JohnPS
9/19/2015 15:51 EST
Is it safe to rent a house, sight unseen before we head down to Ajijic? We need a place to live when we arrive. How have others approached this debacle? What's the best way to get a deposit to a Realtor?. One Realtor suggested that we get a friend to drop off the deposit - either cash or a check in pesos. We don't have that kind of friends down there yet. Can't put the cart in front of the horse.
If someone would like to advise us on which rental agents are reliable (or which are not), that advice would also be greatly appreciated.
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dungeondevil
9/19/2015 15:59 EST
Do it correctly. Book at room in a B&B by the day/week and do the research & looking on arrival. Making this choice will eliminate grief and a possible loss of first and last month of a lease as that is what is demanded. Your eyes, nose and ears & pocketbook will inform you IF the location listed is for you. Trust me, spending money this way will work best in the long run.
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Chucklesg
9/19/2015 16:09 EST
Be careful with realtors, as most all of them were convicted in Mexican court of fraud and price fixing.
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dungeondevil
9/19/2015 16:14 EST
I forgot to say earlier. Forget BnB and those on line renters. There is a lot of bait 'n switch. The pictures are not what you paid for. Unless you have a friend to check rentals out for you, do everything on your arrival.
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Sharon88
9/19/2015 16:57 EST
I went through Lake Chapala Real Estate - Thomas Hellyer. He's from the states and speaks fluent Spanish. Hotel Villa Samary is fairly inexpensive if you wanted to stay a few nights in a hotel before locking down on a rental.
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mannem
9/19/2015 17:55 EST
It is absolutely worth it to rent a room in a nice B+B in Ajijic (and there are several) while you look for a rental. Even the most carefully prepared online listing cannot tell you what it is really like, what the neighborhood is like, how difficult it is to get there, to park, whether the furnishings are to your liking, etc etc etc.
The other benefit of a short-term rental first is you will find the B+B owners are a great resource. They know the area, if a given agent is a notorious crook, where there are places to rent you wouldn't find online, etc. as well as where to eat, shop, meet other expats and so on.
You will also have a chance to walk around and come across those "se renta" signs yourself. Highly valuable experience.
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dungeondevil
9/19/2015 18:04 EST
Try and get down to LCS, Lake Chapla Society as their bulletin board offers rentals. As well all supermarkets offer these boards. If you get out to Chapala, go to the American Legion and look at their board.
There are a few good non affiliated rental agents who of course take their commission. Under no conditions do you rent without seeing the premises. Best of luck, You've picked the right town with the best all around weather and Expats by the sidewalk full.
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JohnPS
9/20/2015 00:15 EST
Thanks Guys. Sounds like very good advice. We're moving the first of January and are concerned that there might not be any desirable rentals available when we get there - plus hotel rates are at their peak then. We're contemplating a short trip down in November to secure a rental. Is this necessary, or should we just take our chances when we arrive in January?
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JohnPS
9/20/2015 00:16 EST
Thanks Guys. Sounds like very good advice. We're moving the first of January and are concerned that there might not be any desirable rentals available when we get there - plus hotel rates are at their peak then. We're contemplating a short trip down in November to secure a rental. Is this necessary, or should we just take our chances when we arrive in January?
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dungeondevil
9/20/2015 00:26 EST
If you can afford to make an exploratory trip in October or November, this would be a wise move. But can you amortize this cost against a B&B on arrival in January. Do the math and then, do your thing.
By the way, one click on the reply button is all that is necessary. Wait for the delay as it will happen.
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JohnPS
9/20/2015 10:27 EST
Sorry for the double post. Internet bombed out on me temporarily, and I was afraid I had lost the entire message. Chances are internet is much better down there than here. TWC here has become very unreliable and unpredictable lately.
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Rodrigo1974
9/20/2015 12:52 EST
don't do it!!!!go down there and stay in a hotel temp orarily until you get your bearings. there will be many folks who want to rent to you because you are gringos. they will elevate the price. you should pay $350USD a month for a 2 bedroom in a walk-up building in a fairly decent but not extravagant area. befriend a local at some café and take him with you when you look for apartments. I hope you speak Spanish.
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18holes
9/25/2015 08:52 EST
Another option is to find a place on airbnb. We did that before we bought a house. You can find a place for 1 night and some rent for a month. There are reviews and a room, casita or a house is what you can find. Prices are all ranges and you can pay by credit card.
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kerry619
12/5/2016 13:05 EST
I have a website and blog in Mexico (Mazatlan) and am writing a post about renting less than a year but over a month to learn if you like an area before moving to Mexico.
One of the suggestions I have made in the past, based on my own experience, is to hire a “concierge” to check out a place prior to committing any money. Here is my post about it http://www.ventanasmexico.com/news-1/2016/6/20/0473klj4cqu5tiopmdbi1etsa59yrv
In this new blog post I would like to list one person as a “concierge” (preferably someone with an online presence) for each popular expat area.
Having the name of someone I could hire to do something like check out an apartment for me or get some other question answered when I couldn’t be there myself has made my life much less stressful in Mexico
I know having even one relationship in any new town can make a world of difference. I don’t know if you’d even ever be contacted. It just seems like a helpful thing to do. I wouldn’t receive any “cut.” I’d just like to list a friendly contact in your area willing to do thing like this at a reasonable fee. I usually have paid $30 to $60 U.S. for each concierge task, calculated at about an hour or so a task.
let me know if you might be interested or know someone who is.
My skype is Kerry.baker68. Kerryinmexico@gmail.com if you’d like to chat about it.
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promobabe
12/6/2016 02:51 EST
Great idea on finding a concierge, Kerry. I followed your link & read a few of your blogs. Good stuff. I'm a woman in my late 50s, no longer married, researching possible places to live in Mexico. My first expliration trip is early January. Thanks for the helpful blogs. :) -- Barb
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Shellyclark2002
12/6/2016 08:25 EST
Reference Tom Hellyer in Ajijic. I worked with him a few years ago and found him to be a honest and decent young man, very willing to help. His wife is Mexican and he speak excellent Spanish and was very efficient.
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bluewater1
12/9/2016 15:52 EST
Chuckles I sent you a PM requesting you to post evidence of your accusation. We must've missed that when we researched buying a home.
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kerry619
3/28/2017 16:56 EST
Hi, Sorry so long getting back. My listing of local concierges is coming out soon. You should subscribe to my site so you'll know when it comes out. :)
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