A movie US$5.

• Tienda Inglesa

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