Coldwell Banker Around the World: July 2021

The following guest post was co-written by Lynn Kaiser Conrad, Brand Ambassador, and Kaitlin McMurdo, International Affiliate Service Director, for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC

A vast South American wonderland abounds with adventure, wildlife, culture, and wine! This country is home to the Andes’ snow-covered peaks as well as dense marshlands, picture-perfect lakes, Valdivian forests, and arid deserts. Can you guess where we are headed this month? Argentina!

Argentines are passionate about their diverse culture and are devoted to their love of fútbol, tango, wine, flame-charred meat, and adventure. While half of Argentina’s population lives in the area around Buenos Aires, it is not the only unique city — Córdoba, Salta, Mendoza and Bariloche each offer their own distinct personality.

In contrast to the busy cities of Argentina, the southern section of the country is a mystical area. Covered by an enormous barren, silent, beautiful region is Patagonia which features impressive sights and our very own Coldwell Banker office – Coldwell Banker Patagonia Lakes in Villa La Angostura. “Living in Villa La Angostura is the best thing that could have happened to me. I found the perfect balance to raise a family and educate my children in a healthy environment surrounded by nature, mineral fresh water, and majestic mountains,” Javier Genesio, Owner said. Javier also says Patagonia is an excellent place to invest in real estate. “You will be successful if you build properties to sell them, or simply build houses to rent to a tourist or on a permanent basis.”

If the quality of life and opportunities to build your own real estate empire have made you fall in love with Patagonia, Javier invites you to work remotely from their small corner of the planet, as their excellent fiber-optic internet can keep you connected to the rest of the world!

Where do you live: I live in Villa La Angostura, Neuquén Province, Patagonia, Argentina

What is the perfect weekend day like: An ideal weekend for me is to get up early on a 25° C summer morning, buy some drinks, and load gasoline to go sailing through Lake Nahuel Huapi. with my wife and two children. I like to fish from the boat on the way to Victoria Island, then when we get to “Piedras Blancas,” we light a fire and cook some freshly caught trout while my kids enjoy snorkeling, windsurfing and stand-up paddle surfing. The daylight ends around 10:00 PM so you can enjoy almost 15 hours of light in the summer. Alternatively, a winter plan can be a Ski Day in the Ski Center Boutique “Cerro Bayo.” This is a very friendly hill with excellent trails, ideal for families and experienced lovers of the best ski resort landscapes in the world.

What are the common modes of transportation there: The people move around the area with their own cars, rental cars, and increasingly more by bicycle.

Tell us about the foods your area is known for: In Argentina the most famous food is barbecue. We have some of the best export meats like “Cordero Patagónico” (Patagonian-style roast lamb)

What is your favorite meal? At home or at a restaurant: My favorite meal in Villa La Angostura is the “Trucha” (fish) with salad.

Where do you recommend someone vacation in your region, why: I highly recommend visiting this region because from Villa La Angostura you can travel the Seven Lakes, as well as important cities such as San Carlos de Bariloche and San Martín de los Andes (less than 1 hour by car).

What is your favorite recreational or leisure time activity: I recommend two very interesting activities: One is to rent a kayak and leave from the port of Villa la Angostura and paddle for 2 hours to Puerto Manzano, touring the most beautiful bays of the town with transparent water. I also recommend touring the Quetrihué Peninsula by bike or walking for 12km and returning by boat from the Arrayanes Forest

Is there a specialty your area is known for: Villa La Angostura is a place specialized in the attention to tourists who are looking for a different holiday full of nature, outdoors and especially in these free times of Covid, since moving in the open air is difficult in cities due to the contagion of this disease.

Share a little known but interesting fact about the area/region: I recommend checking out the viewpoints that the town has both in the port and in Bayo Hill, where you can appreciate some of the best views of the world from the height, appreciating the immensity of the Lake Nahuel Huapi!

If you were to live in any other region where we have a Coldwell Banker presence, where would it be and why: I would love to live in the first world, so I would choose to live somewhere in the United States, because I appreciate very much the stability that such countries present. While I love living in Villa la Angostura, sometimes I would like to live in more stable places in terms of government policies. However, at the level of security and human warmth, this is the best place in the world to live!

Key Facts:
- Population: approximately 20,000 inhabitants
- Language(s) Spoken: Spanish
- Climate: In summer from December to March about 20 degrees Celsius average, and sunny. In autumn it rains a lot, but the landscapes are very nice with an average of 8 degrees. In winter temperatures average 4 degrees, ideal for skiing, and in spring temperatures are around 12 degrees with a very pleasant and dry climate.
- Currency: Peso Argentino
Industry Facts
- Types of Architecture: Mountain architecture, boutique, rustic. Additionally, in recent years, people are developing high-end premium ventures with amenities and lake coast.
- Average Sale price: In Villa La Angostura the average is in 2,000 USD/m²
- Average years in house/apt: 5 years
- Types of Financing: Here in Argentina, we do not have loans for real state. Only developers offer to pay for the projects in a well-financed way.