Houses in Mazatlan: An Email From One of My Readers…
By : Barbie | In : Real Estate
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Each and every day, I get email from people asking about Mazatlan… one of Mexico’s premier destinations for expats with a vibrant, established community of American’s and Canadians who are living happily on the cheap! It’s a beautiful sea-side city with all of the amenities you would expect to find in America including Walmarts, Applebees, McDonald’s… you name it. But I digress…
I just received this email from Ted:
“Yes, I have been to Mazatlan . Probably over 20 yrs. ago. What I’m really looking for is a place to retire within one year. Something in between, the hustle and bustle, of Mazatlan, but probably close to Mazatlan, near, or on the Beach, on limited income. Is this possible?”
Sure, it’s possible. There are a lot of housing options available from renting to owning to building. You can do a lot of research online, but it’s also very important to see Mazatlan for yourself before committing to any course of action. I want to remind you to follow every suggestion I’ve already written about (SAFETY) in my various articles about how to have a safe, sane trip to Mexico.
• Don’t flash cash.
• Don’t wear any jewelry other than maybe some obviously cheap stuff – best to just skip it all.
• Don’t travel alone – at any time – at any place. Always best to travel with a group.
• Be aware that most of the violence in Mexico is focused on the border areas – ergo, perhaps flying is the safest. But also be cognizant of the fact that lots of times, such as at Mazatlan, it requires a trip in a taxi to get from the airfield to the town. Make sure you use a licensed taxi.
• And, if you do decide to drive, make very specific plans – know where you will stop for the night – don’t drive at night, of course – get your car ins before you head out – plan, plan, plan.
• Yes, the major problems occur between drug traffickers and dealers, but innocent bystanders can be caught in precarious situations too – be aware – always.
• Try to stay in the tourist areas – most Mexicans are going to be warm and inviting, but, don’t take the chance – just blend in with the crowd. Don’t call attention to yourself.
And, wouldn’t it be nice to have someone to check in with when you head to Mazatlan or wherever you decide to check out? Dick and I have so many expats that we will be forever grateful to, for welcoming us on our original trip to Maz. My books contain contact information and details about many established expat communities, clubs and organizations.
Before I close this post, I thought you might like to see what new construction looks like in Mazatlan. Here is a video I shot a while ago which shows you new housing construction in progress…
Did you watch the video? Yes, it is indeed: the construction process looks familiar, but it’s different than how houses are built in the U.S. — you will note that right away. If you decide to have a house built in Mazatlan, do your due diligence first. Ask round. Speak with the builder. Find out how established they are. Ask for references. In sum: do everything you would normally do when investing in a major asset. It’s up to YOU to protect your money, so do a good job of it.
Very best regards,
Barbie
Being a senior citizen who has spent a fair amount of time searching for a perfect retirement home, your post comes like a fresh breath of air to me. I was at sixes and sevens with the money I had but no options were available prior to this. But I must confess that your post and the sharing here has given me a great idea of retiring away to Mexico.
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Mexico was a place I visited with my family recently and found it to be a great place. I was after that interested in buying some property there. The facilities in Mexico city are really nice and worth every dollar. I was under the illusion that compared to the US it was a third world country but I can safely say after visiting it that any such idea of it is completely false.
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Mexico has been a great place with sun, shine and fun. I liked it so much that I have decided to go and stay there. Your posts seems to be one that gives a heart first point of view of the beautiful place. Thanks for sharing this video and this post here, they were very insightful to me. Cheers.
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As a senior citizen, I see Mexico as a great place to be in. One thing that I loved about the country more than the US was the fact that they have great respect for family life and want people to be together. As a senior I felt safer there and more loved and hence have chosen to spend the rest of my life there. I love Mexico.
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What is the name of the property in the film above
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Barbie Reply:
April 13th, 2012 at 2:44 pm
Hi Debbie, I think I already answered this, if so, forgive me – the films are of El Cid and Estrella Del Mar, in Mazatlan.
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Great article, thank you!
A few questions for those who live in Mazatlan, please:
Isn’t Sinaloa a particularly concentrated area for drug trafficking? How does that affect security there?
How are the summers? I hear they are incredibly hot. Do you use a/c for several months a year? I don’t do too well in very hot and humid weather.
Do you get very cold spells in winter?
Average cost per sq. meter of lots for homes as well as average cost per sq. meter for construction.
Are there quiet areas where neighbors don’t play loud music and not too many barking dogs :-) Trees! I often miss trees when in Mexico. I guess they all get cut for firewood.
Thanks in advance!
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Barbie Reply:
April 28th, 2012 at 2:16 pm
In one blog, I wrote that for years the drug biggie who lived in Maz kept things going very well – until another group tried to take over – sort of like when different factors fought over territory in Chicago, years ago – now, you really must be careful.
Winter – can be cool – when your blood thins out, even nice temps can feel cold. Keep a jacket and sweaters for the short period of cool.
Yes there are quiet areas, but don’t count on that – most neighborhoods have no requirements for things like that…same as moving beside noisy teenagers in the states – you just deal with it.
The cost of houses has gone down – depends on what you want and can afford.
In the meanwhile, do read these …….. come to think of it, just read everything you can on my site – that will cover it…..cause my list is getting just too long. I have included some more personal correspondence at the end. Please respect their privacy. Thanks, and Enjoy Barbie
http://moneysavingmexico.com/budget-info/cheap-mexico/
http://moneysavingmexico.com/real-estate/housing-in-mazatlan-email/
http://moneysavingmexico.com/mazatlan/mazatlan-is-not-for-retired-folks-only/
http://moneysavingmexico.com/expats-mexico/expat-experiences/
http://moneysavingmexico.com/baja/la-paz-mexico/
http://moneysavingmexico.com/ajijic/cheap-rent-mexico/
http://moneysavingmexico.com/?s=ensenada
http://moneysavingmexico.com/cost-of-living/cost-of-living-expenses-retiree/
http://moneysavingmexico.com/retire/mexico-a-country-of-contrasts/
http://moneysavingmexico.com/safety/3914/
http://moneysavingmexico.com/cost-of-living/cost-of-living-expenses-retiree/
And now, email from someone who has gone through the process: A few years ago, I received my first email from Shari. She and her husband had read my site, and were considering a move to Mexico in their retirement. These email tell the tale – from the beginning of just thinking about it, to researching, and then actually taking that big step – enjoy: But, I’ve taken this part out here, for privacy reasons. Barbie
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