You can rent an apartment or house abroad on your own using relevant online resources.<\/em><\/p>
When it is profitable and when it is not<\/strong><\/p>
Europeans and Americans are very fond of independent travel and renting real estate in other countries. And it is understandable – as Metrinfo.ru notes, with their visa-free travel and abundance of airlines (including budget ones – 'low-cost carriers'), it is usually not profitable to contact travel agencies. In our country, everything is different. To visit most countries, a visa is required, and to get it, you need grounds, i.e., a hotel reservation or a rental agreement, which prove purely tourist intentions. And low-cost carriers practically do not fly to our country.<\/p>
Therefore, for our compatriots, the most economical flight is a charter flight, tickets for which are bought up by tour operators. And hotel rooms from them are cheaper because hotels provide special rates (so to speak, wholesale). It turns out that a standard package tour to a resort for a couple of weeks with hotel accommodation is much cheaper than renting a home. And less hassle – travel companies help with visas.<\/p>
"Our citizens are not motivated to rent housing abroad; buying a tourist package to a hotel turns out cheaper," explains Igor Indriksons, director of the department of foreign investments at IntermarkSavills, to the magazine Metrinfo.Ru. An exception may be only if the tour operator cooperates with a foreign agency offering apartments and houses for rent on favorable terms, and its service fee is not high, but that is rare.<\/p>
And yet, in some cases, renting is profitable. Let us list them:<\/p>
- if you are traveling in a large group (6 or more people) or you have a large family. After all, when staying in a house, the price does not depend on the number of occupants – it is limited only by the availability of sleeping places;<\/p>
- if you are going on vacation for more than a month;<\/p>
- if you want to send your household to the sea for the summer;<\/p>
- if you don't like everything standard, but prefer freedom and privacy.<\/p>
It should be kept in mind: if the cost of the tour and the rental of housing along with airfare are the same, and the tour package does not include meals (or only breakfast), then living in a house, there is a chance to save on food, which you can cook yourself. In a hotel, you will have to pay for laundry services, and in a house, as a rule, there is a washing machine, iron and ironing board.<\/p>
What to pay attention to<\/strong><\/p>
Each country has its own price level for rent. For example, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Croatia, Cyprus, Thailand, Turkey are economical countries. Prices there are moderate, not only for housing but also for food and entertainment. But France (especially the Cote d'Azur), Italy, UAE are considered more expensive.<\/p>
Each country has its own features that cannot be ignored. "In Turkey, 95% of real estate is rented without furniture," says Anastasia Bakulina, senior sales manager at EKOL Construction Investment. So we need to specifically inquire about the availability of sofas, beds and other household items.<\/p>
"In Montenegro, you may encounter water supply interruptions. One house may have problems, while the next one will be fine – it all depends on the water supply systems," reports Dmitry Asadov, project manager at Veles Capital Development. The conclusion is to pay close attention to this issue.<\/p>
How to choose housing? You need to decide how many sleeping places you need, how many rooms, whether it is essential to live near the sea, whether you need a pool and garden, barbecue area and garage.<\/p>
Depending on your preferences, you can also decide on the city. For example, there are many "party" places in Bodrum and Kemer (Turkey), in Antibes (Cote d'Azur, France), in Limassol (Cyprus), etc., while on the hills of Grasse or Mandelieu (also Cote d'Azur, France) you can find peace and quiet.<\/p>
"Check if there are noisy hotel buildings or a busy road nearby, if shops, restaurants, pharmacies etc. are nearby," advises Zhanna Lebedeva, head of the country real estate department at WELHOME. "It is advisable to request a satellite photo that shows the location of the house. It makes sense to clarify with the owners what year the renovation was done. It is better if the housing is new – then the risk of a breakdown of the air conditioner or pool cleaning system is minimal. If you are traveling in a group, it is important to have a separate bathroom for each bedroom."<\/p>
However, by forgoing some amenities, you can rent cheaper housing. "If it doesn't matter to you how long it takes to get to the sea – 5 minutes on foot or 10 minutes by car, then you can save significantly by renting housing away from the sea," testifies Elena Yurgeneva, business development director of the elite real estate department at Knight Frank.<\/p>
Decide where you would like to live – in an apart-hotel, apartments, a townhouse or a villa. A room in an apart-hotel is something between an apartment and a hotel. In apart-hotels, there is a reception desk, a set of additional services is offered: cleaning, towel replacement, currency exchange, organization of excursions, etc.<\/p>
In separate houses and apartments, the rental price usually includes cleaning (but not always, for example, in Turkey and France exceptions are not uncommon), sometimes airport pick-up. When renting villas, the price most often includes cleaning of the house and territory, pool cleaning and garden maintenance, and other services are paid additionally. Only in luxury-class villas does the rental price often include the services of a cook, maids and driver, as well as breakfast, but the rent for such villas is at least 200-350 thousand euros per month.<\/p>
And the variety of prices<\/strong><\/p>
Rental rates depend on the property's proximity to the sea, the size of the dwelling, the quality of furniture and furnishings. 'The price is influenced by views from windows and terraces, access to water and air conditioning, and Internet access,' says Zhanna Lebedeva. 'If the property is in a residential complex, then the level of its infrastructure,' adds Sergey Demchenko, development director at Lemestia Group.
The equipment of the dwelling with appliances is also taken into account. For villas, the characteristics of the plot, the presence of a garden, garage, pool, and barbecue area are important.
The price also depends on the season: in Europe in July-August, rent is always higher. 'One must also keep in mind that the cost of rent at 'millionaire resorts' is usually several times higher than the cost of similar offers in less famous areas,' notes Zhanna Lebedeva.
'On average, apartments in Europe can be rented for 350-500 euros per week, and a villa for 800-2500 euros per week,' reports Igor Indriksons (IntermarkSavills). These are prices for economy and business-class housing. 'For 4000 euros per month, you can rent a small villa without a pool but near the beach. On the southern coast of France, the average rental price for a villa per week is about 7000-10000 euros. For that money, you can rent a house with a pool at a decent distance from the sea without additional services,' says Zhanna Lebedeva. 'A beautiful villa on the Côte d'Azur or on the coast in Italy near the sea, with its own fenced territory, close to the airport, can be rented for 20-25 thousand euros per week in the summer,' adds Elena Yurgeneva (Knight Frank).
Therefore, if you want to save money, it is better to go to other resorts. 'In Italy, there are enough offers within 1000 euros per week, especially in the off-season. And beautiful 4-5 bedroom villas on the coast of Portugal can be rented at a favorable price even in peak season (July-August),' assures Zhanna Lebedeva.
In Eastern Europe and Cyprus, prices are even lower. 'In Cyprus, the rental price of a one-bedroom apartment on the first or second line of Limassol in the summer season ranges from 1500 to 10,000 euros per month; a similar offer in Bulgaria on Sunny Beach is from 800 to 2500 euros per month. Renting a three-bedroom house in a good area of Limassol, 350 meters from the sea, will cost about 2500 euros per week depending on the season,' says Sergey Demchenko (Lemestia Group). 'And in Montenegro, during the season, the cost of renting apartments ranges from 40 to 80 euros per day, and prepayment upon arrival of tenants is practiced. Partial payment is also possible, but rare,' says Dmitry Asadov ('Veles Capital Development').
If you go outside of Europe, the most affordable prices are in Southeast Asia and Turkey. 'In Thailand and Bali, prices for exclusive houses start from 600 euros per day. The average rental price for a 4*-5* villa, more like a boutique hotel, here is 4000-7000 US dollars per week, and the price includes its maintenance and many additional services,' reports Zhanna Lebedeva (WELHOME). 'In Turkey, for 800 euros per month you can rent a one-bedroom apartment, and for 1000 euros – a two-bedroom apartment.' Prices for villas in Turkey start from 500 euros per week. And in Miami, a good house can be rented for 3000-4000 dollars per week.
Rental Instructions
You can rent an apartment or house abroad on your own by using relevant web resources, and either trust the booking system (i.e., intermediaries) or contact the owner directly: 'If you are renting housing on your own, it is better to use the Internet, where they will even show you photos of dining rooms and the view from the balconies. Moreover, on this site you can study comments from those who have already used its services. To book accommodation via the Internet, you only need a credit card and a 10% prepayment,' says Igor Indriksons (IntermarkSavills).
You can rent accommodation through a travel company or through a real estate agency – foreign or Russian. 'The cheapest way is to contact the owner directly or contact a real estate agency in the country you plan to visit,' says Zhanna Lebedeva (WELHOME). Dmitry Asadov ('Veles Capital Development') agrees with her: 'Russian agencies add a markup of 20 to 100% of the cost, while local ones work for a fee paid by the property owner.'
However, dealing with foreign agencies carries certain risks: in this case, the transfer of money to the landlord's account is usually carried out without signing the original contract, and without it, in some cases, you cannot obtain a visa. Moreover, negotiations with a foreign agency or property owner are unlikely to succeed without knowledge of English.
It's worth noting that when booking accommodation through agencies, a prepayment of 10% to 40% of the total rental cost is also required, and the remainder must be paid one month or two weeks before the planned vacation. Also, in some countries, for example, in Spain or France, it is customary to take a refundable deposit for unforeseen expenses and possible damage.
'After you choose the property, a contract is signed that specifies who will live there, for what period, and under what conditions. Attached to the contract is a complete list of what the accommodation is equipped with. Pay attention to the details of the contract, ask that all nuances be written down, including the availability of forks and spoons,' advises Sergey Demchenko (Lemestia Group).
Often, before guests check into a house or apartment, they are met by a representative of the agency or the owner themselves, who show the property and hand over the keys. 'It is important that everything at the property matches what is stated in the rental agreement and that there is security or an alarm system,' says Sergei Demchenko. Situations where the housing turns out not to be as pictured are not rare. It is unlikely that anything can be changed, especially if you are renting from a private owner; however, the few agencies or management companies that have several residential complexes at their disposal can sometimes replace the property.
Renting housing abroad for holidays is not yet as popular among our compatriots as vacation packages in hotels, and often the second option is cheaper. But every year more and more people want to rent a foreign 'dacha'. This can be done through real estate agencies or travel agencies, or independently via the Internet. Here one must be more careful and trust only professionals and web resources with a good reputation.
Olga AGUREEVA.