Chapala…

If you’re a long-time visitor of  my blog,  you’re probably familiar with Charlie in the Chapala Area…

Charlie lives in the Ajijic/Lake Chapala area, an area well-known for its warm, provincial feeling, along with a large North American expat community and low cost of living.  Seems pretty perfect doesn’t it?

A reader had asked me to put her in contact with Charlie because she had some questions she needed answered about the Chapala area.  When Charlie kindly answered her email, after I put them in contact with each other, he sent me a copy of the questions with his answers.  I, of course, want to share the info with all of you:

Question 1:  Are there any homes that are furnished, for rent?   If not, are there any available that are unfurnished?   

Answer:  Most everything is furnished.   A nice two or three bedroom, near me, runs from 300 to 350 USD a month.   

Question 2:  How did you find your place – through a realtor or just looking around?  

Answer: There are no realtors over here and if you found one, they would probably raise the local Chapala prices. Word of mouth or just looking around is the best way to find bargains.  I found mine through referral – word of mouth.   

Question 3:  What is the average monthly cost for the following services:  Electricity, water, phone, satellite, trash disposal.  

 Answer:  These numbers are approximate:  

 $50 for electricity,  

$1.20 per liter bottled water.  

$50 for phone and high speed internet service,  

$52 for satellite, this will vary with what you subscribe to, 

Trash disposal is usually included in the rent – depending on the area – I pay $400 a year for my trash, water and security.   

Question 4:  Is there Bus service both around the local Chapala area and to Jocotepec and how is it?  Do you need a car? 

Answer:  Bus service here is great but a car is preferable.  

Question 5:  How are the Medical facilities? 

Answer:  Medical is great but there are many different ways to approach it (Read my articles on site and also the newsletters, on my site, for lots of info on health care – Barbie)  

Question 6:  What about Banking? 

Answer:  My money is in a brokerage house in Ajijic, 45 minutes away.  I never go there, I just use a money machine in my town.  I get %8 minimum on investments for the past three years.  

Question 7:  Do you have local Chapala shopping – stores or mercados? 

Answer:  I get my staples just about 1/4 mile away.  I get other things in my little town 3 miles away.   It is 15 minutes to 80% of my desires and 45 or 50 minutes to Walmart, Sam’s and Costco!  

 Finally, here is an interesting email from the  Chapala area I received:

Hi Barbie,
My husband and I (and our dogs and cats) have now been just outside of Ajijic since Sept. AND WE ARE LOVING IT!! The Mexican people are so friendly, and the support from the expatiates and the local clubs, like LCS, are great.

I think our children and other relatives first thought their parents were crazy, but more and more we hear from everybody how much happier we sound since we no longer deal with all the issues in the States!
The big question has always been “yea, but what about crime?” well, we feel much safer here than in Little Rock, AR! Your information certainly has been helpful! — Sincerely, Maria W.  

 Now, my plea to any of you now living in Mexico, email me some info on your area – I’ll pass it on to the questioning folks considering Mexico as a possible place to retire. 

What do you think? Do you have a question about retiring in Mexico? I’d love to hear from you. If you don’t see the comment box below, read the full article and scroll down. Let me know what you think!

Chapala article by Barbie. 

 

Lake Chapala

I just received a wonderful email from Verl, a retiree who is considering Lake Chapala for his retirement paradise.

Verl writes: “Thanks for your correspondance. We are planning a trip in July to possibly purchase in the Lake Chapala area. It is difficult from here to get the real scoop on the most desirable retirement spots and then the best neighbourhoods, we’re shooting in the dark.  And we think we should purchase now before prices go through the roof.”

And so, I introduced him to Charlie after assuring him that to hurry the process is not wise – prices have leveled off just as they have in the States – relax – shop around.

Charlie has  rented a three bedroom, two bath home, with a maid’s casita and bath, garage, patio and nice yard about 30 miles south of Ajijic on the other side of the Lake Chapala for $200 a month.

He lived in Ajijic while looking for a permanent place and paid the Ajijic prices for everything and out here it is about half.  Even the food, and pharmacies are cheaper a little distance from the Lake Chapala, because it seems that here everything is priced for the economy of the town.

A few months with the Gringos in Ajijic and it was an easy decision, Charlie said. It wasn’t an economic move but being away from the Gringos who do drive the prices up where ever they go it certainly turned out that way.

You may remember the article in AARP magazine that offered Lake Chapala at $800 a month.

Well the Gringos drove it up to an easy $1200 to $1400 a month at Lake Chapala.

Charlie is here to tell you that if you don’t desire the hubbub of the crowd and you don’t mind a 25 or 30 minute drive to the larger towns tell your folks that $800 a month is a breeze.

He writes, “You know the climate & beauty here, the people in the country, like in the U.S., are more friendly and helpful than city folks and the only thing we don’t have out here is the noise of the city.

 ”My advice to a prospective person coming to Mexico is to rent for a few months and look around for what fits their economic and social desires. There is something here for every one. In my community I don’t spend or act like a Gringo and I am accepted as a member of the community.”

Lake Chapala/Ajijic article by Barbie.

Ajijic, Mexico

If you’ve been thinking that perhaps escaping South of the Border may be the way to make your $’s stretch, read this selection of my emails! 

These are but a small sample of the emails I’ve received from some very happy, fortunate retirees, who now are calling Mexico their home – at least a part of the year. 

When you begin thinking of retirement in Mexico, you will have no need to feel you are like the “Lone Ranger” – heading off into the neverlands – you will be just one more lucky person heading into the sunset to enjoy the best part of your life! 

I do want you to make sure you read all the free information I have offered on this site – the newsletters, plus the blogs and articles I’ve included in my Mexico Information Center.  Read the Real Estate Report I have offered too – If you truly don’t want contacted – just select the drop down menu and click that …and I can guarantee no one will bother you – but read my report anyway! 

I say, over and over again – you can never have too much information when you’re making major decisions about your life!  Now, relax, and enjoy these few email from people who will welcome you when you head south:

This is from Charlie, in the Ajijic area:

” Don’t waste your money on a paid tour of the Ajijic area.  Well, I think I have read almost all there is to read on moving to Mexico and I have to say your information has been extremely helpful. Every area of the country (Mexico) is as different as the circumstances of each person who contemplates the move. Hot weather is not my thing but the beautiful country, the friendly people and the economy can’t be beat. Having lived in Florida, I learned to really dislike snowbirds & loud Gringos.

 ”I have rented a three bedroom , two bath home, with a maid’s casita and bath, garage, patio and nice yard about 30 miles south of Ajijic  on the other side of Lake Chapala for $200 a month. I lived in Ajijic while looking for a permanent place and paid the Ajijic prices for everything and out here it is about half. Even the food, and pharmacies are cheaper because it seems that here everything is priced for the economy of the town. A few months with the Gringos in Ajijic and it was an easy decision. I couldn’t be happier. It wasn’t an economic move but being away from the Gringos who do drive the prices up where ever they go it certainly turned out that way.

“I’m sure you remember the article in AARP magazine that offered Lake Chapala/Ajijic at $800 a month. Well the Gringos drove it up to an easy $1200 to $1400 a month. (Insert by Barbie:  Still one heck of a cost of living!! ) Well, I am here to tell you that if you don’t desire the hubbub of the crowd and you don’t mind a 25 or 30 minute drive to the larger towns tell your folks that $800 a month is a breeze.

 ”You know the climate & beauty here, the people in the country, like in the U.S., are more friendly and helpful than city folks and the only thing we don’t have out here is the noise of the city.

 ”My advice to a prospective person coming to Mexico is to rent for a few months and look around for what fits their economic and social desires. There is something here for every one. In my community I don’t spend or act like a Gringo and I am accepted as a member of the community.

“Glad to help, Barbie.  I expect a couple here I think the 22nd, who you had referred to me who are coming for a week to visit the area.

Charlie

I have sent a few people to Charlie – Charlie is just a retiree who I happened to have contact with. He’s not a realtor, tour guide, nor anything, other than another retiree, enjoying the savings that can be realized in Mexico.

Ajijic article by Barbie.