I stopped to talk to a Mexican acquaintance today. She and her husband own a business at Lakeside. She told me that they need to find a new store and a new house. In both cases the owners are taking the rentals off the market to use for their own families. I commiserated with her and then she told me she is very upset because with the realtors because she is Mexican the realtors never call her back and did not help her find a house. I was horrified when she told me this. She and her husband have many ties to the greater business community and this story and perception could have a major ripple effect. It was fortunate she told me.

I explained to her that the problem was not hers as a Mexican but the problem of inconsiderate realtors ignoring requests for help in finding a rental. I told her that here on this board as well as in talking to many people the action or reaction by realtors to rental requests is close to non existent for the Canadians and Americans as well. It is a major commplaint.
She got called away at that point but I will follow up with her to reassure her it is not a because she is Mexican that she was ignored.

If she's correct,how is it that Mexicans continue to buy and sell property and businesses while using brokers? Your friend is hypersensitive and feeling sorry for herself. Typical of many Mexicans to blame their troubles on gringos.

We are talking rentals here not sales and it is a common complaint among the foreign community about the lack of response. She did not know this and thought it was because she was Mexican.

Well,since it's a rental and not a sale,I guess that makes all the difference.

Ann her perception is reality for all of us unfortunately and regardless of race. Laura gives excellent professional service and has listings not always on web site and she is Mexican.

http://www.micasa-ajijic.com/rentals.htm

It should make no difference if a rental or sale as many positves come out of rentals. I speak from experience as a former realtor. :-)

Did you really intend to sound insensitive and judgmental?

Ok so I'm really confused: This Mexican lady is upset because a realtor didn't call her back? You don't say whether the person she was dealing with at the realtor's is gringo or Mexican. My experience is that none of the real estate firms here are exclusively staffed by either gringos or Mexicans. I find it hard to believe that a Mexican lady would be dealing with a gringo realtor on a rental- - -that's just a reach and a half. And her fingers are broken and in casts so she can't pick up the flippin phone to call the realtor back so she can jump up and down because they haven't called her back? Puleeeeeese!!

Too many silly gringos find the need to apologize for anything imaginable that's ever happened or is happening to anyone Mexican. I suppose it ausuages deep seeded guilt? Or maybe develops into a sensational pity party.

Maddogpir3 your comments are absolutely ridiculous. Talk to snowbirds and ask how helpful real estate agents are when it comes to rentals. The realtors do not respond.

Realtors make very little off rentals. Couple that with the laid back attitude and many realtors not doing much business (20% do 80% of the business) it is surprising they don't make signs saying they DON'T do rentals. It doesn't make sense to do rentals.

If I was a realtor I wouldn't do them. It is a waste of time unless you manage the units. I think many real estate agents have been burned by playing taxi driver and giving the romance tour of the area in the hopes of earning a few hundred $$$ and selling a home later but then received nothing.

I know some real estate agents help people with rentals but usually they are people who will buy and the real estate agent has asked them some preliminary questions to make sure they are real buyers. Unfortunately many people have apparently come down who cannot make it up north and try to reinvent themselves and have wasted the time of these professionals.

Sometimes people do take a few days to return phone calls, often email is better. It is poor business practice to not return client communications. On the other hand, people in Mexico generally don't return messages or voicemails. that is my experience. I've tried calling some clients and received the maid, machine, etc and called back multiple times during a week. After 2 weeks of it i just give up. I like email better as that never happens or after I respond the ball is in their court.

What do you mean by if she is correct? And the you come up with a wrong answer mixing selling properties using brokers. She is talking about a realtor in special.
Your comment is ridiculuous critizicing Mexicans blaming gringos. That is not true.
Do you know that person very well to say: "your friend is hypersentive?
In my point of view, without having an exact judgement you have a little trouble getting along with mexicans. Sounds like, I hope I am wrong.

HEY!!! Here's a concept----------------------------if you're a Mexican or a gringo and the flippin Mexican or gringo realtor doesn't respond quit whining. Quit being a sensative dimwit. Then pick up the phonew, then either call the realtor that hasn't responded or call a different one. And that goes for ANY and ALL services where people don't respond. Geez! Some of you people are either helpless or so sensative as to be in need of a padded cell!

And if that doesn't work call Ghostbusters!

Jailbait is rude to just about everyone...just ignore her/him/it.

I suspect Maddog and Jailbait are one and the same based on thier rudeness and insensitivity.

I share that same suspicion and suspect that those posts come from NoB, not here. I can't imagine such bigoted vitriol from anyone who chose to live here. If I'm wrong, they/he/she must be terribly unhappy and helpless to go back north.

True statement. They do not respond. Neither Mexicans or gringos. (That is our experience.) And if they respond and find that they do not have what you want - do not expect the "sorry we cannot help" statement - just silence.

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Perhaps you can give an advice if down the long calling road even Ghostbusters do not answer. What next? Who you gonna call?

LOL- - -well we all know if we can't call Ghostbusters who can we call.

I share that same suspicion and suspect that those posts come from NoB, not here. I can't imagine such bigoted vitriol from anyone who chose to live here. If I'm wrong, they/he/she must be terribly unhappy and helpless to go back north

I live here and have done so for several years. I have no idea who someone called "jailbait" would be. And where does the "bigoted" part come from?

Look, this isn't about sensitivity. That's nonsense. This is about effecting (here comes that word so many of you just HATE) change in our hosts. And this is the kind of change that we can help to effect without being jerks about it. Here's a Mexican lady who needs a service and can't get it. It's a part of Mexican culture (as far as I and others that I know well can see) to accept things as being "fate". The rental rep doesn't call back and the Mexican lady is lost so she accepts it as fate without taking a pro-active stance and making something happen. So rather than falling into pity party mode and "commiserating" with her why not tell her how to get the help she needs and wants. And if you really want to put your money where your commiserating mouth is why not take the Mexican lady in your car down to the real estate office, go to the owner or general manger, state the case and show the Mexican lady how to make something happen on her own! If it was you being ignored would you sit back and live with it? I think and hope not!

Commiserating and sympathizing are lovely gestures and posting your moral outrage is a wonderful thing to do. But neither action soves a darn thing! The Mexican lady still needs a place to rent doesn't she?! And just what have you done to help with that?



ps- - -the op still hasn't identified as to whether the rental agent is a Mexican or gringo and that would seem to be a major point.

Personally, I just happen to agree with “Maddogir3”. Talk is cheap and trying to be political correct should be just embarrassing. Where is the true & helpful concern? I believe he’s saying get off your @ss and do something that is truly helpful. Open your eyes folks there is a real world out there. I could be wrong but dreaming once-in-awhile helps the sole.

Dreaming helps the sole of your foot,the sole of your shoe? or maybe your pet fish?

I agree that this situation is ridiculous, I saw a sign on a gate by a realtor, I have called and left messages for the person, so then I decided to e-mail the company, I have heard good and bad about this company.
Well I have had no response, so explain to me if they don't make any money through rentals then why do they hang their signs on them?

This isn't the crux of the problem but it certainly is a good question. What does a realtor get paid on a rental?

Hope you do as well with your Spanish.

When I write in Spanish I spell it correctly.

But,after all,my Spanish is really none of your concern.

I've owned rental properties in Ajijic in the past - no more - but the realtors that I've worked with and others that I've known charge the landlord 15% of the monthly rent. The agent who "finds" you a house makes 1/2 of the first months commission. In other words, if the house rents for US$1000, then the realtor deducts $150 each month before paying the owner. The "finder" agent, for one month only, gets 1/2 of that or, in this case, $75. For that amount, he/she runs you around looking, handles the initial paperwork, collects the deposits, checks your FM3's, etc etc. The real estate company monthly is paying your utility bills, handling maintenance as approved by the owner, sending out the gas truck, paying annual tax bills and whatever else the owner may request.

I've been in offices and listened to renters and the phone calls and I wouldn't deal with it. Some renters are great, as most of ours were, but the ones that aren't?!? Complaining that there are no screens on a $400 rental - well maybe not. Or why wasn't the house exterminated before they moved it - because the owner hasn't authorized payment for it to be done. Or the ones who painted each wall a different color and then wondered why they didn't get their deposit back. At a "friends" request once, I agreed to handle the rental ourselves - she was a renter from h*ll. And then there was the one who complained because there was no omlet pan!

Realtors will also agree only to "manage" your house if empty and not rented out - that's another set of fees to just pay bills and periodically check it out.

My understanding is that they get paid one months rent. I think this is pretty good money, if you're talking about a $ 1,200 - $1,800. USD rental.

The woman and her husband called several realtors and got no response. They found something on their own but would have liked something better. Unfortunately those that looked better had signs from the realtors who don't bother to respond.

After reading the garbage spewed by the hateful likes of Jailbait, Maddogpir and AmyLee I really wonder whether this board has the value it once had. A difference of opinion is one thing but these people disparaging their host country citizens is so outrageous that they should not be on this board.

Amy Lee once wrote that I hate her since I have called her on a number of her other foolish writings. She is so wrong. She is not worth that amount of emotion.

Many get a management fee and the house I rent it is 15% / month. The property manager is useless and only has to pay the phone bill which is usually late.

It is not simply the rental fee even if a month's rent but it is what it can lead to. Having been a realtor I know what is at stake with a rental including a sale now or later and referrals. There are about 180 agents here and average on mls is just over one sale per agent in past year. So most agents make zip, nadda, zero so just maybe pursuing a rental and creating a great reputation is not so bad. It is no different than most businesses with not everything being the big payoff but in time goodwill, professionalism, common sense will make it all worthwhile. Take for example Salvadors where one may simply buy a coffee and sit for an hour but the next time that person buys a meal. Or one buys a bolt at a hardware and you leave with a positive impression. You will go back, you will refer and everyone wins.

If rental agents do not want to provide the service then they should not list the property as a rental. What Shira's friend experienced is extremely typical. Meanwhile, someone lists home for rent and returns NOB thinking an agent is working for them in a professional manner not realizing the only true interest was when they signed the listing agreement.

Shira remember yesterday was cloudy and raining and it seems to allow a few to think they can have all the signs of PMS and male menopause although being well beyond the age of that entitlement. Hiding behind a screen name brings out the worse in a few.

Back to the original complaint.... not getting a response from a Realtor when seeking rental property.......

I suspect (but certainly don't know for sure) that the Realtor the lady contacted worked primarily with sales, rather than rentals. As a Realtor in a popular resort/retirement community in the SE USA, I can tell you that here, rentals and sales are generally handed by different people. Sales and rentals are too completely different fields, requiring completely different knowledge of the two markets, and applicable laws.

Realtors generally restrict themselves to sales, and property managers, (a completely different licensing requirement here) generally handle rentals. There are those who are licensed to do both, however.

On several occasions I have been contacted by folks desiring either long-term or short-term rentals, and I have always referred them to various property managers, because (1.) I know very little about the rental market here, and (2.) They will get much better service from someone who does.

I try to be courteous and helpful to them as I find them a property manager who can help them, and if they are interested in buying in the future, I hope they will come back and do business to me.

So, I understand why Realtors who work exclusively in sales may not want to get involved with rental requests, but they certainly should return phone calls and try to refer folks to property managers who do. If they aren't returning calls, shame on them. It only makes good business sense and good manners to do so.

Pat

Obvious we are dealing with a better then average Rental Agent. We rented a home from Ribera Rental Center owned by Bertha Chavez De Medina. I have no idea what the owner is paying her, but she earns her fee.

I know that she does work with the local renters as well as foreigners.

The services we get from her include: paying the electric, cable, telephone bills, finding and paying maids and gardners. Bertha went with me to Telmex to set up Internet service.

Bertha has made our rental an enjoyable experience, and we highly recommend her.

The rental situation Lakeside is what seems "squirrely." I too have experienced exactly this situation, but I chocked it up to not being there in person. I have inquired of properties both for sale and for rent from real estate offices and rental agencies. No response, slow response, little information, so I figured this was because I wasn't in the office in person. I would hear no response, then when I did hear, that property "had just been rented." One property is rented for four years into the future, so then I figured "long term" means more than one year. Is there a difference for those renting a $1800 per month for several years instead of a $400 a month for six months? If there is so much hassle with fees and hacienda, I cannot blame owners for holding out for "long term" situations. It is helpful to hear Intercasa's explanation, which makes the most sense...this is just the way business is done. It is like the FAFSA report for financial aid for colleges. If you are determined enough to keep filling out the form every time they send it back, then you deserve financial aid. If you are determined enough to keep trying when no one responds to your inquiries or emails, then eventually, you have earned the right to rent a house Lakeside. Like a filter, it will weed out folks, so only the survivors of the process will make it...natural selection.

Pat who is licensed here to rent or sell? I believe no one. One can get a working FM-3 in two weeks and be selling real estate or renting properties the next day.

deleted

To quote a wise ol' lady (gringal)..... 'like watering the desert... why bother'

ahhhhhhh- - -when faced with logic and a calling to our own failures we resort to the time honored OG (that's old gringo) sport of - - - - NAME CALLING.
The next thing one should expect from this lady (I assume) is to tell all who disagree with her pandering, mis-placed sympathies that they should go back where they (me) came from.

Face reality Shira- - -you had an opportunity to do something good and you let it pass on by. Learn a lesson and maybe the next time you'll help rather than enable.

Hiding behind a screen name? And your mom and dad named you Ajijic? Wowsers! They must have known you were going to live here!

My name and whom I am are very well know and have even posted my address on here. So smartie this maybe where you wish to look. :-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymous_Coward

The addition of bold & larger size of lettering is mine.











It would be nice if you would quote your assertion so we all could go back and read the context of issue. The one thing I remember was stating something to the fact; don’t make poor judgments because of your dislike for me. It was concerning wages for maids. The above is what I remember and can provide support.

"Ol lady" huh? Geesh, and thanks a lot !

The quote in question referred to a common forum situation where one's argument is either misquoted, yanked out of context, misrepresented or otherwise twisted around into a new form. As the OP, one is tempted to respond with a new load of reason and/or logic. Alas, it IS like watering the desert in most instances, so why bother?

Hmmmm well, speaking of 'misquoting' or 'out of context' ..... I DID say a WISE ol' lady .... can't you focus on the positive???????? lmao

I guess I should have said a wise ol' harpie!

Most of the real estate agents and offices here, based on my experiences with them over the years, have no concept about service, courtesy, or professionalism.

When we needed a rental. the ones that had some showed us only their rentals. Dieter, at Arellano Realty, showed us manu homes that fit our needs and pocket book, and none were his listing or his office's. He worked very hard for us and listened to what we wanted. When it comes to finding a rental, I would recommend him highly.

And, those realtors that look only at immediate income seem to be too ignorant to look at long range potential. This renter may eventually be a buiyer. A happy customer, even on a rental, can recommend other people that want to buy or sell. There may not be much money in doing a rental now but future income that can be derived from handling a rental could be enormous. Because of Dieter's efforts, he got the listing on the lots in our subdivision and I have recommended several people to him. Shame on those realtors, and I am embarrassed to call them that, who do not return phone calls, ignore prospects, and will not help a person in need.

No, no. Wise, gorgeous, forever young harpy ! ROFL.

Ajjic... I understand that. However, the licensing (or lack thereof) requirement in Ajijic really makes no difference...... the point I was trying to make was.... I (me, possibly not you) am not surprised that sales agents might not be interested in working with rentals. Sales and Rental are two separate markets. That does not excuse agents not returning calls, however.

Pat

harpy. yes. that's it.

1 harpy
2 harpies

SCREEEEECH!