I recently rented an apartment in Colombia, South America. I offered to pay the real estate office 6 months in advance. They refused without blinking an eye. In order for me to get this apartment I had to have my girlfriend and two friends guarantee I would pay the rent. My one friend was a police officer and he had to get a letter from his office saying he was employed and how much he made. She also had to supply proof that she owned property and she had to swear to this in front of a Notary. After I had secured all of this information I myself had to attend a notary and swear to all of this. To add insult to injury, I had to have my thumb "printed" in their office.

Many foreigners travel to Bogota and think that they will find a nice place to live for cheap. This is possible but you have to through the process above. And, all of these apartments and homes come with absolutely no furniture or appliances. The houses and apartments are totally bare! No light bulbs and no hot water heater....nothing. The main reason for all of this, is that there is a total lack of trust towards anyone wanting to rent a place in Bogota.

That's part of the reason why it is hard to find cheap and affordable accommodations for the budget traveler in Colombia. Affordable and luxurious apartments are a great find for travelers to Bogota who do not want to pay the outrageous prices the hotels are asking.

If you have not visited Colombia or Bogota now is the time for you to venture on this wonderful journey to one of the most interesting places on planet earth. Tourism is hitting Colombia and the friendly Spanish speaking people there are waiting to greet you to their great country. Colombians are very friendly by nature and will do everything to accommodate you.

For more information on Bogotá please see http://www.apartmentinbogota.com