Finding an apartment in Santiago Chile?

Question

I'm moving to Santiago in October, I was wondering how I should go about finding an apartment. Should I find one before I go, or should I wait until I get there to find a place? I'm going to be living there for a year with my boyfriend and we are going to have several bags to bring with us so we would like to find a place shortly after we arrive or before we arrive...

Answer 1

It is possible to find one before you get here, but not recommended. The reason for that is pretty much the same thing that you would apply if you were looking for an apartment where you live now. You want to see it in person, make sure things work and are in decent condition, see if it is in a safe location and if it is close to transportation and markets.

Most people here will not rent to you in advance either, with the exception of vacation rental properties, without meeting you first. Trust is an issue in Chile. There are websites I have found online that offer apartments on a temporary basis to foreigners but you will pay a lot more than if you just rent when you get here.

The good news is that it is not difficult at all to find an apartment here in Chile. You should be able to do so very soon after arriving. For an idea of what is available you can view the apartment rentals online at http://propiedades.elmercurio.com/_porta...

That is the link to El Mercurio, the most widely read newspaper here. It's mostly specific to Santiago but they also have rental listings outside of the capital area.