What kind of housing is available in Bogota?

Wastelandlive says on Apr 29, 2006, 18:44:

Look in the North Alhambra, Santa Barbara.

Sure you can rent a single family home, but if your concern is safety then you're better off in a high-rise with 24 hr. security.

Is your husband an executive with a multinational? Then you really should take this seriously. Colombia is the #1 or #2 kidnapping-nation in the world (depending on whos statistics you like).

That's nothing to be blase about. Make sure that your employer has solid answers to all your questions.

Wasteland

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daver says on Apr 29, 2006, 19:04:

"Are there some areas that are better than others?"

I take it you have never been to South America before.

Give that question a big YES! Its very important you select your neighbourhood well, as there is a HUGE difference between neighbourhoods in Bogotá, and all South American cities for that matter.

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Lostgringo says on Apr 29, 2006, 19:12:

All this is true Hi:

All the comments here are on the mark. If you are new to the area then securty is a concern. If your husband is with the American Embassy they will dictate where you live...usually Zona Rosa. I have a 3 bedroom apartment for rent in a professional building, you may find suits your needs. You can reach me at franko_44 at hotmail.com

Thanks

Your Home Away from Home www.welovebogota.com and www.apartmentinbogota.com "Luxury apartments and rooms Cheap" Only 2 blocks from the American Embassy! 24/7 hour security.

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Alejandra luna says on Apr 30, 2006, 09:27:

When did things get so bad? When did things get so bad in Bogota that people started having to live in high rises with security? Has it been this way for a long time? Since the 70's? 80's? I mean was there a time in recent history when it was fairly tranquil??

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Mr. Hollywood says on Apr 30, 2006, 11:22:

This will help http://www.metrocuadrado.com is the major rental website for Bogota

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adrimm says on Apr 30, 2006, 12:26:

Not just security + some housing ideas Costs too. It's a huge huge city, 7 to 8 and half million people, and living in a houses can be very expensive. (look at nyc, how many folks can afford a middle-class house?) Condos are usually more affordable than an equivently nice house of the same strata, and they come in a range of sizes. The one's I've been in are quite soundproof. Between costs and the security benefits (s), it's easy to see why an urban Colombian might prefer a condo over a house.

But there are houses. Many (most?) houses, are row-house style with an enclosed patio in the back, and sometimes a small front yard adjacent to a driveway (either that or it fronts the street and the garage - if there is one- opens up to the street).

Safetywise, in the city, most of houses that you might consider suitable will have steel gates, plus wrought iron over windows etc. Alternately there are also houses available in gated subdivisions and these usually have less hardware (wrought iron etc) on them than those outside of the subdivision.

I saw some detached SFDs in La Calera (east of about Calle 80, just over the hills), very pretty, very sprawl-like, and I also saw a nice gated subdivision in a suburb city called Mosquera that is just north of Bogota.

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Rentasenlinea says on Apr 30, 2006, 13:41:

If you need information, We can offer furnished departments in Bogotá, let us know when are you going to arrive here. You can contact us: www.rentasenlinea.com

Departamentos Amoblados - Furnished Departments

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ColombiaBoard says on Apr 30, 2006, 13:51:

Housing First of all remember that Bogota is a city with cold weather all year long, therefore there aren't any "bungalow" type of houses. Now, if you mean houses with a patio or a large space between them, yes, there are houses like that.

For high level executives there are huge mansions or large condos available which surely will be provided/arranged for by the company your husband works for.

The best neighborhoods are:
- Rosales
- Chico
- Santa Barbara
- Nogal
- Country
- Santa Bibiana
- La Colina
- Cerros

As in any other large urban area there are safe neighborhoods and unsafe neighborhoods. If your husband is a high level executive his company will surely provide security if needed.

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kernow62 says on Apr 30, 2006, 18:04:

Quinta Camacho I liked
Quinta Camacho too, however most of the homes seem to be turned into multiple housing units or commercial buildings now.

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gjimcar says on May 1, 2006, 08:43:

Great place to live Hello, I live in Bogota and wanted to tell you that regarding security things have changed entirely the last couple of years. In the year 2005 Bogota had the lowest kidnap rate in Latin America with 7 kidnaps, when in Rio and Sao Paulo there were 600 kidnaps aprox., Mexico City about 300 and Buenos Aires about 100. So regarding security don't worry, although you always have to take the proper precautions like any place.

Regarding your housing, the best places I recommend for living in houses is Santa Barbara, and for excellent apartments and best security all around Rosales, were apartments are mostly the best ones all around, best neighborhood in the city.

If interested in renting apartments, most of the ones we offer are in Rosales, you can send an email to gjimeno at hotmail.com and I can contact you with an agent which manages mostly luxury apartments.

If you already found an apartment, then I was happy to help with the information stated.

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Rubiazo says on May 1, 2006, 09:03:

Houses vs Apartments Houses are a lot more work than apartments. There is always something or other to be done with them.

If houses really WERE that dangerous in Bogota they would cost less than condos of the same living area. This is the case in Rio in many areas of the city and in places like Johannesburg where crime is really so bad it's almost insane.

That is also the reason apartments are more expensive the higher up you go, even in walkups, and first floor apartments are cheaper, because first floor apartments are much easier to break into.

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Mr. Hollywood says on May 1, 2006, 09:55:

Kidnapping stats Sorry but those kidnapping stats are misleading. The Colombian figures don't count "express kidnappings" or "paseo milionarios" where you get picked up in a cab or shoved in a car for long enough to drive around to a bunch of ATMs and withdraw your money. Then, usually, you get a nice pistol-whipping and left by the side of the road, sometimes in your underpants. That happened to WAY more than 7 people in Bogota in 2005. Hell, I know 3 personally.

The Brazil and Mexico figures do count express kidnappings, not just long term kidnappings for ransom.

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juanalejo says on May 1, 2006, 10:33:

Mr. H Express Kidnappings and Paseos Millonarios are two different things. Secuestros Express, which are not popular here(thank God), but are extremely popular in Brazil, Mexico and especially Venezuela have to do with kidnapping you and giving your family 24 hours (hence the express) to bring the ransom in which in general terms is approximatelly the ammount the car you were driving is worth. Basically they kidnap you for an ammount the kidanappers assume your family can come up with very quickly. Just last month there was a terrible case in Caracas where 3 kids and the driver of the same family were express kidnapped and since the family was unable to reach a deal quickly all 4 were killed. Paseos Millonarios are when they drive you around town to empty your bank accounts and those figures are not taken into account by the Colombian Government, nor are they in the Brazilian, Mexican, Venezuelan, or Argentinian figures either.

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Irothko says on May 1, 2006, 14:53:

Don't listen to the hype A lot of these posts make Bogota sound like Faluja. It is not . It is a city of 8 million people with just as many problems and as many glories.

Think of Chicago. If you live in the south side Chicago, you have a good chance of experience in crime. If you live along the lakeshore , you have a much smaller chance . Just as there are places you would never go in Chicago, there are places you should never go in Bogota. Just as there are bad police officers in Chicago, care about these officers in Bogota.

With that said, where can you live? Many of the places stated above are the traditional places where foreigners live. The ones listed under the post "Housing" are all very upscale places . Many remind me of Phoenix . They're very exclusive, and allow for little diversity in the population . Meaning, you're not going to meet too many writers were welders in those communities . So for me, they're rather stale.

some other options that are really interesting are :

Candelaria: this is near the presidential palace and is very secure because they're a presidential guards barking and a whole neighborhood . Think of the area around to United States capital . You get a very diverse set of people : lots of expats, lots of drug addicts, lots of architects and painters, lots of people and the government . It is a bohemian neighborhood, so don't expect perfect cleanliness, sobriety , or predictability . But I am a university professor, and I have lived here often on for six years . For me, it is like living in a scaled back version of a neighborhood in Madrid. If you live here you need to choose your house well .

Salitre Plaza: A modern area of apartment buildings near the science museum. There are few great parks here and if you like an urban feel, this is a pretty good place.yet the great advantages you're close to a lot of services. You don't have to drive really for most of your daily needs .

Niza: Niza is a neighborhood often overlooked by many expats . There are many gated communities and there are many non-gated communities . It is close to the mountains so there are lots of trees then there is a great forest feel to it.

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Irothko says on May 1, 2006, 14:53:

Don't listen to the hype A lot of these posts make Bogota sound like Faluja. It is not . It is a city of 8 million people with just as many problems and as many glories.

Think of Chicago. If you live in the south side Chicago, you have a good chance of experience in crime. If you live along the lakeshore , you have a much smaller chance . Just as there are places you would never go in Chicago, there are places you should never go in Bogota. Just as there are bad police officers in Chicago, care about these officers in Bogota.

With that said, where can you live? Many of the places stated above are the traditional places where foreigners live. The ones listed under the post "Housing" are all very upscale places . Many remind me of Phoenix . They're very exclusive, and allow for little diversity in the population . Meaning, you're not going to meet too many writers were welders in those communities . So for me, they're rather stale.

some other options that are really interesting are :

Candelaria: this is near the presidential palace and is very secure because they're a presidential guards barking and a whole neighborhood . Think of the area around to United States capital . You get a very diverse set of people : lots of expats, lots of drug addicts, lots of architects and painters, lots of people and the government . It is a bohemian neighborhood, so don't expect perfect cleanliness, sobriety , or predictability . But I am a university professor, and I have lived here often on for six years . For me, it is like living in a scaled back version of a neighborhood in Madrid. If you live here you need to choose your house well .

Salitre Plaza: A modern area of apartment buildings near the science museum. There are few great parks here and if you like an urban feel, this is a pretty good place.yet the great advantages you're close to a lot of services. You don't have to drive really for most of your daily needs .

Niza: Niza is a neighborhood often overlooked by many expats . There are many gated communities and there are many non-gated communities . It is close to the mountains so there are lots of trees then there is a great forest feel to it.

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Rubiazo says on May 1, 2006, 20:53:

Personally I like La Soledad the best in Bogota. It is also very bohemian but not run-down like Candelaria is, and it's a lot more convenient for transit. BUT La Soledad is mostly private houses, so you better how how to make and keep your place thief-proof!

I personally find most of North Bogota sterile and boring, and also very much like something out of any big American or Canadian city.

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ThatCrazyDogLady says on May 3, 2006, 15:28:

Thanks for so much info'! Lots of information from all of you! Thanks! As to security, yeah, my husband would be provided with company security. Nothing new to us, as in Jakarta, Indonesia he had a driver and a security guard in the car with him at all times, as well as a chase car with a couple more policemen-type. At the house, we had a security guard and a policeman on duty 24hr (3 different shifts of people). Fortunately, we never had any problems. But, it too, is a city with many millions of people and most are poor. There too, there were the, as you call them in Bogota, Paseos Millonarios, as well as the theft in your car while stopped in traffic. Guess, this happens in most big cities.

Our house here in Kuala Lumpur has a fence around it with an auto-gate and the windows have security grating as well as the sliding doors have security sliding doors also. And then, upstairs, we even have a diplomat (we aren't even diplomats!) security gate that can be made to come down to protect the family at night! From whom, who knows!

Based on what you all are saying above, it's just a matter of knowing and choosing to live in safer areas, also knowing that problems can still happen there too. Sometimes the more popular areas can also have the highest theft too (that happens here)

Mr. Hollywood wrote about a website that is the major housing rental agency in Bogota. But I don't have Spanish yet! Can speak Indonesian, but will need to learn Spanish ASAP!

So, now that I've responded in general, what can anyone tell me about living in Bogota with dogs? I get the feeling that Colombia in general is okay with dogs. Spending the last 8+ years in Muslim countries tends to make you a bit sensitive to this, as most are not keen on dogs.

Back to the housing question, with 2 dogs, apartment/condo living would most likely be out for us, as they need to have some sort of outside area. I could deal with a row-house environment, but the gated-communities sound like they'd be the best for us.
That Crazy Dog Lady (Eve)

That Crazy Dog Lady (Eve)

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goosekirk says on May 3, 2006, 15:44:

Candelaria La Candelaria is not a barrio I would ever describe as 'very safe.' First time in two years in Colombia I ever had a knife pulled on me was while walking in a supposedly decent part of Candelaria at 11PM... with two other people, even! Everyone knows it's not very safe at night, and even the unarmed beggars can be aggressive and irritating during the day. I enjoy the funkiness of La Candelaria, but it's not for everyone.

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adrimm says on May 3, 2006, 18:34:

La Calera lrotho, The patios at the houses in Niza might be a litte small for a large dog, but it's a great area. I have relatives that live in a complex there, very residential. And rarely mentioned here.

If you can get in contact with some real estate person or another, then La Calera might be a good option for you. Once you get out over the hill (east) beyond the city, there is a gorgeous valley with some newer houses, most had good-sized yards. Casas campestres?

here is a map: it's in the valley on the right below 'alto de patios' mapa

Rubiazo says on May 3, 2006, 20:00:

There are two parts to Candelaria But I wouldnt call either of them 'safe' at night. To me even the south, (except for the real extreme south) is better than anywhere downtown before the cemetery. I also wouldnt want to be right in the Zona Rosa with a family. And that's psycho me speaking personally! Anywhere else in the city I'd consider.

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Mr. Hollywood says on May 3, 2006, 22:21:

Dog lady There are lots of pretty well-adjusted Colombian dogs living in apartments.

Personally, I wouldn't let that dissuade you from living in the right neighborhood. Living way outside Bogota would SUCK bad because the commute time would be killer. I advise you to look very closely at where your kids will go to school and where the hubby's office is. Live near there.

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juanalejo says on May 4, 2006, 16:16:

Dogs There are plenty of dog schools available that pick your dog up in the morning and deliver it back in the afternoon, this is especially common for people who live in apartments. Plenty of dog walkers if you just want somebody to stroll your dog around. If you like doing your own job, I would avoid living in Rosales, is the area of Bogota on the mountains but with the least ammount of parks for you to walk out to. It is an ex-pat favourite area though. A nice area can be Chicó and La Cabrera, close to most night life and a few parks around. For lots of parks look at Santa Barbara, San Patricio and Chico-Navarra. Santa Ana is very nice with large houses, although it might mean you have to take care of the house´s security. Beautiful apartments with lots of forests and places to walk around include Sierras del Moral, Bosque Medina which is off 134th street, east of 7th Avenue but some foreign people find it a little far north of the ex-pat community, and on the west side the houses and apartments in Lindaraja and Cerros de Niza, which is also a little too far west for some. But do take a look at these places before others who rather be in the middle of the action talk you out of it.

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ThatCrazyDogLady says on May 4, 2006, 17:51:

Housing and Dogs in Bogota Again, thanks! My husband will be going to Bogota for sure on the 15th to check things out. Looks like the location is a "furnished" one for employees, so we'll have to sort out where our stuff goes to! :-( This also probably means, we won't get a choice of where we live. Hope it falls in line with all your ideas above! :-)

Dog Schools and Dog Walkers both sound like good ideas if we must end up in an apartment. Thanks!
That Crazy Dog Lady (Eve)

That Crazy Dog Lady (Eve)

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