rentals

To get around a fiador, or guarantor, requirement, which is common in Medellín, here are some possibilities....

1.  Offer to pay three or six months of rent in advance.

2.  Deal with apartment owners, not agencies.

3.  Use airbnb.com

  -- cccmedia

Thanks so much

So a fiador is essentially a co-signer, correct?  Does it need to be someone local to the city you are leasing in, or can it be somebody from another part of Colombia?

Typically, an acceptable fiador owns property that is in the same city as the rental property you are considering.

cccmedia

Fiador can be in any city. But musttnot have a "Restriction Familiar" on their property- i.e. a restriction saying that their property can be embargoed because they have dependents less than 25 years living in the property.

Good luck finding someone who trusts you that much  not knowing anyone there

f you skip rent, they WILL put an embargo and eventually sequestre (confiscate) on the other persons property until they pay the lost rent per contract, interest at 2 to 3% per month, plus legal costs.

Many owners wont even accept 6 months rent down.

Try to find an expat land lord, who accepts month by  month payments. They are more reasonable.

Or better yet, go AirnB until you "Learn the ropes"