126 CultureShock! Bolivia
The larger the city, the easier it is to fi nd an apartment
with a telephone, furnished or unfurnished. Most apartment
ads are run by agencies that may charge you a full month’s
rent and/or a fi nder’s fee. Look for ads not run by an agency
that say sin intermediario. Even better, in La Paz, place your
own ad in the newspaper El Diario, stating that you wish to
rent an apartment or house sin intermediarios.
In La Paz, where rents are highest, you should be able
to secure an attractive and comfortable two bedroom
apartment for US$ 200 or less (furnished for US$ 300 or
less) in the best neighbourhoods, and around 25 per cent
less than that amount in the livelier Mirafl ores or San Pedro
neighbourhoods. Rooms where foreigners stay may be found
for approximately US$ 100 per month or less.
If you plan to purchase a house, expect to pay in full.
Interest rates are too high and the loan process too Byzantine
to do it any other way. The good news is that prices are
low, especially for more stylish older houses. With fewer
of the add-on costs associated with house buying in more
complicated countries, you should invest a portion of the
savings in a contract lawyer. Transfer fees are 3 per cent of
purchase price.Tips for Renting
In Bolivia there is a way to live rent free. It is called ‘contrato
anticrético.’ The renter lends money to the owner for one year, or
two, with a contract stating that all the money you put out will be
returned to you when you vacate the property at the end of the
contract period. If you have US$ 20,000 laying around, you might
consider an apartment in anticrético. Should you be bold enough
to try this strategy, there is a minor risk involved, and it is
advised that you hire a lawyer, through your embassy, to
maximise your probabilities.CHILDREN
Parents planning an extended stay may choose from a large
menu of private bilingual schools, in English, French, German
and even Hebrew. The tuition at most of these fi ne schools