Chile Forum

Hello, I've just registered here, although I've been reading the forum for quite a while. Can I ask you guys a question? I'm presently looking for a parcela (just a normal one, half a hectar) between Santiago and the coast (Curacavi, Melipilla). Some of them are in condominiums and some are not. Condominiums involve gastos comunes and obedience to their reglamentos (which at times seem very restrictive). I'm going to buy a parcela and let it sit there maybe for a year or two before I start building something. After that I plan to use it as my primary residence. What are the benefits of a condominio in your opinion? How safe is it to buy a parcela in an open parcelacion (not in a condominio) and abandon it for a year? Can it be taken by some squatters? Is it much safer to live in a condominio? Thank you for any input.

Venti...

You are asking a lot of questions and we really don't have enough to go on to be acurate...so I will say this...if you buy a parcela that is 1/2 hectar, then when you go to build on it, it will be full of trash and god knows what else, so put a big fence up and pay a nieghbor to watch it for you...the nieghbor won't reeally do too much but then you will be able to call him and he will lie to you in person saying its all okay...with your own place, you will have to put up with otheres less than if you get a condominio...the 1/2 hectar you can make a fool of your self fighting off the other nieghbors one by one and in the condominio you can be a fool within a group fighting everyone off...the condominio will aford you some safety from the thieves but then when it falls down from poor workmanship it will all be gone in a moment as they haul it away to where ever....the extra money you save from not being in a condominio on your own place, you can put into a dog or two...at least if you buy your own 1/2 hectar you can build quality and hopefully hold them off because your place has thick walls...am I being an asshole in my response to your post...yes, I would say a little and more than you deserve...but you know, you are asking specific questions while at the same time declaring that you have lurked...so while you may not have found the exact answers to your questions already, you should know that it is ...complicated in Chile...to do anything...I don't mean to be un-friendly...and I hope you respond and continue in the forum, but frankly you have to be more realistic...so go back a few steps and give us your story...details please...and when you do, I bet you will be amazed at the info you get...


p out
p out y
pouty


.

In my opinion, many may dissent, to live in any form of condominium or community is not a good experience here in Chile. Community implies rules, lots of rules, ruled by a "junta de vigilancia" people who apply for those appointments are usually small dictators and tend to control another lives and abuse their power. In short living in a condo limits a lot your own liberty to do your wish into your own property. Some people like it, not me.

Thank you guys. In fact, I'm inclined to live on my own rather than in condominio.

Well, el puelche, you asked about details... I lived in Chile for a few years (X Region), got my permanencia definitiva, learned the language, fell in love with yerba mate and cumbia Then I left, and am in Canada now. Yet, I keep my permanencia valid, and visit whenever I can. I have a few trusted friends (Chileans and gringos) in the south, but I don't want to live there... I like mediterranean climate, you know. It's way different in the south.There I wouldn't even think about condominios, gated communities and stuff. But I need some advise from someone who is more familiar with Region Metropolitana than myself.

If you travel a lot (or are away a lot) and don't have someone RELIABLE to look after the place (as in literally live there). I would be concerned. Even big bad doggies only go so far if "they" know you or your henchmen will not be around. But maybe you have nothing worth stealing ...

Thanks eeuunikkeiexpat. No, I'm not going to abandon the house - if I live there, I live there almost all the time. I'm concerned about the parcela if it's not in a condominio. Are there squatters around in RM? What can happen to your land when you are away?

BTW. My pareja's (cuica) aunt lives in el campo near Melipilla and her house has been robbed 4 times. She now has a Rot which has kept future intrusions at bay but she has already lost her most valuable jewelry among other things.

Even stepping out to the supermarket you can get hit. Your neighbor or their friends or the workman nearby may be watching and waiting for the opportune time to hit you in the RM region.

I think it worth to take some time researching on crime stats of the neigborhood, there are certain areas, specially parcelas, who are "frequent customers" for robbers and assaultants, specially near Santiago.

I would never live in La Dehesa, Chicureo or similar areas surrounded of wealthy people near Santiago, specially with the present loose and permisive justice system,

OK, I see what you mean. But how about the land? Can you buy it and leave? What can happen to a parcela when you are away?

From my observations if not heavily protected: Dumping; trash; dog, cat and human waste; homeless camping out; if you have any structures, probably will get burned down.

venti,

Really you are talking about a "huerta" by the size....Here are the things I would do if I owned a huerta in the Rm...

1) Fence in all side complete with masonry...the columns and the over beam filled with tabique, and not the sodimac pooch panels they sell that you connect with mortar. Maybe the front part on the street I would do a solid reja.

2)I would make my house very solid with no real obvious ways to climb ontot he roof. I would sheet the roof with 3/4 ply and even the cieling lid as well...most thieves in Chile get in through the roof...they get a kid on the roof, he drops in and opens the door...so dead bolts with keys on both sides...

3)Rejas on all the windows.

4)At least 3 dogs and train them to be fed by only you and no one else so we don't get the poisen meat over the fence routine. Make sure that the dogs can get to all sides of the house and cannot be easily sequestered into the back yard.

5)Get an alarm that is very loud and cannot be easily shut off electricaly. You can an armed response team but they can be late so get something really loud that no one would be able to be in the house and stand it.

6)Get an old pensioner couple to live in an out building with the agreement that they will always be there...at least one of them....also get a gardner that works everyday(lives somewhere else) but don't ever let him in the house. Don't ever let the house be alone...if you get a maid then take advantage to go out when she is there. Remember that everyone will talk that it in and around your house....everything you do will be known...so live like the bad guys are watching all the time...if there is nothing interesting than more than likely you won't get hit. If you do get hit and you catch one, then concentrate on one of the guys and kill him as fast and as brutaly as you can, but make sure that he doesn't get out of your house...and if he does, then drag him back inside, show no mercy whatsoever.

7)Go on errands always at different times and never with a pattern, at the same time...the same set up....even go out and sometimes come right back. Avoid predictability.

Make it a point to be friends with the closest tenencia de carabineros...make sure they know your gig and you don't want anything to happen. Make friends witht he bomberos and the cartero

9)Don't live ostentaciously or at least make it obvious. Make your house boring.

10)Build in a secret hide away spot for important items with in the house.

Good luck,

P out


.

A panic room is been adopted in many homes in this area, que mal, what a pity, nothing of that existed when I spent my childhood in Santiago. I honestly would never live there or nearby if I could choose. Criminals are always one step ahead and their job is very profitable.

On what happen if you left the camp empty, again, it depends on the area. In most of provinces would nothing happen, near Santiago or any big city probably will be invded by homeless, drug addicts etc.

That is why I refered on the importance to choose a good location in security terms

I think that "Ventisquero" is concerned about what is called "adverse possession" in English: the right of a squatter to legal title after a certain period of squatting without the original owner taking substantial action to clear the squatter out. But, as I'm not a Chilean lawyer, I don't even know the term in Spanish, let alone the period necessary in Chile to perfect the squatter's title. I don't even know whether the concept is embedded in Chilean law (though I'd guess that it is)!

So, "V.", you might simply enquire of the Chilean lawyer who would assist you in buying the terreno. I'm certain that the answer should be simple.

By the way, I know your pseudonym as "snowdrift". Yet you say that you wouldn't want the cold and snow of the Chilean south. Might you tell us, then, the origin of your pseudonym?

eeuunikkeiexpat wrote:If you travel a lot (or are away a lot) and don't have someone RELIABLE to look after the place (as in literally live there)[, ] I would be concerned. . . .

It seems that I should look more at apartment living (which I don't like) than living in a house. Have fellow AllChileans found apartments, condominia or not, to be reasonably secure?