Depto searching

Last weekend and this week so far has been spent mainly on searching for an apartment (or “departamentos” in Spanish, and “depto” for short). House shopping as you may call it; a place to live, something between 40-50 square metres of space, preferably in a new tower (or condominium if you like) with ammenities and something within the budget.

Now that I’ve seen a couple of places, I’m starting to have an idea of what specific things to look out for and how not to be just simply impressed by the fact that an apartment has a nice big balcony – since perhaps a 12 square metres balcony would take up alot of precious space in a 53 sqaure metres apartment. There are many factors involved in searching for an apartment; first of all, the location, somewhere accessible near the Subte station and with buses that take you downtown, not just around the neighbourhood. It must also be located in a relatively safe neighbourhood, not one which is well-known for gangsters, robberies and other crimes. Then, whether you like it old or new – some prefer the older buildings because the apartments come with alot more space for a lot less money. Others would rather live in a smaller one-room apartment but have the convenience of a common room, a gym, and a swimming pool right at your doorstep.

Next, you have to pay attention to the structure of the house – Yes, square metres count but do is the space utilized efficiently? Is the overall shape of the apartment a square, a rectangle, or U-shaped? Where is the kitchen located? Is it situated near a door or window that will allow easy ventilation? Is the kitchen long or compressed in one corder? How many places are there for you to cook? Is there a door or wall separating the kitchen from the living room and most importantly from the bedroom? Remember that in a small apartment, the smells from your tiny kitchen can well up in the whole house and make it quite unpleasant especially if your bedroom has no division. What about the essential electrical appliances – is the refridgerator and the over provided? Is there a space for the washing machine in the house? Or do you have to replace the bidet for the washing machine?

How about the living room? Where is the window at, if there is any at all? How do the windows work – can they be opened sideways as well as at the top to allow ventilation during winter? Where the blank wall where a television can be mounted? How should the sofa be put? What about the dining table as well? Is there a balcony for you to sit at and sip some wine, or just to sit outside and get some fresh air and sun, and a place to hang your clothes? What material is the floor made of – is it wood or just plastic made to resemble wood? Is the price of the floor already included in the total price of the apartment?

What about security – if it’s an older building, does it have a porter for security? Whether it is old or new, how is the maintenance of the place upkept? How much are the monthly expenses to maintain the building? Is it calculated by a certain amount per square metre? What about the money you need to pay for a parking lot? Also, how does the apartment make you feel? Do you feel a sense of peace and quietness when you enter the building? Is it on a relatively safe and calm street, not right next to a neighbourhood secondary school where you have to hear kids screaming and shouting the whole day? Does it feel open and free, or small and cosy but a little suffocating? Is the hallway brightly lit? Is the corridor narrow with all the neighbours having to squeeze together while waiting at the lift lobby?

So many things to take into consideration – but also quite fun, because ultimately the apartment has to be a place you want to come home to – as with any home. Gonna be on the hunt for quite a while! Updates to come when there are any!