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Arriving Armenia Late April-Logistics

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PRS
  3/26/2017 17:45 EST

Finalizing logistical issues:

1. If we settle there, forum consensus seems to be rent on the northern end. But while apartment hunting, where to stay for under 90,000 COP/night?

2. Does anyone know roughly what a 2-3 bedroom unfurnished apartment with at least 80 sq meters goes for?

3. Is there good apartment availability in the northern end now?

4. We'll be arriving (from Panama) with luggage and four large boxes. Are there storage services in Armenia? This is the most important question because if we can store our stuff somewhere we'll be free to survey the region until we settle.

5. What is the best, economical way to get from the airport to our temporary place of stay? We arrive around 1 pm on a weekday.

Thanks folks.

Paul

Elexpatriado
  3/26/2017 18:30 EST

You can stay at Aires del Quindio,close to Portal Del Quindio, next to restaurante La Fogata for 90 mil cop a night (or less, tell me if you get a deal).

Great Beakfeast

Carrera 14 # 15N 47, Armenia, Quindío
Phone: 317 8093167

I stayed there last night.

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Elexpatriado
  3/26/2017 18:35 EST

other questions- Apartment -approximately 1.1 million to 1,5 million COP per month unfurnished.

Availability-good-there are new buildings going up all over.but save one for me

AStorage- no idea- I usually store stuff at the bus depot for 4 to 6 hours for about 5 mil a day. Dont know about larger items and longer times.

Ohh and the 9o mil at the hotel was for 1 person. May be more for 2, but I bet you can negotiate,

Elexpatriado
  3/26/2017 18:35 EST

other questions- Apartment -approximately 1.1 million to 1,5 million COP per month unfurnished.

Availability-good-there are new buildings going up all over.but save one for me

AStorage- no idea- I usually store stuff at the bus depot for 4 to 6 hours for about 5 mil a day. Dont know about larger items and longer times.

Ohh and the 9o mil at the hotel was for 1 person. May be more for 2, but I bet you can negotiate,

Elexpatriado
  3/26/2017 18:37 EST

5. Taxis cheap and very safe.

PRS
  3/26/2017 18:56 EST

Thx, Elex.

Where did you book it? I just went to their website and they're charging me 70 mil per night for two people. 51.5 for one.

Thx.

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PRS
  3/26/2017 19:19 EST

Wow! 1.1 million to 1,5 million COP per month unfurnished. Very surprising compared to many others in the region (Pereira, Manizales, etc.).

Saw a post by cafetero, I think, where he's living in a gated community, granite countertops, etc., outside of Pereira for a fraction of that, although it is a one bedroom.

PRS
  3/26/2017 19:39 EST

Yes, in this thread, http://bit.ly/2nXUna5, cafetero reports, in an estrato 5 neighborhood, "for a nice one bedroom apartment I pay about 55,000 electricity, 50,000 Internet, 15,000 water, 5,000 natural gas and 25,000 porteria. My apartment rental plus servicios totals less than $200 per month."

cccmedia
  3/26/2017 20:36 EST

PRS,

For under 90,000 COP per night, you can stay in the best residential building in Armenia, in a furnished apartment .. and use the extra bedroom to store your boxes.

Namely, Mocawa Plaza Apartments, next to the Allure Mocawa Hotel.

Mocawa Plaza apartments has its own rooftop swimming pool that is comfortably heated on weekends and holidays. Jacuzzi also operational on those days. On most weekdays, the pool is operative, just not heated.

You can go next door for a weekly massage at the hotel for 70,000 COP ($23 US). There are plenty of restaurants, at the hotel and nearby. Portal del Quindío mall is about 1 kilometer to the north along the main drag.

The apartments have excellent wi-fi .. and here on the upper floors, fabulous city and 'paisaje' views. In my place, excellent kitchen with stove and microwave oven. Dining area overlooks the views.

24 hour security. Underground parking included if you need it, no extra charge. Internet, electricity, gas cooking, water, two TV's with DirecTV service all included in my unit.

I have been paying 2.4 million COP per month. Rent for at least 30 days to get that rate.

My landlord, Daniel Rodriguez (www.danielrodriguez.com), who is completely bi-lingual, rents out two high-floor units in the building. I am vacating on April 2nd to go to Medellín.

cccmedia at Mocawa Plaza apartments

PRS
  3/26/2017 20:48 EST

2.4 million COP per month. That seems like Poblado prices.

Have I misjudged Armenia as "affordable", at least the northern part?

Thx.

WhoaNellie
  3/26/2017 21:41 EST

Misjudged? Remember cccmedia's talking about a completely furnished 2 bedroom apt. with access to pool and jacuzzi, 24 hr security, wi-fi, 2 TVs with DirecTV for just a bit more than $800/month, and for a short-term rental to boot!

Most places would want at least a 6 month lease, or more.

See these links to compare unfurnished:

https://www.fincaraiz.com.co/apartamentos/arriendo/armenia/

https://casas.trovit.com.co/arriendo-apartamento-armenia-quindio

https://casas.mitula.com.co/casas/arriendo-apartamentos-armenia

https://www.icasas.com.co/arriendo/apartamentos/armenia-quindio

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Elexpatriado
  3/26/2017 22:39 EST

well looks like you got a good deal. Probably because booking com booked a whole bunch of rooms.

I usually just show up, but nexttime I will book online

Elexpatriado
  3/26/2017 22:40 EST

Find that really hard to believe

Elexpatriado
  3/26/2017 22:46 EST

Thats for a furnished place. Pretty standard in most eatrato 6 places wherever you are in Colombia.

I pay 1.9 million for a furnished loft in Palermo in Manizales, and trust me, I have looked around.
I could get similar for 1,5 muillion, but not as nice, and very inconvenient as far as distance from shopping centers and gym. I would spend the difference and more on transportation plus time and convenience.

Like anywhere it is location, location, location.

Elexpatriado
  3/26/2017 22:50 EST

If you want to get a good idea of what prices are,check online. Dont know if you can negotiate.
But the area around Portal del Quindio in the North will have the highest prices, because of the location.

tubes
  3/27/2017 08:13 EST

If you don't need masses of living space, you can rent small apartments for very much less money.

I had a furnished apartaestudio for $550k a month in a smart part of town while I was house-hunting.

Elexpatriado
  3/27/2017 09:30 EST

the 1.1 -1.2 million figure was for a new 2 bedroom , 2 bathroom apartment in a new complex, nice swiming pool amenities, estrato 6 close to Portal Quindio. Based on this, and the op saying they want a 2 or 3 bedroom, I estiimated 1.1 to 1.5 million.

You can get cheaper stuff, in older, lower estrato buildings with less amenities. I myself wouldnt go under 4, and I dont think they exist in nice areas in the North.
Here is alink on Trovit.

https://casas.trovit.com.co/arriendo-apartamento-norte-armenia

Elexpatriado
  3/27/2017 09:35 EST

I doubt it was in Palermo Tubes, and I doubt it was recently. All the furnished places I checked on Sanatandar between Clinica de la Presentation and El Cable where going for well over a million. That of course included cable, dirct TV and all utilities. And they wouldnt drop the price 100,000 or 200,000 . That was about 18 months ago.

Elexpatriado
  3/27/2017 09:35 EST

I doubt it was in Palermo Tubes, and I doubt it was recently. All the furnished places I checked on Sanatandar between Clinica de la Presentation and El Cable where going for well over a million. That of course included cable, dirct TV and all utilities. And they wouldnt drop the price 100,000 or 200,000 . That was about 18 months ago.

Elexpatriado
  3/27/2017 09:40 EST

PRS..the price online doesnt include VAT etc. You have to add another 19%

Still looks like a betetr deal. You might bea ble to get better deal for longer time.

If you plan to be looking long time cccmedias suggested place would be better , if it were me

tubes
  3/27/2017 10:42 EST

Elexpatriado:
That price was admittedly 3 years ago but the owner had not raised it for 5 years.

It was on the Avenida Santander in Alto Palermo (Viscaya), as good as it gets. I saw several others at similar prices while looking.

PRS
  3/27/2017 10:59 EST

tubes, your price is much more in line with what I've been reading in these forums for the coffee region.

What part of town in Armenia was that?

PRS
  3/27/2017 11:03 EST

Never mind, tubes. Just noticed you answered that in another post. Thx.

PRS
  3/27/2017 11:32 EST

Thanks to all contributors in this thread.

I just want to remind you that we are looking for unfurnished.

PRS
  3/27/2017 11:37 EST

tubes, I'm confused. Which Palermo in Colombia are you referring to. Can't seem to find it on Google maps. Thx.

tubes
  3/27/2017 13:22 EST

PRS:
Sorry, that was a localised, off topic remark to Elpatriado about barrios in Manizales.

PRS
  3/27/2017 13:29 EST

Sounds like we need to consider Manizales. Thx.

cccmedia
  3/27/2017 16:07 EST

Some things to consider if thinking about Manizales....

1. At about 7,000 feet, Manizales is 2,000 feet higher in altitude than Armenia and Pereira. This means less oxygen in the air, cooler temperatures and more physical exertion in common situations.

2. The exertion issue is amplified by Manizales' famous hilliness. Walking up inclines in a hilly, high-altitude city can be a serious challenge for some. Pick your neighborhood carefully in this regard.

3. Although Manizales is widely considered part of the Coffee Zone, its altitude puts it above the prime coffee-growing level. Jardín, Antioquia -- recently the subject of a big write-up at nytimes.com -- may be a truer Coffee Zone member-city.

cccmedia in the Coffee Zone

PRS
  3/27/2017 16:11 EST

Thanks, CCC.

tubes
  3/27/2017 19:05 EST

The last time I was in Armenia I stayed at the Hotel El Quijote, Cr 15 #25-08 on the way to the bus terminal.

I do not remember what I payed but it was not expensive.

Elexpatriado
  3/27/2017 20:53 EST

hes talking Manizales.

Whatever, you get what you pay for. Have to go and take a look.

I highly doubt you will find a 3 bedroom in a new building in estarto 6 unfurnished for under a million.

If yo dont mind older, not so attractive buildings, with less amenities, you could go as low as 600,000 in the north as low as estrato 3

Elexpatriado
  3/27/2017 20:53 EST

hes talking Manizales.

Whatever, you get what you pay for. Have to go and take a look.

I highly doubt you will find a 3 bedroom in a new building in estarto 6 unfurnished for under a million.

If yo dont mind older, not so attractive buildings, with less amenities, you could go as low as 600,000 in the north as low as estrato 3

Elexpatriado
  3/27/2017 20:54 EST

its a barrio in Manizales

Elexpatriado
  3/27/2017 20:56 EST

No difference in price.

You get what you pay for.

Elexpatriado
  3/27/2017 21:01 EST

you also have to realize Tubes is probably talking not including utilities, internet, dire t TV etc., which were all included in the furnaced places I looked at which were at 1.4 milion to 1.5 million for a 1 bedroom about 18 months ago.

Elexpatriado
  3/27/2017 21:05 EST

Look at the Links we provided. Or just google- "Apartamentos a aquilar Norte de Armenia Quindio" you will see a whole bunch. Pick the ones you like in your price range and start phoning and looking.

PRS
  4/3/2017 19:45 EST

CCC,

I contacted Daniel Rodriguez at the website you provided and he responded, "Sorry, but this is not for me", meaning I was not contacting the right guy.

Do you have other contact info for him?

Thx.

PRS
  4/3/2017 19:45 EST

CCC,

I contacted Daniel Rodriguez at the website you provided and he responded, "Sorry, but this is not for me", meaning I was not contacting the right guy.

Do you have other contact info for him?

Thx.

cccmedia
  4/3/2017 20:37 EST

www.danielrodriguezserna.com

My mistake. I left off the Serna part.

cccmedia

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