It also means credit is available from the commercial banks for the first time in almost 4 years. Exactly how this credit and money availability will affect the availability of mortgages is not clear yet. Now comes the projected (expected) BOOM. Bariloche’s current population of 160,000 is expected to more than double in the next 5 years.

Bariloche is surrounded by 2.5 million acres of National Parks. The Lakes District is often referred to as “ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFULL PLACES ON EARTH”. Bariloche is listed as one of the places everyone should visit before they die. This public land does prevent urban sprawl in the beautiful areas, but it also limits the amount of land that can be sold to the growing population.

The Lake front areas will appreciate the most quickly, but when the demand exceeds the market supply, all real estate prices will go up. Typically this is an investor situation that takes a lot of money to ‘get in on’, but today a beautiful house with a view of the Lake and surrounding snow capped Andes Mountains can be bought for less than $100,000usd. In Colorado the lake front real estate would cost millions. Try to find a huge beautiful home on Lake Tahoe (in California) for under a $100,000. There are some very nice homes for less than $70,000usd. These are Real Estate Agency quotes, so you can do better. There are two areas that will appreciate the fastest.

Prediction are that neighboring communities like El Bolson and the communities of Lago Puelo and Epuyen in the northern part of the state of Chubut will continue to grow rapidly. The attractions are the Nacional Parque de Lago Puelo and the La Hoya ski resort. A new Casino and ski resort is already in the works for the beautiful farming community of El Bolson (which has already grown by 30% in the last 3 years). Properties in this area are still priced low, with simple homes in a quiet area and  good view (a good view is almost inescapable) selling for less than $50,000usd(realtor prices;-). The “plus” here is that you can live in an incredibly beautiful place until you get an offer you can’t refuse.

For the investor with less money or an eye for the future the communities of Esquel and Trevelin are available. These two towns and the smaller villages surrounding Parque Nacional de Los Alerces are predicted to appreciate as the government promotes these tourist treasures. ‘Alerces are redwood trees similar to those in California. These trees grow slowly to 45 meters or more and can live thousands of years. There are so many small lakes that some are still un-named This under-utilized Park with the charming Villa Futalaufquen actually inside the park. Starting with tourist locations and the “second home” market real estate prices are going to shoot up. Winter weather is more of a factor here. Unless you are a “winter wonderland” buff, you may be looking at this area as more of an investment than a “live year round” possibility like Bariloche, or El Bolson, which have milder weather.

The real “secret” of the report is the Argentine government’s commitment to developing El Chalten and to a lesser extent El Calafate in the state of Santa Cruz. The Tourism planners are determined to make El Chalten (the access town for Cerro Fitz-Roy) “THE” climbing destination, and “THE” trekking destination for South America. El Calafate is already a major destination for glacier viewers as it is the access point for the massive Perito Moreno glacier that flows into Lago Argentino. Lago Argentino is the largest body of water in Argentina and the fishing, for both trout and land-locked salmon is remarkable. El Calafate is the jumping off spot for the 4 hour bus ride to El Chalten. You can fly directly to El Calafate. With government plans for recreational developement El Chalten will grow into a much larger resort area as adventure travelers, trekkers, and climbers come to this unique place.

And that is really the point: If you can offer something unique and accessible and “safe”

“THEY WILL COME” and some of “THEM” will stay - which is a formula for real estate investment that makes money.

On February 25,2005 when settlement of the “External Debt” was announced money began to flow to Argentina. The Bariloche-Lake Nahuel Huapi, Lake District area will grow tremendously from San Martin de Los Andes in the north of the Lake District to El Bolson in the southern edge of the state of Rio Negro over the next 5 years or more. The Area around Parque Nacional de Los Alerces will develop rapidly. Esquel and Welsh flavored Trevelin will grow as more people discover the huge Park with the Redwood like Millennial trees, the incredibly beautiful Lakes and rivers (rumours are, that the waters are full of trout). A few people will even wander around Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’s old ranch in Cholila and hear the stories of the “Banditos Americanos” being ‘alive and well’ years after their well-publicized “demise” in Bolivia.

And finally the real estate investment “pot of gold” could turn out to be El Chalten in the shadows of the “Needle” Mount Fitz Roy. Adventure trekking and whitewater rafting, and trout fishing as well as climbing the difficult peak will make El Chalten an important tourist destination and an interesting place to invest.

You can build beautiful buildings, but you can’t build views like this...

The following are the previous articles that Doug wrote for the magazine:

•  A Little More On Living In San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina ~ Escaping To Patagonia 
•  Living In San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina ~ Real Estate And Life In Bariloche

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