Featured Home:

A British owned, detached house on three floors in a private location with a river view. The property is in a secure, gated street, with a mixture of nationalities already living there. The house has a fitted kitchen, two en suite bedrooms, a generous living area and a spacious office / den area. The total area of the property is approximately 200 m2. There is a private terrace and garden area overlooking the river. Parking for two cars.

The house is conveniently located off Sos. Pipera – Tunari for the American and British schools in Pipera, local supermarkets and the shopping mall at Baneasa. Price us Euro 1,500 per month. If you are anyone you know may be interested in renting and/or viewing this property please contact Andy at Andy@BucharestExpat.com.

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For the second part of this article we’ll be discussing what we’ve found when locating apartments on your own.

There are three main ways to begin finding your rental without an estate agent.

You can begin your search via the internet with the main short term lodging options from the US, such as www.vrbo.com. I have had some success with this site as you are dealing directly with property owners. Sometimes Bucharest listings can be sparse on this site. Also check out the hot international expat sites such as viviun.com and escapeartist.com. Sometimes these are all hit or miss, but worth a check before hand. We also have a growing classified section on this website as well. The largest problem  with searching for rentals in Bucharest, Romania via google or yahoo is the abundance of agencies that pop up. It is extremely difficult to find a source that is solely the property owner advertising his or her available unit.

The second way is to grab yourself some bottles of good beer or wine and start offering them as handouts to the security guards and building administrators residing at the building you’ve “targeted” as a potential candidate for where you’d like to live. Sometimes a little gift upon introduction goes a long way in conversation. bring someone to assist you in the language if your Romanian skills just aren’t that great. You may be amazed that these individuals will quite often have the “inside track” as to which units may or may not be available… and sometimes even how to get ahold of the owners. Try it out and see what happens.

The third and final way is possibly the best as well. Get in your car (rent one if you don’t have one), a taxi won’t suffice in this instance. Start driving around your target areas for a rental. Your looking for the signs and banners that people hang on their balconies or windows. You’ll start to notice patterns, and be able to identify the home made signs versus the (sometimes very obvious) corporate and agency banners. We began by making a list of all the phone numbers and addresses of the apartments we had looked at prior to picking up the phone and calling, but have since decided its much simpler to just park the car and make the call that moment. Quite often the owners are immediately available to permit you access to the unit and show you around. This ended up saving some time in the long run. So again, this is the most productive way to find a rental in Bucharest. Drive around and make some calls.

All in all we feel that one can be extremely successful in locating rentals that are available directly from the owners if you try these simple steps. You’ll meet some new people along the way, but best of all you’ll be able to enter in a unanimously agreeable contract and bypass the agents’ commission and sometimes even negotiate a small deposit and flexible terms.

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Part 1 of this 2 part post deals with estate agents.

If you decide to use an agent or online services which will lead you to an agent, then the following are probably the best sites out there to begin with:

Imobilia Expert Grup

Cauta Imobiliare

Dealing with an agent in a “perfect world” is meant to ease the stress in finding and apartment and negotiating the terms and paperwork. They of course get paid a reasonable sum for their leg work of providing you with properties that fit your criteria as well as providing you with the best possible lease agreement for the term you’ve requested. This is in a “perfect world”. The Bucharest Insider knows that Bucharest, Romania is definitely not this “perfect world”. What I, as well as many other Bucharest Expatriates have come to realize, is that estate agents can be good if you know where to find them. Unfortunately we have not found one that has been 100% consistent. Here’s what happens:

Most agents (more than half is most) will be unavailable at the time of your first inquiry. This is an estate office. People are on the phone. Period.

Upon first inquiry, 9 out of 10 agents will have absolutely no clue which property(s) you are referencing even when you have very specific details. This is partly due to the fact that Romania, more specifically Bucharest, Romania, is an “open listing” style area. This is an American term meant to describe the process of being non-exclusive with any one agent or agency. Simply put, whoever sells or rents the property is then responsible for earning their commission for doing so. This is a double-edged sword. Half the listings are meant to “bait” you in as a client. “Oh let me check if that property is available…” simply means, “let me call the owner as we have no clue if this is for rent or not…”. First contact with an agent will almost inevitable lead you into the “tell me what you are looking for” conversation whether you call on a sign hanging on a particular unit or an ad on the internet.

7 out of 10 agents will not call you back when they say they will. They tell you that they will return your call promptly, but inevitably the Romanian internal clock sets in and your call is not received. I am from New York, so I may have a shorter fuse with things like this, however I urge you to prepare yourself. Place a lot of irons in the fire. Once they call you back with what they’ve “found” based on your inquiry, here’s what you can now expect:

More than half to three-quarters of the properties they have found in NO WAY meet the criteria you are looking for. They are going to fall under 2 categories: 1) Not high enough quality for the rent amount. A poor reflection of value. You’re a foreigner… how do you know what is a good deal and what isn’t? You’re a perfect opportunity for an agent to offload some of the bottom of the barrel properties that stagnate their “portfolio”. 2) They are out of your maximum price range because “not much is available that fits your needs”. Yeah… can we say “BullS*%#”. As a Bucharest Insider, Bucharest Expatriate, or generally speaking as a Romania Insider, always keep this one fact in mind: You are a foreigner and as such you are perceived to have a virtually endless supply of money that you are happy to part with and Romanians are happy to take. While people are economically driven elsewhere, to say they are “economically driven” as a whole here would be an understatement. Be careful. This rolls right in to the next point…

With an agent, you can almost always be guaranteed that you will be paying a fairly sizable commission (yes this comes from your pocket and not the seller/landlord) roughly equivalent to one months’ rent. You can also be guaranteed that you will also be paying a full months’ rent as a deposit. (Don’t think for one minute that good behavior and great care will ever get your deposit back as agreed). Expect your deposit to go bye-bye as well.

Agent retaliation. This is a big one and I would imagine will be the source of many “disagreements” in the comment section of this post. When searching for an apartment, a wise person does not choose the very first apartment they view even if it meets their criteria perfectly. One should see as many of the options that are available as possible. Agents here IN GENERAL do not grasp this concept. They are after the quick, easy payday, and do not understand the concept of a commission. Don’t be surprised if after the first two or three showings you begin to sense an “attitude” coming from your agent. The source of this attitude? Well they feel as though they should be paid for the showings! I would actually agree with this if you do not end up renting an apartment AT ALL (from any agent) after all is said and done… but this is a results based career, not a salaried career. Don’t give in… don’t pay for showings. Let them get mad and “threaten” you. Nothing will come of it… simply move on to the next agent who wishes to do their job.

When it comes down to dealing with an agent, your best bet is to have a “ready to email” list of your criteria as well as a lot of time on your hands. Give yourself 2-3 weeks to find something suitable. Make sure you have a full understanding of the commission structure as well as a sample of their agency’s lease agreements if they use their own as opposed to the owners/landlords’. Stick to your budget.

Part 2: “Locating apartments on your own”  will be posted shortly…

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When you are going through the stages of “becoming” an expat, you’ll inevitably be faced with the challenge of making the transition between hotel stays and renting an apartment. This will typically occur at the “I’m staying more than 90 days” milestone. But what about that time period before that? Does it make sense to go through the headaches of a short term rental in Bucharest?

Well let’s look at the basics on this; a month in a decently priced boutique hotel will run you on average, 1,500 Euros per month (maybe less) and all of your expenses are going to be included in that. You won’t have to worry about internet, you won’t have to worry about cleaning, laundry will possibly be taken care of, cable TV, utilities, water, toiletries…pretty much all taken care of.

On a short term rental in Bucharest, the “monthly” packages can offer a great value, roughly around the 1,000 Euro mark, however, you will probably be putting down a security deposit that you may or may not get back. Remember that point. Now if you can bargain yourself down some, or find a deal (which we can assist you with, just email us) with the deposit and the first’s month paid in full, you should now be hovering around that 1,500 mark. You can possibly find a great unit available that has most of the amenities of a hotel room, but it will be difficult. Although we would love to assist you in finding a short term rental, we will recommend that you start at a website called www.VRBO.com. We used this site to advertise some of our US properties, and the response and the customer/property owner interaction was always wonderful. Occasionally some good deals pop up on here for Bucharest, a lot of the times they are out of town owners, so you have a relatively simple booking process sans all the legalities. These properties are also “full service” type properties. At the time of writing this article there were only 6 available in Bucharest, so they come and go quite quickly. With short term rentals in Bucharest you will probably be getting a unit in a “block” or communist building somewhere, and you will definitely be lacking the conference room, gym, business center, and other amenities a hotel has… so consider that.

Now while we clearly haven’t crunched all the numbers here, you can still see that it’s a toss up either way you look at it. Biggest consideration is this: do you want somewhere to unpack your suitcase and put your feet up or does hotel life suit you just fine. What’s the most you can get out of your expense account??

Keep an eye out for our in-depth two part article arriving shortly regarding apartment hunting.

Let us know your experiences with short term rentals in Bucharest…

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How do we feel about that? Good riddance. The Marriott is due to fail. It may not fail overnight, or next month… but if it stays on the same path that it is on with its’ overpriced hotel rooms, snooty service, restricted parking, and once again ridiculous “faux” image of elitism… it will fail. And soon. Consider the fact that the Marriott (a commie building as-is) is also a “name” that doesn’t carry the cache that it once did around the World. Most Luxury Marriotts in the US have closed their doors due to the crisis, leaving only the mid-market sub branded chain of Marriott hotels that run bargain-basement discounts and specials just to attract the tired and transient business person or the “bargain shopper” seeking the quick affordable place to rest for the night.

So all this from a bottle of water…wow.

F.Y.I.

Gigi Becali is rumored to have abandoned his office some time ago when the Marriott refused to adjust their rental prices to compensate for the market. Supposedly he said the equivalent of piss off and stuff it to the Marriott regarding the renewal at up-market prices of his “no longer worth the glory” office. If it’s true, can’t say I blame him.

BuchExp and others are on the hunt for a better option for Arabic food. So long El Mir… find another victim for your 15 ron bottle of water!

Below is a picture of the typical Marriott in the US (right)  vs. the one in Bucharest (left)… lol… all trends will follow!

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Whether you’re new to Bucharest or you’ve been here for quite a while, you’ll enjoy this brief documentary on Romania’s Capitol City. Feel free to share this with all your friends, and visit the source of the video at www.WatchMojo.com.

One of my favorite articles on Bucharest is done by Matt Gross, the “Frugal Traveler” for the New York Times. Click Here To Read The Article “Spying On Bucharest’s Cool Underground”. Below is a video of Matt’s trip to Bucharest. Check it out!

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Where did I end up staying? The good ‘ol Phoenicia out near Banaesa. I still like the location of this place if you are a transient passing through. You’re close to the airport, so traffic isnt quite so big a deal, and you have the choice of going two directions (three if you’re headed “not quite” to the center, towards Sect 2) and the prices and amenities are still excellent. We paid 79 Euros for one night for two people. It included Wifi and breakfast in the AM. The room has a comfortable bed with plenty of room to stretch out, (ask for an extra comforter though) and the mini bar is well stocked with odds and ends at prices that would break the bank. A new addition however is a pack of Durex condoms with the toiletries in the bath. Interesting. Maybe due to the nightclub downstairs.

The restauraants arent that bad either, with Romanian and Lebanese cuisine being the best choice inside. The Lebanese is El Bacha, a carryover from the Mariott’s Lebanese Restaurant which has now changed names. A word of warning however… watch the prices downstairs at the lounge/bar area. An orange juice will set you back over 15 ron. Fitze oranges?

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Let me start off by saying that I have lived quite a few places around the World, and Bucharest, although perceived at first as one of the more expensive cities, actually is not. Now a few things have changed since the US screwed the planet and the “crisis” hit, but this is going to be a “snapshot” of how Bucharest is (in my opinion) at exactly this moment in time.

First off is the apartment/lodging/hospitality category of expenses. Bucharest has it’s share of pricey hotels, no doubt. I would say that one would expect a “good deal” or reasonable price on a room for a night would be sub-100 euros with taxes included. Well, if you kick out the Radisson, Marriot, Howard Johnson, Intercontinental, and some other uber-nice hotels here, you can actually find many “boutique” hotels that offer excellent amenities around the 70-90 euro a night rate. They will probably have wi fi in the lobby only, furnishings won’t be to die for, but you should get a decent nights sleep in a quiet clean environment. I will look around for my recommendations on “budget” lodging shortly. Hotels are an inherently expensive way to travel anyway, so with that being said, even the more expensive hotels are still on par with the international average.

Apartments (both long term and short term rentals) actual rival what I’ve found in some of the “cheapest” places around. An example is Buenos Aires, Argentina. BA, notable for its low cost of living, is actually quite high compared to Bucharest, like other cities, because of what I’ll call the “hidden costs”. Buenos Aires typically requires upfront payment of all your rent for the term, 2 months commission and 3 months deposit (anyone who argues this about BA, you have yet to learn). In Bucharest, if done properly, is not this way. Expect a long term rental in a decent area to average 450-500 euros per month for a one bedroom, 650-800 per month for a two bedroom, and so on. The absolute nicest areas in Sect 1 and city center should be more. With the short term “turn key” rentals you’ll be on par with the rest of the large European cities at weekly prices starting at that. An interesting point to follow is the point of diminishing returns for investors on larger units. When I first moved here I was in a rooftop penthouse that was extremely large with a huge terrace. It was located in the center in Unirii. I was paying 1,200 euros per month. As an investor, you’ll reach a ceiling on the rental amount you can receive on your unit, so your buying solely for appreciation as opposed to ROI at that point. This works out great for us renters if we need a lot of space or are okay with roommates! Something to keep in the back of your mind. Apartment purchases should be around the 80,000.00 Euro price starting out. This is decent areas, but small size. I will create a separate post on purchasing. Let’s move on, I would love comments and discussion and opinions on all of this so far…

Food here can be had very inexpensively if you know where to go. The highly trafficed tourist areas will jack the prices up a bit, but here’s the average:

A large pizza – 8 Euros (35 Ron)

Coca Cola – 1-2 Euros (5-8 Ron)

Great Sandwich for Lunch with Chips – 5 Euros (22 Ron)

Nice Dinner at decent restaurant (per plate) – 8 Euros (34 Ron)

Cappuccino or Double Espresso – 1.5 Euros (8 Ron)

Tipping here is typically ten percent, and is dependent on quality of service. I found the most expensive place I’ve been to eat was Madrid or Paris, with prices easily 50 % higher than this, during the crisis. Buenos Aires still wins on the food prices, but all in all, for both lodging and dining, I would compare Bucharest to cities such as Atlanta, Seattle, Barcelona, basically the “almost biggest” cities in any given region. The New Yorks, Madrids, Londons, Tokyos, Paris’ and Moscows, still stand in a league of their own as “really expensive”.

Keep an eye out for my “off the beaten path” sections that will be coming up on here next week… you’ll get a kick out of the cheaper trendy places around here as well.

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When most of us come in to Bucharest as a transient, we’re 9 times out of 10 going to be booking a hotel. I myself have used booking.com as a tool to get some great deals on hotel rooms, but of course, have been shocked by the reality of an establishment once I’ve “arrived”. Be careful to not book last minute via a walk-in to the hotels around here, as the published prices on the placards behind the desks often indicate the highest prices possible, and lo-and-behold, that is what you are charged. Quite often the “affordable” rooms are “occupied” as well. So be careful, book ahead, and print your receipt for presentation. We don’t get paid for recommending booking.com, it is simply the engine that has worked the best for us many times over. If anyone hears of one that works better or provides better deals then comment on this post. We’d love to have all that information available to us.

If you’re really in a pickle for getting reservations, or need a quick update on your choice for lodging, drop me a line at trevor@bucharestexpat.com and I’ll help you out.

We will be posting a great resource (classifieds & Sub-contractors) here for short term rental properties, so keep your eyes peeled for that later on. Short term rentals are a great option for the longer stay, or even the expat who has yet to lay down some roots. But be weary here, as you will need a local contact to meander your way through the paperwork jungle of Bucharest paperwork if you are serious about renting (sometimes apartments don’t just come with a “simple” contract).

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