Renting an apartment in Argentina is a true odyssey.
The reality is that, in this context, looking for a place to live is increasingly
difficult and stressful
for tenants.
This was understood well by Nacho Álvarez, a 34-year-old architect who, frustrated by the current situation, decided to create the platform “How much do I rent?”
to compare real rental prices by area in different parts of the country.
“The idea arose from a personal experience.
I live in Palermo and last year my landlord wanted to renew the rent
500% higher
than what he was paying because a real estate agent told him that in my area, the apartments were worth five times more than what he was paying,” explains Álvarez.
And he continues: “There I said: 'There is a lack of a real reference price.'
In the midst of the housing crisis that existed, there were almost no offers, the few rentals that existed were worth crazy.
It was like you had to ring a neighbor's doorbell and say: 'Hey,
how much are you paying?
'.
And you see that many people ask that question to friends and family to find out.
From there, that stuck with me and I thought it would be good to create a platform like Glassdor that can be used to compare salaries, but about rents in Argentina.”
Six months ago, he got to work: he put together a Google form with basic rental questions and shared it among his acquaintances.
“It had a good impact because people uploaded
a lot of data
.
There I started programming the website, which took me between three and four months,” says Nacho about the process.
Thus, he brought together his knowledge of architecture, urban economics and programming, and created a tool that works
for both tenants and owners
.
Just twenty days after launching the project, fifteen hundred people registered their information and the database began to be built.
According to him, they aim to reach between seven thousand and eight thousand registrations in all provinces to give it “more robustness and credibility.”
So far, most of the information uploaded comes from the city of Buenos Aires, the province of Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Rosario.
The 34-year-old architect who created the app started the initiative after an experience of his own.
“We want to build the largest survey in Argentina with real rental prices and to serve as guidance for owners and tenants,” he says, pointing out that to achieve accurate information, it is necessary for more and more
people
to upload their data.
Regarding its operation, it details: “You enter and leave not only the rental amount but also the contracting conditions: whether it is with or without a contract, by direct owner or real estate agency, if you pay in cash or by transfer;
and all that information, in the future, we will provide to users.
For now it's pretty simple.
If you are a tenant, you have a form to complete;
If you are an owner, you have another form;
and if you are a future tenant, too.”
In case a person needs to negotiate to renew their contract, they can enter the site
www.acuantoalquilo.com.ar
, write the street of the home and, automatically, the site indicates a value within a two-kilometer radius.
Since the launch, many people from different parts of Argentina have contacted us to thank us.
In a context in which salaries are not on par with rental prices, people find this platform “very useful and necessary.”
“There are users who tell us that a site like this was needed.
Others ask us for recommendations because in just a month the owner is going to renew their contract,” explains Álvarez.
“People's purchasing power is not in line with the prices and profits that owners want to have.
There is a great crisis.
Before, people invested 30% of their salary to pay rent.
Now you have to allocate
50% or 60%
,” he emphasizes and maintains that there is a great lack of information in this regard.
The creation of this website, which will be very helpful for those looking for an apartment, generates “optimism and satisfaction.”
And he emphasizes: “The idea is to shed
light on both sides
and make it a tool that helps make the best decisions and reach a middle point.”
P.S.