This serves as a quick update and revision of OdessaFX services for the Summer 2008 short and long-term travel season.

First, all OdessaFX Services except translator/interpreter support services are on temporary hold. We are currently in talks to merge our support with the formation of a new real estate agency. Our operational tests with local real estate agents and agencies have not performed to an acceptable standard.

Inflation and tourist growth is serving to push median short-term and long-term apartment rental rates higher than forecasted in earlier articles. Western renovated one room studios are running at roughly $650 per month and higher the closer they are to the beach. Further away, rates in the range of $550 are possible. Depending upon length of stay and amount of transit to/from the center of town/beach – costs of time and money on transportation will eclipse any savings.

Odessa is a tourist city and most newcomers to Odessa encounter difficulties stepping outside the short-term rental market. Finding a very basic $40/night apartment, even with price breaks, will likely run up to, perhaps over, a thousand dollars a month. If your situation fits into one of the following four categories,

The following details typical rates of monthly utilities in Odessa.

The lease agreement is your primary protection in Ukraine as it is everywhere else. It is not the best protection given the state of Ukrainian law, but far fewer problems develop when you have a written lease agreement. The problems almost always emerge when you trust Ukrainian landlords to honor a verbal agreement, or when you do not exercise due diligence in securing a new written lease agreement come renewal time.