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Posts by eberhart  

Joined: 31 Mar 2011 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 5 Jul 2012
Threads: Total: 13 / In This Archive: 13
Posts: Total: 120 / In This Archive: 117

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eberhart   
19 May 2012
Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

Mike...it's also as good a time as any to start learning some Polish. You can pick up pretty quick what the basics are for flat related stuff. And yeah...Google Translate makes short work of any issues if you cannot understand. Flat listings will be the least of your communication worries so don't give up before you start.
eberhart   
19 May 2012
Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

That seems to be a problem with all the sites. A lot f the listings are old, or just resubmitted over and over even after being rented. Several flats seem to be listed with multiple agencies and they don't have current information. It is quite frustrating.
eberhart   
19 May 2012
Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

In my experience Gumtree is now more agents than direct. It used to be mostly direct. You can filter out agents of course but you lose more than 50% of the open flats doing so.

Just now I checked the site and filtered down to 292 flats with my criteria....192 are with agents...100 without.
eberhart   
19 May 2012
Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

I understood you and agree it's best...but the problem is most of the ads are not from the landlords and you have no way to contact them. You MUST contact the agent if you want to see a certain flat. I wish it wasn't like this but more and more are listing with agents. Lately it seems the flats I like the most are listed by agents unfortunately.
eberhart   
19 May 2012
Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

It's not a matter of speaking Polish...most of the ads are listed by agents so you have no way to contact the owner without calling the agent. Lately they are even refusing to give you the address exactly, and many are requiring you to sign agency contracts before seeing the flat, because they know people will try and go there and leave a note or something. It's getting out of hand.
eberhart   
18 May 2012
Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

Yeah thats what aggravates me...that even though I do all the leg work I still have to get through them as an obstacle to see a place as they are often the only contact...Gumtree used to be mostly private offers but its tipped to agencies. Not sure where they get the cheek to ask for so much money to get in the way ;)
eberhart   
18 May 2012
Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

Thanks Pip I will check that site. I rented my last two flats without agent but now I am having a harder time finding direct options. It would be different if the agents found a great flat that you couldn't find yourself, but to expect one month's rent as a fee to spend a few minutes letting me in and photocopying a standard rental agreement is just mental. Most will offer 50% if you push but today I had a woman who insisted she did a lot of hard work like showing me the place and preparing the contract so it was fair for her to be paid a full month. I told her I wouldn't be calling her back. Sorry for being ********** frustrating.
eberhart   
18 May 2012
Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

I have had the frustration more than once of searching for a flat in Warsaw. It seems most owners place listings with agents so you have to go through the agent to see the place even if you have done all the work searching. They always send me offers by email or phone a few days after I have found the flats myself online. And they keep listing rented flats over and over even after I have checked and they are for sure not available. I have missed some good options because the agents take a few days to follow up and the place gets rented in that time. Basically they want to be paid to let you in for 5-10min and check the place because they do ******* else useful. I wish more owners would just put the listing up themselves on Gumtree (which is now more agents than direct rentals) or similar sites. Owners should realise they are missing out on potential renters because of the nonsense games these agencies play.

And screw all the football hooligans in town taking up all the decent flats for the next couple months.

Ok rant over ;)
eberhart   
16 Jan 2012
Life / Funeral arrangements for a foreigner in Poland [28]

Because most of them enjoy seeing their own imagined "clever" words rather than saying anything substantial. Like a lot of people these days they make it about THEM instead of helping or just staying out of it. And when you get angry at their nonsense they again turn it around and act like YOU are the issue. Typical passive aggressive nonsense and it is very transparent.

It's become clear this forum is more of a place for such people to "hear themselves speak" as it where rather than actually provide help and info.
eberhart   
14 Jan 2012
Life / Funeral arrangements for a foreigner in Poland [28]

we are terribly sorry but what were you expecting?

How about a link to the regulations? How about knowledge of the funeral logistics in Warsaw?

All the snarky ******* replies are not helpful. I guess if you want to complain and moan about Pakistanis or something this is your place....if you want real info from people who ******* live there and know the society then you are screwed.

Pardon me for hoping someone would have useful info instead of post after post of stupid jokes and bullshit.
eberhart   
13 Jan 2012
Life / Funeral arrangements for a foreigner in Poland [28]

Does anyone have any actual government rules regarding this? I see lots of opinions but no facts. It stands to reason if you have no local family or arrangements made that they would contact your embassy and try to find family. But if you don't want that to happen...if you want to be "dealt with" in Warsaw how do you go about it? Some places just cremate and dispose of unclaimed remains...that would be easiest. But as an option again does anyone know about having prepaid arrangements with a funeral home in the city?
eberhart   
12 Jan 2012
Life / Funeral arrangements for a foreigner in Poland [28]

Can a foreigner purchase a cremation or funeral ahead of time in Warsaw along with some legal will saying you want to have your remains stay there? So that if you did pass away there you could be interred there instead of a big repatriation hassle? Or if you died there would they try to send you home via the embassy etc?

I assume cremation is the cheapest option. If you aren't religious or really care can you just have your remains disposed of?
eberhart   
24 Dec 2011
Law / Sending Western Union cash to friends in Poland - questions [25]

Thanks everyone especially JonnyM.

I know banks often trigger at around 10,000usd and it would be amounts less than this (maybe 6000 or so USD a few times when I can afford it, and not every week for the whole year or something regular. I just didn't want to cause problems for them if the transfers were reported to the tax service and suddenly someone was asking them why they are getting money from abroad. Since you have to show ID I figured they recorded it and reported it to the tax office. We all know how governments like to spend time hassling normal people under the guise of terrorism etc. Just doing my due diligence so a good deed doesn't turn into something that hurts someone.
eberhart   
23 Dec 2011
Law / Sending Western Union cash to friends in Poland - questions [25]

I am planning to send cash via Western Union to some friends in Poland. On my end there is no issue but I wonder about on their end as far as taxes and receiving the money. Does Western Union there report it to the tax service? And if so what are the triggering amounts that would cause them problems? Like is there a limit or number of transfers that would have them flagged for being checked up on? I know with the "War on Terror" etc cash movements are a point of hassle so don't want to cause problems if I can break it up in smaller amounts etc. I am not sure how a money transfer is considered by the Polish tax service...if its income etc and is reported by the Western Union or bank to the government. Don't want to make trouble for them.
eberhart   
9 Dec 2011
Language / Niedziela form help. [5]

So is it different if you are just asking if they mean "Sunday" in general or if you are asking if they mean "on Sunday?"

Imagine this exchange:

A: "We need to go to Paris"

B: "Someday"

A: "Sunday?"

The form of Sunday is all I am worried about so no need to translate the whole thing.

Thanks for the trouble.
eberhart   
9 Dec 2011
Language / Niedziela form help. [5]

I have sort of asked this before but I am needing some clarification.

If somebody were to ask "Sunday?" as a single word clarifying question is it still "w niedzielę?" or is just "niedziela?" correct. If it matters its more asking "do you mean on Sunday?" as if maybe they didn't hear the day you said.
eberhart   
25 Sep 2011
Travel / Warsaw transport mobile phones app - iPhone/iPad/Nokia and travel apps [15]

Merged: Any ZTM (public transport) Warsaw app for Nokia phones?

I know you can get Warsaw transportation apps/maps on android and iOS but are there any for Nokia's various Symbian platforms? I am a die hard Nokia user and would like to find Warsaw Transport timetables/maps for my phone. Preferably something with Buses, Trams and Metro all in one.
eberhart   
16 Sep 2011
Life / Which sim card to buy in Poland? [30]

But he wants internet on his phone...thats my point. Mobile internet for laptops is not the same as mobile internet for phone. If you wanted mobile internet for laptop you need a usb plug in or a MiFi device...not a SIM. For the phone its just a 3g or 4g SIM card that can do high speed data. The older SIMS can get internet on the phone too just slower with EDGE.

I think he wanted to know which phone provider had the best data rates for a 3g/4g prepaid SIM for his phone.
eberhart   
16 Sep 2011
Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

Right or wrong?

Well it's the cultural way so who can say. But it turns off potential buyers and renters. There are plenty of flats I would have rented when I was looking if they had reasonable prices. And that's reasonable for the area not for what they perceive my nationality should pay. I don't make a lot of money and if they imagine I should pay more they will get nothing from me instead.

I don't play games in life...I will tell you what I will pay and if you won't take it then I walk away....someone will take it.
eberhart   
16 Sep 2011
Life / Which sim card to buy in Poland? [30]

People are talking about two different things here. The OP asked about a PHONE SIM with a good data plan. Some people are talking about mobile broadband internet for laptops.
eberhart   
16 Sep 2011
Travel / Is panhandling a common sight in Poland? [24]

I have always heard those old women are unable to live on their pensions or don't have family. Maybe that's just the scam but the ones I saw regularly were not that healthy...had sores etc and looked like they had a hard life. Not just someone changing into old clothes for a scam.

I never saw buskers getting hassled...homless people all the time but never buskers.
eberhart   
16 Sep 2011
Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

So it's not a Polish thing,

Well I have seen it happening for a decade in Poland...before the "collapse". And knowing the culture I can totally see them being too proud to lower prices and insisting they "deserve" a higher price. Maybe you can find examples of the same elsewhere but it doesn't change the insanity of it. In most places when things don't sell prices get lowered so they will....not raised.

If something isn't selling then the price isn't "correct". Supply and demand dictates price not what a landlord thinks they deserve. I have seen flats sit empty for a couple of years. If they wish to lose even more money owning an empty flat that is costing them then that is their choice. But it's pretty stupid.
eberhart   
15 Sep 2011
Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

Watching ads over the years I have noticed that Poles don't lower prices when flats go unrented. They will be listed and empty for a year or more at the same price and sometimes a higher price. I never understood that. It's as if it is a pride thing or something. They could be making money if they were realistic but instead they insist on losing money and sticking to their price.
eberhart   
15 Sep 2011
Travel / Is panhandling a common sight in Poland? [24]

Please,dont call that poor lass with the Violin a Panhandler .....she's is clearly a Busker/Street Entertainer,

Agreed. I quite enjoyed a lot of the street musicians. Even the ones in the metro who play guitar etc are usually good. There was a cellist who used to play on Chmielna in Warsaw with a nice suit and everything.

Homeless people would ask politely for money but I never had one be rude or pushy. There was an occasional old woman with a sign praying in front of a cup for donations etc too. Nothing you don't see in any big city and never pushy like in some.
eberhart   
12 Aug 2011
Language / "someday" / "kiedys" - Confirming some spelling and forms [11]

So if you wanted to say So if someone asked me when and I want to say "Someday" it is "kiedyś będę bogaty"? Not just "kiedyś"

And regarding Sunday I would just reply with "Sunday" not an entire sentence about where and when...so is the form still as your example sentence when the word is alone?
eberhart   
11 Aug 2011
Language / "someday" / "kiedys" - Confirming some spelling and forms [11]

Can someone confirm a couple of words for me?

The first is "someday" as if someone asked you when and you said "Someday"....is "kiedyś" correct?

The second is "Sunday" which I believe is just "niedziela" but does it change form is used as an answer to the above "when" question?

Thanks to all.