Great idea, info from the horse's mouth so to speak..We live in Cozumel, love it. We've visited Lake Chapla/Ajijic area a few times, its beautiful, near perfect weather and nearby GDL for healthcare and airport..Good Luck with your search.

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I've gone to the Panama one. Good info, Wish I had gone to the MX one. I had to be careful about signing up for everything. I wouldn't have enough money left for my for my move to MX. It helped me choose MX. Lots of expert advice and resources.

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I know many people who have done this. We did not and most people do not. You will get a map and a lot of information that is readily available. The main advantage I hear from my friends who have done it is connections and quick friendships of other new arrivals. But we have found it incredibly easy to make friendships. Regarding the connections I will caution you NOT to buy through anyone they introduce you to. That is how the make their money by charging you more for everything. If that is not important to you then pay more than you need too. A friend bought her house and paid 50,000 or more USD because she didn't shop outside their referrals.

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If you have extra cash to toss around, go for it, but be sure to follow Tom‘s advice above. They will concentrate on Ajijic to the exclusion of Chapala or other options in the area. Realtors all do that, as they want the “easy pickings“. Everything costs more in Ajijic; as much as 40% more. We lived there for a few years, then sold and moved to Chapala for the next 10 years. One learns.

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Can you tell me more about the difference in housing from Ajijic to Chapala. I don't need to spend more than necessary. Some of the homes I have been shown seem overpriced to me. On person suggested that I wouldn't like Chapala???

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We aren't going to buy. -If we move next year we will rent for probably at least 2 years - but point taken. The attraction for me of this kind of program is not making friends but the structure of actually talking to insurance people, for example, at this exploratory stage. I hear , oh, talk about insurance once you get there - but I am trying to figure out what actual costs would be before we sell and move. I like that they will take us to different neighborhoods (and these people are not Realtors though I am sure they will introduce us to people who are). But it's a good point - I will ask if we will see jocotepec and chapala, because I doubt we want to live in Ajijic.

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Ghammond - not sure I follow your comment. Did attending a Panama seminar help you decide about Mexico?

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Sounds like a good plan to me.

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giershift are you aready down there or just looking at what's online? I am told that what's posted online tends toward the expat/upper end of the market. Ajijic has the highest concentration of expats and is on the whole more expensive. Jocotepec, the westernmost of the "lakeside" communities is a fairly low concentration of expats and much of the available housing is best found by looking for signs and word of mouth.

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giershift are you aready down there or just looking at what's online? I am told that what's posted online tends toward the expat/upper end of the market. Ajijic has the highest concentration of expats and is on the whole more expensive. Jocotepec, the westernmost of the "lakeside" communities is a fairly low concentration of expats and much of the available housing is best found by looking for signs and word of mouth.

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giershift are you aready down there or just looking at what's online? I am told that what's posted online tends toward the expat/upper end of the market. Ajijic has the highest concentration of expats and is on the whole more expensive. Jocotepec, the westernmost of the "lakeside" communities is a fairly low concentration of expats and much of the available housing is best found by looking for signs and word of mouth.

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We spent 10 days looking around end of January. I plan to go back for a longer period to get a more in depth look. We went on a real estate tour and talked with expats at lake Chapala society and any where I could find them. I do look at places further out from Ajijic. I am aware that I need to see it first hand. It is smart to rent a while to make sure I know the neighborhoods and that it's right for us. One complicating factor is my husband is blind. Having things in walking distance matters, but taxis are also fairly inexpensive. One expat told me that He knows Americans that had less than great experiences further from Ajijic. That doesn't mean that we would. I comparison shop in general. I have done a fair amount of community case work in my life and not been a shrinking violent in diverse populations. I am getting old and that does change things some. I appreciate a variety of viiews and experiences.

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Since there is SO MUCH talk about getting to know the Lake Chapala area, I'll mention that at this moment there are EIGHT house sitting opportunities in Ajijic and surrounding area currently available at www.HouseSitMexico.com. These are opportunities to stay in a "real house", get to know the "real residents" and get a "real experience". What makes it even better is that these multi day, multi week and multi month stays are free to house sitters (aside from membership to the site).

Of course I recommend this as a way to figure out where you'd like to be in Mexico. It's what I did personally when moving down, and now I administer the website. Anyone wishing further information is welcome to PM me or email Admin@HouseSitMexico.com. To those who've heard this before, thank you for your forbearance, but I thought it was good information that's relevant to the discussion. :) Alex

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I have hearing loss which affects my ability to understand Spanish now so I have to think about how my so far nonSpanish speaking husband will do as I get worse. So though I think I would prefer to be away from Ajijic, the longer term situation could change - just another reason to get in the re talk frame of mind!

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Are there any coastal area house sits available?

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Yes, there are sits on the Baja coast (Sea of Cortez), Pacific coast (Jalisco and Michoacan), Bay of Chetumal and another Yucatan location. You can see the list at https://www.housesitmexico.com/housesit-search/ Under "Filtered Searches" you'll see a map that helps you understand the regions of Mexico better.

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Chapala centro is quite walkable; much easier than Ajijic, and has an American Legion, Post 7, which is quite active & might be a good social stop/lunch stop for new folks to get to meet others. Language should not be a problem. My wife managed very well, even though she speaks very little Spanish. I speak more, but also suffer hearing loss. Nevertheless, people are very kind and patient; always happy that an expat is doing the best that he can at learning a new language. That said; there is more English spoken/understood in Chapala than one might expect. We lived in Ajijic 3 years and Chapala for 10. Chapala is nicer. Realtors are lazy & finding a home in Chapala takes more effort and gasoline....so: they tell you, “You might not like Chapala.“ The reality is that they want the higher commissions for the higher prices in Ajiijic. They work for sellers & themselves; not for you, the buyer.

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Thank you. We did visit Chapala and you are correct. It is more walkable. I don't mind looking there. I need to find a time to get back there. I have had three weeks of weird health. I need to feel better.

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Thank you. We did visit Chapala and you are correct. It is more walkable. I don't mind looking there. I need to find a time to get back there. I have had three weeks of weird health. I need to feel better.

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My husband and I are a pair. He has lost his sight from an eye disease. I have hearing loss in my left ear and chronic tinnitus. I mishear English least of all Spanish. But what can we do, but keep going as long as we can.

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I'd be careful. My sense is that these are put together by people anxious to make a buck. There's lots of good books out there to help you with your search as well as forum's like this and blogs. When you are ready for an exploratory trip...Mexico is easy to travel to & through.

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I would tend to agree with this post. It's easy to do and much more rewarding and adventurous finding out through individual research, just talking to others and doing it on your own. Made me feel young again! Find your own way... A seminar sounds too much like WORK!!!

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People learn in different ways. I learn some things best by reading, others by walking around, and others by having someone else do the work for me and bringing me the results. So I am mixing all of them by reading, participating in forums, and looking at pictures and videos on real estate sites before coming down; participating in this seminar, which is a series of meetings with insurance agents, lawyers, and visits to real estate in communities tailored to the interests of the 4 participants; and then 5 days on our own to walk around, loaf in coffee shops, visit shops, and talk to people. We are staying in self catering suites so we will have to do some food shopping and cooking. Oh, and visit the thermal spas! Honestly, knowing myself, I fear that I would spend all my time at the spas, if left to myself. And this is just a preliminary visit.

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