Accommodation in Chile
Finding an apartment or house in Chile can be complicated if you don’t speak Spanish, as only a small percentage of Chileans can communicate in English or other foreign languages.
Many expats start their accommodation search prior to arrival using international sites for rentals. Be careful however, as many people who publish their properties on these sites overcharge on rental and, additionally, the descriptions are not good, especially when it comes to location.
The best approach is to find a hotel or furnished apartments for short term stays on arrival. Then one can explore the city and try to contact as many realtors as possible regarding one’s housing preferences. There are over a thousand realtors, between freelancers and established real estate branches.
Each realtor will show you only the properties they have listed. You will need a lot of patience, as usually they late.
Start your search with these sites: www.acop.cl or www.zoominmobiliario.com
The real estate market for furnished properties is very dynamic and the apartments get rented out very fast – so if you find something you like, take it immediately! You can typically rent a furnished apartment for as little as one month, but furnished houses rent for a minimum of a one year lease.
Note that after the 2010 earthquake, a lot of Chileans move from their apartments to houses, so, the supply of houses is particularly low at the moment.
Some apartment owners ask for many credentials to rent the properties, and they sometimes reject certain offers. They often ask for a Chilean guarantor, and if you don´t have it, be prepared to pay a large deposit of at least 6 month’s rental in advance.
Many expats start their accommodation search prior to arrival using international sites for rentals. Be careful however, as many people who publish their properties on these sites overcharge on rental and, additionally, the descriptions are not good, especially when it comes to location.
The best approach is to find a hotel or furnished apartments for short term stays on arrival. Then one can explore the city and try to contact as many realtors as possible regarding one’s housing preferences. There are over a thousand realtors, between freelancers and established real estate branches.
Each realtor will show you only the properties they have listed. You will need a lot of patience, as usually they late.
Start your search with these sites: www.acop.cl or www.zoominmobiliario.com
Furnished or Unfurnished
The real estate market for furnished properties is very dynamic and the apartments get rented out very fast – so if you find something you like, take it immediately! You can typically rent a furnished apartment for as little as one month, but furnished houses rent for a minimum of a one year lease.
Note that after the 2010 earthquake, a lot of Chileans move from their apartments to houses, so, the supply of houses is particularly low at the moment.
Some apartment owners ask for many credentials to rent the properties, and they sometimes reject certain offers. They often ask for a Chilean guarantor, and if you don´t have it, be prepared to pay a large deposit of at least 6 month’s rental in advance.
