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Water Shortage Issues


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11 minutes ago, Natasha said:

Charlene, if your two biggest questions are water and which gated community, you are in for a world of hurt. (I ASSUME you don't know the area.)

Come down, RENT, decide if you even LIKE it here, if you can adjust to Mexican ways of doing things, if the first area you pick is the "right" one, and host of other things before you leap into the deep end. Check out all kinds of areas that make up "Lakeside".  As questions re: each. Ask why some people love gated living, while others would rather eat ground glass than live in one. And why.

And do NOT make the mistake of thinking a Realtor will tell you the good, but also the bad and the ugly about any/all of the above. That is NOT their job. Finding the warts and pimples is part of your own due diligence, which should be done BEFORE you make any decision. It could make all the difference between being hugely disappointed or being happy to stay here for many years to come.

I agree with Natasha 100 percent. When we came to Mexico in 2006, we started in  Ajijic near the plaza, then to La Floresta, back to Constitution, then to Chapala near the park and now in Chapla Centro 2 blocks from the Plaza where we have been for  almost 11 years. We came from the US with NO expectations and we deal with things as they come. We have never regretted our decision.

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Just my opinion but do not understand why anyone would want to live like a caged bird in a gated community depending on a Fracc for your water and taking your money as they lay down regulations and rules as to how you live. I much like living among the locals and in walking distance to your pueblo (mine SAT) insisted of   having to jump in your car to go anywhere to eat, shop or do errands. I know for some there are security problems but there are many areas here Lakeside that are very safe, plus there are procedures you can take to improve this, such as cameras, alarms and dogs. As for water, yes there may be areas that have problems from time to time but from my experience, living in a house is a better solution, since these problems are quickly solved (personally I have exactly zero water problems in 14 years) whereas in in those gated communities, since one water system serves many homes, the problem can last for expanded time periods waiting for the Fracc "directors" to try to find a "solution" mostly by rising your fracc dues!!! Again just MY opinion. 

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My first response For the original post is, "Why do you want to live in a 'gated community'?

We moved to Ajijic in 2001 and lived on a normal street until 2004, when we moved to Chapala Centro, on a normal street, and stayed for the next decade; until age and infirmity drove us notth to the VA and Medicare systems.  We desperately miss Chapala, but have to accept our fates in our dotage.

We never considered a fraccionamiento or 'gated community' and were sublimely happy with our lives in Chapala.

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2 minutes ago, RVGRINGO said:

My first response For the original post is, "Why do you want to live in a 'gated community'?

We moved to Ajijic in 2001 and lived on a normal street until 2004, when we moved to Chapala Centro, on a normal street, and stayed for the next decade; until age and infirmity drove us notth to the VA and Medicare systems.  We desperately miss Chapala, but have to accept our fates in our dotage.

We never considered a fraccionamiento or 'gated community' and were sublimely happy with our lives in Chapala.

We must be on the same wavelength since both out similar posts landed at the same time!!!

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1 hour ago, gringohombre said:

Just my opinion but do not understand why anyone would want to live like a caged bird in a gated community depending on a Fracc for your water and taking your money as they lay down regulations and rules as to how you live. I much like living among the locals and in walking distance to your pueblo (mine SAT) insisted of   having to jump in your car to go anywhere to eat, shop or do errands. I know for some there are security problems but there are many areas here Lakeside that are very safe, plus there are procedures you can take to improve this, such as cameras, alarms and dogs. As for water, yes there may be areas that have problems from time to time but from my experience, living in a house is a better solution, since these problems are quickly solved (personally I have exactly zero water problems in 14 years) whereas in in those gated communities, since one water system serves many homes, the problem can last for expanded time periods waiting for the Fracc "directors" to try to find a "solution" mostly by rising your fracc dues!!! Again just MY opinion. 

Many prefer gated communities as they are like a haven of peace and security and there are many places to park. I alway feel relived when I get out of Ajijic and into Los Sabinos or the Raquet Club or Las Fuentes, etc. Many of the streets in fraccionamientos look deserted. Lower population density.

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6 hours ago, Ferret said:

WHICH Chula Vista? Upper Chula Vista, lower Chula Vista or Chula Vista Norte?

Ferret, there isn´t any "Upper" Chula Vista and "Lower" Chula Vista except in the geographical location sense.  All just one Chula Vista and one well and one water system.  Don´t know where you got the idea it is two separate fraccionamientos.  All 4 water storage facility reservoirs are on high ground.

I was the water commissioner there for 8 years as well as President and Vice President in the 1980´s and 90´s.

Chula Vista began in the 1950´s and Chula Vista Norte many, many years later. They are not connected legally, geographically, or in any other fashion. Chula Vista i.e. "beautiful view" is a name probably used in many areas of Mexico

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First, it is headline news networks that are blaring about the Mexican water shortage, without being specific, and causing confusion. Just like when they report an earthquake in Mexico, and every friend I have up north asks if I'm okay, having no idea geographically. So I understand the concern.

Second, when you have not lived here, "gated community" sounds like a sweet deal, because of the --again-- very generalized stories about cartels and danger on the news.

Third, we all refer to upper, lower, and norte, for the Ch Vistas, regardless of or ignorant of the fracc assocations. When I say "across from Chula Vista", no one asks which one I mean.

Again, the best advice is the standard advice that we all give, as provided earlier by Natasha: come and rent here and discover for yourself.

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Thank you. I'm out of reactions again. Just a physical description... either UP(PER) the long winding road on the east side of the golf course or on the west side of the golf course which doesn't have the same spectacular views of the lake because it is lower in elevation. In reality any of the areas on the mountain that provide spectacular views could have been named the same. Todos tienen una linda vista. 

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On 5/9/2021 at 4:38 PM, cedros said:

Many prefer gated communities as they are like a haven of peace and security and there are many places to park. I alway feel relived when I get out of Ajijic and into Los Sabinos or the Raquet Club or Las Fuentes, etc. Many of the streets in fraccionamientos look deserted. Lower population density.

My point exactly!  I'm one of the "rather eat ground glass" than be in one of those sterile, boring,  isolate-me-from-real-Mexico places! Nobody can judge what's best for another. Come. Explore. Check things out. Test the waters. THEN decide.... and know that might even mean "we don't like it here at all".

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And that is why most posters here recommend renting for a minimum of a year before purchasing anything (if ever). We rented two different places our first year and then bought in San Miguel. Buying and being able to control our cost of living made a lot of sense to us then and still does to me but everyone is different. It was only when we moved back from the coast that we chose to rent again because of an unpredictable health situation. Both times were in gated communities and it really didn't suit us at all. When my hubby passed away in 2015, I bought a small house in Riberas that I could grow old(er) in. I like being able to make it the way I want it and being in control of every day things. YMMV.

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I stayed in a hotel for a few days. I had a vehicle so I soon saw all the places from Roca Azul to San Nicholas and bought after a week. It worked out well but I had lived in Mexico before so knew what to expect.

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And we rented, at first because intention was to try different areas every few years. Feet still nailed to the floor here over 22 years later,  but to us renting has been the best option.........with San Antonio winning hands down for us.  So yup..... lots of like minded people here in one way or the other.

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Funny thing is today the water is still on in SE SAT in the middle of the day.  So my answer to original post is it depends on where you are and what wells area is using.  When renting or buying a house look how much water you can store as at some point in year you probably will need it.  During dry season check storage tanks and make sure water was on the night before.  If not don't wash the car or whatever that day.  We have 1100L on Roof and 5000L under driveway and we put another 10,000 L tank for irrigation rather than getting up at 4am to water which got old.  Note many places here have direct street connections to outside water taps and for example our water normally turns off at 9am so you can't water during the day.   

 

Good Luck but I suggest you rent first and buy later to avoid regrets from ignorance.

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22 minutes ago, lcscats said:

rather than getting up at 4am to water which got old.  Note many places here have direct street connections to outside water taps and for example our water normally turns off at 9am so you can't water during the day.   

You can also buy hose timers that you set to go on and off at whatever time you set them to.

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On 5/11/2021 at 3:54 PM, virgo lady said:

How's that working out for your cell phone?     Lot of others joining my recommendation to visit and rent and check things out.

It worked out very well for my cell phone. Some are slow learners, others aren't.

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When we built a house in Ajijic in 2004 our maestro dug a HUGE hole for the aljibe and I asked "why the he*l are you making it that big?" He replied that you can never have too much water storage. I suspect the 3rd owners of the house are pretty happy they have 60,000 liters of storage.

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4 hours ago, RickS said:

Yes, but you used it as a swimming pool at the B&B, no?  😎

Hahaha...no but probably could have if something happened to the pool at the BnB.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thank-you to all the people that answered my question. I'd like to point out to all the posters that recommend I rent for awhile prior to buying, no where in my original post did I say I was buying. Moving lakeside can mean renting too. As for the posters that wonder why I want to be in a gated community, it's none of your business. My question wasn't asking whether i thought I should be in a gated community or not. I love this board for the people that give great advice, but as for you others I hate social media.

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10 hours ago, Charlene said:

Thank-you to all the people that answered my question. I'd like to point out to all the posters that recommend I rent for awhile prior to buying, no where in my original post did I say I was buying. Moving lakeside can mean renting too. As for the posters that wonder why I want to be in a gated community, it's none of your business. My question wasn't asking whether i thought I should be in a gated community or not. I love this board for the people that give great advice, but as for you others I hate social media.

This free orientation tour, may be helpful;

https://choosechapala.com/resources/courtesy-orientation-tour/

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