# Leasing in DF?



## ekv987 (Jun 22, 2015)

Hi everyone,

I just registered and have a few questions that I was hoping someone would have insight on. I'm a European currently living in NYC and am planning to move to DF in August. My bf currently lives in Puebla and we're going to start looking at apartments in DF once I get there. I'm worried about us being eligible for a lease, given that I will be in the country on a tourist permit for the first 180 days and my boyfriend doesn't own property in DF (which I think is often required for leases). Do you think I'll have any issues? I will continue to work for my current, U.S. based employer, so I could provide landlords with pay stubs or my last U.S. W2. I would imagine that they'd be happy to rent to a foreigner who can provide proof of income, but am I being too optimistic? Thanks in advance for any input!


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

ekv987 said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I just registered and have a few questions that I was hoping someone would have insight on. I'm a European currently living in NYC and am planning to move to DF in August. My bf currently lives in Puebla and we're going to start looking at apartments in DF once I get there. I'm worried about us being eligible for a lease, given that I will be in the country on a tourist permit for the first 180 days and my boyfriend doesn't own property in DF (which I think is often required for leases). Do you think I'll have any issues? I will continue to work for my current, U.S. based employer, so I could provide landlords with pay stubs or my last U.S. W2. I would imagine that they'd be happy to rent to a foreigner who can provide proof of income, but am I being too optimistic? Thanks in advance for any input!


Welcome to the Forum and (in August) to the D.F. In general, to rent an apartment here, you need a fiador, someone to co-sign for the apartment and guarantee that the rent will be paid. The fiador needs to be a property owner in the city. I've heard that there are companies that will act as a fiador for you for a fee, though I've never used one myself. I doubt that providing pay-stubs from a US company will do the trick. Wish I could give you more optimistic information.


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## Meritorious-MasoMenos (Apr 17, 2014)

One of the great things about Mexico is that "everything" can be arranged. What you can do while you're getting your bearings is to rent in one of the many buildings that have "executive" furnished apartments that rent on a month by month basis. Yes, generally a bit more expensive, but very convenient. i am renting one in a very centric neighborhood, near the juncture of Reforma and Insurgentes avenues. You can find many offered in newspaper and online advertising. I was going to find a full time rent but for now, this suits me better. Very clean. Full kitchen. Pots, pans, utensils. A maid cleans it five times a week, bed linen and towels, all as part of the rent. My building even has a gym, also free (I'm a gym rat so this is so convenient for me). Good internet, but alas only ethernet, so I splurged for an Airport Express for wifi, as I'm a Mac person.No fiador. Only one month's security deposit and one month's rent and the place is ready. Super secure, as well. So, this could be an alternative while you look for a long term rental.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Meritorious-MasoMenos said:


> One of the great things about Mexico is that "everything" can be arranged. What you can do while you're getting your bearings is to rent in one of the many buildings that have "executive" furnished apartments that rent on a month by month basis. Yes, generally a bit more expensive, but very convenient. i am renting one in a very centric neighborhood, near the juncture of Reforma and Insurgentes avenues. You can find many offered in newspaper and online advertising. I was going to find a full time rent but for now, this suits me better. Very clean. Full kitchen. Pots, pans, utensils. A maid cleans it five times a week, bed linen and towels, all as part of the rent. My building even has a gym, also free (I'm a gym rat so this is so convenient for me). Good internet, but alas only ethernet, so I splurged for an Airport Express for wifi, as I'm a Mac person.No fiador. Only one month's security deposit and one month's rent and the place is ready. Super secure, as well. So, this could be an alternative while you look for a long term rental.


This is a good idea for the OP, at least for a little while, since these places are not inexpensive. Just curious as to how much you're paying a month.


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## Meritorious-MasoMenos (Apr 17, 2014)

Isla Verde said:


> This is a good idea for the OP, at least for a little while, since these places are not inexpensive. Just curious as to how much you're paying a month.


The places here go from 9,000 pesos ($589 at Banamex ATM exchange) to 11,000. But all inclusive.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Meritorious-MasoMenos said:


> The places here go from 9,000 pesos ($589 at Banamex ATM exchange) to 11,000. But all inclusive.


That wouldn't be so bad for two people, especially in the area of the city where you're living. How big is your place?


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## ekv987 (Jun 22, 2015)

Thank you for the replies so far! I've seen a few "executive" apartment listings and it does sound more convenient, but ideally I would like to have an unfurnished place and decorate from scratch. But if the lac of a fiador turns out to be an issue, I would consider short term as well. We're looking mostly in the La Condesa and La Roma area (predictable, I know) but closer to El Angel/the U.S. embassy would be ok as well. We have a max budget of about 20k a month.

Have you heard of any landlords accepting property owners from out of state as guarantors? My bf has family in Puebla who own property and could potentially help us out, but many of the apartment listings I've seen have specified that the guarantor needs to be DF-based.


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## ekv987 (Jun 22, 2015)

Meritorious-MasoMenos said:


> The places here go from 9,000 pesos ($589 at Banamex ATM exchange) to 11,000. But all inclusive.


That's so cheap! Then again, I do live in NYC right now, so it's not difficult to impress me lower rents...


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## Meritorious-MasoMenos (Apr 17, 2014)

Isla Verde said:


> That wouldn't be so bad for two people, especially in the area of the city where you're living. How big is your place?


The 9,000 that I have is a studio, but very large, with a counter separating the kitchen area.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

ekv987 said:


> That's so cheap! Then again, I do live in NYC right now, so it's not difficult to impress me lower rents...


It's not cheap for Mexico City and for Mexican salaries, even for people with professional jobs. And it sounds like the place MM-M is renting is quite small and not really suitable for a couple. Of course, if you'll be earning here what you've been earning in NYC, then the sky's the limit!


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## Meritorious-MasoMenos (Apr 17, 2014)

ekv987 said:


> That's so cheap! Then again, I do live in NYC right now, so it's not difficult to impress me lower rents...


It seems your boyfriend is Mexican. If so, it would be better if he took the lead in negotiating the rental, I'd say. When I was looking at long term rentals, as an obvious foreigner, the people would always ask for my budget, and if I said, for example, 20k, surprise, they'd have apartments at that level, but none lower. I'd keep that figure to myself and not divulge the max you're willing to pay, as I'd wager that would be the lowest quote you'd get.


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## Meritorious-MasoMenos (Apr 17, 2014)

Another thought. Since I worked in Mexico City for eight years a good while ago but still knew people, they gave me recommendations for apartments with people they knew. I visited and discussed terms and a fiador was never mentioned, usually one month's security. I was a trusted person of a trusted person. If your boyfriend's family knows people in the D.F., that also might work for the two of you as well. That's the way things go here in Mexico. I had a buddy from Costa Rica. He was up here recently to put his daughter in UNAM. She just couldn't find a rental via the newspapers. I talked to a friend, who had a friend who has a son at UNAM. Bing-bang. She immediately has several rental offers and none to do with a fiador.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Meritorious-MasoMenos said:


> Another thought. Since I worked in Mexico City for eight years a good while ago but still knew people, they gave me recommendations for apartments with people they knew. I visited and discussed terms and a fiador was never mentioned, usually one month's security. I was a trusted person of a trusted person. If your boyfriend's family knows people in the D.F., that also might work for the two of you as well. That's the way things go here in Mexico. I had a buddy from Costa Rica. He was up here recently to put his daughter in UNAM. She just couldn't find a rental via the newspapers. I talked to a friend, who had a friend who has a son at UNAM. Bing-bang. She immediately has several rental offers and none to do with a fiador.


Just like most places in the world, personal connections can help solve many problems in this city, like finding a place to live. But if you lack these connections, it can be tough. An American friend of mine was looking for an apartment a few years ago, but he didn't know anyone who would act as a fiador for him. He ended up finding a nice place but only after paying a year's rent in advance!


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## alectejas (Jan 22, 2014)

Meritorious-MasoMenos said:


> One of the great things about Mexico is that "everything" can be arranged. What you can do while you're getting your bearings is to rent in one of the many buildings that have "executive" furnished apartments that rent on a month by month basis. Yes, generally a bit more expensive, but very convenient. i am renting one in a very centric neighborhood, near the juncture of Reforma and Insurgentes avenues. You can find many offered in newspaper and online advertising. I was going to find a full time rent but for now, this suits me better. Very clean. Full kitchen. Pots, pans, utensils. A maid cleans it five times a week, bed linen and towels, all as part of the rent. My building even has a gym, also free (I'm a gym rat so this is so convenient for me). Good internet, but alas only ethernet, so I splurged for an Airport Express for wifi, as I'm a Mac person.No fiador. Only one month's security deposit and one month's rent and the place is ready. Super secure, as well. So, this could be an alternative while you look for a long term rental.


Any sepcific websites for the "executive apartments"?
Thanks in advance.


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## Anonimo (Apr 8, 2012)

Try Googling "departamentos ejecutivos mexico df".

I just took a brief look at VivaAnuncios.com.mx departamentos vacacionales. There are other sites as well.


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## jlms (May 15, 2008)

My sister rented once a flat to a foreigner, she took as guarantee one year payment in advance (!?!)

I don't know how common this is, but offering to pay several months of rent in advance may sway a dubious landlord in your favour, add proiof of current employment, any proof that you are starting up life afresh in Mexico City, and so on, and I am pretty certain you will find people willing to let their property to you without a fiador.

I would also try AirBnb, at least to start with, given the low penetration of the internet in the general population most properties in offer will be by people that have internet access, normally well off types.


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## Meritorious-MasoMenos (Apr 17, 2014)

Anonimo said:


> Try Googling "departamentos ejecutivos mexico df".
> 
> I just took a brief look at VivaAnuncios.com.mx departamentos vacacionales. There are other sites as well.


Both suggestions are good. Also the online versions of El Universal and Excelsior Aviso Oportuno sections. At first, the choices seem overwhelming, but all have options to click your way to narrowing choices to what you want.


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