|
Post by teeo9111 on Feb 5, 2024 13:26:36 GMT -5
I am looking for advice. I moved to Manizales a few weeks ago and am trying to transition from a furnished short term Airbnb rental to a long term unfurnished rental in a newish apartment building,there are tons of them in Manizales. I have gone to several that were advertised online and a couple that had signs for rent in the windows. Every single one that I contacted were being rented through agencies that require a codeudor (co-guarantor). Being a gringo that recently moved to Colombia I don't have anyone here that would do that for me. The one piece of advise that I have received was to go around the neighborhoods and look for rentals being offered directly by owners and have found only a couple and they were older buildings or homes that do not interest me as I am looking for a newer upscale rental with a doorman/security. Is there some kind of workaround to this requirement that I am not aware of? I asked the people that showed me a couple of these apartments and they have not offered a way for me to rent one of the places on offer. I offered six months rent in advance and were turned down,one guy said that paying for an entire year upfront would do the trick but I really don't want to lay out 20 milliones+ just to rent an apartment unless absolutely necessary. Thank you in advance for any advice.
|
|
|
Post by mudd on Feb 5, 2024 19:11:40 GMT -5
unless you know somebody that knows an owner.... your paying the whole year in advance....and if you do, you can usually get a lower price..
|
|
|
Post by elexpatriado on Feb 8, 2024 11:00:40 GMT -5
How did your trip too Ciprés de Bella Suiza go Teo?
|
|
|
Post by daluz on Feb 9, 2024 11:50:00 GMT -5
A few years back, Mrs Daluz and I ran into the same issue with the co-signers. We offered to pay the whole rental contract up front and they still wouldn't budge on the co-signer.
What 55 year old adults have co-signers? There was no talking sense into the folks. I asked them what is the risk, and they all came back with the contract requires a co-signer to guarantee payment...but you are getting all the cash now, up front...yes, but what if you don't pay they'd ask...pay what, I paid the whole contract...them looking at us like we had two heads.
The co-signer thing is built into the Colombian DNA I think and will take years of evolution to change.
Good luck, be well.
|
|
|
Post by mudd on Feb 9, 2024 14:22:09 GMT -5
A few years back, Mrs Daluz and I ran into the same issue with the co-signers. We offered to pay the whole rental contract up front and they still wouldn't budge on the co-signer. What 55 year old adults have co-signers? There was no talking sense into the folks. I asked them what is the risk, and they all came back with the contract requires a co-signer to guarantee payment...but you are getting all the cash now, up front...yes, but what if you don't pay they'd ask...pay what, I paid the whole contract...them looking at us like we had two heads. The co-signer thing is built into the Colombian DNA I think and will take years of evolution to change. Good luck, be well. most colombians lack common business sense
|
|
|
Post by scumbuster on Feb 10, 2024 8:48:47 GMT -5
Some places have insurance that guarantee rent paid. To qualify they also want a co-signer. We had one say if we put up a CD as collateral they would insure us. We negotiated a considerable discount on a place years back by paying 1 yr up front.
|
|
|
Post by búfalo on Feb 10, 2024 22:41:52 GMT -5
It's that the owners there get so hosed by renters they don't trust anyone. Remember that phone bill, cable, light, gas, etc. go to the address, not the occupant. So many renters ran those bills up enormously and then didn't pay when they left.
Plus, what is a contract really worth? Especially in Colombia?
|
|
|
Post by teeo9111 on Feb 26, 2024 12:10:31 GMT -5
How did your trip too Ciprés de Bella Suiza go Teo? Elex,sorry for the late response as sometimes life gets in the way. I speak decent Spanish but my comprehension is somewhat lacking so I took my girlfriend's son who is bilingual to talk to the vigilantes at Cipres de Bella Suiza. They were very helpful,we talked to two guys there and between the two of them we were given several leads. One was with an owner at Cipres and the other was with two owners in another building down the street called Urapanes de Bella Suiza. According to one of the vigilantes there are very few three bedroom apartments available in either one of the complexes,I wish that I could be okay with a two bedroom place as both of these complexes are very nice,both have pools which is a nice bonus. Unfortunately,the owner of the only three bedroom available wanted pretty much the same requirements as the agencies,two codeudors etc..I offered one year rent upfront in lieu of codeudors and it was unacceptable,at the time it made no sense to me why my offer was refused but not any longer. I now fully understand why these agencies require extensive documentation and codeudors/fiadors. Security deposits are illegal in Colombia therefore despite offering upfront rent owners and agencies are reluctant because the upfront rent does not protect them against people skipping out with utilities owed and/or damage to the apartment. The reason for the law against deposits is because too many scumbag owners won't return them to their renters. I don't have an answer to this issue but I can tell you that there are hundreds of apartments for rent in Manizales for reasonable prices for rent and most people both locals and extranjeros that can't rent them so it is a problem. So what did I do? I got lucky,very lucky. I am currently renting an Airbnb in a nice building in La Francia and had previously had talked to the daytime vigilante there last week after receiving the suggestion from Elex to talk to the ones at Cipres and three days ago he stopped me and told me that the owner of the apartment directly across from me was going to be available soon and gave me the guy's phone number. My girlfriend called him and we met him yesterday. He is a young guy fresh out of law school so he understood my codeudor problem,he is the one that explained to me the law against deposits and the reason for the codeudor requirements etc.,he was very informative.I offered him six months rent upfront and he was acceptable to that and he is drawing up a contract and barring any complexities I should be signing it on Wednesday and will be given the keys on friday,time to go furniture and appliance shopping,I'm excited I have been in La Francia for two months and it is a great neighborhood,clean,quiet and safe. Elexpatriado,I want to personally thank you for your suggestions as it indirectly led me to success. Thanks again sir.
|
|
|
Post by wildstubby on Feb 26, 2024 13:24:37 GMT -5
teeo9111 said: Oh gawd! There goes elex's ego bigger than it was before!!!!
|
|
|
Post by mudd on Feb 28, 2024 9:41:12 GMT -5
teeo9111 said:Oh gawd! There goes elex's ego bigger than it was before!!!! yeah no kidding lol .... hows the visa process going elex?
|
|