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Finding a long term rental, how far in advance?


ccw

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Hello all,

Another newbie question here. I know there will be no perfect answer to my question. How far in advance should you look for a long term rental? Just as an example, if we want to move in November 2018, when would you fly down to look for a long term rental?

Thanks as always.

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First, your initial rental will, no doubt, not be your last. Don't try to find the "perfect" place right from the start. Insisting on the perfect will probably mean you'll miss out on the places that are simply "good". I suggest coming down in the April-June period, when the demand is the lightest because the snowbirds have headed back and the sunbirds have not yet arrived.

Before you come, make a list. Under one column heading, list all the stuff that is absolutely essential for you in a rental. Under a second column heading, list the stuff that is simply desirable. If you have a spouse/partner, this should be done together so you can work out any differences in advance. 

Then start looking for something that satisfies your essentials and hopefully includes some of your desirables. Don't confuse the two! Rent what you can, with the understanding that at least you will have a roof over your head while you keep looking for your "perfect" place. You may not find it for a while, but if you keep your eyes and ears open, you will. 

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I do not see why one needs to look for long term housing six months before the need. Who would hold a place for that long?

 

PS, there is a old saying, "Your second Mexican home will be twice the size at half the price."

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Trying to find a great place ahead of time will probably be a futile exercise.

Make the trip with a reservation in a B&B, and hit the streets and bulletin boards, etc.  Walk about, talk to people, look at current listings and choose something “acceptable“.  Then, kick back and get to know the area; Chapala, San Antonio, Ajijic, San Juan Cosala, Jocotopec, etc.   Something, or someplace will attract you and before you know it, your home will choose you.  Enjoy!  Relax and go with the flow.....which is a lot different and much slower.

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For a short term dog friendly place, Hotel Perico can't be beat if you have a car. They were the first roosting place of many a resident here. They have cooking facilities in each room, but very basic. http://www.hotelperico.com.mx/en/ For your arrival date a reservation will be needed and they fill up quick in the winter.

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5 hours ago, AngusMactavish said:

Get here, make a temporary stay at a B&B or hotel, and then look for a long term rental. I won't go into all the reasons, but you will surely save money.

 

 

Totally agree. Completely impossible to predict very far in advance what/where will be available, and even in "high" season there are always long term rentals. And most Mex landlords will not care a hoot if you have a dog.... or more. More important you look around at various neighborhoods etc. before you make a costly mistake!

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A question to the Board... those of you who actually know the rental market as it is "today" and not 5 years ago when you last looked in detail like me....

The OP wishes to come down in November 2018... that is before many/most snowbirds will have actually arrived (but who somehow may already have their  short term rental buttoned up). If the OP is looking for a long term rental, which in my book means a year (or more, but not 4-6 months), will they yes or no actually have a number of options to look at?  Versus coming down in May-June 2018 when theoretically there will be more openings but they may find some landlords hesitant to rent 'so far in advance'?

It's just a question... to help them either not have to make two trips, or decide that if they want quantity to look at they best make the earlier trip.

 

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Speaking as both a renter myself  and owner of a rental house - long term rentals come on the market at no particular time of year. Situations simply change and then a house becomes available (marriage , death, illness, relocation...) & if nice it rents very quickly. So IMO futile to look far ahead . Come , take a long- term rate  at a B&B or   Hotel Perico ( if you have a car) or book a snowbird short-term rental and expect to look & wait . Plus side is you'll be gaining knowledge during that time & better know what you want & maybe avoid committing to a long term you won't be happy in. A year rent  can be a long time if you're miserable in a mistake (mold , cohetes in your backyard, buses, loud quarreling neighbors over the wall, roof dogs...)

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Thanks for all of the information and advise. We are visiting for 2 weeks in February 2018. Vacation and pretending we are living there to get a feel for all of the areas. My initial thoughts now would be to come down when we decide to move and stay in a B&B/Hotel as I look for short term rentals.

Once I find a short term rental, my wife can pack up herself and the dog and fly down. We can then take our time to find the "right" long term rental. Now my wife and I have to decide on a move date..I want sooner than her. :)

RickS, you must have read my mind...your post was dead on.

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Be aware that things have tightened up as during the previous slow selling market some folks opted to rent rather than deal with the slow, price dropping market of the time.  Now those homes are being sold.  A very prominent local realtor told my wife today the supply of homes available for purchase has fallen so far that some agents are now cold calling looking for listings, apparently a rather new development around here.

 

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One of my associates is an established realtor and has sold all of his listings... Depending on your situation you might consider buying instead of renting... IF and ONLY IF you want to stay here... We did that two years ago and are super happy we did... 

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Mainecoons, I received a message from an agent at Lake Chapala Real Estate. He confirmed your information about rentals getting harder to find. Now I am depressed and need to go eat some comfort food. :wacko:

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ccw,

CCW, don't be depressed as there will still be some turnover due to medical evacuations and deaths. What you should be depressed about is the local "comfort food" scene here, unless to can source the ingredients and cook it yourself.

Not being nosy, but what is your budget? 

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Real estate in Puerto Vallarta is picking up a little but it's still a buyer's market. Anyone cutting a fat hog selling at lakeside could do quite well here. And with the new promised road to GDL, a much shorter drive. Just sayin..  You couldn't pry us outta here but it;s sure not for everyone.  365 days a year with bathing suit/shorts and a T-shirt. Except in jan./Feb. when a long sleeve shirt feels better. An 1850 sf condo with 2/2 up on the hill, 10 mins. from the Romantic Zone, full view of the Bay, monthly fee of $3300 MX includes water, outside maint., gas, private parking, trash removal and potable city water can be had for under 200K US. Downsides are no LCS, no SuperLake but much less traffic.

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1 minute ago, ccw said:

Angus, do you want my budget or my wife's budget? lol. Of course there are several factors, but max would be around $18,000 MXN.

You should have no problem. Some come here with the illusion they can live much cheaper.

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3 hours ago, pappysmarket said:

Real estate in Puerto Vallarta is picking up a little but it's still a buyer's market. Anyone cutting a fat hog selling at lakeside could do quite well here. And with the new promised road to GDL, a much shorter drive. Just sayin..  You couldn't pry us outta here but it;s sure not for everyone.  365 days a year with bathing suit/shorts and a T-shirt. Except in jan./Feb. when a long sleeve shirt feels better. An 1850 sf condo with 2/2 up on the hill, 10 mins. from the Romantic Zone, full view of the Bay, monthly fee of $3300 MX includes water, outside maint., gas, private parking, trash removal and potable city water can be had for under 200K US. Downsides are no LCS, no SuperLake but much less traffic.

Interesting post. I assume that there is some sort of Gringo  Club..or American Legion  etc..  or not

How expats would say live in PV

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3 hours ago, pappysmarket said:

Real estate in Puerto Vallarta is picking up a little but it's still a buyer's market. Anyone cutting a fat hog selling at lakeside could do quite well here. And with the new promised road to GDL, a much shorter drive. Just sayin..  You couldn't pry us outta here but it;s sure not for everyone.  365 days a year with bathing suit/shorts and a T-shirt. Except in jan./Feb. when a long sleeve shirt feels better. An 1850 sf condo with 2/2 up on the hill, 10 mins. from the Romantic Zone, full view of the Bay, monthly fee of $3300 MX includes water, outside maint., gas, private parking, trash removal and potable city water can be had for under 200K US. Downsides are no LCS, no SuperLake but much less traffic.

.... and 10,000 US tourists swilling beer and ‘looking for a Senior Frog’.   To each his own as they say.  ;>)

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13 hours ago, lakeside7 said:

Interesting post. I assume that there is some sort of Gringo  Club..or American Legion  etc..  or not

How expats would say live in PV

American Legion, yes. Gringo Club, yes and the American and Canadian tourists seem to know their place and swill their beer mostly where they belong. Plenty of room here unlike the crowded space of lakeside. Driving from say Mismaloya on the south to Punta Mita on the north is much farther than driving from Ajijic to guadalajara. Another plus is taxis are MUCH  cheaper and Uber is sneaking their way in. Costco is 10 minutes away and lots of top of the line hospitals 10-20 minutes away. 3 Sorianas, 3 Walmarts, 2 Sam's Clubs, Home Depot, Office Depot, the new Las Islas Mall, new construction at the cruise ship terminal which is supposed to include a huge aquarium (being Mexico, we shall see). Lots of hotels for your guests that you don't want in your own house, in every price range. No Ajijic Tango but all kinds of restaurants in every category and price range, most of which a tourist would never have a clue about. Rick is right. when 3 cruise ships are in there are close to 7000 Gringo tourists running around but it never seems crowded for whatever reason. The locals tell me many of them go on the shore excursions, such as sailing on the Pirate Ship to Yelapa, many go for high dollar eating tours to Nuevo Vallarta, snorkeling tours, trips to San Sebastian and many just chill on the many beaches. We don't have traffic jams like in front of Superlake or through La Floresta. Many of the tourists also go looking at property, so they tell me, and believe it or not, the Walmart right at the cruise terminal is jammed with Gringos when the ships are in. They mostly seem to be comparing prices, which of course they always neglect to include their local sales taxes, and you can hear them exclaiming how things are NOT cheaper in Mexico. LOL.  Cohetes are few and far between here, even for the biggest fiesta of the year here, for Guadalupe. City fathers frown on them and the church people do not allow them so that's a big plus. The worst crowds I have seen generally are from November to May at the Saturday Farmers' Market in Old Town. Hoards of snowbird Canadians and Americans scoop up all the overpriced stuff and think they are pretty shrewd. Flowers, produce, baked goods are all twice as much as you would pay elsewhere. Reminds me of the Ajijic tiangus. Fresh fish, not shrimp, not many caught here. Very fresh oysters if that floats your boat. Mega, Ley's and Mexican department stores for alternatives  to the Gringo stores. The climate is perfect for us, have never fired up any of the 3 A/C units we have. Ceiling fans and sea and land breezes provide plenty of cool air. Our July/ August CFE bill was $852 and we are here 24/7, 365 and the rainy season is at least equal to lakeside in beauty. Oh, and it's green all year not just in rainy season although of course right now it's beyond lush. I think the fact that we are so spread out here makes a world of difference. When the locals refer to an area here as a Gringo enclave, I have all I can do to keep a straight face. Many have been to Chapala some time ago and they have no idea what the Gringo influx has done to lakeside. I agree 100% with Rick, to each his own and thank God not everyone wants to be in the same area.

Oh, I have never seen an estimate of expats here, nobody seems interested enough to care. The area is so large it would be quite a task to even try for an "about" number. If you need 'em you can find 'em but if you don't the number of Mexicans you see out and about are probably 20 to 1.

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Looks like PV was made for he and his and THAT is wonderful. I just need a little/lot less ‘infrastructure’ to be happy. And that goes for me not only there but NOB. My perfect town here of 40k in the 70s is now more at 170k and it may be time to move on. 

 

 

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