Taking the big step by small measures!

Living in a rental home in Mexico

Oftentimes it makes sense for newcomers to an area to rent a home prior to making a purchase. This provides an opportunity to explore, to learn the neighborhoods, and then begin to understand the personality of the city or town before making a leap to a purchase and a more permanent commitment.

Everyday more and more foreigners, people from the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, have found Mexico to be an ideal location for healthy retirement.

Others have come to Mexico as a result of job transfers. Others still, taking advantage of electronic and wireless communications, seek out delightful areas in which to live and work from their in-home offices and studios.

There are many areas in Mexico that offer opportunities for rentals and for retirement or vacation living: Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, La Paz, Todos Santos, Los Cabos and the East Cape on the Baja Peninsula offer wonderful options on the seashore, as the Riviera Maya on the Yucatan Peninsula, San Miguel de Allende are well established retirement areas with many rentals available and also Morelia, capital of the state of Michoacán, with its many cultural festivals is fast gaining importance as a retirement mecca.

Some of the questions to ask when looking for that special rental house or condominium are:

1. What is the length of time the property is available for rental?

(Some owners wish to rent only part of the year)

2. What utilities are included in the rent?

(Electricity, water, internet, cable?)

3. What type of air-conditioning system/heating system does the property have?

4. Is telephone service available? Is cable service available?

5. Is the water service reliable?

It is always a good idea to have a rental contract, in English, if you do not understand Spanish, which outlines the term of the agreement, the security deposit and conditions of its return, amount to be paid, extras, if any, and so forth. This contact should be prepared by a rental management company.