Looking for a business location to rent

I just got my business license in Buenaventura Colombia and I am having a hard time getting someone to rent me space in downtown Buenaventura or at 14 ( a strip mall next to the grocery store). I have a job and can make the payment. There are lots of available spaces and I don't see why anyone wouldn't want to fill them. I am told I need a Colombian Cosigner that makes three times the amount of the rent. This is hard to find. It seems that most of the owners of these establishments live in Cali Colombian. The office manager in Buenaventura is not being helpful and is giving me the run around. How do you go about renting space here without this requirement. I meet all of the other requirements.  Thanks for any advise or help with this matter. Hope to here from someone soon. Mary

Hi Jan1mra and congratulation for your business license!;)

Have you tried to post an advert in Cali classifieds > accommodation section/ Offices, commercials, restaurants? Hope it helps.

Harmonie.:)

Hello Harmonie,

Thanks for your suggestion. I will check on this right away.

Mary

Hahaha! welcome to Colombia! I got my business registration in one day.
had hard time to rent an apartment, Luckily the person I hired to translate for me registered the: 1. phone, 2. apartment,under his father's name.
talking about doing business in Colombia! I think I made the wrong choice.
Banking system is terrible, it took a week to open a business account!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am still fighting with telemax the internet/phone company to install the services for 20 days !!! I kid you NOT!.
I ordered equipment for the business I was supposed to get them within 7 days.... guess what! it is over 15 days now!
Looks like everything here tells you we don't want foreigner investments in colombia!
I am frustrated! I missed Canadian -40 degrees!

Nazo,

You are too funny. I see it is easy to get the business registed but everything else is a nightmare. I had to set up in my friends uncle business to start out. He is renting me 50% of his space to keep me from having to continue through with this drama. The person he rents from is remodeling one of his buildings and we are going to get that location when it is completed. I am having to get my visa and a cellular ID before I can open a bank account. I am hoping that goes over well.Don't see why it would go smooth nothing else has. We move into his uncle location on the 22nd of this month. I have figures, toes, and eyes crossed and praying that I can get everything up and running no later than the end of the month. It is crazy. I agree, it seems as if they don't want foreign investors. Glad I have a friend here. Otherwise, I would have given out by now.

Don't give up! It will work itself out in the fullness of time.

What type of business are you starting?

Mary