markth

Hi there hope someone can help me out, I'm moving to Bucharest with my husband and 1 year old son in June. My husband will be working near Pipera and need some advice on accommodation, really we don't want to go over 1000 euro a month but want to live somewhere our son can meet other international and Romanian kids. We have been told that Pipera area has lots of international's including families and singles living there and that we should not struggle to find an apartment or maybe Villa (neither matters just a good area really) in a nice compound with facilities for our little one. I know some might say why do you want to live in a compound style accommodation but having lived abroad it makes it a lot easier for our son. So any tips or advice on area or certain places or even what not to do would really help many thanks in advance guys.

susiecy

Welcome to bucharest (from june!) it will be nice and very hot by then - cant help re Pipera as we live on a compound in sector 6 so waaay the other side - anything else u need from brit female expat 15 months here, ask away - read back over the bucharest threads im sure where to live is mentioned there too - definately live near to work as traffic is a real nightmare ... Im sure someone will post soon with help -

melonlegs

Hello. Me and my partner live here with our 19mth old daughter, and I have to say the only thing that has been difficult is finding other babies for her to play with, other than the toddler of one of his expat coworkers. The Romanians seem to be very protective and fussy over their children (I can't say it's for the whole country, maybe just around here) and the International Women's Group have not been particularly helpful in responding to enquiries about their expat toddler group. Anyway, since most people live in apartments w/ no gardens the big parks are usually busy with people and children, as are the little playgrounds dotted around each area, so that shouldn't be a problem. Personally, I wish we had gotten a place closer to a bigger park like Titan or Herestrau as they have much more in the playgrounds. We pay 650E a month in apparently one of the nicest areas, and it seems likely we got a bit ripped off on the price at that, so 1000 should be a palace comparatively!
Apart from that, the metro is pretty reliable and cheap here so you have quite a few options on where to live if your husband doesn't mind using that
Hope some of that helps?

nikkko

hi everyone; a friend of mine has available an apartment in a nice house ,first floor of a 2 floors house, separate entrance for each; includes nice garden (150sqm) and also individual garage ; 3 bedrooms+livingroom, kitchen and bathroom all newly refurbished in Militari, nice neighbourhood , good acces to the motorway - if anyone intersted , feel free to ask for more details - best regards

Azarel

Hello markth,

I think you've had some very good advice so far:

+1 to this. If you intend to mostly travel by car (to work and to the shops) then you'll probably want to be as close to work as possible. Pipera is in the north of the city and there's a lot of traffic heading that way in the mornings (and back again in the evenings). Living in Pipera itself would be the best option from this point of view, or perhaps in closeby neighbourhoods such as Aviatiei, Baneasa, Primaverii, or Herastrau (more towards town). You could find a villa further north in somewhere like Corbeanca. In the more northern neighbourhoods you'd have to use your car for everything. In the ones closer to town (Primaverii, Aviatiei, Baneasa, Herastrau) you'd also have access to buses and the metro.

Most the kids in Bucharest seemed to be raised by their grandparents while the parents go back to work (or in some cases go abroad to work). They really are spoilt rotton - even decrepit, barely-mobile 80-year-old pensioners will spring up in a flash to offer their seat on the tram to a 6-year-old child!

Amen to that. This is exactly why I think Aviatiei or Primaverii might make good neighbourhoods. Not only can you easily jump on a bus or metro to the centre of town, but you have Herastrau Park right on your doorstep, which you'll appreciate in the summer. I know I would get bored out of my mind living in some sterile compound in the north.

Really too far for you. It'd take quite a while to get to Pipera from there and Militari isn't known for it's good access to town (although, yes, you can reach the west-bound route out of town quickly).

There are plenty of gated communities/compounds around the town and they have their advantages - dedicated parking (real bonus), security on the gate, sometimes a private play area for kids. Some Romanian friends of mine live in a compound called Orhidea Gardens and it has five buildings, plus some other facilities, like a creche, a restaurant (or will soon), gym, and so on. Rental in these places isn't cheap though - I looked up Orhidea and a one-bedroom flat is 1200 Euro/month!

The compounds are nice in many ways, but don't obsess too much about finding a place in one: it's Bucharest, not Mogadishu! A nice flat in a decent area will work just as well. Also, as most people live in compounds to avoid having to interact too much with other people, those that live in them tend to keep themselves to themselves more. There are a few international kindergartens in town when your boy is old enough he can attend them, and I think there are some English-language playgroups too. I don't have a kid so you're best off getting more info off Susiecy and Melonlegs.

Best of luck!

Scotsman-al

Hi all,

I'm afraid I can't offer any advice, I am actually seeking advice on similar things.

I've applied for a job in an international school and I am looking in to all the details of moving out (should I be offered a post). The school is in Pipera so I would be looking to stay somewhere close by (or with local access to public transport for getting to work).

I would be living with my partner. We'd prefer a 2 bed apartment (so we can have visitors stay). In a nice safe area. A (fairly) recently renovated one would be preferable.

Could you recommend how much this would likely to be in rent? (would utilities, council tax etc be on top of rent or often included?). Should I be successful, i believe i would be provided with a housing allowance of around 850euros to cover all the costs of rent,bills etc.

I've read a few threads about being cautious of being ripped off, it seems sometimes expats can pay over the odds. Are there any agencies or websites that could be recommended?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

nikkko

just get more detaill about the apartment(about 100sqm-3 bedrooms + living room, just refurbished) my friend is renting wich is next to Lacul Morii(20minutes driving to Pipera); if anyone interested, please feel free to ask

Azarel

Hi scotsman-al,

850 Euro is very generous and you'll be fine with that unless you really want to live in one of the expat/rich people's compounds. If you just want a regular flat in a regular area and to live like everyone else lives, then you'll have change to spare.

There are basically three prices you can pay in Bucharest for rented properties. There is the 'classified ads price', which is about the average; there is the 'friend of a friend' price, which is a bit cheaper than the going rate; and there is the 'I'm renting to an expat' price, which can be anything from 50% or even 100% over the market rate. If you go through an estate agent who has set up a company to rent to foriegners, you'll pay that last rate. If you have a Romanian friends of colleague here to help you call places from the classifieds, you'll pay the going rate. For the latter, 850 Euro will easily cover everything, unless you want to live in a walled community with underground parking, guards on the gate, creshes, gyms in the penthouse and so forth.

A two-bedroom flat goes for about 300-400 Euro per month in the southern or western suburbs, 350-450 in the eastern districts, and maybe 500-800 in the central and northern areas. These are the prices for regular flats in regular blocks. Fancy new blocks with all the bells and whistles come in at anything up to 1500 Euro per month, so probably out of your price range unless you want to top up the rent from your salary. Some rents are quite low in the newer out-of-town blocks, mostly because access is a pain.

Pipera itself is very expensive and is mostly villas rather than flats. Those go for about 1200 Euro/month. There is a new residential complex quite close to Pipera where I saw a two-bedroomed flat for 445 Euro here, but you'd certainly need a car to do anything interesting. If you don't mind public transport, you could try the Dorobanti/Herastrau area. You have parks, shops, and restaurants there and you can find a flat for about 500-700 Euro a month like this one. Or you could come downmarket to somewhere like this for 390 Euro, which is two minutes from the metro (6 stops to Pipera with one change).

Utilies obviously depend on how much you use them, but you're probably looking at 150-200 Euro for electricity, block bills, cable TV, phone, gas, etc. In some of the newer blocks you pay a management company and they take care of everything so you don't have to faff around with all the individual bills - but of course there's a charge for that.

All the best.

Azarel

What's the price, out of interest? Do you really mean 3 bedrooms or is it '3 camere'?

melonlegs

Blimey, if that's true then my partner most definitely went for teaching at the wrong school!! That, coupled with the higher wage that that school offers, would mean you'd likely have quite a bit left to play with each month after accommodation& bills, unless you were living in a mansion and only ate in the best restaurants each night...

As for being ripped off, the school my partner works for set us up with an agent they usually use, who proceeded to tell us that everything we'd heard of rent prices being around 400 Euros for good standard was a lie and we'd not get what we were looking for (2 bedroom, near to playground) for cheaper than 600 Euros at least. We later found out this was not true, but unfortunately only after signing the contract on the place. So, definitely worth trying to have a look at ads and getting a native speaker to help - hopefully the school will oblige with this. Good luck!

heary

Hello markth,

nikkko

it is a 3 bedroom + living room just as i said be4,the price, seems you know all prices around the capital ; there individual central heating,insulation on the walls outside of the house , tranquil people living in the second floor and all newly refurbished , including doors(security door entrance) and windows, shower,kitchen etc.

Azarel

@nikkko

I think you'd have a better chance of renting it to foreigners if you state the price. We get very suspicious when people don't give a price - it usually means someone wants to overcharge you.

But, if I have to guess...3 bedrooms, in Militari, usual price is about 400 Euro/pm, but as it's in a villa and has its own heating, and it maybe has better parking and use of the courtyard, I would think the going local rate is more like 450-500 Euro.

nikkko

as i see , you do have enough experience on lettings etc. and always the price could be more or less depending on the period tenants want it (short stay,long stay, big family tenants etc. ) - there are no other charges (like comunity,council tax,etc.) only the utilities bills (gas and electricity), the parking lot is all closed and individual - about 2 miles to the metro station

Azarel

So 450 Euro/month then? Or should I keep guessing?

If you post the price, you're much more likely to get a serious response or even a recommendation. I often get asked about places to rent in Bucharest but I personally would never recommend a property for which the landlord/lady is reluctant to reveal the price. It just stinks of smecheria.