Has Argentina become a better place to move as a retiree under Milei or worse? Should I move?

[oil rush]

This is important. My building where I live had a few STR Airbnb's and the owners hated it having people come and go. The last 3 remaining Airbnbs have stopped and converted to long term rentals probably because we took legal action against them and utility bills keep going up so the owners are making more with long term.

More and more buildings are trying to restrict short-term rentals.

Alquileres temporarios a través de plataformas: la nueva grieta silenciosa en los edificios porteños y hasta dónde llega el efecto Airbnb

Asociaciones de administradores y consorcistas dicen que creció la conflictividad.Seguridad, ruido y desorden, entre los focos de tensión.

www.clarin.com

That is what you have to be really careful with. It's not fun if you bought a place expecting to do short-term rentals and then the building cancelling it. Same thing happened to me in Brazil. Long term rentals are half of what I could make renting it out per night.

 

[Avocado]

What I noticed since Milei got elected is foreigners before were praising Milei. Now most of the stuff I see online foreigners are clowning on him. I have never seen such a reversal in change of opinion.



Some of the posts in that thread are hilarious. This was my favorite. Someone wrote "if only there were signs". 😭

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Milei didn't say anything about being Jewish until after the elections. It is good to see foreigners see Milei for the clown that he is.

 

[CraigM]

I mainly am buying as investments. I like real estate and love Buenos Aires. I would like to spend a big part of the year in Buenos Aires once I retire so it will be nice owning a few places here.


Thanks Betsy for posting that article. That was one of the first things @BuySellBA told me when I was buying to focus on either homes or buildings that are zoned for short-term rentals from the start. So far the first two I bought are both zoned for short-term rentals. I won't buy in any buildings that aren't set up for that unless I buy an old PH which doesn't have rules.

Which floor are you buying Johnny, just curious 🙂

 

[Johnny]

Which floor are you buying Johnny, just curious 🙂

I'm not falling for that! 🤣

I may go for the penthouse again or maybe 13th floor.

 

[Will I Am]

I mainly am buying as investments. I like real estate and love Buenos Aires. I would like to spend a big part of the year in Buenos Aires once I retire so it will be nice owning a few places here.


Thanks Betsy for posting that article. That was one of the first things @BuySellBA told me when I was buying to focus on either homes or buildings that are zoned for short-term rentals from the start. So far the first two I bought are both zoned for short-term rentals. I won't buy in any buildings that aren't set up for that unless I buy an old PH which doesn't have rules.


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This is one thing I noticed. Even on projects that aren't even marketed yet to the public I have seen a few by the time it hits the market many are sold. Who are the people buying these apartments? I visited a few projects that won't be done for 2 more years and all of the good apartments are already sold! Only lower floor units are available. I don't think things are too bad if people are swapping up so many apartments that aren't going to be done for a while.

If you buy a place to live you can still get by with your budget. I already bought 2 apartments and I will probably buy 1-2 more in Buenos Aires. My apartment has been full and doing well with rentals. My 2nd apartment I already paid for it in full but it won't be done until around January 2028 but I felt like that was a bargain too. I'm looking at new constructions in buildings where they are zoned to do Airbnb's as I heard some buildings are trying to restrict STR's.

@Johnny I didn't understand. You bought an apartment and it won't be done until January 2028 but you already paid in full? I looked at the price list above and it shows that it is financed and payments can be made for 40% down and 36 months of payments. Why did you pay for the apartment already?

 

[earlyretirement]

This is important. My building where I live had a few STR Airbnb's and the owners hated it having people come and go. The last 3 remaining Airbnbs have stopped and converted to long term rentals probably because we took legal action against them and utility bills keep going up so the owners are making more with long term.

More and more buildings are trying to restrict short-term rentals.

Alquileres temporarios a través de plataformas: la nueva grieta silenciosa en los edificios porteños y hasta dónde llega el efecto Airbnb

Asociaciones de administradores y consorcistas dicen que creció la conflictividad.Seguridad, ruido y desorden, entre los focos de tensión.

www.clarin.com

Yes this is the #1 thing I tell my clients that are buying to do short-term rentals. Buildings can and do restrict rentals and the only thing to protect against this is buying in a building that allows it in the by-laws of the building and the HOA rules from the beginning. You can fight it with lawyers and I have and won but it can be ugly with the other owners in the building.

Case in point, @Johnny and I rented an apartment in Belgrano a few years ago and it was a nice Airbnb and at all hours of the night at 4 AM / 5 AM / 6 AM they kept ringing our doorbell. We wouldn't even get home until about 2 AM so needless to say it was super annoying not getting any sleep. I talked to the manager that rented it on Airbnb and he confirmed the owner of the Airbnb was going through a dispute with the building.

This is one thing I noticed. Even on projects that aren't even marketed yet to the public I have seen a few by the time it hits the market many are sold. Who are the people buying these apartments? I visited a few projects that won't be done for 2 more years and all of the good apartments are already sold! Only lower floor units are available. I don't think things are too bad if people are swapping up so many apartments that aren't going to be done for a while.


@Johnny I didn't understand. You bought an apartment and it won't be done until January 2028 but you already paid in full? I looked at the price list above and it shows that it is financed and payments can be made for 40% down and 36 months of payments. Why did you pay for the apartment already?

Hi Will,

You have to consider that many locals use pozo apartments as a piggy bank or vehicle to invest. As long as you are buying with a reputable developer you will almost always make quite a good ROI on pozo apartments. I've been investing for the past 24 years in Pozo properties and I've always made a great ROI from buying when they are starting to when they are finished. Many do this and just flip them when the building is done for a tax free return on their money. Others buy and rent them out.

Reputable developers have a "friends and family" group that always gets in on each project. So even without formally marketing the buildings, they will sell many units to the friends and family group. This is the round that I often get in on buildings and always done very well. Many developers don't actually want to sell too many units in the beginning as the prices are lower. It's the lowest that the prices will get on projects.

Most of the friends and family round are putting more money up front. Or instead of 36 months they will have 100% paid off within the first year. If you look at the prices, those monthly prices are with CAC (inflation). The monthly installments are in pesos. Most foreigners NEVER want to do that as inflation can jump up and you can get stuck making much higher prices in USD with the inflation adjustment. I've never purchased properties like this. I always negotiate the contracts in US dollars and lock it in no matter what inflation is doing. Developers don't like to typically arrange payment like this as their costs can jump up. But they typically will do it with investors they work with and trust.

 

[Bharat]

I have been reading all the posts and it is interesting to read some of the posts. From reading news from the United States you would think Milei is a miracle worker with so many improvements but on this expat forum I hear people complaining all the time how expensive it has become. Are things improving there as an expat? Do you all notice anything improving?

Most issues won't affect us like employee issues as most of us will never have a company there. It seems like many of you are on fixed USD savings and the cost has gone up with Milei.

I’m hoping to get some on-the-ground perspectives about what life is actually like in Buenos Aires right now, especially with all the recent economic shifts. Like genuinely. Are things as bad as some of you say?

How have Milei’s policies impacted the day-to-day livability for expats or retirees coming from abroad on a fixed income? Has the situation gotten better, worse, or just different? I’ve also been reading some rumblings that applying for a retirement visa has become much more difficult lately, and I’m wondering if that’s going to make things tough for newcomers going forward.

I recently retired and will have my SS payments. I'm going to travel around to a few different countries and see which is the best. I have visited BA before many times but it was much cheaper then.

Do people think prices will keep going up? I read some old posts but I just wanted to ask some of you on the ground. Will $2,500 dollars per month be enough for me?

I haven't talked to one person that says they have it better now vs. before. I understand that change will take time but I just don't think people will wait. Some areas even the police are joining crowded and I am told this is how it was before with protests. This is in Jujuy.

 

[VINO]

I know many that supported Milei before but are throwing in the towel now finally. Someone I know was a big supporter of Milei but she has publicly admitting that everything this administration complained about are doing the same thing.

 

[Nasdaq]

I have been reading all the posts and it is interesting to read some of the posts. From reading news from the United States you would think Milei is a miracle worker with so many improvements but on this expat forum I hear people complaining all the time how expensive it has become. Are things improving there as an expat? Do you all notice anything improving?

Most issues won't affect us like employee issues as most of us will never have a company there. It seems like many of you are on fixed USD savings and the cost has gone up with Milei.

I’m hoping to get some on-the-ground perspectives about what life is actually like in Buenos Aires right now, especially with all the recent economic shifts. Like genuinely. Are things as bad as some of you say?

How have Milei’s policies impacted the day-to-day livability for expats or retirees coming from abroad on a fixed income? Has the situation gotten better, worse, or just different? I’ve also been reading some rumblings that applying for a retirement visa has become much more difficult lately, and I’m wondering if that’s going to make things tough for newcomers going forward.

I recently retired and will have my SS payments. I'm going to travel around to a few different countries and see which is the best. I have visited BA before many times but it was much cheaper then.

Do people think prices will keep going up? I read some old posts but I just wanted to ask some of you on the ground. Will $2,500 dollars per month be enough for me?

I would recommend you move to Argentina because you really enjoy the place. I wouldn't move here based on if you can afford $2,500 a month only. Helps if you love the place. Also you can get much more bang for your buck in other cities vs. BA. Argentina has some beautiful cities.