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buying a nice place on one of the channels?

Way to Russia Talk Lounge Forum Index -> St. Petersburg

Author	Message
Bender Frequent Guest Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 24 Location: savannah, ga. U.S.	Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2003 11:22 am    Post subject: buying a nice place on one of the channels? anyone know of the average price of a one bedroom condo in a nice area of st peter? i was hearing about 30 to 40 grand but just as an average , maybe some one who is familiar might give some advice. thanks bender
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waytorussia Frequent Guest Joined: 17 Mar 2010 Posts: 14	Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 1:25 am    Post subject: Prices Yes, that would do for the simpliest one and unrenovated. But that is what you should be looking for, because then you can renovate it yourself and live there when you want and rent it out (short- or long term) when you're out of St. Pete. for 30-40 thsnd us dollars you can get a very crappy one room in Moscow though, in st. pete the prices are lower but not that much.
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David-M-Rowell Frequent Guest Joined: 19 Jul 2003 Posts: 29 Location: Seattle, WA USA	Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2003 5:54 am    Post subject: There are really two parts to your question. The first is the issue of 'what is a nice area (of SPb)'. Russian cities don't have such obviously different socio-economic groupings as do western cities, although this is perhaps slowly now evolving. But in a single street - indeed, in a single apartment building - you might have a mix of people from the very wealthiest new Russians to the very poorest pensioners. Nice areas can be considered from the geographical context, of course, but not from socio-economic perspectives. As for cost, a one bedroom condo - presumably by this you mean a 'two room apartment' - can probably still be found for $30-40k, but that isn't going to get you anything good at all, and certainly not 'Euro-standard'. If you want to be reasonably central and with a canal view, and with somewhere between 'good Russian' and 'Euro' standards, then you'll need to double this sum. Last I looked, several real estate companies in SPb have websites, but their listings don't tell you much about the neighborhoods or standards of the apartments.
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pauleyp Guest	Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 2:32 am    Post subject: Apartments ("condo") Question... I'm coming to St.Pete with an alumni tour this November. Also (age-57, but fit and lively) I've always wanted to live "overseas" and will be looking to *maybe* try St. Pete for a year+ (assuming from my week stay it is as good/energetic as it looks). So... Would it be reasonable to assume that if I wanted a nice social life (am I too old at 57?) that buying a condo (say $90K) would give me a comfortable start *and* after a couple of years would I reasonably expect to get 100% of my buying price back? Yes I know "really many questions" but help me if you can... pauley
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David-M-Rowell Frequent Guest Joined: 19 Jul 2003 Posts: 29 Location: Seattle, WA USA	Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 4:08 am    Post subject: You're asking for someone to predict the future, Pauley! Difficult to do with any accuracy. But here goes : (a) Based on the market trends, it is extremely likely that your property investment would be protected and probably appreciate sufficiently so that your costs of purchase and sale were covered, and you'd walk away with at least as much capital as you started off with, two years earlier. (b) Life begins, not ends, at 57!!! Well, I sincerely hope I'll find that to be the case in a decade or so. As long as you're not hoping your social life to revolve around teenagers, you should have absolutely no problems whatsoever in building up a wonderful two year sojourn. I'm envious. (c) If you're going to live in Russia for two years, I would rate it as close to essential that you be conversationally functional in the language. Presumably that is the case. If not, try and survive a day or two on your own while on your alumni tour. Go to a supermarket, and try and buy a couple of day's worth of food. Go to a clothes shop (Gostinny Dvor, DLT or Passazh) and try and buy some clothes. etc. Hope this helps.
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pauley Guest	Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 7:35 pm    Post subject: Big Thanks! Big Thanks for the prompt (factual/common-sensical) reply. Socially I'm going to try and limit myself to ladies 45+. Note that I am neither desperate nor "searching". If St.P is cool/fun/exciting then hey... (Note that I am also considering retiring in my old stomping grounds of Montreal). Language-wise I'm of Polish descent (do not speak that language) but pronounciation of Russian is no problem. I'd wondered about linking with a bilingual native. November will tell. If I meet any ladies, my pickup line (not very original) will simply be "lets meet for Chinese food at the Grand Hotel". I figure if we can have fun at such a simple thing as that... Life will be good... Cheers! pauley
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pauley Guest	Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 7:45 pm    Post subject: Ex-pat "scene" Question... Is there an American "ex-pat" scene in St.P? If so, is it worth investigating? If yes, where is it centered? Again Thanks... Pauley
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David-M-Rowell Frequent Guest Joined: 19 Jul 2003 Posts: 29 Location: Seattle, WA USA	Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 7:45 pm    Post subject: The Grand Hotel Europa is a lovely hotel in every way, and its Chinese (or is it Japanese - I forget) restaurant is as good as the rest of the hotel. But I don't think I'd necessarily recommend that as a pick-up line. Very few if any 'normal' Petersburgers would ever dine there. It is way way too expensive for them, and is a place reserved only for foreigners and 'new Russians'. Better to invite anyone you might meet to a mid-market place. Check the entertainment/restaurant listings in the back of the St Petersburg Times. This way you won't be thought to be tastelessly flashing your affluence around the place, and will actually make a better impression on the type of people that are more likely to show an interest in you than just in your pocketbook. Cheers
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pauley Guest	Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2003 6:08 pm    Post subject: St. Pete condo's... Y'all... In the St. Petersburg Times I answered an ad in the Real Estate section and asked for the price of a listed condo. No prices were listed for any property in the ad, nor did I get a reply even though I stated I would be in StP. in November. Hmmm... Is this a "rich Americanski! Raise price!" scheme? I'll find out in November... pauley
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