Expats in Chapala

[ANNEPR]

Originally Posted by RVGRINGO

I have a fully furnished and equipped rental which will become available in Chapala about the first of October, 2007. It is well located within easy walking distance of all shopping, parks, the lake, bus station and other bus stops, etc. With approximately 1000 square feet, it includes a large bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, dining room, living room, laundry patio, two cable TVs, WiFi internet, electricity, local phone, gas, purified water, weekly maid service, etc. at $450 USD per month or $475 with an automatic door carport.
One might find older, upstairs rentals for $250-300 without included utilities and rents from $500 to $1500 in Ajijic.

YOUR APT. SOUNDS VERY GOOD BUT AM WONDERING WHAT A "LAUNDRY PATIO" IS? IS IT A SMALL OUTDOOR SPACE TO HANG LAUNDRY IN? IS THE APT. ON THE GROUND FLOOR? DOES IT HAVE ANY OUTSIDE SPACE LIKE A PATIO OR BALCONY TO SIT ON/IN??? LIVED IN SPAIN MOST OF MY LIFE, COULDN'T BEAR TO BE CLOSED IN. ALL THE APTS. IN SPAIN HAVE AMPLE TERRACES.

[ANNEPR]

Question Asked About Chapala Area Was: Are There Only American Ex Pats There Or Are There Also Europeans. And Since You Lived Ther For Almost 3 Years, Eek, Can You Please Tell Me How Much A One Bedroom Apt. Costs There Now.

As Far As Other Places, I'm Also Checking Out Bahia De Kino. Hardly Anyone There Yet But I Like To "pioneer". At Least You Can Be Sure It Will Be Super Cheap. I Find That When A Place Is Super Cheap, Everyone Is Cheerful. No Pressure.

Only Problem With Kino Is The Humid Heat And The Mosquitos.

Hard To Handle But May Be Worth It.

Annepr

[RVGRINGO]

Anne,
Thanks for your interest. The patio is about 15x15 feet with the washer and dryer under cover at one side. There is a table and four chairs in the patio, which is located just outside the bedroom. Everything is on the ground floor and the main entrance is from the street to the living room. By the way, there is a guest room, between our home and the rental, which can be made available for your occasional visitors. It has its own full bathroom and also has a queen size bed. Access is via the carport/courtyard to the french doors from the rental's dining room. There are two parks within two and three blocks, respectively, one with pool, tennis, etc. and the other with lakefront attractions, restaurants and piers, fountains and benches. Shopping and banking is within three blocks but there are 'tiendas' even closer. If you wish, send me an e-mail request and I'll send pictures. All of our tenants have been long term renters and we do offer a 5% discount for annual payment in advance. Rentals with views that you don't have to leave the house to see will be uphill in Ajijic and most will be twice the price.
Bob

Originally Posted by ANNEPR

YOUR APT. SOUNDS VERY GOOD BUT AM WONDERING WHAT A "LAUNDRY PATIO" IS? IS IT A SMALL OUTDOOR SPACE TO HANG LAUNDRY IN? IS THE APT. ON THE GROUND FLOOR? DOES IT HAVE ANY OUTSIDE SPACE LIKE A PATIO OR BALCONY TO SIT ON/IN??? LIVED IN SPAIN MOST OF MY LIFE, COULDN'T BEAR TO BE CLOSED IN. ALL THE APTS. IN SPAIN HAVE AMPLE TERRACES.

[RVGRINGO]

In the winter, there are more Canadian expats Lakeside. The rest of the year, the majority are from the USA. Most permanent expats are from the USA, probably due to the Canadian health care requirements which restrict their time out of Canada. Other of our friends include Austrians, Germans, Costa Rican, British, Argentinian, French, etc. Restaurants in the area; and there is a profusion of them, vary from simple Mexican fare to upscale International.
On Bahia de Kino: We have friends living here who tried living there for a couple of years but couldn't stand the heat and humidity and couldn't afford to leave for half of the year. They moved to Ajijic over five years ago and just recently moved closer to Chapala.

[ANNEPR]

I Was Afraid Of The Humid Climate In Kino. Hard To Take Such Humidity When You Are Older. Sort Of Drains All The Energy Out Of You. But Is A Shame Because It Looks Like A Lovely Place And Is Sooo Cheap.

I Can't Believe The Prices Of Apts. You Sent Me. Sounds Like I May Be Too Late For Mexico. How About Ensenada Or Rosario??? Are The Rents Higher Or Lower Than Chapala??? Heard (may Have Been From You) That The Climate Is Better There On The Pacific Side. Have A Friend From Spain Who Was Living In Ensenada Last Year. He Said I Could Rent An Apt. In Ensenada For From $150 To $300. Do You Know That To Be True??? Guess He Figured That Since I Speak Fluent Spanish, I May Be Able To Do A "deal" With A Mexican Landlord.

[RVGRINGO]

Anne,
I have heard similar reports about the extreme northern part of the Pacific coast of Mexico. However, I have never been there and have no interest in the California lifestyle developing there, according to reports. Perhaps someone from that area will appear on the forum.

[synthia]

It's great to see such specific information. Thank you.

The rent seems high to me, too, but when I add in wifi and maid service and other pluses, it may not be as high as it sounds. I'm not quite ready to move yet, though.

Rents certainly have gone up. I think the place I saw posted was about $160 per month, and someone told me that was fairly expensive. Of course it was nearly twenty years ago.

[synthia]

annepr - Have you considered someplace like northeren Thailand. Too hot during April, May, and June, but nice the rest of the year. And they don't have much in the way of restrictions on smoking. The restrictions are coming, though.

[synthia]

RVGRINGO

I'm sorry to hear you are so ill, but glad to know you are in a place you like so much.

[El Toro Furioso]

We pay $370/mo USD for a 2 bedroom, 2 bath home with front and back yards, a lawn for our dog, mature lime, fig, orange and mandarin orange trees, and an automatic garage door (you have to live here to appreciate this touch). We happen to have lake and mountain views from our laundry drying space (read roof), but don't count on a lake view for under $750 or more. You actually may not even want a lake view. Most homes are walled in with gardens for security and privacy.

Rents depend a lot on where you live. The same quality place will tend to be higher in Ajijic, less in San Antonio Tlyacapan next door, even less in Chapala, and even less in Jocotopec. There are "apartments" without kitchen in Chapala for about $75/mo. The expat tenants seem to be quite happy with the places, and eat out every breakfast and dinner. They can afford to, because of the low rent and low restaurant prices (and good food, watch your weight).

We eat out several times a week (but sometimes at a taqueria on la plaza for $3.00 US for four tacos and a shared beer for the two of us including tip), have a car, take trips to the beach and the mountains, etc. and we live basically on $1,500/month.