Anyone know any good websites with available Real Estate in St. Petes, w/out being totally ripped off?
Full Version: Renting or buying in St. Petes
Try Kevin Boff:Ex-Pat Properties I don't know if he has anything in St. Pete, but he has been expanding a lot lately. I have known him for a couple years now. He seems to have quite a few connections in Europe (including Moscow & St. Pete.) Mention that you got his name from Jeffery from Kazan' to break the ice.
Spasibo
What exactly are your aims? Are you looking to rent long term? A short stay?
As far as buying, now is definitely not the time to be buying there. Prices have risen dramatically. Are you independently wealthy and have lots of money to throw around? Then buy in SPb if you want. If not... forget about it.
If you look for apartments aimed at foreigners, good luck finding anything for under 2000 euros a month. Avoid anything with "European" or "Western-style" in the description unless you want to be paying more than you would pay in most major US cities.
But the problem is that since normally you rent an apartment in SPb by presenting your passport and registration and paying in cash, it's really hard to find an apartment online, unless you're using a service that caters to foreigners, in which case you can count on paying a lot of money. If you're actually going there for a long time, it's better to get a hotel room or stay with friends when you first arrive and find an apartment when you're already there. I've rented several apartments in SPb and I've always just called several different agencies, and then agents would call me and I'd go look at places until I found one that was satisfactory. It's the cheapest way by far. If you're working with a bunch of people, finding an apartment should take less than a week. If you want cheap, specify that remont is not necessary. Give them a set price limit.
As far as buying, now is definitely not the time to be buying there. Prices have risen dramatically. Are you independently wealthy and have lots of money to throw around? Then buy in SPb if you want. If not... forget about it.
If you look for apartments aimed at foreigners, good luck finding anything for under 2000 euros a month. Avoid anything with "European" or "Western-style" in the description unless you want to be paying more than you would pay in most major US cities.
But the problem is that since normally you rent an apartment in SPb by presenting your passport and registration and paying in cash, it's really hard to find an apartment online, unless you're using a service that caters to foreigners, in which case you can count on paying a lot of money. If you're actually going there for a long time, it's better to get a hotel room or stay with friends when you first arrive and find an apartment when you're already there. I've rented several apartments in SPb and I've always just called several different agencies, and then agents would call me and I'd go look at places until I found one that was satisfactory. It's the cheapest way by far. If you're working with a bunch of people, finding an apartment should take less than a week. If you want cheap, specify that remont is not necessary. Give them a set price limit.
my aim is to either buy or rent for my girl's mom. And my girl would supply all the documentation and I would supply funds. I am not made out of money, so I am trying to find something to justify. The problem is, that I am not familiar with St. Petes at all. I am from Siberia and have no connections in St. Petes. So thats why I asked, I just know how you can get hosed in good ole Russian Federation 
Well, chances are you won't be able to buy in this market. It's realllyyy expensive now to buy an apartment. It's also hard to rent in SPb from an ocean away, as I said before. If you're supplying the money, I would wire to your girl's mom 3 months' worth of the limit you're willing to pay per month (usually you pay 1 month's rent as deposit, 1 month's rent as a realtor's fee, and then the first month's rent upfront), and if she is moving from Siberia, put her up in a hotel or a short-term apartment for tourists and have her look at places with realtors. Think of it this way: if she doesn't like it, she can't complain that you did a bad job picking an apartment. if you don't want to pay rents in the market of 2000 euros per month, then this is really the most cost-efficient way, perhaps the only way.
I've never gotten hosed, rent-wise. You just have to be firm about what you want and need. No, I do not need a sauna in my house or satellite television or 24 hour concierge or an artistically-mosaiced bathtub.
If you have questions about neighborhoods and things like that I can answer for most places in the city.
Oh, and I do know of a russian version of craigslist (found it when i was researching buying a puppy), but i can't remember the url right now. I'll look it up later; there might be some things on there.
if you don't want to pay rents in the market of 2000 euros per month, then this is really the most cost-efficient way, perhaps the only way.I've never gotten hosed, rent-wise. You just have to be firm about what you want and need. No, I do not need a sauna in my house or satellite television or 24 hour concierge or an artistically-mosaiced bathtub.
If you have questions about neighborhoods and things like that I can answer for most places in the city.
Oh, and I do know of a russian version of craigslist (found it when i was researching buying a puppy
), but i can't remember the url right now. I'll look it up later; there might be some things on there. QUOTE(Ilya R. @ Apr 24 2008, 01:08 PM) 
my aim is to either buy or rent for my girl's mom. And my girl would supply all the documentation and I would supply funds. I am not made out of money, so I am trying to find something to justify. The problem is, that I am not familiar with St. Petes at all. I am from Siberia and have no connections in St. Petes. So thats why I asked, I just know how you can get hosed in good ole Russian Federation
Russian Craigslist url would really be appretiate it when you find it thanks!
thanks
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