Property prices in Kazakhstan

Hello to everyone, I've been searching properties in Astana, Almaty for 2 years. Could tell you that real estate agencies' fees for renting is 20-30% from month payment. Mostly agents don't speak English. In general their duties include look&see options, agreement formalization, move in protocol. Have more questions, pls ask me directly.

----- Buying

Buying property in Kazakhstan is relevantly cheap and in keeping with the cost of living... This can be attributed to the fact that the government has protected the locals by ensuring it is not all snapped-up by the international community i.e. in order to buy property you either have to have invested in quite a large company or have married a local...

I conclude the above based on what I remember from the news when the government was considering allowing foreigners to buy land and there was an uproar by the local community scared it will all be snapped-up by the Chinese as it has happened in some parts of the US...

You will have to do your own research however to validate it...

----- Renting Apartments

Rental prices are very good for the expat community and not so tough on the local community as the owners often purchase them ready for when their kids get married to give them a home etc. The rent is often less than their mortgage repayments and just to help lift the burden of paying the mortgage as opposed to making a profit...

Rent is approx. 20% higher in Astana than Almaty (depending on what you are looking for), but I believe that the salaries (at least for the locals) are lower in Astana as most employers are government related - standards of living is therefore higher in Almaty...

----- Renting Houses

For less than the rent of an apartment in the centre you will be able to rent an entire house less than an hour away and even the cost of taxis to and from i.e. the daily commute would give you a total monthly cost of less than living in the centre; however with harsh winters and additional heating costs etc. I would not recommend it unless you are bringing a large family with you...

----- Letting Agents

When looking for an apartment, you usually commission an agent to look for you - however it is my experience that they usually just search on the internet and then charge you for doing what you could have done yourself! I still usually use an agent however as it just makes things easier and once you know the rules it is not so expensive...

Agents usually charge both the tenant and the landlord a fee upon acceptance of a rental agreement and the amount you pay is negotiable... Some will try and charge you per viewing, however if you agree to this - don't be surprised if they show you many (and charge you) before they eventually show you what you are looking for! )))

I now usually agree a good commission upon finding what I am looking for an nothing else, then the agent will do their best to avoid wasting either of your time... Some agents will also ask for a flat fee up-front in advance; out of my friends and colleagues who have agreed to this, not one has been satisfied - so avoid at all costs and keep looking for a reputable agent until you find someone...

----- Making the deal

When you find the property you are looking for - try and make a decision within a couple of hours at the most as they tend to rent very quickly...

Also make sure in advance that the owners you are renting from have all the necessary documents for the property and are prepared to help you with your registration i.e. proof that you live there which is a provision for your visa i.e. without registration within 3-5 days of entry into the country - you will be in breach of your visa terms and subject to deportation...

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All the above information is based on my conclusions being in and out of the country for several
years and not from a primary source; this is just a guide and I strongly recommend you double check everything... That said and done - this information has served me well! )))

Best wishes,

Darren
almatyhowitis.wordpress.com/