Something interesting just happened

[Pordzhik]

... in response to Good deal!.... price of flats etc., posted by Jack on Feb 4, 2002

shortest post you've ever written jack?

Really I'm not in this for profit. Just thought it was about time I pointed some of the guys in the right direction- And that address was for Lviv not Kiev.

Now can you get anyone a better price anywhere in FSU....

it's there to be had, just look.

[Pordzhik]

... in response to Re: Good deal!.... price of flats etc., posted by Pordzhik on Feb 4, 2002

I've an honest living to make.

Be back tomorrow, if Patrick don't shoot me down.

Lets see what some of you can come up with.

[jj]

... in response to Something interesting just happened, posted by Jack on Feb 3, 2002

The apartment I hired was 35USD/Night.  I could have gotten a cheaper flat at 25USD/night but I decided I wanted a washing machine, cable TV, independent hot water and telephone. (Local calls included) I used a telephone call card for international and long distance.  Having decided to stay longer I negoitagted a much cheaper rate 500USD/Month and stayed in Kiev all up for three months over summer.  Now this was a very  good flate in a great part of town only two metro stops from McDonalds in the city cener.  I rented  a similar flate next to the British embassy for the same price (35USD/night) but I found Podil to be a much better place to live. Podil was recommended to me by a friend of an Australian friend I met in Kiev.  She worked for the American Embassy and helps many Foriegners find good reasonable accomodation. Podil was a great choice close to markets and transport.  My landlady spoke very good englsh. I was told at first when searching my trip that no one spoke english.. it owas unsafe that you need a translator and you will need to book a private driver etc etc.   MOst this information was false and later I found wwas proporganda from the agencies.  The cost of a taxi from the airport to the city center was 70UAH (15USD) (From the City to the Airport via a private car only cost me 50UAH).  NOw I could not have asked for a better appartment, It was much better than the run down appartments I was shown by some of the agencies.  I latter met some guys in the Internet Cafe - All who could speak pretty good english that you can rent veruy good appartments for 25-35USD.  

Now I do not care much for waht jack has to say and readers can deceide for themselves what they want to spend their money on.  But havoing looked at the photo's apartments on Jacks web site I can tell you my apartment was much better and more modern than the on;s advertised by Jack's agency.  

I have also seen some opf teh appartments that are siad to be in the City Centre and I can tell you in trensms of getting around Podil was great and if you can get BETTER accomodation at a CHEAPER rate and only be two metro stops away but close to Supermarkets, shops etc... then I now what I would do.

BUT PLEASE DO NOT TAKE MY ADVICE IF YOU ARE UNSURE...  IT DOES NOT BOTHER ME... COME TO THINK OF IT I GUESS IT IS BETTER THIUS WAY WHEN I RETURN I WILL NOT HAVE AS MUCH TROUBLE FINDING THE PLACE I WANT...  OH BUT THE WAY PODIL IS THE PLACE WHERE THE STAFF FAROM THE WORLD BAMK, UN ADN THE US EMBASSY LIVE...  And many people there spoke ENGLISH..

SO PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO JACK WHEN HE TRIES TO TELL YOU LIVE IN THE CENTRE --- LIVE IN A JACK APPARTMENT..  OR PAY THROUGH THE NOSE.

For those who now Stcokholm Podil is like Gama Stan.  It is the Old City Center near Adriv's Church, Knotractova and McDonalds...  But the River...  Great place.

[BubbaGump]

... in response to In reply...., posted by jj on Feb 4, 2002

they take your money, call the police or kick you out on the street.  I feel safer with an American company as the intermediary.

[Jack]

... in response to In reply...., posted by jj on Feb 4, 2002

Please Max/jj, for the 50th time, how do we find this great flat? Is it a secret, you talk about this great flat at a great price but you can't produce it. How do we know it is as beautiful as you say if we can't see it?

Did you know that another fella named Max from Australlia,  was telling us about a flat very similiar to this. I wonder if this was your friend from Australlia who showed this to you jj/Max?

jj/Max, we all believe you, many men would like to rent this great flat you talk about for over a year, well since the time that Max disappeared and jj showed up, maybe you can show photos of this flat?

[jj]

... in response to In reply...., posted by Jack on Feb 4, 2002

,

[Pete]

... in response to Something interesting just happened, posted by Jack on Feb 3, 2002

Jack, I must take exception to your statement that your people only charge $5.00 a day above the rate charged by the owners of apartments that you use.
When in Odessa,I got to know the mother and daughter who own an apartment your mother-in-law put me in, and found that I was paying $15.00 a day over what the apartment owner was receiving. After 2 weeks there I paid $210.00 to your mother-in-law, since I was paying $45.00 a night for the apartment and the owner told me she only got $30.00 a night on a nightly basis.  There are many apartments available for a lot less than you mention IF a person knows how to go about getting one.
I now pay $300.00 a month for a fully furnished apartment in Kiev when I am there, and it is about 300 yards from the large market at the end of Kreschatik, but a girlfriend helped me find it and even she admitted that $300.00 a month is a lot of money for an apartment there.
The main problem I see is that those who are trying to "help" a person find something always try to get as much for themselves as they can.

[Mark W]

... in response to $5.00 a day is not the truth, posted by Pete on Feb 4, 2002

If it is not private I would like to know how you found the apartment in Kiev.  I will likely be going back in April and would like a better deal than my trip over the holidays.

You can email me if you like.

Thanks,

Mark

[jj]

... in response to Can you furnish the apt. contacts, posted by Mark W on Feb 4, 2002

A friend of mine, Paul, know a friend who worked at the US embassy and they help me get the apartment.  I deal directly with the land lady who has become a very good friend.  Antother friend of mine from Switzerland found a great apartment 25USD/Night in Podil via an Australian Agency.

How long are you planning on going...  My only hesitation of goiving my contact is that I want to be sure that I can book the apartment when I visit again... soon I hope...  maybe this time I will stay six months...  cheaper by the month.

[Jack]

... in response to $5.00 a day is not the truth, posted by Pete on Feb 4, 2002

Pete, can you give me the address that you were staying at in Odessa?

Write me back at nunya@ix.netcom.com  I will look into this and will send you a refund if this is indeed the case.

[jj]

... in response to $5.00 a day is not the truth, posted by Pete on Feb 4, 2002

.

[SteveD]

... in response to The Agency fee is more like 40%  nt.., posted by jj on Feb 4, 2002

I spent some time researching apartment prices the last few times I was in Kiev.

If your renting downtown then you really must expect to pay upwards of $55 a night, alot more if its been euro-renovated.

Its possible to get it cheaper if you rent direct from the owner, however in all likely hood you will be using an agent.
Agents are in business to make money and there fees are 50% on top of the rent that the owner wants. So if you rent an apartment for 1 week at $75 a night, then $350 goes to the owner and $175 to the agent.

If your renting monthly then you can expect to get a discount of at least 25% on the nightly rate.

You won't find an apartment to rent for $300 a month any where near down town. If your lucky you may get something further out for this price but probably you wouldn't want to live in it!

$500 a month will get you a nice 1 bedroom apartment 2 or 3 metro stops out from down town.

As a rule of thumb, the rents charged correspond to a yield of about 20% p.a. on the value of the property (assuming 100% occupancy...which of course no one gets)

STEVE

[jj]

... in response to the truth, posted by SteveD on Feb 4, 2002

.  The question is what is down town.  We could say that down town is withio the Metro triangle in which case Podil was one to two stops...  I stayed at first in Kiev at a great place that I found via Lonley Planet.  It was the size of two 2 room flats...  very moden and priced at 70USD per night.  2 bedrooms, One small sitting room, 1 Large Dinning/Lounge Roos.  Toliet and Bathroom.  Cable TV and hot water ect...  Great place for a small group.

I later stayed at a place next to the Britsh Embassy near the main Church on top of the hill (Finicular) it was good but doid not have a washing machine.  Ok for a few nights..  But the flat in Podil was the best.  A single room serviced weekly and great value.  I am told there are many such flats.  I was also told to avoid the left bank...

My contact was via the a Friend (His name was Paul, Jack, and yes he had met a guy named Max who I think you are refering to but I anm not sure.  I will asl when I see him next.  We live 10000Km but we do keep in touch occassionally.)  I can give those interested a name of another friend that hired a good flat, a bit more basic then mine but clean and comfortable (Better then the photos of Jacks apartments)for 25USD.

I am trying to contact my land lady as we speak to see if I can book it again this time for a longer period.

We found this contact via another friend who works in the US Embassy...  Maybe you should ask there....  

[Jack]

... in response to Thanks Steve .. you are right..., posted by jj on Feb 4, 2002

You are correct Steve, you have done your homework. No flat ANYWHERE close to the center can be rented for $300 a month.

For $300 a month you will be lucky to get a flat further out but you probably wouldn't want to live there (unless you were an Aussie).  

IF you go some 2 or 3 stops away from the center you might find something for $500 a month.

Best price flats in the center of Kiev will be going for $55 a night, and much more if they are Euro-renovated.

I am glad Max/jj finally admits to this.

[Mike]

... in response to Something interesting just happened, posted by Jack on Feb 3, 2002

Tatyana the girl I recomend as a translator had no idea what to charge people, so I thought about what I would be willing to pay her if I needed her, so I told her to charge $50 a day or $15 an hour. The $50 a day would get you picked up from the airport in Moscow,then taken to your apartment and then she would spend the day showing you where all the hot spots are, and how to use the Metro and all your basic survival skills. The reason I told her $15 an hour is I thought it would be a real pain for her to travel to god knows where in Moscow to translate for one hour and disrupt her day. I suppose I should have seen what the going prices per hour are before I put that price in her head! Hey she's a little hotty maybe I was thinking with the wrong head hmmmm
Mike