Here’s the reason I’ve been a little quiet on the blog lately. For the past 18 months, my team and I have been busy renovating and furnishing 20 apartments in Cali. And now they are ready for you to see them…
Although there are plenty of buildings for sale in Cali, it took us a while to find exactly the right buildings. We needed the right location, size, layout, ceiling heights, healthy bones and of course, price per square meter in order to make these projects work. On top of that, we needed to make sure that the buildings were located in areas where the local zoning permits apartment hotel operation. If not, it would be impossible to get the property registered with the Ministry of Tourism which is necessary in order to operate legally in Colombia. (I mention this because most apartments on the short-term rental market in Colombia are technically illegal. Any contract of less than 30 days is considered tourism, and in order to rent to tourists, the property must be registered with the Ministry of Tourism and comply with the NTS002 regulation)
We finally decided to buy one building in Granada and two in El Peñon.
Take a look at this 3-story building in Granada when we bought it…
And look at it today…
Quite a transformation, right?
We tore the place the pieces until only the bare bones were visible. Then we began rebuilding, from the ground up. And we spared no expense. The plumbing was changed, drainage and water pipes. All the old electrical cables were ripped out and a completely new electrical grid installed that complies with today’s requirements. We changed the roof, added a water reserve tank, a hot water recirculating system, A/C units in all rooms, high-speed internet with the best access points, jacuzzis, big screen TVs and high-quality furniture. Basically everything you could think of in order to provide our guests with the best experience for their stay in Cali.
Here’s what our bedrooms look like…
Our top-floor units feature outdoors space with dining and jacuzzi.
One of the reasons that I, personally, always try to rent an apartment for my travels is because I travel with kids. It’s so nice to be able to put the kids to sleep in one bedroom and watch a movie in another room without waking them up. Sometimes we even travel with grandparents and when getting a nice apartment, there is space enough for all us to be together yet simultaneously each person can have his/her privacy, private bathroom, etc. Also, to be honest, most hotel breakfasts suck. I’d much rather make my own breakfast than being forced to eat a dead piece of Pan Bimbo with some dry eggs. Or go out and try the local dining options instead of feeling obligated to eat the standard continental fare.
But these furnished apartments are not just for families. They make the perfect spot for groups of friends and even executives who want more space and a more personal experience that most hotels can offer… often at the same price or less. And one of the big benefits is that you can invite people over for dinner, drinks, and so forth – things that are complicated in a hotel in Colombia without having to register the visitor and maybe pay for an extra person.
Our apartments come in one, two and three bedrooms options with room for up to 6 people.
If you would like to see the entire portfolio of furnished apartments out of curiosity or maybe even rent a unit, click here.
These projects are based on a crowdfunded investment model. The minimum investment is $25.000 USD. Our investors receive quarterly dividends, access to the Colombian investment visa, capital appreciation, and currency diversification. If you would like to know more about our current opportunities, send me an email to patrick@caliadventurer.com.
If you have questions or need advice on how to buy property in Cali, how to hire contractors, navigate the zoning and get a building permit, etc, then feel free to comment below and I’ll do my very best to help.
Hi Patrick … How would you go about in selling an loft apto. located in el Peñon?
Any tips on finding a month to month place near 6th Street? About how much would a reasonably nice condo cost for a month there?
I am looking for a furnished apartment in Cali starting in Feb. I will stay in Cali 1 to 3 months. I will be there on business. I will be traveling alone so only need 1 bedroom apart. My budget is USD 500 per month. I welcome any suggestions.
Kevin Burns