I am a little surprised that there is so little interest in retiring to Mexico, since it is so inexpensive, there is little crime, and the people are so hospitable. There are many areas where the weather is unbeatable, even where heat or air conditioning is never used.
To answer the question about rentals, there are many, many places for renting for long term, with prices varying according to locale. I spend time in Puerto Vallarta, where real estate prices have skyrocketed, but you can still find a home or apartment in lovely Mexican neighborhoods for only $250 to $600 per month. It is a good start for someone who wants to move, since you can try it out, to see if you like it, and can take time to find a home to purchase, if you so desire.
Yes, I recommend Oaxaca. It's a beautiful city. Housing in the city can be a bit pricy, but if you are willing to take a bus (they are crazy, but they get you were you need to go) then its a great deal. Plus there are lots of expats there.
I also have toyed with the idea of Mexico as the perfect place to live my life to the fullest. Did some research and actually bought an ebook written by a lady who had retired from US when she was 52 and moved by herself to Mexico and has lived very comfortably ever since.
I wasn't planning on buying a home, just renting long term and it works same as here, you can find rental units on web sites by doing a search of area you're interested in and putting in the types of apts you want. If you are still interested, I can send you some web sites and you can do some research. Mostly the area I was checking was around Guadalaraja. May still end up down there, but at this time am looking at AZ first, my sister and I will be renting a home together and she's not sure about Mexico and her safety. Our brother scared her.
You can rent an apartment, a room or a house anywhere in the country. Mexicans love to rent to gringos. We have a reputation for paying the rent and keeping the property in good repair. It operates pretty much the same for both countries. First month rent plus month security deposit. Landlords never fix anything. You never get your deposit back.
In some areas it is customary for a landlord to ask for a co-signer for the lease. I have always said I don't know anyone in this country to do that, and never had to actually produce one. Producing money works just as well.
Renting is good because you can check out an area or a neighborhood without having to invest in it.
Marti in Mexico
Hey Marti, when you use the rental agencies and pay the extra 10% I thought they took care of repairs. Did I read wrong? Figured it may be worth it because I'd not be any good at repairing myself and didn't want to get into a place where a lot of stuff could go wrong or break.
It appeared to be sort of an insurance policy to keep the house in good order. Of course if the rent's really high, that adds up really quick. But it would be worth it for a 6 month stint while I looked around for something even better without the 10%. At least that was going to be my plan.
