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shoe


Aug 11, 2003, 3:58 PM

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ARRIVED

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I arrived very, very later Friday night in Ajijic. Bad timing but more on that later.

Looked for a place to rent on Saturday and Today (Monday). I have checked with both Remax, Century 21, Hernandez, Caldwell, Ajijic Rentals, Leguna. I miss anybody I should go to.

Best places so far seem to be in Villa Norte, Villa del Lagos, La Floresta areas. My definition being 2 bd, 2 bth, fair kitchen, gated parking if possible. Like the idea of a fireplace as I get cold very easy. Hated Kentucky because of that. Cool here now in the morning as it must be about 70, maybe less. Any ideas out there? I will check this site tomorrow before I commit to anything. I have to get on with it as they are going to kick me out of the Casa Flores soon.

By the way, that is a greaat place to stay. I just got lucky and got a room there. Walt and his wife are great people.

HELP if possible...........

Nothing is intrinsically good or evil, but its manner of usage may make it so.
-St. Thomas Aquinas

johanson


Aug 11, 2003, 6:46 PM

Post #2 of 57 (2847 views)

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Re: [shoe] ARRIVED

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I like Eager and Asc in Ajijic. Their tel #s are 766-1918 and 766-1917 But I am not sure that you need to check with every office. Most belong to an MLS and share listings.



Pete

esperanza

Aug 11, 2003, 7:10 PM

Post #3 of 57 (2844 views)

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Re: [shoe] ARRIVED

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Are you looking for a place to rent or to buy?




http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com








Bubba

Aug 12, 2003, 7:46 AM

Post #4 of 57 (2809 views)

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Re: [johanson] ARRIVED

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I second Johanson. Eager & Associates did outstanding work for us. They also have a rental management arm. The Eager family has been here many years and their agents did a really great job in helping my wife refine her ideas as to where she should buy, listened to her and understood what she was looking for; thereby not wasting her time .

alans727


Aug 12, 2003, 7:57 AM

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shoe


Aug 16, 2003, 12:56 PM

Post #6 of 57 (2690 views)

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Re: [alans727] ARRIVED

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UPDATE......... I will ignore your puns but the status is Ajijic Rentals had the most rentals it seemed. The additional thing I liked about them is they handle everything like electricity, phone, gas and anything else. You just give them a deposit and that is it. They had the satellite dish hooked up for me and everything like that was done for me. I really don't want to do much so it works for me.

I wound up in Villa Nova on Real Yukky or at least that is what I thought they said at first. It is really Rio Yaqui.

Every month you have to replenish the deposit on the utilities. Now Lloyds will also pay some of the utilities out of your account I know. It just depends on how you want to do things.

shoe

Nothing is intrinsically good or evil, but its manner of usage may make it so.
-St. Thomas Aquinas

mkdutch

Aug 17, 2003, 4:59 AM

Post #7 of 57 (2662 views)

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Re: [shoe] ARRIVED

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If you later decide to buy rather than rent, Visit with Mary Martin at Ajijic Realty. Ajijic Rentals used to be associated with Ajijic Realty, but is now a separate company. Mary is a real pro: a former California Broker, who has an excellent understanding of the area and will spend the time necessary to meet your needs. She and her firm will assure that title is clear, there are no hidden fees or leins against the property and the transfer is properly handled. Can't stress how important this is in Mexico. Buena Suerte!.......Dutch

shoe


Aug 18, 2003, 10:42 AM

Post #8 of 57 (2631 views)

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Re: [mkdutch] ARRIVED

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Thanks, but no more anchors in my life any more. I am not going to buy a house. I have had enough of them.

Nothing is intrinsically good or evil, but its manner of usage may make it so.
-St. Thomas Aquinas

Bubba

Aug 18, 2003, 8:05 PM

Post #9 of 57 (2590 views)

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shoe


Aug 19, 2003, 9:14 AM

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sandykayak


Aug 19, 2003, 11:27 AM

Post #11 of 57 (2531 views)

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Re: [shoe] ARRIVED

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umm...have I missed something, shoe?

You have found a place to rent but have not given us information-starved readers any details on size/amenities or cost?

what do you mean by "no information to give" ???

Surely you are not telling us that you will ask and accept info from the board but are not willing to give back??????
Sandy Kramer
Miami, Fla & El Parque

Bubba

Aug 19, 2003, 11:51 AM

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sandykayak


Aug 19, 2003, 12:56 PM

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shoe


Aug 22, 2003, 11:23 AM

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Re: [sandykayak] ARRIVED

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OOPs......I guess I should have said more.

OK, I got a nice 2 bedroom, 2 bath, fair size kitchen, fireplace, washer and drier, automatic gate for the truck, totally furnished house in Villa Nova, which is on the west side of town. Gardener included, as is water, garbage pickup, association fees, roving guards and the like. Leased for $625 for 6 months.

It has a satallite dish so I can subscribe to a lot of stuff. If I stay here though I will probably change to DTV. This is a test to see if I like it here. So far so good for almost two weeks.

It is about a mile walk to town and does me good I guess but if I get too much stuff I take a cab back which is $3 which maybe too much but I didn{t care as I was tired and have a lot of stuff to carry. Walk or drive as the mood hits or what I am going for.

Ask more questions if you wish answers from the first impression type of thing. Been here two weeks almost. I still have to post the trip down which was a mess, but tells how wonderful the Mexican people are.

Joined LCS already as that was important as I wanted the Spanish lessons stuff and the death benefit stuff.

Nothing is intrinsically good or evil, but its manner of usage may make it so.
-St. Thomas Aquinas

Kip


Aug 22, 2003, 2:23 PM

Post #15 of 57 (2410 views)

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Re: [shoe] ARRIVED

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Hi Shoe,

Were there a lot of rentals the equivalent of yours? It sounds great. Keep up the information, I for one am extremely interested. Things that might seem trivial are things those of us who haven't made it down yet can learn from.

Kip
kip

shoe


Aug 23, 2003, 11:29 AM

Post #16 of 57 (2379 views)

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Re: [Kip] ARRIVED

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Yes, there were a fair amount of rentals like this one. I spent about three days with 9 realtors and each one has their own rentals and they all had some. Some better than this one with better furnishings, bigger, less price or more. This was the one that met my wants but there were others also. I am not sure why I chose this one. Probably the rental place as I didn't have to do anything. Might cost me a little but I really don't care at this point as I am only interested in finding out if I like it here right now. It is a 6 month test, that could extend into a year.

The part that had bugged me was the agencies really don't keep their sites updated very well in general on rentals. They make their money on selling and don't believe that they sell or rent over the internet I don't think. Everything is done person to person. You can even bargan on the rental price I found out. Make an offer and see what happens. Horse traders it seems.

Nothing is intrinsically good or evil, but its manner of usage may make it so.
-St. Thomas Aquinas

Kip


Aug 23, 2003, 11:47 AM

Post #17 of 57 (2375 views)

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Re: [shoe] ARRIVED

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Velllly interesting. What is it that you're paying the extra for that the realtors are doing? Nobody commented on the unstable land in one part of town where walls would sometimes pull apart (according to the realtor we were talking to,) You think maybe you could do a little snooping and find out it that was truth or a fairy tale?

What I loved about Ajijic (among other things) was that the street we had to walk down to get to our hotel was so dark that sometimes we had to feel our way along the wall, You know what? Never once did I I feel that my safety was threatened. Try that in Memphis some night!

Keep up the good reporting,

Kip
kip

juan david


Aug 23, 2003, 12:19 PM

Post #18 of 57 (2369 views)

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Re: [Kip] ARRIVED

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The real estate outfits take 15 or 20 percent of the monthly rent as a commission and for property management. They take care of utility bill payments and fix stuff that breaks. They may also pay the gardner and maid. Each arrangement with the property owner can be a bit different. As renters last year the agency was super responsive whenever fomething stopped working.
" let sleeping dogs lie"

shoe


Aug 23, 2003, 12:23 PM

Post #19 of 57 (2368 views)

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Re: [Kip] ARRIVED

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The stability of the area is something I don't know anything about. I do see cracks in the walls, street and sidewalk. I don't know why. Hills or something. Things aren't built earthquake proof and it might be the way things are built.

Ajijic Rentals handles everything for me and requires that I keep a $200 fund available. I pay my rent and replenish the fund each month. They pay for everything and if I need something fixed I just call them and they get it fixed and it is done with. They got me a maid that I wanted. Just about anything it seems. There were a lot of rentals available I thought. I visited about 9 realtors and they all had some. Prices varied as did the features, furnishings and prices. I chose this one for some reason.

I agree that it does seem super safe for some reason but we may be fooling ourselves. There must be some reason for the walls, bars and guards around. Everyone seems to have a fair amount of security. I don't see any cheap, easy to break in doors. I feel safer here that I did anywhere in Memphis even my hotel room. Been there a few times.

Nothing is intrinsically good or evil, but its manner of usage may make it so.
-St. Thomas Aquinas

Bubba

Aug 23, 2003, 1:07 PM

Post #20 of 57 (2359 views)

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Re: [shoe] ARRIVED

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Shoe:

The North Shore of Lake Chapala is very safe in general but be cautious about feeling too secure. Inattention to your surroundings can get you into trouble anywhere. Since I worked in Mobile, Oakland and San Francisco for many years, I would say that you are, indeed, safe in comparison to walking down dark steets in those places which could be deadly. I would be highly selective as to where I walked at night in Guadalajara, however.

We have been here since 2001 and have never had anything happen to us but home burglaries, muggings, assaults and other opportunistic crimes do occur with some regularity. Often these are initiated by guys cruising down from Guadalajara.

This is a pretty laid back place but never forget that there is much hardship, unemployment and a great disparity in income here. Wherever you go in the world, those conditions breed resentment and crime. That is ceratinly true of Memphis and other major southern cities that have crime rates not understood by most strangers who have no been forewarned.

Now, as to high walls and bars on the windows. Take a hint from the locals who can afford these things. Ostentatious displays of your good fortune are not appreciated here. In fact, that sort of behavior can be considered to be in poor taste and you should be discrete with your assets. Also, remember, a thief is looking for ease of execution of his intended crime and sees open housing plans as facilitating his success.

I am reminded of when I first got here and asked the contractor who was raising the level of our surrounding wall from four to eight feet if we should install a remote alarm system. He said, "Senor, in Mexico if we want to get into your property and take your assets, we will. Don't waste your money. Keep a low profile and remember, it is much harder to raise a big, heavy TV set over an eight foot wall than it is to raise a small, compact one."

And, never forget this, you would be safer in Pierre, S.D. but then you would be in Pierre, S.D.

johanson


Aug 23, 2003, 1:13 PM

Post #21 of 57 (2355 views)

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Re: [shoe] ARRIVED

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STABILITY:

I was hoping someone else would respond about these fault lines. Yep they’re there. Talk to Eager Real Estate, right across the office from them is a fault line or some line whereby there is some settling. The amount of settling seems slow but regular. I’m told that is good. Otherwise if it holds back, it could build up and there could be a major change. As you are heading East to Chapala there is a portion of the road that is always moving or settling a little bit. The locals just take all of this for granted and know better than to build on this fault or settlement line.



I have a house that was build 20 years ago in upper Ajijic. I have never had a problem with settling or whatever it’s called. Yet I’ve seen the effects of the settling on walls where these settlement or fault lines go.



Please someone with more knowledge than I pick this topic up and correct me or add to what I have already written.



Kip


Aug 23, 2003, 2:09 PM

Post #22 of 57 (2349 views)

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Re: [ian] ARRIVED

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Which agency was it? Do you use the same one every time?



Kip
kip

Kip


Aug 23, 2003, 2:24 PM

Post #23 of 57 (2347 views)

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Re: [johanson] ARRIVED

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Do you know what government (I think ) building was having so many problems with the fault? She (the realtor) also said that there had been some horror stories with some people who had bought houses nearby. The gist of the whole thing was to really do a thorough check on whatever you're looking at to buy. Even if you can fix what's wrong, just be sure it's not an ongoing thing.

Kip
kip

johanson


Aug 23, 2003, 2:49 PM

Post #24 of 57 (2344 views)

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Re: [Kip] ARRIVED

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Kip. Could the government building have been the old police station in Chapala next to the signal? I know they have been working on that for a while. But I am not sure why it had been shut down and or remodeled.



Pete

Bubba

Aug 23, 2003, 3:05 PM

Post #25 of 57 (2342 views)

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Re: [Kip] ARRIVED

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Kip & Pete:

The important thing for people to remember when coming down here to buy is that you have no true legal recourse if the contractor or architect are dishonest, incompetent or simply uninformed. If you are from some such place as California you will not comprehend this until it is too late. Am I wrong? Somebody speak up if you disagree.

How do you overcome this? Independent building inspectors? In a land where you will never successfully sue that contract inspector for fraud or incompetence? You had better use a highly reputable real estate firm which has been around forever and has something to lose by misguiding you. That firm will recommend a building inspector to you. Then, you had better follow that building inspector around and grill that person in-depth during the inspection procedure.

As a potential buyer, you need to know that neighborhood nuisances such as nearby nightclubs, noisy factories, pig farms, pet kennels or the non-existence of residential zoning (or a thousand other problems) need not be disclosed to you and will almost certainly not be disclosed to you. Just because they may not be there when you buy or are closed that day does not mean they won't crank up the lathes the next day or show up next week and you will have no recourse to the seller even if the seller was constructively aware of the problem. You must do your own due diligence. Check out the neighborhood with a fine tooth comb. If you depend on outside consultants you do not know or fly-by-night real estate agents, be prepared to suffer in solitude without recourse to the law.

That recourse to the law thing is another subject altogether. Don't even go there.

If you do your homework, there is no finer place on the planet.


(This post was edited by Bubba on Aug 23, 2003, 3:09 PM)
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