Karen Fawcett

Having written extensively about vacation rentals, I’ve learned quite a lot since I took the plunge and rented an apartment in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After years of advising Bonjour Paris readers to stay in apartments rather than hotels, in order to experience a place as a quasi-local, it was my turn.

Never having been to the Paris of South America (and speaking no Spanish), B.A. had been on my must-visit list. An acquaintance decided she wanted to perfect her tango so an apartment was the best solution. Eating every meal out is expensive and two people (who’ve never traveled together) confined to one room could spell disaster.

The Internet is a wonderful thing when selecting a temporary home. Enter vacation rentals or short-term rental apartments plus the name of the destination in the search function and you’ll be inundated by choices. Too many. The selection process is challenging, especially in this economic market, when people might opt to rent out properties rather than sell them.

Renting an apartment site unseen is akin to a blind date. Will you fall in love even if you’ve looked at lots of photos?  Wide angle lenses and photo-shop can do wonders.

Tips I’ve learned from being on the buyer’s end:

- Do initial research about the city. Decide what you want to see and study the transportation system. Opting to rent a less expensive apartment a bit out of town, may ultimately end up costing you more money if you’re wedded to taking taxis or are locked into spending time commuting to see what you’ve come to see and do. Surf the web and if you like paper, buy a guide book or two. The DK-Eyewitness Travel “Top 10 Buenos Aires” book with its pull out map was my bible.

- If you’re a woman alone – or traveling with another – evaluate your comfort level if you want to return home late from dinner, or in the case of B.A., a milonga (a tango hall) that doesn’t get started until 11 p.m.

- Reality check: if you’re going to be somewhere for only two or three days, it’s probably not worth renting digs. You’ll need to hit the grocery store and buy essentials such as soap, etc.  Consider whether or not you want or need a concierge or someone to set up tours, make suggestions and/or dinner reservations for you.

How to evaluate a property:

Make certain there’s a high-speed Internet connection if you’re off to a city. Even if you’re not taking your computer and have no need to be on-line, it signifies the landlord caters to business travelers and usually, a more upscale market. Take a careful look at the photos of the kitchen and the bathroom facilities. Living rooms and bedrooms can look charming. Photos of them can be deceptive but they can’t hide an antiquated kitchen or circa 1942 bathroom plumbing fixtures.

How soon and how thoroughly is your rental request answered? People who are professionals are very responsive because there’s so much competition.

Always ask the size of the apartment. A two-bedroom apartment isn’t necessarily spacious when it comes to Americans’ expectations. Forty-square meters is tiny (440-square-feet) and believe it or not, some apartments with those dimensions are intended to accommodate four people.

Do you want to stay in someone’s apartment or are you more comfortable staying in one that’s used exclusively for rentals? A just-rental apartment tends to be less personal. On the other hand, you may not be tripping over the owner’s belongings.

Is the apartment’s owner (or rental agency) willing to have you speak with previous tenants? Is there a manual to the property and a 24-hour-contact number in the event there’s a serious problem with the apartment?

We rented a renovated two-bedroom apartment on the 17th floor that was ideal for sharing. Its American owner emailed a response within one hour of the inquiry and his support staff was excellent. There was a car waiting for us at the airport and someone who met us when we checked in and explained everything in perfect English. There were even cards for us that included the apartment’s address and all of the telephone numbers including the cell phone that was there for our use. We had no complaints. Judy and I were able to share an apartment without getting in each others way since we kept very different schedules.

Another group of apartments that intrigued me were Apartments in a Recoleta Mansion that have been developed by a 38-year-old San Francisco native. Brent Federighi decided to restore the facade  rather than tearing down the building, which so many builders have done in B.A. since it’s easier and less costly. The 18 apartments have the  feel of a boutique hotel. There’s a lobby and a concierge on the ground floor office plus a small pool on the building’s roof.

These apartments are being sold to individuals who want to own a pied-à-terre but want to defray its cost. It’s better than a time-share for those who have money to invest and want an occasional home in Buenos Aires.

Even though where you stay for a short vacation isn’t a life or death matter, it can impact your feeling about a place. Prospective tenants need to read between the lines of rental ads. It’s not always obvious.

Do you have additional tips?  Or have you rented a place to find out it’s a dive upon arrival? If so, what did you do?

Karen Fawcett is president of Bonjour Paris.

For a vacation or even an extended working trip, there’s no question it frequently makes sense to rent an apartment or a house rather than staying in a hotel. But how do you avoid ending up in a rattrap? Here are some rules to help find the right place.

Since the launching of the Internet, more rental sites than you can count are created each year. It’s no longer simply a question of surfing the Web. You have to be aware of some of the tricks of the trade and do your homework. After having rented villas in the countryside and rented out my own apartment in Paris, here are basics as I see them.

Dealing with agencies
There are agencies that handle excellent properties. If they’re doing their job, one of the members of the staff will have inspected the apartment, perhaps stayed there and worked with the owner to insure the apartment is in tip-top shape. The agency is your contact and it should be responsible for making your stay go smoothly.

Many have a local representative meet and greet you when you arrive and run interference if something goes wrong. It’s your vacation and who wants to wait for the plumber?

Agencies take various mark-ups over the payment the owner receives. Sometimes it’s hefty and much deserved. Other times, it’s too much for the service you receive. There are good and bad agencies. Some simply want to make the booking, deposit the commission and see you later.

Good agencies count on repeat business and don’t want to alienate property owners or rental clients. They take extra care to make certain the rental is a good match for both parties.

For rent by owner
Don’t dismiss rental sites that cater to people who want to manage their own property. I rent my apartment and I want to know for certain that twelve partying 20-somethings aren’t occupying my home when an agency said there would be four middle-aged adults. That’s happened. I want to establish a rapport with people who are sharing my Paris home and I’m more than happy to act as a quasi-concierge.

Special requests are accommodated. If someone wants an airport pick-up, no problem. No matter where the potential tenants live, a phone call is a cheap investment and creates a sense of bonding. Anyone renting a property, shouldn’t hesitate to ask if they may speak with previous tenants.

Know what’s included with the rental. Many landlords expect tenants to buy everything from soap to toilet paper. If they generally don’t stock the necessities, ask them to do so even if you have to pay. The last thing you want to do is dash to the grocery store the minute you arrive.

Here are 7 what-to-look-for rules:
1. If renting a house or villa, find out if there is a caretaker, gardener, pool person, maid, etc. and what time they come. It’s best if there is someone to speak with if, for instance, you can’t figure out how to light the grill or open the door on the European washing machine. You also don’t want to be surprised naked in the pool when the pool boy shows up at 10 a.m. to clean the filter. Serious owners have all this laid out for you in advance.

2. Know the house location and neighborhood. If it’s a totally new place,  independently determine what the specific location is like. Most disappointments generally have to do with homes in a neighborhood that might be very different than that imagined (farther from the beach, traffic noise, party neighbors and so on).

3. Study all pictures carefully. Wide-angle lenses can make a tiny spaces look like mansions. Ask yourself what can’t you see outside the borders? Don’t make any assumptions. Assume if you don’t see it; it isn’t there or it’s lacking. Be wary of listings where pictures provided look cropped and there are obvious things outside the frame (i.e., if you are assuming there’s five acres of isolated land, but if you don’t see the house surrounded by land in the picture then assume there’s a house right next door). Don’t be afraid to ask the owner to send more pictures if there’s more you want to see — they usually will.

4. Realize that the market drives prices. If a place is listed for 50 percent of the price of other places in the area, ask yourself what doesn’t it have? It’s most likely missing something (e.g. a pool or perhaps the beds are 2 twins in a small closet-sized room), make sure you understand what you’re getting. Study the fine print. Ask for the exact number of square feet or meters.

5. Home and apartment renters are often far more negotiable than a hotel. Unless the listing specifically mentions something isn’t flexible (i.e., “absolutely no pets”), see if you can negotiate check out times, check in times, small pets, schedules, even fees. Sometimes the answer is no, sometimes it’s yes.

6. Ask for discounts for extended stays. If staying longer than a couple of weeks, an owner may discount the rental.  And if staying a month or more, insist on a discount.

7. Sometimes renting a house can be an opportunity to make friends. If renting from an owner. Be friendly and interact with them. Tell them about yourself. Sign the guest book. Owners like re-renting to people who are good tenants. If traveling with children, many owners will be happy to introduce your children to others in the area.

8. Take care of the place, clean it up well, follow all the written procedures and check out by the agreed time. If you really like the property and manage to hit it off with the owners, frequently they’ll offer a free dinner or a discount the next time you have an opportunity to rent. Plus, they’ll email when there are sudden openings and bargains.

It’s judicious to take the time before your arrival to be sure you’re getting what you think and hope rather than spending  a week or more being frustrated.

As much research as you do, you may be still face surprises. The unexpected does happen. I’ll never forget renting a country home only to find that the day after we moved into our paradise, the people across the way started gutting their home. Thank goodness the workers left early each day. But still…

Feel free to add any ideas or tips I’ve missed. And I’m certain I have.

Karen Fawcett is president of BonjourParis.