GOT BAJA?

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site last updated Aug 27, 2010

Living or retiring in Baja Mexico is not just for seniors anymore!

Pacific Coast, Punta Banda Peninsula, Northern Baja Mexico

THIS IS MY BACKYARD

I live here full time year round, on less than $500/month income.

Read my story.

If you are interested in learning more about relaxed casual Baja living from people that already live here, and have for many years, you have come to the right place.  Read about our funny -  and some not so funny experiences. Learn firsthand what it really takes to live or retire here through information gathered from many knowledgeable and friendly Baja lovers.

This site is always a work in progress but there is enough information already here to keep you occupied all week…

Here’s the way it works:  I pay no taxes to the U.S. because I have no ties there anymore.  I own nothing there, nor have any assets whatsoever in the U.S….  Mexico is my new home.  I receive no Social Security income, dividends, disabilities, inheritance, insurance or pensions.

I dont feel like I am being “unpatriotic” at all. I simply could not afford to live in the U.S anymore. (read our story in another post) I still have family there and visit quite often or vica versa.  And yes, crossing the border in Tijuana is easy and safe, I’ve done it many times without incident.

 This house (right) which is fully paid for, was purchased for very little (fractions) compared to a similar home in the U.S,  and is perched on the cliffs of the Pacific ocean. During certain times of the year, the owners can see migrating gray whales swim past the house on their way south to breed. Dolphins play in front of the windows. Pelicans swoop down over the deck to catch fresh fish. Seals bellow on the rocks below.  They can watch the most incredible sunsets at dusk. The sounds of crashing waves below  lulls them to sleep every night.  Turquoise water beyond the house and as far as the eye can see…

They have  complete and total privacy. Most communities are gated and secure. (note: there are exceptions to this rule) The cost of living in Baja is amazingly far less than you would expect.

The point is, if you are not yet retired, and you don’t have a lot of money,  you can still make life happen in Baja. The main thing is if your house is paid for, you will be able to relax and enjoy your life in a way that could not be possible in the United States.

I know alot of you are shaking your heads in disbelief. Hard to imagine  why anyone would just up and move to Baja. For us, there were no other options. We did it, and it’s the best thing we ever did!  5 years into it and we are still finding new things to love about this beautiful desert peninsula every single day.

♥ All images you will see within this website were shot locally in our Baja community ♥

I live in paradise and you can too. Find out how…follow me!

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for more information , visit the following article on ”How to Retire in Mexico Before the Age of 50″

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1775232/retire_before_the_age_of_50.html?cat=7

 I will keep adding more relevant, newsworthy content to this site every day, as it becomes available, so keep checking back!

“Retire Early in Mexico”

“why arent you here?!”

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New Feature starting April 2010!!

Visit the link on right→

“THIS WEEK IN MEXICO”

where once a week we add the latest news from all over Mexico!

If you did not grow up in California, or anywhere near the western seaboard, changes are good you will not be all that familiar with the beautifully rugged desert peninsula that is Baja.

Above:  Map of the United States and Mexico, Mexico being the green areas in the middle of map.  Baja is at the very far left of this green region (the slender peninsula or arm coming down, just above the red dotted line).

Southern Baja is referred to as Baja Sur.  Baja is divided into 2 regions or states, Baja California and Baja Sur, California is the north half, Sur being the south half.

TIJUANA is the first city on the pacific coast, in northern Baja.  Tijuana or TJ, is right at the San Ysidro, California/Mexico border – you will be in TJ as soon as you cross the border.  As you continue down the coastline, 30 minutes south of Tijuana is ROSARITO. 1 hour south of Rosarito, on the pacific coast still,  is ENSENADA, where I live.   We will talk about famous LaBufadora in a later post, as it is a famous tourist attraction as well as a gorgeous place to call home!

Punta Banda Peninsula is a small peninsula within a peninsula. (that being Baja)  LaBufadora is a hamlet or village on this small peninsula.   So there you have it.  If you look at a very detailed map of Baja, you will notice this little peninsula or a little arm sticking out of the northern pacific coast. LaBufadora is at the very tip of this small peninsula or arm. It is literally at the end of the road so to speak! It is clearly shown on the map below.

Below is a large detailed map of the Baja Peninsula and Mexico Mainland. You will notice that in Baja, all the mountains are in the north, which is the area this website is focusing on.  (northern baja)  Also referred to as Baja California. (BC)

Unfortunately, the  J in “Tijuana” on the map below, is covering up where this little peninsula known as Punta Banda-LaBufadora (also sometimes refered to as Ensenada Bay)  sticks out into the ocean.>>>

Detailed travel maps are shown on the “Baja Travel Maps” page above, right side

We are easily accessible by plane or boat from mainland Mexico and points north. Tijuana has a lovely international airport, Ensenada has a military landing strip.

Visit Mexico-My Space

 This question can be answered quickly in 7 words: inexpensive living and exceptional quality of life. You will experience such a richly rewarding and gratifying lifestyle here, it is almost impossible to explain.  The Global Retirement Index, Global Retirement Index, (the chart you will see in this link, is, in my opinion; quite on the high end, my costs are less than half of what is stated there), has announced that Mexico is now the most affordable place to retire. Staying within northern Baja, near or in the Ensenda, or Rosarito areas; is almost like living in southern California – in that you will lack for nothing. You will have every service available to you very inexpensively, and then some. You will have everything you need. You are not going to be subjected to all the governmental BS and rules that tie one down and create huge headaches in the US.

The mexican culture is a very resourceful one. This is not a throw away society, the people here are super creative, they dont tend to throw useable things in landfills like much of the world does. For me, theres something very comforting about that.

Living in Baja Mexico is  inexpensive, and close to home. Does the high cost of living get you down like it did us?  Then it’s time to start thinking about relocating…and living  in Baja Mexico. Here’s why:

Many things are SO very cheap in Baja. You can buy a bagful of organic vegetables for $2. My car mechanic charges me $10 a day to work on my car. Last week I had a little accident and rear-ended the pickup truck in front of me, not going more that 1 MPH- but hard enough to completely bend my hood up and knock out some headlights, the horn, etc. It was pretty much a mess. The entire repair job was 1100 pesos or roughly $80.  In the States, that job would have cost thousands. The job took only a day to finish!  I get a full body massage for $20/hour. A foot reflexology therapy for $20/hour. I get a full set of acrylic nails done for $12.  My top notch hair cuts run $10 and highlighting is $25.  A mans hair cut costs $4-5. I get my tires repaired for $3.  Services are very cheap. Produce is very cheap. Housing is very cheap, comparatively.   Telephone service (Vonage, Magic Jack, Skype) is affordable and easy to set up and Telcel offers cheap cellular service to other countries and the U.S. for very little money. Telcel offers 3G internet technology to many regions of northern Baja. Water is very cheap.  Electricity can run about 1/2 of what you pay in the US. When I ran my store, an average electric bill for me was about $20 per month. At this writing, gasoline for your car runs about .20-.25 cents cheaper per gallon. A complete car wash, inside and out, will cost you about $5. Everywhere you look you see “segundas”, where you can buy anything you want for 2nd hand prices. “Segunda” literally means seconds.  Basically they are large outdoor flea markets where you can buy anything from tomatoes to bedsheets.  More about “segundas” later.  See the shopping page for more information on this as well.

cool video about Rosarito (Baja Norte) retirement life!

Living in this region has its advantages in that one is very close to the U.S. border and the city of San Diego with everything it has to offer.  Many people who live in Baja Norte travel to the San Diego region every week for shopping, family visits, doctor visits or mail pickup. Again, border crossing is VERY safe, just go in the daytime hours, and you will have no problems.

And lets talk about the weather here! There could not be a better spot on the planet that has consistently better weather, year around. It does not get too hot, nor too cold here. Simply put, you won’t find a better climate than northern Baja. Much like San Diego; which is renowned for having the United States consistently best weather, northern Baja weather is very similar.  Very rarely will you see temperatures higher than 78-80 farenheit. Air conditioning is not necessary in northern Baja.

There are beautiful modern shopping plazas, state of the art movie theaters, wonderful health care facilities (or you can drive up to your U.S. hospital in a matter of an hour or so),  countless outdoor adventures, (lovely clean beaches, scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, boating, tidal pool exploration, sea kayaking, world famous whale watching excursions, hiking, backpacking, camping etc) lovely landscaped neighborhoods, beautiful homesites, inexpensive rents, world class ocean side golf courses, thriving arts/cultural centers, gorgeous year-round warm weather and breathtaking scenery.

Maybe you are interested in coming to live and or retire in Baja to do mission work. And MANY do. Find more informationabout that on the “missions” page.

Regardless of the reason, we are here to tell you that you can own your own home (with the land) for only a small fraction of the cost of its U.S. counterpart. (see fideicomiso to the right) That cliffside, unobstructed oceanview home; up above, would probably cost 1-2 million dollars in California, but the owners got it for a song, less than the price of a new pickup truck in the US.

As homeowners, you will have all the binding contracts and legal documents necessary to prove ownership.  In our case, we do not own the land (its owned by the government, not ejido) but we do pay them a small monthly rent to lease the land, $250 a month, which comes to $3,000 a year.  We pay this in a one time, lump sum every year, so we dont have to worry about it month to month. This lease includes free trash pickup, road maintenance and round the clock security. It is much like living in a mobile home community,  where you own your home, but not the land it sits on. We cannot move it, but we have 100% assurance in writing, that the home will never be “taken”  or “reposessed” from us to utilize the land in other ways. And frankly where our house sits, we dont think the land could be used commercially. We rest comfortably knowing that in 10,20 or 30  years our home will be secure and we will continue to enjoy the same lifestyle we now enjoy.  We certainly hope to pass this legacy along to our children and grandchildren.

Here is an example of the wonderful first class – five star hotels that can be found all along the northern Pacific coastline in Baja. This one is just a little south of  Rosarito.  They are clean and no more expensive than any comparable hotel in the US.  I have stayed in quite a few hotels all over the Baja, and every one has been clean, neat, tidy, and I believe you can judge the atmosphere of a particular place by its hotels.  This is a large hotel because it is near a large town. As you travel further south into the heart of Baja, and the towns get smaller, so will the accommodations.We have stayed in small hacienda style hotels and large high-rises in bigger cities.  We have been impressed by all of them.

If you own your home, but rent your property on a lease situation; as we do, you pay no property or any other foolish house taxes. Nada. (if you own your land and home together, there are enforced procedures and laws in place for payment of taxes and capital gains, see the “Real Estate” page for more information.)

We consider our small yearly lease to be our “tax” if you will, to the state of Baja.  That’s it. You are free to a certain extent, do what you want to the house. All we have to do is get a verbal A-OK on our plans, from the landlord. This property has been in their family for generations and it is a virtual gold mine, an enormous cash cow for their family and always will be.  We can tear our house down, rip it apart, add on 20 rooms, put in a pool, expand our garden, whatever we so choose (as long as we dont infringe on our next door neighbor; if you happen to have one; which we don’t on either side) and no-one will be the wiser.  (Just make sure you tell your landlord of your plans first! )There are no enforced rules persay, here.  99% of the time, you can do whatever you want to do in Baja without interference from the local long arm of the law, health department or some silly government agency telling you your fence is 3 inches too high. Here’s an example: We recently built a garage with no permits whatsoever. We bought the materials and started building. That was it.

We have complete and total privacy. We live at the very end of our street, with no neighbors too close by.  Our closest neighbor, retired from the military, is about 100 yards away.  I could walk around outside naked and shout the Star Bangled Banner and noone would know.

Breakdown of my basic monthly living expenditures:

Unfortunately we have no health insurance. Fortunately right now, everyone is in excellent health. And like I mentioned, I dont  factor in the house lease, as that comes from another account, once per year.  So I’m not including it…

water: $40

electric: $15

propane: $16

gasoline: $65

groceries: $200

phone/internet: $50

dog food: $10

The rest is incidentals - a car repair, house repair,  termite treatment once/yr, dentist once/yr, computer tech visits, etc.  The point is, if you are not yet retired, and you don’t have a lot of money, (but you do have a little saved that you can buy a decent home very cheaply),  you can still make life happen in Baja. If your house is paid for, the rest is well, gravy.

Here is a great new community being built just up north of here, right on the ocean. As you can see, many new developments have immaculate golf courses right on the property.  Homes in this development start around $150,000 U.S. for a smaller model.  You do not have to live in a fancy community if you don’t want. There are MANY many lovely areas and nice homes scattered all about.  All I am getting at is, if you want to live within a gated secure community,  just like any you find in the states, they are many options available.

if you want to rough it a bit and live a more rustic lifestyle, you can certainly do so.  Our home is NOT in a development like this- in fact, my neighborhood, called a “rancho” in Baja; has been here since the 1960′s.  It is comprised of small 25 foot trailers to magnificent, opulent Mexican style homes.  Again, no laws dictate to us what kind of home we live in or what it should look like or how big our garden is.

RENTING. There are some small homes (casitas) in my area;  Punta Banda peninsula, south of  Ensenada, that are renting for as little as $250 / month, long term, depending on where exactly it is. This would not be right on the ocean, (there are some a few rows back in this range) but still, this is unheard of in the US!  I went to look at a few of these places and they are wonderful. If you want a regular, mid sized house, 1000 -1500 SQF,  expect to pay anywhere from $400/month and up.  Right now, as the economy is in a slump here too, rentals are widely available.

You can truly find a rental at any price range here.

Here is a rental very close to my home.  Its a popular vacation rental.  It is rented only for short term vacations. Needless to say the owners are bringing in substantial income, without lifting a finger, as this home is rented out most of the year.  This is another option for people to consider.  Anyone can buy a home fairly cheaply right now, and use it for income. People in Baja are doing this every day.

But more about this later.

Click >>HERE !<< to be taken to the BAJA LIBRARY !!

Below are just a sampling of the many books, travel guides, directories, how-to’s, camping, RVing, and motorcycling tips, photo-essays, diaries, personal journeys and maps available inside this library… it is quite an extensive and comprehensive list of anything BAJA.

1. LIVING ABROAD IN MEXICO. by Ken Luboff

Synopses, Reviews and Publisher Comments:

 Synopsis:

3. Cashing in on a Second Home in Mexico: How to Buy, Rent and Profit from Real Estate South of the Border by Tom Kelly no synopsis available for this book, sorry.

Synopses, Reviews  & Publisher Comments:

The VW Beetle is uniquely suited for off-road use. Its torsion-arm front suspension and lightweight engine and transaxle make it a natural. If you didn’t know better, you’d think Dr. Ferdinand Porsche designed the Beetle to race the Baja.Veteran off-road racer Jeff Hibbard details the dos and don’ts of off-road preparation. Whether you build your car for recreation or full-race, this book has a plan for you.

Avoid building a cosmetic off-road car. Learn what breaks and how to prevent it from breaking. Learn how to spend your off-road dollars wisely. This book is a must for sedan and buggy off-roaders alike.

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5. Lonely Planet Baja California and Los Cabos.

Synopses, Reviews and Publisher Comments:

Discover Baja California and Los Cabos …Commune with whale calves as their mothers nudge them to the surface for their very first breath. Get dusty on the badder-than-bad backroad to Bahia San Luis Gonzaga. Suck down a caguama (that’s Baja for beer) as you watch the sun set in Punta Abreojos. Discover the delectable truth behind Baja’s world-renowned invention, the Caesar salad. In This Guide: 4872 miles, one black-widow spider bite, one superstar author still kicking, and 30 pages of the best damn maps anywhere. Special surfing chapter written by none other than Surfer magazine editor Jake Howard – charge on!

Mi Querida Baja California feature revealing the lives of a painter, a doctor and a few more local experts.

And, since you asked for it – we’ve incorporated more off-track coverage than any other guidebook.

 Review: ‘Lonely Planet guides are a must-pack’ –Toronto Star, February 2006

 Synopsis: Baja receives 1.4 million visitors annually. This guide to the popular destination features a special surfing chapter written by a boarding guru, a specialist-written food section, and candid interviews with locals.

 Synopsis: This guide to the popular Baja and Los Cabos destinations features a special surfing chapter written by a boarding guru, an expertly written section on local foods, and candid interviews with locals.

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6. Baja Diaries: Chronicles of a Paradise Lost by George E Puckett.  Highly recommended.

Synopses, Reviews & Publisher Comments:

Foreword by Kent Anderson, PhD…

For centuries, people have left their homes and familiar surroundings in search of the other. This is a term long used by anthropologists to describe the urge in so many people to seek and experience the exotic. Many humans seem willing to depart from a common culture, extended family and native tongue to enter a very different and unfamiliar setting.

What you are about to read in BAJA DIARIES are the experiences of the other by George Puckett and his wife, Tina, a Black couple from Tucson, Arizona. In 1998, they embarked on a great adventure, leaving behind the United States of America, many friends and family, to settle in a beautiful enclave near the Pacific Ocean in the Mexican city of Ensenada in Baja California.

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7. A Parents Guide to San Diego and Baja California Mexico

Synopses, Reviews and Publisher Comments:

This handbook for exploring San Diego and Mexico’s adjacent border cities gives parents complete information on places and activities the whole family can enjoy together. Provided are tips and insight that will make visiting San Diego’s world-famous sites, such as the San Diego Zoo and Sea World, more enjoyable, as well as information about hot spots and little-known treasure sites, like the hot springs at the beach, the grassroots Surf Museum, and funky vintage stores known only to locals. The best places to hike, bike, golf, and surf with children are revealed, and music, art, and cultural attractions are discussed. Included are driving directions, admission costs, hours of operation, suggestions of where to eat and where to shop, special items of interest and great advice on what kids like best. Even those familiar with San Diego will find new and interesting adventures in this guide-experiences that entertain and educate children of all ages and make parenting rewarding.

Synopsis: Insider advice on finding the most entertaining and enriching attractions for kids in California’s popular beachside city and in Northern Baja California. Includes information on monuments, museums, and places of historical significance, as well as hotels, restaurants, and shopping destinations.

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About the Author

Fay Crevoshay is a journalist and radio commentator. Her work has appeared in the San Diego Union-Tribune, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the San Jose Mercury News. She lives in San Diego, California.

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8. Oasis of Stone: Visions of Baja California Sur

Synopses, Reviews and Publisher Comments:

Gorgeous full-color photography by award-winning photographer Miguel Angel de la Cueva, and evocative text by Bruce Berger, bring the southern half of Baja California to life. Beginning with its unique geology, and moving on to the coastal, desert, and mountain ecosystems of Mexico’s little-known peninsula, this lush coffee-table book highlights the flora and fauna of the region.

SO ….IF ANY OF THE ABOVE BOOKS SPARK YOUR CURIOSITY, JUST CLICK ON THE LINK AT THE TOP OF THIS POST RIGHT UNDER WHERE IT SAYS  “BAJA LIBRARY” AND GET MORE INFORMATION.

 

this is a link http://www.promexico.gob.mx/wb/Promexico/videos_en to some really good videos on the ever growing strength of the Mexican economy and infrastructure, as of 2010.  There are videos on the  Travel, Automotive, Aerospace, Banking, Fashion Industries and more,  Enjoy…

I say hype because thats just what it is. Over sensationalized, negative media attention which hopes to deter visitors from the US or Canada, entering Mexico. They would rather you spend your dollars in the US.  They need it desperately.  Any crime that is happening in Baja is NOT in the little villages or hamlets in which we all live, nor in the big tourist destinations of Cancun or Puerto Vallarta, LaPaz or Cabo.   Its happening in the little border shanty towns and drug trafficking streets. In king pins homes and prostitute alleys.  In darkly lit slums and areas where drug lords frequent.  I never worry about random drug shooting drive bys in my little area of Baja, because it simply doesnt happen here ever.

I will be honest here and comment on what does happen. Petty theft. House break-ins and robberies. Times are desperate here too - the bad economy has reared it ugly head here as well.  So yes, this does happen with some regularity, but if you take the necessary precautions, you will be safe.  Alarms and big dogs are the simple answer to this problem.

Having said that, I feel safer here in Baja than i do ANYWHERE in the states.  And I do keep up with the news.  We never hear of child molesters, rapists, or serial killers.  I buy the local papers, read the magazines and I belong to a community news group.  This is simply not an issue in this area of Baja.  Baja is as safe as ever for law abiding people. Stay away from the “bad” areas just as you would in any large city.

To learn more about the crime issue, please visit the CRIME page to the right. And please note the highlighted text in the post below.  In the meantime, visit Mexico My Space and learn what real residents have to say about the “crime” wave.

As of April 2010, we have a new police force that is patrolling the 70 mile corridor between TJ and Ensenada on a regular basis. Thats great news! 

Visit Mexico-My Space

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How safe is it in Mexico? Confusion reigns.

The answer to that is a resounding YES - I have done it, I am doing it now, I will continue to work here in Baja, as long as I am physically able to.

How does one come to another country, set up house, and start working… you might ask?  I cannot stress this enough, here in Baja, at least the little community where I live, rules are VERY VERY lax. Anyone can do pretty much anything… without alot of hassle.  Now this isn’t to say you should continue to get away with not going by the established rules, that are set in place. There ARE rules, it’s just that they arent really enforced. I suppose if you were to live in bigger town or city, the rules would be more enforced, but I am not sure.

Next question is:  What Can I Do and How Much Money Will I Make? The answer to that is as varied as the wind but…

.

Here are the 4 jobs that I have done here in Baja, that I have made an  income doing:

1) ran a consignment shop  2)  waited tables   3) Petsitting and housesitting

4) PR for an online business.

click this link → http://bit.ly/SfphY ←for more information.

I will explain all about each 4 positions in a moment. Lets remember that you are living in a foreign country for a minute.  RULES HERE ARE JUST NOT THE SAME – SIMILAR PERHAPS, AND A BIT LESS STRINGENT, BUT NOT ENFORCED LIKE IN THE US.  You can get away with alot of stuff. (I once saw a naked old woman walking around downtown. No kidding !)

For example, (allow me to get distracted here for a second)….when you are driving around on the streets, say going into Ensenada, the likelihood of you being stopped by a police official for expired plates, or not wearing a seatbelt, or having a cracked windshield, speeding, or RUNNING A RED LIGHT (which I see people do almost every single day) are pretty much zero. That is not to say it won’t happen, but; it has never happened to me, and I run on all of the above; (except that i have never run a red  (a yellow, yes- but never a red)  light).  If you are caught littering from your car, chances are you won’t get pulled over, as I don’t believe it’s a crime. I see this ALL the time and it bothers me to no end. There are signs, for no littering, but people still ignore the signs. All too  often, I see pop and beer cans flying out of windows, or an occasional fast food container. Maddening!

Another example, when I ran the Consignment shop, I was never, in 3 years, approached by a single official asking to see my documents or FM3 paperwork; showing I owned a legal business.

I had all my documents proudly hanging on the wall in the event someone should ask, but noone ever did. I worked diligently to get all my ducks in a row, and not one person ever came in to check my credentials. Because my husband and I both obtained our working FM3 visas, we are free to work wherever we want in Baja.

People work for others every day OR trade services.  You work on my car and I will give you a free dive in the ocean. You clean my house once a week and I will supply you with all the hair cuts you want.  Of course you can opt to get paid too … If you work for an American (and Americans comprise about roughly about 85% of the population here) you can get paid in cash (dollars or pesos).  You can wash their cars, wash their house, wash their windows, (believe me this a valuable service in desert like Baja, where there is a lot of dust) wash their dogs, groom dogs, wash anything. The rate of pay will depend, of course, on what you do. You are not going to get rich by any means, but you may make enough to pay some bills.

As far as pay goes, this can be an issue.   Many people that have retired down here, after awhile, start to take on the Mexican mentality. They feel it is perfectly alright to pay $20 a day (or less in some cases) for an honest days work, for 8 hours or longer. That is, after all, what a typical Mexican worker earns a day. Field workers sometimes earn less.  I believe however, this is all negotiable with whomever you work for, you should not except less than what you are worth. Ask to get paid what you feel the job is worth, keeping in mind you are in another country, you are not paying taxes when you do trade work, and a lot of retired people here are on fixed incomes.  With my consignment business, I did’nt have to worry about relying on others to pay me – I paid myself, according to what I brought in.

You can fix cars, fix plumbing, fix electrical, fix anything- if you are skilled in a certain area. You can charge or not charge a fee. You can trade things. Its sort of like living in the Wild West. You can paint a house, paint a shed, paint a deck.  You can housesit and petsit for people while they are away. Maybe start a small eatery. You can do gardening. You can cook for people, cater, you get the idea.   So, this means you will have to get your foot in the door, so to speak; and get established in the local community; as someone who can be trusted.  Word of mouth is truly key here.

Let me make it perfectly clear that if you come down here and want to start a full fledged, legitimate business, you will definitely have to go through the steps necessary to get legal. (getting an accountant, a specially endorsed FM3,  paying factura to the Mexican Hacienda  (IRS)  blah blah blah….If you’re just working temporary odd jobs- around and about, within the American community or amongst friends, my experience has been that you can do it without the long arm of the law breathing down your neck.

Point is, working in Mexico, amongst your neighbors or in your local community, whether it be out of necessity or just plain boredom, is very possible!

‘Live, Work, Retire in Mexico’ Seminar Offers Practical Information for Living a Life of Luxury in Mexico

The seminar will be held at the Days Inn Chicago, 644 West Diversey Parkway (Corner Diversey/Clark/Broadway), on August 8, 2009. Topics include real estate, the cost of living, safety, health care, owning/operating a business, tax benefits, local culture and the active American community in Merida.

Merida is the capital of the Yucatan, and the city of nearly 1 million people is known for its safe streets, universities, thriving culture, recreational activities, global tourism, and excellent hospitals and health care. There are numerous attorneys, accountants and other professionals who specialize in the concerns of American citizens living in Mexico. In addition, the beach community of Progresso, located on the Gulf of Mexico, is just a 20-minute drive on a brand-new 8-lane highway.

Merida also has a thriving gay community of locals and Americans, with a welcoming population, cultural events, excellent restaurants and exciting nightlife. Mexico International Real Estate is gay-owned and operated, and understands the unique concerns of singles and couples who are thinking of living in Mexico.

“Thanks to appealing real estate and a good return on investment, the thriving American community of part-time residents and retirees live a lifestyle far above what they can afford in the U.S.,” states Mitch Keenan, CRS, principal of Mexico International Real Estate.

“Press coverage about swine flu, drug cartels and economic problems in other parts of Mexico has scared people away from learning about living a life of luxury here in the Yucatan peninsula. However, it is no different than foreigners hearing about gangs in Los Angeles or unemployment in Detroit. There are definite problems in isolated areas of the U.S. — and it makes for dramatic media stories — but these problems do not affect the entire country and should not scare foreigners from visiting the best places in the U.S. The same is true for us in the enchanted paradise of Merida, Mexico,” added Keenan.

The cost to attend is $50.00 and space is limited. Visit http://www.mexintl.com for details and to make reservations. Additional seminars will be held in Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Houston, New York City and San Francisco.

Mexico International Real Estate specializes in helping people relocate and live successfully in Mexico. They have been in business for over 10 years, and their clientele is evenly divided among Americans and locals. Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhq5X-ddcqQ for a video about Merida, Yucatan.

Contact:

Mitch Keenan, Principal, Mexico International Real Estate
USA Toll-Free: 866 888 3025
Mexico: +52 999 920 6856
Email: mitch@mexintl.com

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Is Mexico Still The Place To Retire?

Posted Jun-02-2010  By Barbie, Mexico Retirement Guide

In both 2008 and 2009, Mexico placed #1 for retirement, by International Living.  The next four high rankings are Ecuador, Panama, Uruguay and Italy.

Just about the biggest plus to me, for the selection of Mexico above the others, is the proximity to the United States.  Even at most distant locations, you can usually drive rather than needing to get an expensive airplane to get back and forth to see family and friends in the States.  Though, those friends and family are probably going to be the ones who do the traveling to visit the luck person living in Mexico. And, while driving may take time, we’re retired, aren’t we?  No more meetings scheduled for us – so just enjoy the trip.

High-speed internet, cable and satellite tv, and options like Magic Jack for phone, are all available so you’ll still have all the conveniences you are used to and expect in retirement, or relocation. 

In Mexico, during the first 6 months that you hold an FM2 or FM3 Visas, you can import your used (not new) household items with no import taxes.  Read More. 

Talking about ratings, there’s sort of a funny ranking that is “Living in a Corona commercial”, by Money magazine, that lists #1, on a boat, #2, In Greenville, SC, and #3 in Mazatlan, Mexico!

Right now, because of the financial crisis (maybe that’s a little strong for some of you – how about “problems”) in the states, property prices in Mexico have also dropped.  There are fewer folks looking for real estate right now in Mexico, so if you have a real “horse trader” mentality and capability, you may find some real deals. 

Mexico, long ago, realized the importance of retirees moving to Mexico – even on strict budgets, they have so much more than the average Mexican has.  Remember, the average wage in Mexico is still $5 a day.  Mexico has made it easy for retirees to get their various permits, visas, and – as I said in another article – there’s even a senior discount card!  Love that 

Our story is straightforward:  We had a wildly successful business in Colorado, then we lost the business. No jobs in sight in our one stop light/vacation home/retirement community. Husband loves to fish. Droughts dry up lakes and reservoirs, there is no longer any good fishing holes to be found.  Definitely time to leave but where to go….. wherever there is water, and lots of it!

Texas? Too far away. California?  Too expensive.  South of California, just below the border; seemed to make sense. How different can it be there?! Sure its a totally different country, but how bad could it be?

So we started researching Baja Real Estate. Anything we could get our hands on. After a few weeks of intense research, one ad caught my eye. I followed up on it.  My husband flies out to take a peek. He returns completely ga-ga over the place. (neither of us had ever been to or heard of this place before) Having had spent the night in the house — he was ready to buy.  I was a little skeptical, but I could see the excitement in his eyes and hear it in his voice. I had never seen him so definitely certain about anything. We make all the initial negotiations over the phone, with the owner of the house, a retired Brooklyn barber.   He arranges everything over the phone for the Mexico end of things.  My husband flies out to San Diego where current owner barber picks him up and drives him to the house. He takes movies of the property which i enjoyed upon his return. He spends the night on the couch and enjoys time on the deck overlooking the azure pacific ocean. I think this was the clincher.

2 few days later i pick up a radiant husband from DIA. He has fallen head over heels in love with Baja and the house. We sort thru the pictures and watch the video.  Turns out the house is a bit of a fixer upper, but we had extensive experience with that in Colorado and felt it was something we could tackle easily.  The pictures and video looked better than it did in person; once I later get there, let me make that perfectly clear right of the bat. I was a bit dissapointed at first, but as the days and weeks went by, the house and all its oddities grew on me.

After many many nights debating whether to move, we decide to put our house in Colorado up for sale. (this was before the current economic downturn luckily)  It didn’t end up selling right away.  We sorted through  all our personal “stuff” and belongings, to decide what to keep/take with us and what to get rid of. We had so much accumulated junk! We had to keep in mind what we were actually able to move down with us – our hauling capacity. Then a few weeks later, we have a huge yard sale to liquidate. This required alot of preparation, it was an immense job. We had to run it for several days, just to get rid of it. Even then it did not all sell, in the end, we placed it all on the curb with a “FREE” sign and after a couple of days, it was mostly all gone. I ended up taking a lot to local charities.

our house in Salida Colorado >>>>>>>>

We had to live in a bare house for a several weeks, while final preparations to move to Baja were being made.  The house was on the market, but not many buyers were coming to look at it. We couldn’t understand why. This was long before the current housing slump.  Lots of homes were being sold in our community,  just not ours!  it was downright discouraging. The inspection report came back stating that the roof was not built to code so we chalked it up to that.  The house was over a 100 years old for Gods sake, what do they expect.  (thank goodness we don’t have to deal with this sort of thing anymore in Baja)

After a few weeks with no prospects, a new idea popped in our heads and within a few days we had the house rented to a wonderful young couple, who later ended up buying our house. We were set to go to Baja and start our new adventure. With passports and house contents strapped onto the cars, we started the trek to Ensenada and beyond.

Can’t wait to get here? Drop Everything! Last second deals from $199 on road and air packages.

When we first arrived, and went inside, I took a quick look and the very first thing I did was grab a broom. The house had not been lived in in Years. Decades. There were bugs, dust, dirt, dead animals and never ending cobwebs.  I was ready to strangle my smiling husband. I thought to myself  “this is going to take years to recover”.  There was no electricity, no water, no indoor plumbing, no heat, (yes you need heat here in winter, Jan-Feb-March, regretably)… the house was really just a shell. I learn the house had only been used periodically, for short vacations – by a single man, so those things were unnecessary to him. There was some very old furniture,  most of which was thrown away later or burned in the fireplace.  The ugly stained carpets upstairs were rotten and falling apart from years of mold, mildew, and repeated roof leaks. I was very upset. What had we done? I think I cried for a week straight.

The weather was beautiful when we first arrived – it was December, which is a gorgeous time to be in northern Baja. It was sunny every day, so we got right to work. And work we did. This would turn out to be the biggest, most challenging remodeling job we would ever tackle.  We fell into bed every night for months almost dead from exhaustion. We always did all the work ourselves, not hiring out help, and this job was no exception. We could not afford that — not even at Mexican wages.  There was just too much to do.

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