“To say in a few words who Michael Koh is for me is not an easy task. Mainly because the huge admiration that he inspires in me, but also because he is one of those great guys that you can call “one of a kind”. Not because I don´t have any other words but this cliché to describe him is because he is really an outstanding man.
Since I met him in 2003, my business and personal life have changed drastically. He taught me all what I know in business, and most important of all, I saw every single aspect of his business ideas become a reality. It´s as incredible as it sounds, but in despite of his knowledge, intelligence and experience; I´d say, he also has a natural instinct for business. And believe me, to do what he has done in a foreign country like Argentina (to start a small business and turn it into an international powerhouse) is something that not many people can accomplish (and here, “not many”, can be considered as an euphemism).
How to be fair in a recommendation of a few words with someone who has always been so generous with everyone (and especially with me), a person that is as great a businessman as he is as a father and friend. Because his talent for business is just a small part of Michael; he, as a human being, is unique as well. I don´t know anyone more honest and ethical than him. I could also add, the fact that I´m writing this note in English. It is also something I owe to him, since I learned the language working with him and spending so much time with him over the past several years.
Please, feel free to contact me for any additional reference about Michael Koh. I can also provide the testimonial of many professionals and clients that have worked with him during the past seven years."
Luciano Walter
LW - Imports
Cabralstraat 32-1
1057 CH Amsterdam
0031(6) 84771231
0031(6) 42854885
luciano@fueradeestado.com.ar
www.fueradeestado.com.ar
I first contacted Michael Koh back in 2005, from the middle of the paddy fields while working in southern Taiwan. That day completely changed my life forever.
I was always fascinated with Michael's website [which he owned at the time] apartmentsba.com and would look at it on a daily basis. All of the units were incredible and fully booked. It was obvious they were making great returns so I decided to buy one for myself. I spoke with Mike on the phone and immediately hired him to find the right property.
A few weeks later he found a great loft in Recoleta and told me it would make a unique rental, he couldn’t guarantee the number of nights it would rent but estimated at least 15 to 20 days per month. I trusted his judgment and flew out to Buenos Aires a few weeks later to see the apartment and close the deal.
3 months later after an extensive renovation, which I also hired Mike to do as well as hiring him to furnish it… it turned out to be a perfect luxury rental. Mike had it booked 20+ nights a month. I was now keen to start my own apartment rental business but wasn’t exactly sure how to go about it so I emailed Mike about his franchise opportunities.
I researched every city in South America trying to decide which one would work best, originally I had my eye on Sao Paulo, Brazil, but I speak Spanish and love Argentina so really I preferred to be there. I wasn't sure how to start an apartment rental business, but Mike assured me that he would teach me step by step everything I needed to know about building a successful company.
Mike was spot on about my apartment purchase in Buenos Aires so I trusted him 100% and decided to buy the ApartmentsBariloche.com franchise. I quit my job in the middle of the rice fields of Taiwan and never looked back.
Mike told me it would be a lot of hard work to build the company, but in the end it would pay off. He was right yet again. The first 3 years it took 16 hour days, 7 days a week to build the business into the success it is today, exactly as Mike told me it would back in 2006 if I followed his advice and built it up properly from day one. The time frame and estimated growth he predicted was exactly as he explained and outlined in my first meeting with him so many years ago.
Mike is without a doubt the most professional and hardest working businessman I have ever met. For more than 4 years I have been honored to have Michael as my mentor. He has guided me into building a successful and profitable business and has completely changed my life. My entrepreneurial journey would not have been as successful as it has been if it weren't for Mike in my life. He showed me that I could become whatever I wanted to and he has devoted a lot of his time and energy over the past 4 years to help me achieve my goals.
I am now building my 2nd luxury apartment and villa rental company in Colombia. I would never have been able to build new businesses if it wasn’t for Michael Koh. He taught me everything I know about the luxury rental business and how to build a solid company. I credit my success to him. Michael is without any doubt by far the best in the luxury apartment rental business anywhere in South America. I can highly recommend him
Mark Mills
President
ApartmentsBariloche.com
“It gives me great pleasure to provide a most outstanding reference for Mike Koh. Mike and I worked together for the last 8 years during his tenure as Founder and Owner of ApartmentsBA.
Over the last 12 years, I have had the privilege to work with outstanding business professionals but without a doubt, Mike was one of the best.
I make this judgment because of the unique way that he blends three critical elements:
1. Broad technical knowledge for Property Investments in Argentina for foreigners.
2. Outstanding people skills, and
3. An appreciation for the flexibility and innovation required in today's business world.
I'll expand on all three areas.
With regard to his technical skills, one of the attractions for me about Apartments BA was the simple way to do business with properties in Argentina`s market without having problems in which also he worked to support the Argentine staff so that he could focus on his core business. Amazing!
Between Mike and myself, I always knew things would work well. His judgment about the handling of a myriad of clients’ issues was always right on, and I had explicit trust in his counsel.
He is a very hard worker. He is on line no matter what day it is or what country he can be at. He`s always available.
The way I experienced him with every project was he could overwhelm you with his enthusiasm and make you crazy with his dogged pursuit of what he believes is right for the client. However, all his staff and I recognized and respected his commitment to doing the right thing in the right way to keep the project moving forward or to protect always the client with honesty.
His strong values and genuine respect for people are all too rare.
Finally, what I can see in Mike is that he stands out as a great human being as well as an excellent professional of what it takes to run a successful business and be a successful businessman. He always made great contributions in order to solve whatever inconveniences came up with simple strategies and then had the creativity, flexibility, and energy to make sure that all of the issues were handled in a simple and honest way.
This set of skills made Mike a strong business partner for me. I love working with him.
It is rare to have the opportunity to provide such an outstanding recommendation for an individual. In Mike's case I do it without reservation. I would be happy to provide any additional information that someone might need.”
Analia Eis
Interior Designer & Owner
Estudio AE y Asociados
“My wife and I visited Buenos for two weeks in January 2007. After a few days sightseeing, we fell in love with the city and, as we often do when we come across a beautiful place, we started daydreaming about having a place there. In most cases, our fantasy dissolves in the thousand questions about how it’s done and who you can trust and whether you’ll make any money and on and on. By chance, during our stay a friend sent us a New York Times travel article where the writer had rented an apartment from ApartmentsBA. With the idea that here might be a service to get in bed with, we logged on to Michael’s site and started reading.
Impressed by his transparency and business philosophy, we set up a meeting with him for the day before our flight back to the US. We put down our consulting fee for the initial consultation and he asked what questions we had--we didn’t have many after reading his thorough website but he clarified a couple of things about the process and discussed neighborhoods with us. There was no selling at this meeting, just more of the straight talk that he put on his site.
When we got back to the States, we continued to correspond with Michael via email. He was very generous with his answers to our questions and our concerns about the process—and we hadn’t yet paid the balance of his consulting fee. Within a week, he sent us the first prospect that matched our criteria and at that point we quickly wired him the rest of the consulting fee plus an amount for the reserva (initial offer).
Here’s where Michael’s true colors showed the brightest—when that prospect went away, he wrote back offering to return what we’d just wired him.
Our first reaction to Michael’s consulting fee had been a worry that this guy we didn’t know might just be out to collect fees and wouldn’t come through, but if we had a shadow of a doubt left, his offer to return our money wiped that away. Michael wasn’t interested in our fee. He was in it for the long haul.
He continued to send us prospects for another month, at which time, one came through that seemed absolutely perfect. Being totally transparent about his process, he sent an email to five consulting clients, ourselves included, announcing the apartment’s availability. He explained that he’d see the place on Friday, take more pictures and determine whether it was a good property for his management company. Once his inspection was complete, he would give his opinion to the group and the first person to email back would be the person he would represent for the property purchase.
By chance, we were up late that evening and, after an hour-long, intense conversation, we emailed that we wanted the place. We were first and later we were told 3 other clients all emailed the following day all wanting to purchase the same property. We beat them by a few hours.
Over the next two weeks, we had some paperwork to deal with:
1. Power of attorney for Mike to purchase the property on our behalf. We needed to have these notarized, have the notary certified and then have an international Hague Convention Apostile seal put on the signature pages. Then we had to FedEx the entire package to Argentina. All told, this cost just under $200.
2. Mike needed scans of our passports and financial data (mainly, as I understand, to satisfy US Homeland Security laws as well as Argentina anti-money laundering laws established).
Michael stayed in the loop, making sure that we were getting our questions answered and that all things were moving forward. He also handled the final negotiations with the seller. He also handled getting our tax ID numbers (CDI #) for Argentina, which is required to buy real estate.
It was very nerve-racking putting this much trust in someone in a foreign country. My wife and I had a long talk. I reread a lot of the information on his website. Finally, we came to the conclusion that either Michael was entirely trustworthy or he was running a scam on the level of Enron. We wired the money.
Michael arranged to go straight to the closing since the property was ready to purchase. We had expected to have a month to liquidate the rest of our funds. Thinking that two weeks might not be enough, we asked Michael to get us some extra time, which he did. We wired the money to our bank account that he helped us set up in Argentina and the entire purchase was finished two weeks later. Michael handled the entire purchase process with us in the USA.
We went back and forth about whether to pay Michael’s furniture and remodeling fee. We had a designer friend in Buenos Aires who had offered to help, but realizing that there would be challenges, we decided at first to pay the fee. Then days later, after we’d already wired the money, we changed our minds and decided to use our friend instead. Michael wired our money back immediately.
Our friend got started decorating and a month and a half later, we went down to Buenos Aires ourselves to do the final decorations ourselves. We had a great time and I wouldn’t have done it differently knowing what I know now, but let me say that we paid twice as much for our decorator as we would have for Michael’s furniture and remodeling fee.
Much of our labor budget went towards paying someone to wait at the apartment for the cable company to come, for instance. I cannot imagine that Michael makes a penny off his furniture coordination fee.
The happy ending is that, a couple of weeks after Michael listed it, our apartment started renting. If it keeps up like this, we’ll be getting full payback within 10 years.
I cannot recommend Michael and his company more enthusiastically.”
A. Colesberry,
Real Estate Investor
USA
“Michael is a well respected entrepreneur in Latin America. He has great knowledge of the real estate market in the region and has successfully directed the subsidiaries of ApartmentsBA.com in the right path.
I recommend Michael Koh to any company or person who is looking for a committed, down to Earth, honest and hands on professional.”
Ximena Miroquesada,
Managing Partner
ApartmentsLima.com
“Mike is one of the best professionals that I have crossed in my professional life as a real estate investor. He is a very serious, hands on professional who run his company with an excellent relationship with his employees and, above all, his customers. I can only highly recommend Mike and his services.”
Francisco Fino
Real Estate Investor
Portugal
“Michael Koh is the most professional CEO I ever met. He founded a company for apartment rentals in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and in a short time became the best one in the whole country for professionalism, efficiency, highest quality, best service, so that no one could compete with him.
Most of the investors from foreign countries trusted just him to buy their properties and commercialize them as rental apartments.
Everything he does is impeccable, and I as a colleague, learned a lot from him. I'm going to miss working with him since he sold ApartmentsBA. He he was an example for many. Also the employees he had were excellent, very well trained. His empathy made the people around him to be very devoted and committed.”
Beatriz Kajt
Owner
Buenos Aires Housing
“Michael has been very helpful to me over the years we've known each other. From a personal assistant whose service has lasted over 5 years to advice on real estate, Michael has always been a reliable and trustworthy guide.”
Michael Fallow
CEO
Global Wines East Asia Company
* Hired Michael Koh more than once
“Based on the expertise, integrity and professionalism of Michael Koh and his staff, we became owners and investors of property in Buenos Aires. Our needs and interests were continuously served beyond our expectations. Michael and his team protected our investments and interests with attention to every detail.”
Sherry Fardie
Real Estate Investor
USA
“I've worked with Michael Koh at ApartmentsBA during the past 4 years and I can honestly say that it's been 4 amazing years. In addition to being an amazing businessman, he is a great leader that knows how to lead an organization.
He always kept all his employees motivated and always was eager to teach employees how to improve themselves day by day.
Mike is a visionary that managed to move to Argentina alone with a good business plan and turn it into a complete success. Argentina is an incredibly difficult country to navigate a business in and Mike managed to overcome all the obstacles of this difficult country.
He has managed to turn ApartmentsBA into one of the most respected real estate and consulting firms in Argentina.
Without a doubt, Mike truly understands the real estate market in Argentina and it would be difficult to find someone that knows more about the real estate market in Buenos Aires.
He has consulted and assisted hundreds of very satisfied clients that have appreciated his advice on their investments in Argentina. After all these years working next to him, I can say that he was always honored at the responsibility his clients placed upon him and his clients were always his #1 priority and that was the biggest difference in his success.
For all these reasons and so many other reasons, I give Mike my full recommendation and I am available to discuss with anyone that needs to contact me about him.”
Ana Lucius
In House Accountant
ApartmentsBA SRL
“My initial contact with Michael Koh was via email. Despite the fact that Mike gets hundreds of email a day and must devote most of his energy to existing clients, he took the time to answer my questions. He also allowed me to defer fully retaining him until after we met in person; all green flags. I opted for the initial consultation, which was a great value, and he clearly answered all of my questions.
I already had a good impression. When we met in person, my assessment was overwhelmingly confirmed. I have rarely met an individual who exudes so much honestly, enthusiasm and competence in his endeavours.
I was so confident that I purchased two apartments in Recoleta; one was an extensive renovation in an older building (with my best friend Jeff who had never even been to Argentina as a partner) and the other in a new construction building. I hired Mike to coordinate the renovation and furnishing process. The apartment on French is now completed and a smashing success as an ApartmentsBA rental. The apartment on Aguero turned out amazing!
I cannot imagine trying to have gone through this process alone. Finding honest real estate people, attorneys, architects (contractors), buying furniture and appliances are difficult in your own country and language. It would have been a disaster without Mike and his team.
Recently (3.5 years after I purchased the apartment on Aguero) I hired Mike to sell my property on Aguero and he sold it and I hired him to take care of the closing. He took care of the cash closing and remitted the cash to my account in the USA. Mike has my complete confidence and appreciation for the work accomplished on my behalf over the years. His former firm, ApartmentsBA still manages my apartment on French street.”
Duke Siotkas
Captain Delta Airlines
USA
* Hired Michael Koh more than once
“Michael did a truly amazing job representing us on the sale of our condominium in Buenos Aires.
We had concerns about the process because we are based in the US, and everything had to be managed long distance. Throughout the entire process -- on issues large and small -- Michael consistently over-delivered. He ensured that the transaction was virtually effortless for us, and his results exceeded our expectations.
We gladly give our highest possible recommendation to working with Michael and his staff, and would be honored to do so in the future.”
Brian Anthony & Joe Fitzpatrick
Real Estate Investors
USA
“Michael Koh is one of the most professional, trustworthy and reliable people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Working with Michael is truly a refreshing experience. He consistently delivered high quality service and performance in every aspect. He displays a deep understanding of client relationships and I found him to be extremely trustworthy in a world where that seems to be a lost art sadly.
Michael Koh possesses the ability to make any company he works for a better more profitable enterprise.”
Pitts Wilson
Real Estate Investor
USA
“I have had the pleasure of working with Michael for more than three years now. Michael was a tremendous help when we first purchased our apartment in Buenos Aires in 2007. He is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to buying or selling real estate in Argentina and I doubt the process of buying our apartment would have been as smooth as it ended up being - with Michael helping us through the process. Michael and ApartmentsBA have been managing our property ever since and we can't say enough good things about them. Very professional. Very courteous. Very detail oriented. They've always gone the extra mile to make us and our clients happy. It's been great knowing and working with Michael and I can only sincerely recommend him to others.”
Andre Kuehnemund
Real Estate Investor
Germany
“Michael provided an invaluable service to me as I was a long distance property owner and required his service to help me sell my apartment in Buenos Aires. Michael navigated through the complicated Argentine legal issues for me and the apartment, in the trusted hands of Michael, was promptly sold. Michael regularly communicated with me on every step of the process to keep me informed and executed his service exactly as he had promised, including remitting to my bank account the proceeds from the sale. I highly recommend him for anyone requiring this type of service and I will definitely use him again for any future real estate transaction that I might do in Argentina. He delivers top quality service with the highest degree of integrity - which can be hard to find in Argentina.”
Alan Acosta
Real Estate Investor
Japan
“I have worked for Michael Koh since 2005 and I can say he has a great passion for what he does, something that he combines with honesty, hard work and constancy so as to provide the best for his clients. He has been a pioneer in the real estate business in Buenos Aires and the success of the company he runs speaks of his own personal success. I would not hesitate to recommend him.”
Esteban Lobo
Chief Photographer & Owner
MasterPix Photography
“Michael runs the company (aparmentsba.com) that manages my rental property in Argentina. In fact, Michael is the only reason that I even have a rental property in a corner of the world so infamous for being corrupt and non-transparent. His entire business model, as I absorbed it in our first meeting, was meant to bring integrity to the process of real estate in a place where this goal was in fact very difficult to accomplish.
As I explain it to people, Michael took the "best of" American transparent business practices and applied it to the Argentine real estate market. His basic concept being that if you bring a better means of management, profit and reward will follow.
I can report that over three years of association, Michael has made good on this promise. He is honest and open in his decision-making. I always felt like my needs were being met and my interests looked after, and, by report, knew that he was also meeting the needs of renters (our mutual clients).
I have been profitable and I'm sure that his company has done well. His employees, whom I have dealt with extensively, are competent and contented.
Michael is the kind of ethical CEO type that we need to re-import back into America from the provinces. I have told him that I'd be interested in whatever next project he gets involved in.”
Caroline P.
Real Estate Investor
USA
“Michael and his excellent staff led me through the intricacies of purchasing property in Buenos Aires. His former company continues to manage my properties with the 5-star quality that characterizes ApartmentsBA. Well-informed, meticulous, personally involved and, obviously, a great leader and manager within his firm.”
John Harkey
Real Estate Investor
USA
“Michael is honest, ethical, upfront and realistic in business. His desire to succeed is only matched by the integrity he uses when working with clients. Any company or individual looking for leadership would benefit from having Michael on their team.”
Brian Townsend
Real Estate Investor
USA
“I regard Michael as being at the very top of his field, and do not hesitate to recommend him. His knowledge of what he does is exemplary, and his responsiveness is the best I have seen from any business partner, with emails answered at all times of the day, usually within minutes.
He conducts his business with professionalism and integrity, and has been excellent to work with.”
Charlie Abrahamson
Real Estate Investor
New Zealand
“Michael has been a strong resource for understanding the whole real estate process in Buenos Aires, the market conditions, rental potential and a great "feet on the street" assessment of the rental market there. He is very responsive to inquiries, is a "tell it like it is" executive, and makes himself available when I visit the area.
The reliability of information is paramount to me, as being 6000 miles away; I can't be on top of all things Argentina. Michael and his capable team fill that void 100%. They surveyed, purchased and managed the renovation of my property and are overseeing its rental management with integrity and professionalism. I would not hesitate to recommend him and his services to anyone considering purchasing, property management and consultation. I also retained him years later to sell my property and he successfully and safety remitted to my USA bank account cash proceeds from the sale. He is a tremendous asset.”
Kevin Allen
Real Estate Investor
USA
“Although he is the CEO, Michael is involved at all levels of his company, ensuring the highest level of customer service at all times. From negotiating the purchase of our apartment to maneuvering through issues that arose during its construction to its rental management, Michael has been solidly present at all times. The service he and his company have provided has been consistently thorough and professional.”
Annette Goodfriend
Real Estate Investor
USA
“It is my pleasure to recommend Michael as a consultant to anyone seriously considering the purchase of an apartment in Buenos Aires, and particularly to foreigners who are unfamiliar with the local market, language and customs. There are many aspects to Michael's consulting service and indeed he can assist you with the entire purchase process from finding an apartment to signing the title deed. I met Michael personally during a recent house-hunting trip and used him extensively as a sounding board for my investment strategy.
In our first meeting, he helped me identify winning (and losing) qualities with regard to neighborhood, square footage, style, and price range. He then showed me some of his own properties that he personally owned and I was reassured to see that his advice was grounded in experience and not speculation.
In the end I found a property through my realtor hours before my return flight and had to make a snap decision. My first reaction was to call Mike for an appraisal - because while realtors can be helpful, they have a vested interest in selling property based on (highest) price and not investment potential. In the end, Michael confirmed the apartment's strengths and weaknesses; worked with my agent to structure a solid offer (and prevented me from overpaying and he negotiated a lower price); and provided advice that ultimately helped me outmaneuver an unscrupulous seller.
Since completing the purchase on my behalf, Michael has diligently administered the property. He has also continued to be a great asset as a consultant. In my recent trip he provided valuable input into my interior design plan (the apartment was purchased in a completely unfinished state), helped me scrutinize proposals from different architects, and suggested effective techniques for negotiating with locals.
Considering that I initially contracted Michael over the phone as 'insurance' against an unknown entity, I am happy to report he has exceeded expectation. Caveat Emptor.”
David V.
Real Estate Investor
Canada
* Hired Michael Koh more than once
“Mike is simply awesome. A man of his word, he meets his commitments. Mike supported me in the purchase and complete rebuild of a house in Buenos Aires - and we did it all via email and a few phone calls with Mike in Buenos Aires and me in Toronto. When I show people the result they simply cant believe it - http://www.casaviejo.com .
Great guy, great ideas and great execution!”
John Kvasnic
CEO
Toronto, Canada
“I cannot recommend to you in enough ways the services of Michael and his firm.
Michael and his staff will work with you until you have found exactly what you want and then stay with you to the end of your vacation to be sure you are always satisfied.
Take it from a compulsive lawyer who has used them 4 times and was completely satisfied each time. In fact, based on their level of professionalism and customer service, with Michael’s recommendation, I purchased an apartment with a spectacular view to be rented by his company
In July 2003 I took my first adventure to BA looking for property. I was lost and confused by the labyrinth of laws, misinformation and self serving sharks until I discovered Michael. He cleared the way to evaluate property on my third trip. Michael is most accessible person I have ever met. He quickly responded to all my questions, toured me though both virtual tours of property and actual tours. He more than earned his consulting fee.
After being misled by the first seller on a deal, Michael led me through a smooth offer, acceptance and closing. He has continued to advise on the remodel, facilitating with an architect and furnishings. Michael cares about people and doing things right. I have profound respect for him and his company. I recommend him to any interested in Buenos Aires real estate.
I subsequently hired him to purchase a 2nd property several years ago and that transaction also went smoothly.
If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly.”
Fred Royce
Attorney At Law
USA
* Hired Michael Koh more than once
“I was a new property owner in Buenos Aires and have used the services of Michael to obtain and remodel my property. I have worked with Michael since November 2004. I was always in love with Buenos Aires and am nearing retirement; thus I saw a need to find a suitable place in BA that I could occupy part time and lease the other times. Buenos Aires is a living/breathing city where people for the most part work where they live. It is so very different from the North American existence of driving between the house and a variety of parking lots to carry on with one’s day-to-day necessities. Plus, the city is very historical and is replete with beautiful architecture. The residents of Buenos Aires, the Porteños, live their lives with dignity and love of life.
So, I found Michael through the Internet and started a dialog with him about my hopes for owning an apartment in Buenos Aires. Michael was my full-service consultant through every stage of the project, including brainstorming the type of place that was suitable (matching it to my interests and life style), doing reality tests with me as the individual about what I wanted for myself versus what was available, placing offers on properties, obtaining legal representation, designing a renovation and securing a reputable architect, interfacing with the architect and crews during the construction phase, furnishing and outfitting the apartment with amenities, dealing with a recalcitrant neighbor, marketing the property on the internet and securing clients to rent the apartment, setting a fair price, and maintaining records. This was all done with me in the San Francisco Bay Area and Michael managing all processes for me and communicating daily on developments.
Without exception, Michael hires only the most reputable consultants (lawyers, architects, etc) that are available, and cultivates positive relationships with those consultants that he values. Everyone associated with the development of my project had the highest standards for integrity and customer focus thanks to the selection process that Michael consistently employed. Michael’s policy is to exclude from his projects, and insulate his clients from, any businesses and individuals who do not uphold his standards, and it has paid off in a real way in the case of my project. I think Michael is motivated by a desire to build relationships with only the more responsible clients/owners and service providers (real estate agents, lawyers, contractors, etc). He develops these long-term, relationships to keep his business running smoothly over the long haul, and does not sacrifice the interests of his clientele for short-term gain.
I recently sold my apartment in September 2010 and once again I hired Michael to handle the sale. Without me even having to come back to Michael, he took a Power of attorney and closed on my behalf. Please keep in mind it's a CASH transaction and I trusted Michael to wire the proceeds to me which he did to my USA bank account.
I can confidently recommend the services of Michael.”
Dave Wiggins
Oil Executive
USA
“I met Michael years ago by chance and since then it has been a pleasure to work for him.
Michael builds long-term relationships, knows his business and is a calm person. Every time I recommend someone to help in his business, I just hear great things of him.”
Martin Sarsale
Programmer
Argentina
“Mike is very brave entrepreneur, who started his business far away from home, and made it very successful.
He works very very hard, always keeping in mind the details.
He is also a network builder. He had introduced me to several clients.
He is used to sharing the value with other people.
And that's because he's in fact a Business Builder and not just a Business Owner.”
Mariano Mayer
Attorney at Law
Uriburu-Bosch & Associates
Buenos Aires, Argentina
“I was one of Mike’s very first consulting clients. Buying property in a foreign country is a scary process and Mike helped make it an easy process. No matter where you are, real estate is a major purchase. It is not something I do every day. When I was buying my home in the USA I used realtors and lawyers that my friends used and recommended. It is a major event and something to be taken seriously.
I first met Mike in Buenos Aires in 2002. I was surprised to hear that he was testing the waters of real estate in Buenos Aires. At first I thought it was foolish but after a couple of years I realized he was on to something. For Mike, this was not a whim. He took his time learning about the business, made a solid business plan and followed through with it for a few years.
Although he was a senior level executive in the USA, he took the time to put together a business plan, research and build relationships for a few years before deciding to move down there permanently.
When he told me he was moving down there and what he was going to do I was very surprised. He quit his job, sold his house and cars, and threw himself into the business. I know Mike loves Argentina and is a place he has wanted to call home for a long time. If I were not convinced about his commitment to staying there and the soundness of his business plan I would probably not have purchased property there.
I felt comfortable dealing with Mike because we have known each other for several years. Also, I watched firsthand what he was doing. He has purchased several properties himself with his own funds and I saw what kind of results he was getting and was impressed.
When I first seriously started thinking about buying down there I wanted an apartment that I would like to live in. Mike’s advice was practical and focused. What do you want to do with the apartment? Do you want to live in it or do you want to make money renting it to other people? Simple practical advice that helps refocus on the purpose.
Like everything else in business, you need a plan and a target audience. If I were moving to Buenos Aires I would get something bigger and more expensive. However, if I am going there for a short time I want something bright, modern, comfortable, close to the heart of things, with the comforts of home, and hotel. And that will provide a good return on investment.
I purchased an apartment in the same building where he owns an apartment. Mike negotiated the purchase without a realtor saving me 4% of the purchase price. He introduced me to an honest, English speaking attorney that was very easy to work with. Mike handled the entire negotiation and purchase process including the down payment and money transfer process once the final title deed transfer took place.
Mortgages are rare in Argentina even for Argentineans so for foreigners it is a cash deal. I don’t know why but the banks are funny in Argentina, If I wire money to a bank from the US, they charge me a % to get US$ out. It is not a small amount. It can be over 5%.
I personally don’t feel comfortable losing that much in a transfer but I also don’t feel good about carrying $250,000 in my carryon luggage. Mike took care of safely getting the money into Argentina. Mike has had at least u$s 250,000 of my money in cash as I purchased two apartments. Who else do you know in South America that you could trust with that amount of money? I knew I could trust him and I knew I could trust him to manage my property once it was ready.
Mike handled the entire furnishing of the apartment including meeting with architects to make special custom made furniture, getting it furnished with electronics and getting it painted. Immediately upon the completion of the apartment he had it marketed and rented starting the first day after it was ready to rent. My apartment has been booked solid since the first day he started managing it.
I was so thrilled with my investment; I decided to purchase another apartment. Mike selected another property that I decided to have completely remodeled. Mike oversaw the renovation process and I was happy that this apartment was also rented immediately after the completion of the renovations.
I am happy with my real estate purchases in Argentina. I couldn’t have done it without Mike’s help and guidance. The people he referred me to from the real estate lawyer, to the money transfer firm to all the contractors including the electricians, architects and painters have been great to work with and fair with their pricing.
The only real downside I have seen is that I have spent more money than I originally planned.
The peso is stronger now than it was a year ago. Property values are going up though so my property is worth more. I also changed my mind on the level of quality I wanted to use. I use to stay in hotels when I visited down there.
Today Buenos Aires is getting expensive with lodging in hotels. I also wanted to see what the apartments were like. I have stayed in mid range and higher end apartments. I came to the conclusion that I like comfort and nice things and I am willing to spend a little more for them. I also think people who are like me are less likely to damage my apartment and furnishings. So I have spent more to make my apartments more luxurious to target people who are willing to spend more for quality.
Mike is always available to answer any questions I have whether I call him or email him. He always has responded the same day (usually within an hour). He is one of the most trustworthy people I know. I wouldn’t recommend purchasing real estate in Argentina without his guidance or someone else you know and trust doing the same thing down there.”
Lawrence B.
Senior Oil Executive
Houston, Texas USA
“I have hired Michael Koh to help me in the purchase of an apartment in Buenos Aires. He and his team have accompanied all the way from initial consultation to completion, including putting the property on the rental market. I also rent an apartment through ApartmentsBA every time I go to Buenos Aires. Michael is trustworthy, friendly and incredibly efficient. I can highly recommend his firm and services.”
Stephan Gasteyger
Real Estate Investor
London, UK
“Michael is highly professional, reliable and - rare quality in every profitable business sector - honest with his advice about what can be realistically achieved and what cannot.
Last but not least, he's very likeable and friendly.
I have never regretted hiring him all these years.”
Francesca Fanucci
Real Estate Investor
London, UK
I have the utmost confidence and respect in Michael Koh and his colleagues based on my extensive dealings with them over the last few years.
I became aware of Michael Koh and his firm several years ago when I was exploring the possibility of renting an apartment rather than staying in a hotel during a planned leisure trip to Buenos Aires in early 2006.
I ended up renting two different apartments from him in 2006, both of which were located in the Recoleta neighborhood, and both of which were every bit as good as had been advertised on the Company’s website. I thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of “living” in an apartment during my visit to Buenos Aires, rather than merely being a guest at one of the city’s hotels.
Although I had been to Buenos Aires several times prior to 2006, during that visit, I fell in love with the city and decided I wanted to explore the possibility of owning an apartment in the same Recoleta neighborhood in which I had previously rented. Michael Koh referred me to an english-speaking realtor with one of Buenos Aires’ best realty agencies, and then visited with me, and helped me evaluate for investment/ownership potential, the two apartments in which I had the most interest. Michael also referred me to an excellent Argentine real estate attorney who drew the paperwork necessary to submit a proper offer to buy.
Because of certain dishonest actions taken by the sellers’ representatives, I did not end up buying the apartment on which I made a bid in 2006. Sadly, this type of experience is apparently not a rare occurrence in real estate transactions in Argentina, and only serves to underscore the importance of an “outsider” finding someone who can represent his or her interests in any proposed real estate or business transaction in Argentina who is honest, competent and “knows the ropes” regarding how business is transacted in Argentina.
Michael Koh was that person for me, and he quickly obtained a return of my deposit monies on the 2006 transaction despite the sellers’ realtors’ initial resistance.
My experience with Michael Koh in 2006 caused me to have complete trust in his integrity, his ethics and his competence. In fact, my trust in Michael was so great that in 2007 I relied almost exclusively on Michael’s personal inspection in purchasing an expensive apartment in the Recoleta neighborhood that I was unable to inspect myself, and had only “seen” in pictures posted on the realtors’ internet website.
Michael lined up the engineers/inspectors, the lawyers and the other professionals and advisers who helped me evaluate this property, and help me consummate the purchase transaction. After the transaction closed, Michael referred me to several excellent architects who I interviewed for the job of overseeing renovations to the apartment, which is in a lovely “French” building in a very nice part of the Recoleta.
I could go on and on in praise of Michael Koh and his colleagues. Suffice it to say, however, that Michael is completely honest, highly competent and charges very reasonable fees for his services. Michael is always completely professional and is a pleasure to work with. He answers every email inquiry promptly, and is a storehouse of information and wise counsel on foreign investment in Argentina.
Michael’s advice and assistance, and that of his colleagues, in this area have made it possible for me to own an apartment thousands of miles from my principal residence without having to deal personally with the day-to-day worries of home ownership.
I would not have been willing to pursue the idea of owning a second residence in Buenos Aires if I had not had full confidence in Michael Koh and his colleagues’ ability to represent my interests in Argentina in an honest and competent manner. I have been completely satisfied with every aspect of my relationship with Michael Koh and his firm, and would strongly recommend that any acquaintance of mine who desires to pursue the idea of owning property in Buenos Aires retain the assistance of Michael Koh in doing so.
Mr. Shields also retained our firm to sell his property which we were successful doing. The closing went smoothly and all funds were remitted to his USA bank account all with him not having to fly to Buenos Aires.
J. Shields
Attorney at Law / Partner
USA
“I first met Michael in 2005 when I hired him as a consultant to guide me through the process of buying a rental property in Buenos Aires. Being American and not speaking any Spanish, I didn't know anything about the legal process in Argentina and Michael went above and beyond to help me every step of the way and to find a great property.
Once I bought it, I then hired his company again to oversee the renovations and decorations. They did a great job with everything and Michael really looked after every detail while I couldn't be there. I instantly made money from the property by just doing the renovations.
During the time I owned this property I used his company, ApartmentsBA to rent out my property short term. I had a great return every year and Michael really looked after my property. If there were ever any problems, he sent in a crew to fix it for me the same day.
Once he even had one of his lawyers write a letter to my condo board so that I wouldn't have to pay the cost to fix one of my walls. That is how he runs his company, which is very rare to find. He is honest, hard working, and responsible. If you need anything he will take care of it within minutes and I always felt confident having him look after my investment.
I recently sold my property in Buenos Aires for a nice profit and used Michael again as my broker. Everything went smoothly as I expected and I can't recommend Michael high enough. I couldn't have done this investment without him. Whether you are traveling as a tourist and want a great deal on a beautiful apartment to rent or you are looking to buy real estate in Buenos Aires, I would definitely recommend his services to anyone.”
Laura Williams
Model & Actress
USA
“Michael and his company have managed my personal property in Buenos Aires for a number of years. His is always on top of things and has his staff trained to be the same.
Even with problem in our building that caused a loss of revenue for his firm for an extended time, he worked through the problems to get things fixed and the property back on the market for rental. I have only met him once, and that was when I signed the contract for him to manage our property, yet he has handled things on a very personal basis even though this is just one of many properties he handles.
I believe anything he sets out to do will be a success because of his drive and vision.
Thanks Michael!”.
Sam Taliaferro
Real Estate Property Developer
Panama
In 1997, my dear friend Gloria after thirty years of working and living in Manhattan retired and moved to her country of origin Argentina. She came back to Manhattan once a year to visit and we would get together for dinner. She always talked about Buenos Aires and invited me to come to visit. I finally decided to take her up on her offer three years ago. From the very first time I visited her in Buenos Aires, I fell in love with the city.
The people are friendly, the food is wonderful and the architecture reminded me of Paris, and last but not least the prices were amazingly affordable. I felt as if I were wealthy. I did not have to check menu prices! Even the most expensive restaurants such as the Alvear Palace Hotel were in my budget.
For my second trip to Buenos Aires my partner and I decided to take a complete package tour which included a tourist grade hotel and air fare. The price was right but the hotel room was a major disappointment. During that trip, I met an American tourist who told me that they had a temporary apartment rental in the city. I took down the information and booked with them on my third trip. The apartment was a great alternative to a hotel. I got the idea to buy an apartment and rent it out when I wasn’t using it.
I looked around a good bit and found a beautiful apartment with a lot of potential so I hired my friend Gloria’s lawyer and started the real estate buying procedure. The biggest problem I had was that I don’t understand Spanish and the lawyer did not speak English. It was getting very complicated quickly and I did not have a clue to what was going on. I was becoming more anxious every day.
I heard about Mike and decided to give him a call. Michael took the time over the telephone to explain all of the different things that could go wrong if you did not have a good lawyer that you can fully communicate with (which I could not at all with the attorney that I started out with) so I decided to hire Mke as a real estate consultant for his obvious expertise with the real estate buying process in Buenos Aires.
Although I was using my friend's lawyer I thought it was a good idea to use Mike as a sort of insurance. Thank God for that day!! I did not know how close I was to a total disaster situation.
Mike reviewed all the paperwork from the previous lawyer and he found many flaws from the beginning. I switched to the lawyer that Michael recommended that spoke fluent English. The new lawyer got involved but had more work than he bargained for.
As it turned out, the original lawyer made many mistakes while preparing the documents for the purchase/sale of the apartment I was buying. He had overlooked the fact that there was a lien on the apartment and the apartment and the apartment # on the deed did not even match the actual apartment I was buying.
For all I know, I could have been buying a storage room in the basement. It was a huge mess! I began to get discouraged and felt that this property was never going to be mine. Mike told me to be patient and that his lawyer was the best real estate attorney in Argentina so if anyone could fix the problems, his attorney could. In time, Mike proved to be exactly correct.
I honestly don’t know what I would have done or how badly things could have gone if I didn’t get involved with Mike. Mike is a very honest, professional and dedicated person. He always answered emails immediately, even after midnight and when we was on vacation. When it was time to close I wired the money for the closing to him and he held it for me for two weeks until I arrived in BA to close on the property. There are not too many people that I would have done something like that and trusted.
I was quite pleased with how things unfolded. I hired Mike and his team to oversee renovations on my apartment while I am in New York. The renovation turned out beautifully and Mike's company has managed my apartment for several years.
If you are contemplating buying real estate in Buenos Aires or even just interested in renting a luxury apartment for a vacation or business trip, I highly recommend Mike and his company. You will be happy that you used their company. I know I was. Thanks Mike!”.
Richard Davella
Real Estate Investor
USA
I was warned by colleagues and friends that purchasing real estate in Latin America was not an easy process. I appreciated the advice and believed I was being careful. I have toured much of South America and have visited Buenos Aires many times. I have many local friends in Argentina. Coupled with the fact that I am an attorney in the USA, I believed I could purchase on my own without having problems. I asked my friends living in Buenos Aires for a referral to a good attorney that could assist me on my purchase. I found a beautiful property and I hired an attorney that was highly recommended by a dear friend.
For many reasons, I felt uneasy 48 hours before I was to make an initial down payment with cash on the property that I was going to purchase. I started searching the internet and I found Michael’s company. I called him on a weekend and was surprised to find him in his office. I asked him many questions and he asked me some basic questions which I did not have the answers to. He asked me if I had seen a copy of the former title deed. He asked me if I saw the report that showed the property was free of any liens or encumbrances.
He asked me if I spoke Spanish or if my attorney spoke English. Suddenly I realized that I was putting too much faith into my lawyer who I didn’t know anything about and with whom I couldn’t communicate with. Michael explained to me that my common sense shouldn’t change just because I was not in the USA. I hired him that very same day over the phone.
Michael and his team called the real estate company and the lawyer handling my purchase. He requested all the paperwork. I was SHOCKED to learn from Michael that the lawyer never even ordered a basic title check to make sure the property was clear of any encumbrances. There were many mistakes on the paperwork.
I fired my attorney and hired the one recommended by Michael. My new lawyer was very good and he spoke English so I could now communicate with him. He informed me that the property could not legally be sold by the person that was attempting to sell it. I was very disappointed but I was relieved that I discovered this before handing over a significant portion of my savings.
I realized that buying property in Argentina is something that should not be taken lightly. Michael is searching for a new property for me now. Since I hired him, I have taken his advice to be more careful. I contacted his references that he gave me and every person that I contacted told me how wonderful he has been with them. I am looking forward to purchasing property with him and very thankful that I came to my senses.
Grant W.
Attorney at Law
USA
In 2006, My wife and I purchased an apartment in Recoleta, which was managed via ApartmentsBA for several years. We hired Mike and substantially renovated the apartment, both to accommodate our use and to increase its value as a rental unit. Michael and his team handled the purchase, as well as the planning and execution of the renovation, while we were at home in the US as we gave them a power of attorney to complete the purchase for us.
The purchase and renovation of the apartment required the wire transfer of substantial sums of money to a relative stranger (Michael Koh). Needless to say, we had some concerns, reservations, and even fears. Wire transferring several hundred thousand dollars to someone we barely knew, in a country whose laws and customs we were not intimately familiar with, took tremendous faith. Michael and his company have, to a degree, which is truly remarkable, earned our trust, respect, and friendship.
Our intended use for the apartment was perhaps a little different than most of Michael's clients, in that we were interested in finding a "family retreat", as well as an economically viable rental unit. From finding a reputable realtor, to appraising the advantages/disadvantages of numerous properties, to negotiating a fair purchase price and negotiating the contract, everyone at Mike's firm was patient, helpful, and personally interested in our satisfaction. Since we were back in the USA, Michael handled the purchase on our behalf - quite a big deal, since these transactions are carried out in cash - my cash!
But Michael handled things as if it were his money - and everything went off without a hitch. When it came to the renovation, he and his staff spent countless hours helping us with architectural plans, as well as the selection of materials, colors, furnishings, etc - no easy task, considering that we were in the USA, but very concerned about how the apartment would "feel", since we would use it quite often.
With the considerable help of everyone at his firm, our home in Argentina met our needs perfectly. 3.5 years later we hired Michael to sell our property, as we weren't able to come to Buenos Aires as much as we had planned. Michael successfully sold the property and once again he handled dealing with the cash and successfully remitted it to our USA bank account.
Overall, I would rate our experience with Michael and his firm as truly exceptional. They have been trustworthy, responsible, helpful, friendly, considerate, and personally interested in our satisfaction to a degree, which is rarely seen.
Craig Schwimmer, MD
Physician
USA
“Mike - We would like to thank you so much for all that you have done and continue to do to help us with our move from Mexico to Buenos Aires. Your consulting services have been so valuable to us. Your entire staff is very knowledgeable as well as always very helpful and pleasant to work with.
You were critical in negotiating the purchase of our apartment and obtaining the best price possible. In addition, all of the services, vendors and contractors you have recommended have been wonderful to work with as well as honest and reliable.
Again, thank you so much and we will highly recommend your company to anyone thinking of moving to Buenos Aires or investing here.”
My firm was also retained by Umberto to sell the property. We successfully sold his property without any problems whatsoever.
Umberto Ciccolella
Real Estate Investor
USA
“I found Michael through his webpage in June 2005. At the time, I was considering investing in property in Buenos Aires but I didn’t have any definite ideas on how to proceed. Having never even bought a property in the US, I had many apprehensions about purchasing a house abroad. Needless to say, I was very glad to find Michael through his webpage. Not only did he seem to be just the person I was looking for but he had a solid business plan and a way for me to rent my apartment.
I love Argentina and Argentine people but Argentines have a different way of doing business and negotiating deals. I wanted to deal with someone with whom I could relate to and understand from my own background in the USA, someone who could give me correct and honest information about buying property in Buenos Aires. Most importantly, someone whom I could trust and that was looking out for my best interest.
Michael has been great in all these regards. Michael found a great property for me and negotiated the purchase while I was overseas in Italy. I also hired Michael to renovate my property and furnish it and it turned out fantastic. He managed my apartment for several year and years later I hired him to sell the property. He helped me sell the property and it was a smooth process with Michael's assistance.
I would gladly recommend his services to anyone buying property here in Argentina. I have seen firsthand other property purchases without his services and can say that it is very worth your money to hire him to make sure you avoid the many, many pitfalls of buying property in Argentina.
Feel free to contact me with questions.
Fields Marshall
Real Estate Investor
USA
“I’m Argentinean but I have been living away from my country for six years already. Around December of 2005 seeing how my native country economy was recovering I started to research the possibility of buying a property there. I’m still regretting not doing it sooner than that.
First I was looking for an apartment with the idea of renting it out to the local market; this original idea changed when I found about Michael Koh's company and started reading about the Luxury Apartments rental services. I found the business model quite interesting considering that tourism in Buenos Aires was booming.
The first thing I did was to send an email to Michael Koh asking about his firm's services and commissions. In less than 24 hours I got a reply from Mike with detailed information about their services, commissions, testimonials, etc. I was surprised with the quick response.
We exchange couple more emails where Mike answered all my questions and we agreed to meet the next time I will be in Buenos Aires. At that moment I was still suspicious (not for any particular reason, just because…) and I was not going to give a dime away until seeing their offices and talking to Michael Koh himself; in other words I wanted to triple check if these people were real.
I know I may sound a little bit paranoid, but keep in mind I lived almost all my life in Argentina and since I have memory (I was born in 1975) I’ve witnessed how in two opportunities (1989 and 2001) the Argentinean banks and the government confiscated people deposits forcing them to accept 20 year bonds. So you can imagine that if I can’t trust the local banks and the government how could I trust an internet web site?
Four months later, I finally got to visit Mike at his Recoleta office. He took the necessary time to explain me in detail how he operated, the expected investment returns, etc. and of course answer all my questions. At the end of the meeting one of the members of his staff showed me two of their rental apartments nearby in the Recoleta area. So far I was satisfied with what I’ve seen; one thing I liked in particular about him is that he wasn't simply an investment advisor an actual investor personally owning several properties in Buenos Aires.
Now I had the necessary confidence in Mike’s company to make business with them from my home in the USA.
Weeks later with the help of Mike I bought an off-plan apartment in Recoleta. New construction in this area of the city is rare, that’s exactly why it was an attractive investment. There were two apartments left on the top floor (the most desirable floor) and Mike also wanted to get one, he let me choose first and then he bought the remaining one on the same floor. Because we bought two units Mike was able to negotiate a discount with the developer, but we had move fast to secure the properties so after he got my okay he even paid the reservation for my unit from his own pocket, which I reimbursed him a couple of days later. When the property was completed it had already increased over 20% in value.
Months later after my first good experience investing in Buenos Aires, I went back to Mike to look for a second apartment. This time he found an already renovated two bedroom apartment on the top floor of a classical 40 years old Recoleta building close to Santa Fe Avenue.
He immediately sent me an email with the apartment’s photos and information about the building. Then I asked Mike to arrange a visit so my mother could take a look to it. Later that night I spoke with her but she wasn’t complete convinced about it, she didn’t dislike it but she wasn’t totally sure either. I was not sure what to do, but finally because I liked what I saw on the photos and because I trusted Mike’s judgment I decided to go for it. Mike negotiated the price with the seller and I end up getting the apartment for a couple of thousand dollars less than the asking price.
Closing went smoothly, Mike's staff organized everything keeping me informed by email and promptly answering all my questions. During the notary meeting my mother had just to sign the Notary documents on my behalf as she had a Power of Attorney from me.
On my next trip to Buenos Aires I visited the apartment while it was being furnished (I also retained Mike's firm to furnish it). The apartment was great, plenty of light, excellent layout, luxury design furniture, and as Mike told me the renovations were tastefully done, it looked brand new. In six weeks the apartment was ready for business; it even got a booking before the photos were published on his website.
Only three months after the apartment started to be rented out the occupancy is half of the average, this is good for a new property considering that tourist usually make their reservations months in advance. I am confident occupancy will increase reaching the average by the end of the year.
In summary these people know the market, they know the rules of engagement down there, they have “the right contacts” and most important of all they know how to take care of their customers (renters and investors).”
Javier M.
Real Estate Investor
USA
“From the time I had first thought about investing in Argentina everyone warned me about the business climate and what to expect as a foreigner. I was very apprehensive about doing business with anyone. Even if they where Americans I had reservations.
On my trip down when I first met Mike and I went to his office and got a glimpse of the working environment of his staff while I waited. Everyone was very friendly and appeared happily employed. When I went in to meet Mike I found him to be very straight and transparent in what his business was all about. I had a very good conversation about the real estate market and the economy in Argentina and felt very comfortable securing his services.
Upon returning to the states Michael contacted me about a project being built that he had also bought several apartments in. When I learned that he was personally buying units in the development it was pretty much a go. If Mike is buying there then it must be good!!!
During the course of the transaction the buyer tried to strong arm me for more money just as everyone had told me they would. Mike and his attorneys stepped in and resolved the matter very quickly.
After purchasing the property I worked with Mike’s interior designer to fit the place out with built in's, high-end furnishings and appliances. Everything went well and the place looked fantastic.
The place provides even better return on investment than estimated and I really enjoy owning it. I can’t wait to go down and use it!! Thanks to Mike and the courtesy and hard work of his staff this is turning out to be not only profitable but also one of the most enjoyable investments I have made to date.
Mr. Jones also hired our firm to sell this property 2 years later. We were retained to close on the property for him with him in the USA. We remitted all funds to his USA bank account for yet another successful transaction.
Alfred Jones
Real Estate Investor
USA
“I have recently invested in Eastern Europe (Montenegro) and Central America (Belize). My previous investments were designed for capital appreciation. My interest in Buenos Aires was titled toward income yield with a view to longer-term appreciation. I consulted on various neighborhoods/locations with business associates in Puerto Madero before settling on Recoleta. I then investigated property managers. This was the most crucial selection for my investment. Even the best property investments can lie idle and unkempt if they are not managed effectively. After considering a list of possible companies I found Mike's firm to be the clear winner on many fronts.
I would not dispute that the website makes bold claims of unrivalled service and market knowledge. Having a more conservative nature, I was somewhat sceptical at first. Several months later I am pleased to report that I have found every assertion made by Michael Koh’s website to be accurate & honest.
Michael guided me through the apartment search with care and enthusiasm. He was extremely cautious in the properties we viewed; passing on a number of locations due to a number of mitigating factors – noise level, natural light, location, etc…I would adamantly dispute any claim that his clients are rushed into their purchases – in fact Michael actually cooled my enthusiasm on two properties, advising me to be patient for the right unit.
His retainer fee pays for itself as he skillfully saved 6% on the asking price. Additionally his staff was very diligent in checking the condition of the apartment, water pressure, parking access, condo rules allowing for short-term rental among other factors. His team performs a thorough investigation of the condition of the property, which produces a detailed report for consideration. Further checks are performed on the current owner’s title and any liens or current obligations outstanding at the time of the offer.
I should make a special point of mentioning how Michael responded to my emails at all hours of the day (despite the Europe time difference). He offered callbacks & email replies while he was out of town or on vacation. The man’s commitment to his job is relentless.
I believe that Michael invests a great deal of pride in his work and is only truly rewarded by the appreciation of a satisfied client. Michael has gone beyond the call of duty for me on a number of occasions in the past four months of our association. I co-own and manage a firm with clients in over fifty countries. I recognize the importance of client relations along with constant pursuit of unrivaled customer service. Michael Koh is an impressive living embodiment of these virtues. He has earned my trust and confidence several fold.”
Michael T.
Real Estate Investor
London
“After vacationing in Buenos Aires in September ‘05 I returned home with a strong interest in investing in this beautiful city. Prior to my trip I had heard of the tourism boom that was taking place and wanted to see for myself what all the buzz was about.
Although I had a pretty strong conviction that there was a great opportunity here, I wasn't certain how I was going to be able to take advantage of this from living in the U.S. It was in researching all of the legal issues involved as a non-resident where my path crossed with Michael Koh and his firm.
I was amazed to see that every detail that I was looking for in order for me to purchase property was clearly explained in length all with no strings attached on his web site. It was at this point that I emailed Mike and asked him numerous questions in which I was impressed with the prompt attention given to each and every question.
It is now September ‘06 and I have just completed the build out and furnishing of my second property (PS2). Between this purchase and my prior purchase (AP7), I personally can express that Mike's professionalism, honesty, and attention to every detail are second to none.
From negotiating the best price, finding the best apartment and location, walking me through the transfer necessary for closing, I was informed and comfortable every step of the way. Before we had even closed on my first property, Michael had multiple architects giving estimates on the build out of the unit, which saved us valuable time.
After construction and furnishing were flawlessly completed and now having my property being managed by his team, I can say that my rate of return is well in line with all projections that we had anticipated. It is with all of these qualities; along with an incredible team he has in place that are solely the reasons for this testimonial. There is no doubt in my mind that without Michael’s assistance and knowledge in Buenos Aires and property management that I would never be able to participate in such an exciting market.
I have since gone on to purchase 2 more properties in Buenos Aires all with Mike's consulting and assistance including a larger house. I couldn't have done it without his help and highly recommend him.”
Barry P.
Real Estate Investor
USA
“This is the first testimonial that I have ever written for anyone. One of the things I like the most about Mike is that he is honest and he always returns my communications to him very promptly.
I never went to Argentina before, and one of the best things Mike did for me was inform me to where the best areas to purchase an apartment for rentals was. The real estate agent I was using tried to convince me to purchase in a different area that was simply not desirable for rentals. She had no clue on buying real estate as an investment and only wanted me to purchase a property that she would make a nice commission on. If I did that, my apartment would not have been as valuable since just as in the USA, location is EVERYTHING. Mike found me a beautiful apartment in Recoleta, which is one of the nicest neighborhoods in South America.
Mike was also able to negotiate a lower price on the apartment. It was clear to see the various realtor companies involved knew who he was and that he clearly understood what a fair price in that area was. The savings alone more than paid for the consulting fee I paid him to assist me. He had an excellent English speaking attorney that closed the transaction and Mike was there to sign the title for me. It was a very smooth process.
I also hired him to oversee the furnishing and renovation of my new apartment. He essentially oversaw the complete renovation of the bathroom that was redone with a Jacuzzi tub, put in air conditioning throughout the apartment. I’m very happy with the job that he did for me both as a real estate consultant and also as a project manager getting my apartment ready for rentals. He successfully rented out the property for several years and then I hired him to also sell the property which he handled. As promised, he sent the funds from the sale to my bank account in the USA. Thanks Mike!”
Brad Goldman
Real Estate Investor
USA
“We first contacted Mike and his team whilst concluding the purchase of an apartment in Palermo with regard to managing a refurbishment and property management.
From the outset it was obvious you could trust Mike and he provided excellent advice on the quality of the refurbishment to aim for, clearly based on a thorough knowledge of the local market. With the professionalism displayed by his entire team we had no hesitation in paying the fees for project managing the refurbishment and furnishing of our property.
Mike clearly has superb local contacts as the architect presented a thorough works and cost breakdown with various options on which Mike was again able to provide sound advice. During the actual refurbishment we received regular progress updates including photos and when a problem was discovered with the existing internal walls this was quickly communicated and resolved. We were hugely impressed with both the quality of the refurbishment and furnishing and how easy the entire process had been for us.
The property management provided by Mike’s team matches the excellence we have come to expect from his former firm ApartmentsBA, who now manages our property.
I would not hesitate to recommend Mike and his team to anyone considering purchasing property in Buenos Aires.”
Richard V.
Real Estate Investor
London, UK
“I could not be happier with the service and the investment made with Mike's company. Mike and the company´s entire team are outstanding. I have worked with Mike since July 2005 to purchase, then renovate and furnish a three bedroom apartment in central Recoleta on Ayacucho street between Las Heras and Pacheco de Melo.
I am now also using ApartmentsBA to administer the property and oversee short-term rentals.
From start to finish, Mike and his team have been superb. Simply fantastic. Moreover, the investment – as Mike predicted –is the best I have ever made. It meets and surpasses the projected return on investment. And, to top it, the property itself has increased enormously in value since last November. Property prices have increased dramatically in the last year and that trend is set to continue. I am now seriously considering buying a second apartment in Buenos Aires – this time purely as an investment, because the apartment has put all my other investments to shame.
To recount: when I decided to buy an apartment in Buenos Aires, I quickly realized to do this at a distance, and as a foreigner would be difficult if not downright impossible. It was therefore fantastic to stumble across the Mike's website in my internet research. Reading the enormous amount of information provided on it, I was struck by the quality of the advice provided and this prompted me to opt for the consultancy service.
Things could not have gone smoother with Mike's consultancy service. In my experience, it is truly the only way to go when purchasing in Buenos Aires! In my case, to choose the apartment I would buy, I decided to come down personally to Bs. As and spent some weeks here looking for a suitable property. I didn’t have to but as I intended to use the place myself (on occasion), I wanted to see the apartment before placing the offer.
That said, had I not wanted to come down, Mike could have arranged the purchase for me.
During these first three weeks when I was still buying the apartment, Mike set me up with a small studio apartment for me to stay during this period and cut me a special rate. It was a great place. Friendly reliable staff and well equipped. This also gave me an insight into how Mike ran his business and I was suitably impressed.
In all, the purchase of the apartment, including all the dealings with the lawyer, the real estate agent and so forth were totally overseen by Mike and in terms of buying property; it couldn’t have been easier or smoother. (I had been somewhat anxious before buying not to get ripped off but, certainly in my own experience, I saved far more than the consultancy fee). Mike viewed five properties – I had after seeing some 30 plus apartments, whittled the choice down to some five – and wanted to make the final choice based on his advice as to what might constitute the best investment in terms of rentals.
Having viewed them he advised me which to select and made some very sound recommendations on refurbishments. He also recommended that I make an offer significantly below the asking price (based on his previous experience with apartment blocks/consortiums and purchasing property in the area). I then sent the money (both for the "boleto" and to close the deal) through Michael Koh to whom I had granted power of attorney. I am glad to say it went smoothly and although I was not in Buenos Aires at the time the deal closed, I was in constant contact with Mike and the Irish-Argentinean lawyer he recommended. Like Michael Koh, the lawyer was courteous, efficient and a pleasure to work with.
In order to renovate and furnish the flat, I hired Mike once again. In the course of doing so, we must have exchanged hundreds of e-mails (entirely due to the fact that I insisted on being consulted on each and every decision that was made). I am grateful for their diligence. When necessary, Mike called to consult me. Both Michael Koh and his team made sure I was consulted on each and every decision. They always took on my requests, even when on occasion this would entail considerably more work on their side. The final result is absolutely fabulous! I am delighted. I am also heavily indebted to both Mike and his team for their hard work and diligence in following through all of my demands. Each and every of my (literally hundreds of) e-mails was responded to so quickly that I have now been totally spoiled in terms of customer service. Mike’s average response time sets a record. On the occasion that we had to speak on the phone to discuss elements of the renovation, it was always a pleasure. I have benefited enormously from his experience in the real estate market and his ideas on the renovations. He has a keen sense of interior decoration and time and time again made sensible suggestions on the décor. I came to rely on it!
Since finishing the apartment, it has been consistently (except for periods when I wanted to use it) rented out! It was rented out the first day it was on the market and the Return on Investment had been superb. This has got to be the best investment in the world at the current time!! So much so, that I am now seriously considering purchasing another flat.
At the current time I am in Buenos Aires, making use of the apartment and have consistently found his firm to be every bit as good as I would have expected. Whilst here I have made extensive use of the concierge service which is offered and found this very useful and at every occasion have found the staff to be courteous and helpful. In short, I could not recommend
Mike and his team more highly for their consultancy, renovation and rental service. It is my pleasure to work with them!”
K. Johnston
Real Estate Investor
London, UK
“I have known Michael since 2006. During that time I have engaged his service to help me purchase and renovate two apartments. The second apartment was bought several months after I returned to Canada and the decision was based largely on Michael’s analysis of its investment potential, as the pictures he sent me didn’t look too impressive. Michael negotiated an excellent deal on both apartments; the substantial savings surprised even the real estate agent. Both transactions were closed flawlessly via email correspondences.
Michael and his team provided me with many renovation ideas and they were prompt in their email responses. When I was not satisfied with the quote from one architect, Michael immediately asked for a second and more reasonable quote from another architect. I was kept informed of the progress every step of the way.
Michael’s staff gave me advice and suggestions for furnishings, yet my decision was always respected. I am very pleased with owing two beautifully renovated apartments and I couldn’t have done better without Michael’s assistance. The two properties are now being managed by his former firm and the units have been rented out and the service has been outstanding.
Not only is Michael extremely knowledgeable in the real estate market and its regulations, he is also honest, trustworthy, reliable, committed and responsive to my needs. In fact, everyone that works with him has been most courteous, professional and attentive. Many companies in Buenos Aires offer similar services to Michael’s but I doubt there is one that could surpass the value proposition of his company.
I have enjoyed doing business with Michael and would unhesitatingly recommend his services to others.”
O.Chiang
Real Estate Investor
Canada
“I am an American who has lived in Buenos Aires since 2001, so my situation is different than the majority of Mike's clients, but the hard work and dedication that Michael, Luciano and staff put forth is exactly the same.
I speak the language and know the city and its people, but I still wanted the help of real estate professionals who would be able to provide me with the inside information I needed to complete my property purchase here.
Mike's firm has quickly earned a stellar reputation amongst investors in Argentine real estate, and it's easy to understand why.
During our entire negotiation and closing process, which dragged on for 6 long months because of an unscrupulous seller, Mike and his team kept on top of things one hundred percent. They knew exactly when to hold and when to fold during the bargaining game, and in the end their patience and persistence paid off, as we were able to complete the purchase of an amazing apartment in Belgrano.
Negotiating a property purchase is never an easy process, and doing so in Argentina is even more complicated, to say the least. Mike offers an invaluable service to foreigners, by helping them to navigate the stormy shores of the Argentine real estate business.
I was so happy with MIke's efforts that I recommended them to a friend in New York, who just closed on an apartment in Palermo thanks to their help.
I pass on my strongest recommendation to Mike and his team. “
Bryan B.
Real Estate Investor
Buenos Aires, Argentina
“When my brother and I decided to purchase an apartment in Buenos Aires we spent weeks searching for accurate information about the process. The internet seemed littered with conflicting facts and incomplete information. More worrisome still were the numerous posts from people who had been scammed in one way or another. Obtaining a verifiable, understandable and correct description of the purchase process seemed impossible.
Finally we found Michael's website. He responded to our questions with complete and clear answers, usually within minutes, always by end of day. Initially we hired him as a real estate consultant/adviser. In this role, he was absolutely essential to our success, introducing us to a trustworthy real estate agent, a lawyer, and a bank and bridging the gap for us between the reality of local business practices and our own expectations.
Throughout the two weeks it took us to find our apartment, he was always available for last minute questions, addressing our concerns and coordinating our "team". He gave us a tour of apartments he was renting and precise information on what sorts of properties were most desirable, what rents they were getting and how long they were booked.
At the end of the two weeks we made an offer on a lovely apartment. As the negotiations and counter-offers grew complicated, and we became increasingly uncertain, he stepped right up, meeting with us to fully explain the details and discuss our options. When we met with the seller to sign the finalized agreement, he was there.
As individual buyers purchasing a single property in a foreign country, with no local contacts or connections, we were taking on an enormous risk. By working with Michael and his company we felt like we became part of a larger concern, a known local entity with an ever increasing share of the real estate rental market. Because Michael is continually referring his clients to a select list of business contacts, they have a vested interest in maintaining an honest relationship with him. We became part of this relationship and were taken seriously and treated fairly.
By the time we returned for the closing, we had decided to hire Michael as our property manager. In this role, he advised us everything from where to buy furniture to what sort of amenities rental clients expect. And, when the apartment was ready he was the one we handed over the keys to. He successfully managed our property for many years and when we went to sell it several years later he also sold it for us. We hired him for his services to sell the property and we didn't even fly down for the closing. Michael signed the closing for us and sent the cash to our bank account in the USA. Very effortless.
Michael is one of the most capable, motivated and professional business people we have ever worked with. As well, he is a good and trustworthy person who cares deeply for the success of his clients. We highly recommend him to anyone intending to purchase real estate in Argentina.”
Robert & Monica Day
Real Estate Investors
USA
* Hired Michael Koh more than once
"Mike has been of great help and a tremendous resource to me during my last apartment purchase in BA. His advice,all along the process, and his great knowledge of the real estate market have actually saved me a lot of money (u$s 2,400), which I would have ended up paying as an unnecessary tax fee, if I had gone with my realtor's recommendation only as he gave me wrong advice regarding a tax issue. Mike correctly told me that my realtor was wrong and saved me $2,400.
I also met Mike in person and found him to be very intelligent and ethical, and I am extremely impressed with his insight and competence in this business. I highly recommend him as a real estate consultant in Buenos
Aires to anybody without reservation.
I also hired Mike 4 years later to sell my property and he sold my property for almost double of what I paid for it. He handled all the paperwork and even signed the closing for me and remitted funds to my USA bank account. He is ethical and trustworthy".
Mark is an American that put an offer on a 2 bedroom apartment in Recoleta. Mark used his own realtor and found a beautiful property. Once the offer was accepted, Mark's realtor and attorney both told him that he must pay an additional tax when he signed the final contract for his new apartment. I met with his realtor and was surprised when he told me that he has been charging his clients the additional tax. Our company was adamant in telling his realtor that he was making a mistake and costing his clients thousands of dollars.
Our company researched the laws before buying our properties and this is just one example where even local realtors and lawyers are giving out incorrect information and costing their clients thousands of dollars. Mark's realtor later admitted he was wrong and admitted costing his clients thousands of dollars. If I didn't intercede, Mark would have been charged $2,400 extra based on wrong advice.
Mark G.
Physician / MD
USA
“We found Michael while trying to buy an apartment in Buenos Aires. We had hit a roadblock, a killer tax, and we went to him for advice. Since our first meeting, inwhich he dispelled the tax as illusory, he has been a steadfast ally in our re-energized pursuit of an apartment. It turns out the lawyer that we initially went to gave us false information about taxes and fees.
With an eye on eventually renting out our new apartment, we became a consulting client to Michael. Michael is an energetic and personable businessperson in whom we would place any confidence. He seems always to be available to talk and eager for us to succeed – with referrals to his legal and financial associates, dependable workmen and even sources of home-goods. Michael has a vital stake in the Buenos Aires rental market and I’m sure that his enthusiasm and acumen will always be matched by success.”
John and Ginger Harkey
Real Estate Investors
USA
“My business partner first met Michael in 2004 after he had already gone through the PAINFUL process of buying and renovating an apartment in Buenos Aires on his own. He was so impressed with Michael that he convinced me that we should partner with Michael, despite the fact that my partner had already built up some relationships and knowledge about the local real estate market. We signed on as consulting clients in early 2005.
Since then, Michael has been instrumental in helping us buy, renovate, and furnish two apartments in the Recoleta area of Buenos Aires in the Spring of 2005. He has provided many value added services and we cannot imagine having gone through the process of buying and renovating without his assistance.
We relied heavily on his insights and expertise in terms of helping us find attractive rental units, providing us with much peace of mind.
· We leveraged his existing relationships with an extremely honest realtor and lawyer (which is extremely hard to find in one’s home country let alone a foreign country!), making the whole buying process easy and seamless. In fact, my partner and I bought two units remotely and did not have to be in Buenos Aires at all…Michael took care of everything.
· He helped us save money. Michael also got us directly in touch with a woman who wanted to sell her unit. We were able to close the sale on that unit and avoid the 4% buyer's realtor commission.
· The renovation and furnishing of the apartments have been completely pain-free and were completed within 1 to 1 ½ months. If anything, Michael and his team were the ones who had to deal with all of the headaches of working with the local contractors, furniture delivery folks, and more. In addition, we were impressed that Michael’s team of contractors was able to work so quickly. (To give you an idea, my partner’s apartment that he bought a year ago is still not completely finished to this day as he continues to haggle with the contractor that he hired.)Michael coordinated everything and we are extremely happy with how both apartments look.
In addition, we asked Michael to manage our apartments for several reasons.
· His business is VERY reputable and he gets a ton of word-of-mouth and referral business. My partner knows this first-hand when he rented an apartment from Michael last year. In addition, I highly believe that his recent inclusion into the Argentina/Buenos Aires Lonely Planets guidebook will further drive traffic to his website as people seek luxurious alternatives to cramped hotel rooms. In fact, Michael was able to get us a two week booking immediately that started the DAY OUR UNIT WAS READY …even if that meant he and his team had to work late the night prior to get the apartment ready for our first guest.
· And in the last ten months since we first worked with Michael, we have come to trust him completely. He is honest, fair, intelligent, attentive, and is completely passionate about the business he built from the ground up. You know that he will always do what’s best for his business and for his clients to keep them happy. We ping him with emails at all hours of the day and he replies back immediately to the point where he has spoiled us. Now, when I work with other vendors, I get annoyed that I do not get the same level of customer service as I get from Michael.
Having said all of this, I highly recommend Michael for anyone who is looking to buy real estate in Buenos Aires and/or have an apartment that they would like to rent out.”
Jane Kang
Real Estate Investor
USA
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