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The future move

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train450
  2/28/2018 02:10 EST

Hello friends
The wife and i are planning on retiring to Mexico in about 2-3 years. We have been several times to Cozumel via cruises and we both love the blue waters
We plan on maybe making a few stays at a few different areas IE Akumal, playa, etc.
We have been a follower of Q-roo paul for some time now and plan on doing something similar in that selling most everything and making the move.
One thought is that one of us apply for a temporary residence and the other a permanent initially.
The temporary because i believe we can drive our vehicle with some personal goods and use that for a certain amount of time, 4 years? just would have to return back to the states to sell it. we live just outside of Houston Texas to make the drive and wondering if that is a reasonable plan? What about pulling a small trailer? if it was a utility trailer and had to spend the night somewhere would we wake up with nothing?
I will be throwing out a bunch of questions i am sure but i DO try to read as many threads as possible before asking.

RVGRINGO
  2/28/2018 11:22 EST

You have a workable plan and are aware of the limitations, too. If you tow your own trailer (rentals are prohibited), it will become an integral part of your vehicle Importada Temporal. As such, the trailer cannot be left behind whenever the vehicle departs Mexico. They MUST cross the border together. So, you would need to have a safe place to store the empty trailer, in a garage, etc. That can be difficult to find.
Aside from that, I always question the reasons for wanting to actually live in a “tourist trap“, as there are so many more pleasant and economical places to live in Mexico. Perhaps you could explore more, before committing to a beach town tourist development.

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longtimelurker
  2/28/2018 15:46 EST

Once in QROO the car rules are different than the rest of the country. You can cancel your TIP and continue to drive your car in the State. People sell their cars (and trailers) all the time here. Just look at the local classifieds.

RV, you keep knocking tourist traps. Don't you like good roads, trash pickup with modern equipment, working traffic lights, nice walkable sidewalks (most handicap accessible), great restaurants , great shopping and all the niceties of life? You can use dollars here at better than ATM rates. Residents get good discounts on attractions. Why recommend an area like the one you lived in 4 years ago that is economically depressed.

train450
  2/28/2018 17:28 EST

We are not really looking for a touristy place so much as that we want to be able to at least see the water from somewhere in the home, have beach access. We are not into the chain places to eat but for a small local out of the way restaurants and hangouts Some expats is ok but definitely dont want to live in little America.
The reason i do mention the above places because we are looking for a modern, safe condo/home withing a short distance to some life.

longtimelurker
  3/1/2018 07:11 EST

I live on the Riviera Maya for over a decade. Just because this is a tourist area doesn't mean that you have to live with tourists. Akumal is a great community. Tulum is the new hot spot growing by leaps and bounds. Unless you are financially strapped, why live in a small Mexican town that can't fix the roads or pick up the trash?

train450
  3/1/2018 12:45 EST

Agree. We have been saving for our retirement and really want a little of both worlds. A mexican feel, a turquoise carribean water but not have to put toilet paper in a bucket:)
I like the smallness of Akumal and not the largeness in puerto Aventuras

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train450
  3/4/2018 09:36 EST

Soo, have put that out there, what other areas might we look at? Caribbean views. Nice beaches, Not so crowded, Like walking or gold cart distance to cantina"s and local shops, local vibes, Not the senor frogs and outback steakhouse kinda place.
locally owned taqueria's etc.
Tulum doesnt seem to offer much on or at the beach, The beach side of Akumal seems real nice, Puerto Aventuros too big and comercialized,
What about Soliman Bay? can't find much info on that but looks nice, from the satalite photo anyway:)
thoughts?
michael

longtimelurker
  3/4/2018 14:55 EST

Soliman is very nice but there is not much more than homes there. Same with Tankah bay. If you want to walk or golf cart to a place to eat than Puerto Morales, Puerto Aventuras , Paamul, PDC, and Akumal are good.

I would give PA another chance. There is a lot more than the commercial marina area to live in.

There are no local taco shops on the ocean side of the Hwy, you have to go to the pueblos. The good thing is that you can always find place open serving food 22 hours a day.

train450
  3/4/2018 16:24 EST

thanks for the info. will look closer at them
i would think that you would have to stay on the very fringes of PDC to move around in a cart unless there are smaller communities i would think?

henryb
  3/4/2018 22:07 EST

This is an interesting discussion. I have some of the same considerations as train450. Been to the area only once but I love it.

PDC seems too big for my tastes. Don't think I'd want to live there - too touristy and a bit run down. Maybe on the outskirts it;s nicer?

Does anyone have experience with Puerto Morrelos? There is something I really like about that town.

Cozumeldeb
  3/5/2018 08:03 EST

Golf carts are regulated by town, we live in Cozumel and golf carts are allowed here. When u get closer to retirement, I would suggest u spend about a month or more in each location you are interested in. vacationing and living are 2 different things. One other note to is Mexico has no zoning..that can become a big issue when it comes to sleeping.

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