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| I now live in Argentina, 250 south of Buenos Aires on the Atlantic ocean. Properties are still very good value and will remain so due to almost non-existant mortgages.
I have been buying properties here for the last year and have seen a good return. Properties start from as little as 12,000 pounds for a studio apartment in the centre of town, with the most luxury house on the market at the moment for 150,000 pounds, for which you get a five bed/five bath detached house with swimming pool and maid quarters.
If anybody would like any information, please PM me 
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| | Hi Michelle just wondered what made you invest there? I ask because although Mar del Plata is pleasant enough it doesnt begin to compare tpo most Meditarranean beaches.Its really more for Argentines. Did you buy to let or as long term invetsments? |
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| We swapped London for Mar del Plata. We didn't want to live in a big city and we wanted to live by the sea. Before we arrived, we knew that the prices here were ridiculously low and it would be an ideal opportunity to make investments here.
Since we arrived 15 months ago, properties have gone up. For example, we bought a 2 bed apartment, 4 blocks from the sea for US$25,000. We have now put it on the market for US$38,000. This is a 50% return in 14 months.
There are still many bargains and recently more foreign people are coming to Mar del Plata because Buenos Aires is becoming too expensive, especially in the more ex-pat areas.
It is true about the beaches, but although the sea is not as warm as the med, I still prefer the beaches here as they are so family orientated and geared for all ages. The activities available on the beaches are incredible. You seem to know this town - have you visited the beaches in the south of the city? If not, you need to see where the elite go. They don't go to the central beaches which are too busy.
The first apartment we bought, we rented for 24 months, but the other apartments are only rented as holiday lets to both Argentines and foreign tourists. There is such a shortage of long term rentals, that we rented our first apartment to the first person that saw it within a week of buying it. We have a good guarantor and no problem receiving the rent. Small and cheap properties here are like gold dust. They sell very quickly. More and more people are buying holiday and retirement homes. There is a lot of new builds and very cheap land in the south of the city.
The first private gated community is selling plots of land of 600 m2 for US$30,000 and further south of this are some new developements selling the same size plots for US$15,000.
This town is progressing and although you say it is an Argentine holiay resort, to me that makes it more appealing than going to the Spanish costas and not meeting any locals.
I have been there and done it.
I hope this information helps.
Regards
Michelle
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| Hi Michelle
Thanks for your reply. I have never been to Mar del Plata but i have visited Miramar many years ago. truth is I was born in Buenos aires but have lived in the Uk since I was 16 so its been a very long time. My wife and I are looking to make investments so we can retire somewhere. We looked at Spain which is a nono because of letting saturation and weird legal aspects too.Now we are looking at France.Our options are open. Have thought about Argentina - mainly San Martin de los Andes, Salta and Mendoza as they appear to be all year round attractions- certainly the first two.Hadnt thought about Mar del Plata simply because I couldnt see many Europeans wanting to go there but of course you must be catering for the Argie market. Also there is always that fear of continuing economic instability and rising crime.BA is simply too noisy poluted and humid for .Anyway I am assuming you are English therefore it must of taken quite a leap of faith and courage for you to want to live there.Most people I think would do the reverse
Kind regards
Michael |
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| Hi Michael,
I am London born and bred, but married to an Argie for the last 25 years, most of which were spent in London. Like a lot of Brits, we were fed-up with the quality of life and rising crime in the UK, so it was an easy chocie for us, although we did consider Australia, but felt that it might be too far.
You are right about the economy being unstable here, but I remember clearly the early 1990's when the property market collapsed in the UK and we were stuck in a property we hated for ten years because of negative equity. After speaking to my sister today, things aren't too good in the property market at the moment in the UK, so I am pleased we sold all our properties when we did nearly two years ago.
I just feel that when proeprties are as cheap as they are here, they really can't fall much further if the property market collapsed, which I can't see happening. Although mortgages are not widely available here, more and more people are borrowing money so that they can buy their own home. I am sure that once mortgages flood the market and become easier to obtain, properties will go up a lot.
We love it here in Mar del Plata. The most difficult thing has been getting used to the laid back attitude such as making plans on the day or even a few hours before hand and poor punctuality. My children have learnt to ask their friends to text them when they arrive at the meeting place and then they go to meet them. They have spent hours hanging around for friends who just turn up when they feel like it.
Yesterday we were on the southern beaches and they are so wide, that you actually feel like you are in the desert. I love seeing the Argentines out enjoying the sun. Nobody tends to stay at home, even in the winter the people are still drinking mate near the beaches and filling up all the cafes.
I have noticed more foreigners trickling into Mar del Plata. Yesterday I was speaking to two Swedish girls and have met Americans, Canadians and Israelies.
What part of the UK are you in? How comes your family ended up there?
Regards
Michelle
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| Hi Michelle
not sure if you are aware but Brits have been migrating to Argentina for nigh on 200 years. Not sure of the exact number but there must be 500k + people of British descent out there.My family on my mothers side first went there during the 1850s. I had a Grandmother who was born in the northwest and was taught Quechua which is an indigenous language. My father went to live there back in the 1930s, taught at various British schools and became headmaster of St Johns School B.A. Anyway we all decided to come back here in 1969 which was just as well as missed the worst of the Junta years.
I have several cousins living in BA and one in Bahia Blanca and some dont speak a word of English.
Anyway i am living in Worthing sussex and am reaching a point in my life where I have to make a decision re my retirement ie where to live etc.The property market here is stagnating at the moment and things are looking rather bleak mainly because of the credit squeeze.We now have two properties ( although one is going through probate)and are wondering what to do next.Moving abroad has its attractions but its risky particularly outside the EU.
Argentina has had a very chequered economic history seemingly leaping form one crisis to the next.The last one was by far the worst as it hit so many middle class families. Its also rich in natural resources which means it can bounce back and usually does fairly quickly. The main problem , as I see it , is the corruption and the fact that pulling a fast one seems to be part of the mindset of so many of them. The vast majority are fine - generous honest and friendly. Unfortunately the rogues are difficult to spot.I have a cousin ( UK resident) who had his watch stolen from him shortly after landing at BA which turned him totally against the country of his birth.
Are your inlaws resident in Mar del Plata and did you make friends quite easily?Presumably you speak Spanish well.
kind regards
Michael |
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| Hi Michael,
Unfortunately, crime is everywhere. Both my sons were mugged and the youngest was only 12 when he was mugged at 1.30 pm almost outside our house. According to the police, we lived in one of the better London boroughs. There is no such place as paradise and the countries which have strict laws are normally barbaric.
We love it here in Mar del Plata and have no intention of going back to the UK, except for the occasional family visit. The friendliness of the people and the quality of life is much better. You really don't need much money to go and sit on the beach and to chat to the people nearby. The Argentines love to be out and about including the youngesters. I don't think the words "couch potato" exist here.
Like everywhere in the world, there are problems, but each country has it own unique set of problems. When we were in London, everybody we knew or spoke to moaned and groaned about something. The people here do complain, but the majority will tell you that they love their country. I find the Argentines very patriotic.
I have met many many people here who have lived abroad and in the end, they return. Why? They all say the same. There is no place like Argentina when it comes to friendliness and openess.
I suppose I should write a book about our new lives time permitting.
Regards
Michelle
PS I suppose my Spanish is quite good - need to go to classes to learn proper grammar.
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| Hi Michael,
Unfortunately, crime is everywhere. Both my sons were mugged and the youngest was only 12 when he was mugged at 1.30 pm almost outside our house. According to the police, we lived in one of the better London boroughs. There is no such place as paradise and the countries which have strict laws are normally barbaric.
We love it here in Mar del Plata and have no intention of going back to the UK, except for the occasional family visit. The friendliness of the people and the quality of life is much better. You really don't need much money to go and sit on the beach and to chat to the people nearby. The Argentines love to be out and about including the youngesters. I don't think the words "couch potato" exist here.
Like everywhere in the world, there are problems, but each country has it own unique set of problems. When we were in London, everybody we knew or spoke to moaned and groaned about something. The people here do complain, but the majority will tell you that they love their country. I find the Argentines very patriotic.
I have met many many people here who have lived abroad and in the end, they return. Why? They all say the same. There is no place like Argentina when it comes to friendliness and openess.
My mother-in-law is in BA and my father-in-law has lived abroad for more than 20 years.
Regards
Michelle
PS I suppose my Spanish is quite good - need to go to classes to learn proper grammar.
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| Hi Michelle
Dont mean to sound overly critical of Argentina but it has had a difficult past to say the least.I happen to like the country as well and its people .We have visited it three times in the last 4 years - north south and swestThing is I am trying to weigh the pros and cons about moving there . Adjusting to a new way of life with a very different culture will take some doing. I f my wife and I did decide to go there we would first buy some property to let then we we both retired buy another to live in hoping that our UK pensions and rental incomes would suffice. At the moment of course they would be but ten years ago we might of struggled as there was rampant inflation.I suppose it comes down to having faith that finally stability has found its way to Argentina.
Dont know if you have travelled widely there but there are m any places worth visiting including my favourites San Martin de los Andes and Salta. The former is like Swiss alps with the mountains lakes and forested areas. Salta they call "la linda" as its so varied in beauty. Another favourite is Tigre( delta) near BA where there is ,amongst other things a museum in honour of Santiago Liniers the man responsible for repelling the English invaders back in 1806 and 1807
I understand why you left the UK but its not all bad, Worthing has a very low crime and there is plenty of work around .My main gripe is I dont find English people on the whole that friendly at least not in the south. Takes time to get to know people here . Did your husband have enough of the UK as well?Argentines ( in fact latinos in general)are quite different by nature and some have found it hard adjusting here.
I have been looking through your website with great interest. Your intention, I take it, is to promote Mar del Plata whilst at the same time letting some of your properties to would be visitors?Do you buy to sell as well?I hope you dont think me intrusive,for I was just being curious?
Nice to speak to you btw.
Kind regards
Michael |
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