What all is included in monthly HOA expenses on ZonaProp listings or for condos in Buenos Aires?

[earlyretirement]

This is why we gave the advice that we do. Before buying, we always check the health of the finances of the building HOA. Buying real estate in Buenos Aires isn't like in the USA or first world country. There are a lot of pitfalls here that you need to look out for. That poster most likely purchased in a building that already was plagued with issues. When a building is broke and no owners are willing to pony up cash to fix things there isn't too much you can do. Most administrators are horrible.

But there is a real risk if the building administration is 3 million pesos behind their water bill. Many HOA's include this in the HOA as there aren't separate meters in many buildings. Especially older buildings and the HOA is supposed to pay the water company, AySA. But some are just incompetent or corrupt and steal the money. Many of these administrations just go bankrupt and can't pay. So it is essential to check the financial health of a building besides just if the apartment is nice.

The judicial system doesn't work in Argentina so you have to avoid these types of properties from the start.

Not only this but some people like buying PH properties that have no HOA at all. No HOA means no monthly expenses typically which can be a positive but it can also be a negative when things break or go wrong. Just keep in mind with no building administration, and several neighbors when things like water pipes, gas, electrical, structural or leaking issues happen you all have to get together and pay to repair it. You will find in some properties, the neighbors are broke and don't want to or don't have the money to contribute their share.

So it is a good idea to see when the last time things were repaired in those properties.

 

[Vince]

Not only this but some people like buying PH properties that have no HOA at all. No HOA means no monthly expenses typically which can be a positive but it can also be a negative when things break or go wrong. Just keep in mind with no building administration, and several neighbors when things like water pipes, gas, electrical, structural or leaking issues happen you all have to get together and pay to repair it. You will find in some properties, the neighbors are broke and don't want to or don't have the money to contribute their share.

So it is a good idea to see when the last time things were repaired in those properties.

True. My buddy that bought in an old PH it was great for the first few years with no condo fees. But then whamo. Their water pipe going into the building broke. And then the gas line. He had no water for months and then when the water started working, the gas went out so no hot water for over a year. In the end he had to pay for the entire repair and get agreement that the other neighbors would pay him over a few years but 2 stopped paying. Oh the joys of living in BA.

 

[Jenn]

True. My buddy that bought in an old PH it was great for the first few years with no condo fees. But then whamo. Their water pipe going into the building broke. And then the gas line. He had no water for months and then when the water started working, the gas went out so no hot water for over a year. In the end he had to pay for the entire repair and get agreement that the other neighbors would pay him over a few years but 2 stopped paying. Oh the joys of living in BA.

Wow no water for months. How do people get by with no water/showers? Those people must stink!

 

[BuySellBA]

FYI, with the inflation, the HOA bills are starting to go up this month. We've seen a 25% increase in one of the properties we own vs. last month.

 

[Wally]

FYI, with the inflation, the HOA bills are starting to go up this month. We've seen a 25% increase in one of the properties we own vs. last month.

Yep. My April bill jumped up all of a sudden. It was holding ok even with the inflation the past several months but a big jump of 30% higher this month. 🙁

 

[Betsy Ross]

FYI, with the inflation, the HOA bills are starting to go up this month. We've seen a 25% increase in one of the properties we own vs. last month.

My expensas also significantly went up this month. I hope this isn't the new normal.

 

[Yale]

Does anyone else have an issue with Zonaprop? I find it all very frustrating because it has not been accurate. I have found the same property listed with two realtors. Many have the wrong monthly expenses fee listed on it. Others never respond. I was told that many realtors don't answer if you email them in English because they don't want to deal with foreigners which seems counterintuitive to me. I would have thought they like dealing with foreigners that have dollars.

I have found the experience buying here frustrating. Realtors are generally bad here. Is there any better websites than Zonaprop?

 

[Betsy Ross]

Does anyone else have an issue with Zonaprop? I find it all very frustrating because it has not been accurate. I have found the same property listed with two realtors. Many have the wrong monthly expenses fee listed on it. Others never respond. I was told that many realtors don't answer if you email them in English because they don't want to deal with foreigners which seems counterintuitive to me. I would have thought they like dealing with foreigners that have dollars.

I have found the experience buying here frustrating. Realtors are generally bad here. Is there any better websites than Zonaprop?

I hate zonaprop. They are probably the largest but I never met anyone that had a good experience. Realtors here are terrible compared to back home. Buying is not a fun experience here. I had the same problem when I bought my condo. The same condo was listed 3 times. You can spin your wheels so it is a good idea to have your own buyers agent. Just have realistic expectations as it is different here vs. US.

Many realtors from the listings don't like dealing with foreigners because many people contact them from outside of Argentina and are not serious. It is a better idea to work with a local realtor and have them contact the listing agent.

 

[Digital Nomad]

I hate zonaprop. They are probably the largest but I never met anyone that had a good experience. Realtors here are terrible compared to back home. Buying is not a fun experience here. I had the same problem when I bought my condo. The same condo was listed 3 times. You can spin your wheels so it is a good idea to have your own buyers agent. Just have realistic expectations as it is different here vs. US.

Many realtors from the listings don't like dealing with foreigners because many people contact them from outside of Argentina and are not serious. It is a better idea to work with a local realtor and have them contact the listing agent.

This was my experience @Betsy Ross. I mistakenly thought realtors would be overjoyed to have a foreigner contacting them but some once they found out I was American weren't too thrilled. I explained that I understood the process but a few told me that they get a mountain of emails from Americans that are in the US and aren't serious. It is a good idea to emphasize to them that you are already in BA and to write in Spanish not English. It helps to have your own realtor.

 

[Cali Baby]

My friend is in BA for the past year. She is in a long term lease and pays the monthly condo fees. She reported it has jumped up a ton since she started but she said December jumped up a lot! Does anyone know if this is normal or anything special about December?

 

[Betsy Ross]

My friend is in BA for the past year. She is in a long term lease and pays the monthly condo fees. She reported it has jumped up a ton since she started but she said December jumped up a lot! Does anyone know if this is normal or anything special about December?

December is usually always higher. Most doorman/woman get an annual bonus around Christmas or end of the year. It's an extra 1/2 salary. Also some raises are timed at the end of this year. Prices have been going way up. If she looks at the actual bill you usually can see what the expenses are. Some bad administrations don't provide much detail but you can always ask them to break it down and they usually will.

 

[Bingo]

Hi everyone. Newbie here so maybe a dumb question but I am looking at Zonaprop for apartment rentals not to purchase. The expenses on some apartments seem very very high. Why are the expenses listed?? Wouldn't the owner have to pay that fee? I don't understand why they list the price. I understand on a for sale property but on a rental I am confused.

For example, I found a cool studio apartment for $850 dollars a month but the expenses say 390,000 pesos. Does this mean I would have to pay $325 dollars more a month??? How does it make sense to have the expenses almost half the price of the rent?! It is very confusing to me.

Are expenses that high? The building looks nice. There is a pool in the building and gym and a doorman at the entrance. But I am trying to make sense of this? Thanks.

 

[Uncle Wong]

Hi everyone. Newbie here so maybe a dumb question but I am looking at Zonaprop for apartment rentals not to purchase. The expenses on some apartments seem very very high. Why are the expenses listed?? Wouldn't the owner have to pay that fee? I don't understand why they list the price. I understand on a for sale property but on a rental I am confused.

For example, I found a cool studio apartment for $850 dollars a month but the expenses say 390,000 pesos. Does this mean I would have to pay $325 dollars more a month??? How does it make sense to have the expenses almost half the price of the rent?! It is very confusing to me.

Are expenses that high? The building looks nice. There is a pool in the building and gym and a doorman at the entrance. But I am trying to make sense of this? Thanks.

I thought the same thing when I was looking! I thought it must be wrong but in Buenos Aires the owners on long term rentals make the tenant pay for the monthly condo fees on long term rentals. I noticed the same thing. Any buildings with pools and doormen around the clock seem like they have a lot of expenses. You also have to pay all the utility bills like water and electricity and gas. Some I saw included internet. But you have to see with each owner.

You might be better off just getting an Airbnb. But on a long term rental I think they will make you pay all the utility bills. But things like monthly condo fees were included on the Airbnb's I looked at. Probably better to avoid buildings with pools if you are going to do a long term rental.

 

[James Bond]

I thought the same thing when I was looking! I thought it must be wrong but in Buenos Aires the owners on long term rentals make the tenant pay for the monthly condo fees on long term rentals. I noticed the same thing. Any buildings with pools and doormen around the clock seem like they have a lot of expenses. You also have to pay all the utility bills like water and electricity and gas. Some I saw included internet. But you have to see with each owner.

You might be better off just getting an Airbnb. But on a long term rental I think they will make you pay all the utility bills. But things like monthly condo fees were included on the Airbnb's I looked at. Probably better to avoid buildings with pools if you are going to do a long term rental.

This is correct. Not only that @Bingo but on most of the long term rentals on Zonaprop you probably won't even qualify without having someone to co-sign for you. BA is a strange market but on long term rentals you will have to have a guarantia to co-sign for you. You can get around this if you pay 6 to 12 months upfront. The advice of an airbnb is a good one.

The building where I was renting kept going up. It more than doubled last year! So beware it is not only what the expense might be now but that could go up and you would be liable for it.

 

[Bingo]

Wow!! This sounds insane to me. The expenses can be almost half of the rent! If the owner doesn't have to pay the monthly expenses or the utilities they must be doing well with rentals! What kind of returns are they making??

This is correct. Not only that @Bingo but on most of the long term rentals on Zonaprop you probably won't even qualify without having someone to co-sign for you. BA is a strange market but on long term rentals you will have to have a guarantia to co-sign for you. You can get around this if you pay 6 to 12 months upfront. The advice of an airbnb is a good one.

The building where I was renting kept going up. It more than doubled last year! So beware it is not only what the expense might be now but that could go up and you would be liable for it.

What do you mean co-signer? I am renting it not buying it. I need to have someone co-sign for me? What does this mean? What does this involve? I don't understand this? I have to pay 6 to 1 year rent ahead of time? So on this studio apartment you mean I have to pay $5,100 to $10,200 dollars up front? Why? I am renting it. What a crazy market. Are you sure? Why would someone do this??

 

[Finance Prof]

Wow!! This sounds insane to me. The expenses can be almost half of the rent! If the owner doesn't have to pay the monthly expenses or the utilities they must be doing well with rentals! What kind of returns are they making??


What do you mean co-signer? I am renting it not buying it. I need to have someone co-sign for me? What does this mean? What does this involve? I don't understand this? I have to pay 6 to 1 year rent ahead of time? So on this studio apartment you mean I have to pay $5,100 to $10,200 dollars up front? Why? I am renting it. What a crazy market. Are you sure? Why would someone do this??

Many buildings don't have these big expenses. The more amenities there are in a building the higher the expenses are going to be. If it's only a studio and it is that high it means there probably are a lot of amenities in the building. Either that or there aren't many units. Many people are avoiding to rent in buildings like that because the expenses are very high.

The others are correct. You as the tenant have to pay the expenses on a long term rental. Unfortunately the system is not ideal for renting on long term leases. Much of Zonaprop is for locals that have a guarantor. Only way around it will be to pay many months ahead of time like James said. That is just how it is here If you can't do that stick to Airbnb.

I had to pay a year up front on my first rental when I moved to BA. Not ideal but that is how it is on most long term rentals. They do it because they have to. Some owners will make you pay a few months up front but almost no one will just let you pay month to month without paying ahead of time. BA has some very difficult laws to kick people out if they stop paying and that is why people require this. But the government is trying to change this and more reasonable contract terms are allowed now. Before it was only 2 year leases.

You also usually have to pay a month deposit for damage deposit.

 

[earlyretirement]

All good responses and correct. Buenos Aires can be a difficult market for long-term rentals without a guarantor. These days it is much easier to rent long-term but most owners will want to get several months up front. It can be difficult to get dead-beat tenants out if they stop paying. So many times owners will ask for a guarantor but most expats just pay several months up front.

Buildings with a lot of amenities can be expensive. That is about what I pay in a building in Palermo Hollywood. Just a 1 bedroom place and almost $400 dollars a month. As the others mentioned, the HOA fees have skyrocketed last year. In 2023 it went as low as about $165 USD per month and jumped up to almost $400 USD. However, if you have a building with few amenities, the monthly HOA fees can be reasonable. But even in a building with no amenities but with a doorman, it can add up. In buildings with a doorman even if they are part time you will typically be at least $100 a month.

For example, on a new apartment I just bought for a 1 bedroom apartment with no amenities I am paying 126,581 pesos ($105 USD) per month. On a 2 bedroom apartment I am paying 201,000 pesos ($168 USD) per month. There is a doorman from 8 AM to 6 PM and 24/7 video monitoring with a totem system. It is difficult to get go much lower than that on new buildings.

As others mentioned, the HOA fees can go up during your lease and you will be expected to pay. It might be a good idea to put a clause in your long-term rental contract that might cap the total it can go up to but many owners won't want to agree. Many expats that rented in these types of buildings have sometimes last year walked away from leases as some have jumped up so much.

I've been renting out apartments I own to foreigners for years and I will typically make them pay several months up to 1 year up front. I've never had any issues but that isn't always easy for some people to pay 6-12 months up front. In which case, Airbnb might be a better option. On long term rentals, Airbnb only will charge you one month at a time.

 

[Bingo]

All good responses and correct. Buenos Aires can be a difficult market for long-term rentals without a guarantor. These days it is much easier to rent long-term but most owners will want to get several months up front. It can be difficult to get dead-beat tenants out if they stop paying. So many times owners will ask for a guarantor but most expats just pay several months up front.

Buildings with a lot of amenities can be expensive. That is about what I pay in a building in Palermo Hollywood. Just a 1 bedroom place and almost $400 dollars a month. As the others mentioned, the HOA fees have skyrocketed last year. In 2023 it went as low as about $165 USD per month and jumped up to almost $400 USD. However, if you have a building with few amenities, the monthly HOA fees can be reasonable. But even in a building with no amenities but with a doorman, it can add up. In buildings with a doorman even if they are part time you will typically be at least $100 a month.

For example, on a new apartment I just bought for a 1 bedroom apartment with no amenities I am paying 126,581 pesos ($105 USD) per month. On a 2 bedroom apartment I am paying 201,000 pesos ($168 USD) per month. There is a doorman from 8 AM to 6 PM and 24/7 video monitoring with a totem system. It is difficult to get go much lower than that on new buildings.

As others mentioned, the HOA fees can go up during your lease and you will be expected to pay. It might be a good idea to put a clause in your long-term rental contract that might cap the total it can go up to but many owners won't want to agree. Many expats that rented in these types of buildings have sometimes last year walked away from leases as some have jumped up so much.

I've been renting out apartments I own to foreigners for years and I will typically make them pay several months up to 1 year up front. I've never had any issues but that isn't always easy for some people to pay 6-12 months up front. In which case, Airbnb might be a better option. On long term rentals, Airbnb only will charge you one month at a time.

But how do locals on a fixed income afford a jump from $165 to $400??? That is a big percentage bump up. That is a good idea about putting in some clause but honestly I refuse to rent something where I have to pay the expenses. That is a bill the owner should pay!

On Airbnb do you just put in for a year? How do you go about that. Are there any other companies that deal with long term rentals? On Airbnb I see bookings between the period I need. Any advice on how I should try that? I thought moving here and renting long term would be easy but it is not as easy as I thought.

 

[BuySellBA]

But how do locals on a fixed income afford a jump from $165 to $400??? That is a big percentage bump up. That is a good idea about putting in some clause but honestly I refuse to rent something where I have to pay the expenses. That is a bill the owner should pay!

On Airbnb do you just put in for a year? How do you go about that. Are there any other companies that deal with long term rentals? On Airbnb I see bookings between the period I need. Any advice on how I should try that? I thought moving here and renting long term would be easy but it is not as easy as I thought.

They deal with it the same way they deal with the brutal inflation of last year. They have to deal with it. Argentina has bouts of high inflation. There is no other choice. If they can't afford those payments they have to move to find something else more affordable. Or if the owner can't pay them they need to sell it.

On Airbnb the best strategy if you see something you like within your budget, you can click on "Message Host". Then just contact them with the dates you are looking for and ask them if they would be interested in a long term stay. You can copy/paste and send to multiple owners and hope that you find one.

Renting long term isn't as easy as other cities but not impossible. Also try companies like 4 Rent Argentina that probably has long term rentals and more willing to deal with foreigner on long term rentals without a guarantor.

Buenos Aires Apartments for temporary rentals - 4rentargentina

Furnished apartments for rent in Buenos Aires. Browse our 1500 vacation rentals and book online your favorite apartment.

www.4rentargentina.com

 

[Bingo]

They deal with it the same way they deal with the brutal inflation of last year. They have to deal with it. Argentina has bouts of high inflation. There is no other choice. If they can't afford those payments they have to move to find something else more affordable. Or if the owner can't pay them they need to sell it.

On Airbnb the best strategy if you see something you like within your budget, you can click on "Message Host". Then just contact them with the dates you are looking for and ask them if they would be interested in a long term stay. You can copy/paste and send to multiple owners and hope that you find one.

Renting long term isn't as easy as other cities but not impossible. Also try companies like 4 Rent Argentina that probably has long term rentals and more willing to deal with foreigner on long term rentals without a guarantor.

Buenos Aires Apartments for temporary rentals - 4rentargentina

Furnished apartments for rent in Buenos Aires. Browse our 1500 vacation rentals and book online your favorite apartment.

www.4rentargentina.com

Thank you! I will try that website. I have been trying on Airbnb for long term but people already have bookings in the future. One on Airbnb told me they would do long term but they wanted to do it outside of Airbnb. It would have been cheaper for me but I would rather go through Airbnb to force them to honest the contract. And if I had a problem then Airbnb could help I think.

Has anyone rented on Airbnb long term? How does it work? I am guaranteed the year if I do a long term rental. The owner on Airbnb told me we can sign a contract offline but they wanted me to pay 1 year up front. I do NOT want to pay a year up front. That seems crazy to me. I never heard of that in any country.