Jump to content
Chapala.com Webboard

Baby boomers where are


Recommended Posts

I know the animals will make it more difficult, but the wife would leave me behind before them. The RV is a rental. and will be returned to San Antonio. We don't mind paying a pet deposit and the dogs are small. Ideally looking for a 2-3 bedroom house with garden for up to $1200. Any of the nearby villages is ok.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 60
  • Created
  • Last Reply

I know the animals will make it more difficult, but the wife would leave me behind before them. The RV is a rental. and will be returned to San Antonio. We don't mind paying a pet deposit and the dogs are small. Ideally looking for a 2-3 bedroom house with garden for up to $1200. Any of the nearby villages is ok.

Doubtful you'll be able to bring a rental vehicle into Mexico.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a minor diversion from the topic at hand: please excuse.

Am I the only one on whom the term "Boomers" or "Baby Boomers" is beginning to grate?

That time spread produced such an enormous diversity of people in terms of tastes, educational level, economic status and character that it doesn't do them justice to lump them into the term "Baby Boomers". The time spread itself is vast.

Back on topic: I do think the recent crop of retirement age folks would find Mexico to still be good value for the money as opposed to the more desirable places to live in the U.S. The places where the cost of living is lower certainly wouldn't be my top choices.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BTW, the real arrival of the baby boom bulge is just getting underway. Too early to call at this point.

Certainly, the government of the U.S. and Mexico aren't doing anything to help or encourage retirement here.

The latter statement seems to be very true. It appears to me - my observation, my opinion - that the local economy works in contradiction to supply and demand. If demand goes up, price goes up, as we might expect. But if demand goes down, price still goes up - to the point wherein shop owners move out because they simply can't afford the increased rent with their lowering income. And rental real estate stands empty rather than collecting a slightly price-adjusted rent. The same thing seems to happen with respect to the expat/tourist community. Those who live here or still come for the season find that prices have escalated dramatically. Last year's 200P meal in a restaurant is nearly 400P. Additionally gas, electricity, rent and services have escalated accordingly. Not only is Lakeside no longer a great bargain, prices seem to escalate no matter what. It is puzzling to say the least.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Last year's 200P meal in a restaurant is nearly 400P." (Pogo)

That is an exaggeration, big time. Unless you're eating at the new Frenchified restaurants, it's more like last years' 75 peso lunch is 85 or 90pesos. Property taxes are still ridiculously low compared to the states. A visit to the doctor is still no more than the co-pays in the U.S. under Medicare plans. And so on.

Yes, we have inflation, but let's be realistic. For real sticker shock, check out the prices for a restaurant meal in the states.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If we look at the emotional component, many Americans and Canadians are just now starting to feel OK about their personal $$ situation, after being battered by the Bush-Fiscal Crisis and the wars dragging-out.

Since ordinary Canadian's and American's home values have only been picking up nicely for the last year - inspiring a little confidence - and with unemployment finally back down to pre-Bush-Fiscal Crisis levels, many people can only just now start to think about enjoying vacations or retiring comfortably.

The Fiscal Crisis caused deep rounds of home foreclosures (that created derelict properties) were finally being worked off in 2013, which is finally allowing home-values to rise consistently. That personal wealth effect plays a big role in discretionary spending.

There were just too many shocks and too much bad news to shake off between 2007 - 2013.

Actually, with very few exceptions, Canadian property values have not suffered any significant recent declines at all. And, of course, some areas like Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, and, above all, Vancouver, have been rising crazily for years. A lot of people in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario were buying up houses in Arizona and Florida at dirt cheap prices before US prices started to recover. So, they get the best of both worlds: Candian summers and American winters. And they get to keep their "free" healthcare. No real need for large numbers to go to Mexico any more.

Bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that is definitely part of the problem here, competition from "crashed" prices in the Sunbelt of the U.S. Where my brother lives in the far east side of Phoenix (Apache Junction area) the developments all fly Canadian flags and market like crazy to Canadians. And they are buying there, you see them in the stores and their Canadian plates in the parking lots.

They buy the places in gated, secure developments where they can use it for 6 months and then go off and leave it without worry. The developments all provide snowbird monitoring and maintenance services very cheap.

If you are a Canadian snowbird, I would say that Sunbelt U.S. has a lot of advantages over here. However for year-round living, all of them are pretty awful for 4-5 months per year whereas the weather here is never awful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have never been a believer in the highly anticipated great boomer exodus to Mexico. Its never seemed to me that expats here have a true appreciation for how unusual a move here is for the general populace.

Virtually everyone we know in the US aged mid-50s to mid-60s has taken advantage of the buying opportunity these past 5 years to purchase a southern home in Arizona, Nevada, Texas hill country, Florida and the Keys with a couple landing in the lower eastern seaboard and two couples bought in San Diego area because their kids are there for good. Three couples who have had condos in Naples went ahead and purchased rock bottom homes in Arizona. These are all second homes and in some cases third because from our part of the country some extended families have summer cabins or hunting cabins. Mostly these are the boomers you might be looking to see here but they have options.

For those of us originating in the fly over country there is no economic savings here aside from taxes. Even now when we return for lengthy visits and rent a corporate apartment our daily living costs in the midwest are not significantly higher. This area appears to be an option for people of very limited means but the area cannot sustain itself on those people who do not have discretionary income.

I think Ajijic and the area will be fortunate if it can maintain the present fulltime population. When we came most everyone was in their early to mid-60s and now almost 8 years later makes them that much older so attrition is beginning to have an effect. I do think we will continue to see an increase in upper middle class professional Mexicans moving out here from the city environs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that is definitely part of the problem here, competition from "crashed" prices in the Sunbelt of the U.S. Where my brother lives in the far east side of Phoenix (Apache Junction area) the developments all fly Canadian flags and market like crazy to Canadians. And they are buying there, you see them in the stores and their Canadian plates in the parking lots.

They buy the places in gated, secure developments where they can use it for 6 months and then go off and leave it without worry. The developments all provide snowbird monitoring and maintenance services very cheap.

If you are a Canadian snowbird, I would say that Sunbelt U.S. has a lot of advantages over here. However for year-round living, all of them are pretty awful for 4-5 months per year whereas the weather here is never awful.

Another factor in Canada is that we were always envious of Americans who could deduct their mortgage payments from income tax. We couldn't, so there was a real incentive to pay your mortgage off-- although not everybody did. But people who bought houses 20 years ago for 150K, now find they are living in houses worth at least 500K and, in places like Vancouver, maybe close to a million. All they had to do was take out a homeowner line of credit for $200 a month at today's interest rates to buy a place in Arizona or wherever.

Added Later: The big weakness in our market now is that houses have been priced out of the reach of the next generation of potential buyers. This is going to have dire consequences for the market before too long.

Bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just wanted to give another view of rental prices. So many folks use the realtors for rentals. I helped two Mexican friends find their rental in Chapala and discovered apartments for 2,500 pesos--less than $200.00 U.S.--(including gas, water and electric). One place in Chapala Centro was a three bedroom two bathroom sunny apartment on a first floor (including gas, water and electric) for 5,000 pesos (c. $385.00 U.S.) a month. There were lots of bargains from Mexicans. One place was a two casita, two bedroom, furnished set of apartments for 4,000 pesos each (including all but without a laundry room). Are they palaces? No. They are adequate and can be made nice and comfortable. Remember your college dorm room after you decorated it with your special touch?

Had I known about this alternate way of finding apartments I would not have rented my "palace" in Ajijic with a difficult house manager for 7,000 pesos a month plus utilities the first year I was here. Mexican friends were able to point me to bargain after bargain.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not a think tank, however most people want to stay in the vicinity of their grandchildren. Also, many want to stay in their original community of friends and family and just travel. Many people do not want to live in a retirement community atmosphere as is apparent here. Then there was the recession: say hello to your renters.Take away those catagories and you will still be left with cash carrying house buyers, because of the baby boomer numbers. Boom. But how much boom, I am not guessing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This area appears to be an option for people of very limited means but the area cannot sustain itself on those people who do not have discretionary income.

And the new visa laws make that pretty difficult if not impossible.

I think Ajijic and the area will be fortunate if it can maintain the present fulltime population. When we came most everyone was in their early to mid-60s and now almost 8 years later makes them that much older so attrition is beginning to have an effect. I do think we will continue to see an increase in upper middle class professional Mexicans moving out here from the city environs.

I've felt for some time this place would morph into a GDL suburb with a few expats thrown in. Really, this is an easy commute from all those factories around the airport. It is easier for an executive to live here than to drive back and forth to Zopapan.

The ambiance and climate is going to continue to attract the affluent IMO. Just expect that most of them will be Mexican.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have spoken with an RV agency in San Antonio that rents RV's to take into Mexico. They have done it for years no problem.

We don't really care if more American and Canadians move to lakeside, or if it's primarily Mexicans. I'm well along learning Spanish and the wife will be. I've lived out of the USA three times and never really missed americans. Good friends can be made regardless.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have spoken with an RV agency in San Antonio that rents RV's to take into Mexico. They have done it for years no problem.

We don't really care if more American and Canadians move to lakeside, or if it's primarily Mexicans. I'm well along learning Spanish and the wife will be. I've lived out of the USA three times and never really missed americans. Good friends can be made regardless.

Great attitude! Good luck & I hope it's a good fit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think there is going to be another housing crash in the US, so any boomers that come will be the ones who come now. I don't think we will ever see another big influx here no matter how much we talk it up. The US is so far in debt that it is past the point of no return. The dollar will have to come tumbling down, and the US will reset to an America much different than the current one. I think that in 10 yrs many, many cities will look like Detroit. People will not be able to get any value out of their homes and will be stuck there. No one can predict when the dollar will fold, but as more and more countries make deals to trade in their own currencies, the dollar's irrelevancy nears. For some time now, the US has not been able to sell enough of their debt instruments to even keep up with the interest on the debt. The Fed is issuing the debt instruments with one hand and buying them with the other. This cannot continue. They need foreigners to buy, but they see that with the US debt level, the likelihood of being repaid is zilch. China and other big holders of dollars have greatly reduced their dollar holdings and are not buying more. The dollar crash will affect the value of everything in the US--homes, stock market portfolios--traditional stores of wealth. Poof! Gone! They won't be coming to Lake Chapala. Those folks who are willing to accept a lower rent to lock in a long-term renter are smart! I notice lots of vacancies!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think there is going to be another housing crash in the US, so any boomers that come will be the ones who come now. I don't think we will ever see another big influx here no matter how much we talk it up. The US is so far in debt that it is past the point of no return. The dollar will have to come tumbling down, and the US will reset to an America much different than the current one. I think that in 10 yrs many, many cities will look like Detroit. People will not be able to get any value out of their homes and will be stuck there. No one can predict when the dollar will fold, but as more and more countries make deals to trade in their own currencies, the dollar's irrelevancy nears. For some time now, the US has not been able to sell enough of their debt instruments to even keep up with the interest on the debt. The Fed is issuing the debt instruments with one hand and buying them with the other. This cannot continue. They need foreigners to buy, but they see that with the US debt level, the likelihood of being repaid is zilch. China and other big holders of dollars have greatly reduced their dollar holdings and are not buying more. The dollar crash will affect the value of everything in the US--homes, stock market portfolios--traditional stores of wealth. Poof! Gone! They won't be coming to Lake Chapala. Those folks who are willing to accept a lower rent to lock in a long-term renter are smart! I notice lots of vacancies!

Very interesting doom and gloom prediction. Can you show ANY facts to support your assertions above? Or, is this just your unsupported opinion?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have spoken with an RV agency in San Antonio that rents RV's to take into Mexico. They have done it for years no problem.

We don't really care if more American and Canadians move to lakeside, or if it's primarily Mexicans. I'm well along learning Spanish and the wife will be. I've lived out of the USA three times and never really missed americans. Good friends can be made regardless.

This is very interesting, Please let us know the details on the RV when you get them.

Good luck, great attitude and welcome (soon) to the area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have spoken with an RV agency in San Antonio that rents RV's to take into Mexico. They have done it for years no problem.

We don't really care if more American and Canadians move to lakeside, or if it's primarily Mexicans. I'm well along learning Spanish and the wife will be. I've lived out of the USA three times and never really missed americans. Good friends can be made regardless.

You might take the time to read thru the insurance policy they will require And actually plan where you will stop.. Last time I went to Laredo, I caravaned with folks in an RV. Their choice place to park at night was a Pemex station - low on ambiance. You might also talk to some others that have done it - and look at the minuses as well as the pluses -as the minuses may really exceed the pluses. If you are serious about this, I would open a new thread about your RV intent - and solicit comments there - as it is off topic here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Monessen, I am one of those looking for a place through a Realtor because not knowing anyone at this time, I have no choice. Several have commented that there are lots of places available now, but unless you are going down right now you can not rent until 45 days before you intend on being there. At least that is the experience that I am getting with the Realtors that I am dealing with. I would feel a little more comfortable to have my plans made and reservations set before that.

In my opinion, Boomers are looking for a good deal when they retire and the Lake Chapala area is not as appealing as it used to be. Expats own a lot of the property thus housing is much less affordable because prices are too high for most people. I don't want to pay so much for housing that I can't afford to travel anywhere else or experience and embrace the area I choose to live and I don't want a one room studio where the couch is the bed and I have to cook on a hotplate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have spoken with an RV agency in San Antonio that rents RV's to take into Mexico. They have done it for years no problem.

We don't really care if more American and Canadians move to lakeside, or if it's primarily Mexicans. I'm well along learning Spanish and the wife will be. I've lived out of the USA three times and never really missed americans. Good friends can be made regardless.

My husband and I would also be interested in info on the RV rental, we will be needing one to return to the US with our pets in the near future. Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is an exaggeration, big time. Unless you're eating at the new Frenchified restaurants, it's more like last years' 75 peso lunch is 85 or 90pesos. Property taxes are still ridiculously low compared to the states. A visit to the doctor is still no more than the co-pays in the U.S. under Medicare plans. And so on.

Yes, we have inflation, but let's be realistic. For real sticker shock, check out the prices for a restaurant meal in the states.

^^ This. I wasn't here a year ago to compare restaurant prices then and now, but compared to the West Coast this place is still a bargain. (And don't even get me started on NYC.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.




×
×
  • Create New...