Quote: (10-27-2016 04:40 AM)frankiecred Wrote:
I'm a huge fan of Mexico City and I'm actually moving there permanently this December (well at least for a year or two)
I had a question about Mexico City housing. I'm debating whether to do month to month airbnb, sign a 12 month lease, or perhaps even purchase a property if the price is right ...
Obviously I'll be choosing Roma or Condesa, but I was wondering if any of you guys had an experience regarding signing a lease or even buying a condo.
Are there any super mega highrises in Roma, Condesa Polanco that are similar to Thamrin in Jakarta or Gramercy in Manila, you know the type that has all the amenities you could think of, super crazy views from your balcony etc etc?
I was thinking a good option for me would be sign a 12 month lease but do it furnished instead of unfurnished so i'm not stuck buying all this stuff I won't know what to do with when the lease is over.
You'll be new in town. Don't buy anything. Take things slowly and get a feel for what you like. Visiting and living here are two different things.
Roma (and especially Condesa) have many buildings with doormen, parking and occasionally other services such as a conference room for business meetings, laundry center, small gym and a rooftop that can be reserved for parties. Not all have awesome views, though.
AirBnb is not a bad way to start while you look around for something more permanent. A surprisingly good way to find a place is not necessarily working with an agent (corredor; agency = inmobiliaria) or looking at ads online but rather checking out neighborhoods on foot and looking for rental signs on the buildings. Write down numbers and call. Talk to the doorman and ask if there are units available. Take your time. Talk to friends. Your eye for what constitutes a good versus crappy neighborhood will improve over time, so don't jump into the first thing you see.
Apartments come in two flavors: furnished (amueblado) and unfurnished. When I got to town, one of the first things I did was buy furniture. In retrospect, that was a mistake. There are advantages to the flexibility of a furnished apartment.
Be aware that high-end apartments (and even many of the dumpy ones) in Mexico City generally require something known as an 'aval' or 'fiador'. You will need someone who has property in Mexico City to co-sign for you. You can sometimes get around this by leaving several months of deposit (which you should be mentally prepared to never see again). If you're working for a company here, they may be able to serve as an aval for you. There is also such as thing as hiring a company to be an aval for you. A possible exception to the aval requirement would be if the owner is handling the rental themselves rather than working through an agent. (In this case, the sign will say TRATO DIRECTO.) If you don't already have ties here, this may be the best option.
I actually know some guys who lived for a year at an awesome hotel on Reforma. It wasn't that much more expensive than a high-end apartment. Nice pool, unbelievable rooftop.