What people are saying about Mexico!

I had posted these comments on a website a year and a half ago and just saw them again today. I wanted to comment on what things are the same and what has changed, so here goes....

Want to Retire south of the border? Read what is being said:

According to Fortune Magazine :

"...leaving the U.S. can be a way to double your retirement dollar. Pick the right country, and you may be able to trade up to a larger house, get a pool, hire servants--and guarantee visits from your kids. Mexico is bargain numero uno. A newly retired couple can set up housekeeping for $1,500 a month--$500 each for living expenses and $500 to rent a house."

I honestly believe that a couple can live here for $1,500 a month, BUT that would be if they already owned their home. It also depends on your lifestyle, if you live lavishly in your own country and want ALL the amenities of home it will cost you more. Doug and I have 1 TV with Shawdirect service, Sirius radio, a desktop, a laptop, an Ipad and a Ipod. And live well for under $2000 a month. What we don't have is a dryer, a new car (2 used ones) a bathtub (sob). We eat out a couple of times a week but we eat at local (think inexpensive) places. It is all a matter of what equals quality of life for you!

"When Mexico recently firmed up laws for foreigners to own land through bank trusts, the floodgates opened... A beachfront lot 30 miles up the coast in southern California would cost you several million dollars. South of the border, a spot on the beach can cost you less than $100,000."

--CBS Evening News

Well as Bob Dylan says, "the times they are a changing." You can still find great deals at the beaches here, but if you believe that you are going to buy a beachfront home that is ready to move into with nothing needed for under $100K, it's just not happening! That's why many of our clients choose to live one off the beach, there are still some great deals to be found there.You also can't find a glorious, spacious ready to move in Colonial in Merida in the heart of Centro for that price, but the savvy shopper can find some great deals on beautiful colonials just minutes from Centro. Let your dollars go further! Let Mayan Living have our team of specialists help you find the best home for your money today!

Retire to the land of peasant uprisings and economic chaos? Americans are finding the reality behind the media image to be tremendously appealing: The weather's great, the people are warm and a devalued peso makes them instantly richer.

-- U.S. News and World Report

I still totally agree with this one. While Mexico is receiving a lot of bad press, the state of Yucatan is still the safest state in all of Mexico, and yes the people are great and your dollars buy you much more here.

"The gringos are moving where the living is easy... They move south not so much in pursuit of the sun, which they could find just as easily in Florida or Arizona, but in a search for a cheaper way of life"

-- The Economist

Not only cheaper, but a better life. Of course that is only my opinion....

If you have dreams of living at the beach, in a safe and beautiful colonial city, owning your own hacienda or in a quiet little village close to everything, check out our website today! Please feel free to email me at bchbums1981@yahoo.com for any questions you may have.

Until then, we are "just chillin' in Chelem."

While the rest of the world is talking about how unsafe it is in Mexico those of us living here continue on as normal, no fear, no more precautions than back in the US. Yes, there are problems here, name me a country without any........... As I just read on another blog, it would be the same as telling people not to shop at a grocery store because one bad piece of fruit must surely mean that all the other stock is spoiled too!

So despite being scared to death LOL, 8 of us ventured into Merida the other night for dinner and to spend the night. We went to Trotters, absolutely one of our favorite places. Here is a picture of the inside dining area:

The bar which offers 2 for 1 drinks from 6pm to 9 pm. Now THATS scarey!

The kitchen area


And yet another shot:Sean enjoying some delicious oysters rockefeller, the were sooo good, we ordered 2 dozen.

Jack thought they were pretty good too!

The table got really quiet as we were all eating.


We also had filet mignon, penne pasta with chicken, mac and cheese, broccoli and cheese and much more. Adult beverages included mojitos, bottles of wine, Johnny Walker and beer. Now you know why we were too scared to drive back to the beach!

There are 4 restaurants all owened by the same family, Trotters, Bryans, La Trato and Panchos. When you visit Merida, you really need to visit one of these places. Divine food!

And now the final thing I am afraid of........coconuts falling off the palm trees in my front yard!

Balmy breezes and cold drinks coming at you from Chelem!

2009 Business Stats on Yucatan and Merida

I have copied this article directly from Yucatan Living, it is written by Khaki Scott, I love her writing and follow her articles religiously. Thanks for another great read Khaki!

2009 Business Stats on Yucatan and Merida!
During 2009, we have brought our readers several stories from other states, especially states along the East Coast of Mexico, and each claiming to be the state that provides the easiest entrance into business in the entire nation. Well – the numbers, along with an economic analysis – are in from the National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Infomatics. It is with great glee that we announce “Yucatan WINS!” The bad news was that approximately 1,000 small and micro businesses failed in our state last year. The good news is that over 101,000 businesses are alive and well in the State of Yucatan!

In fact, the State of Yucatan is rocking along quite nicely with a business growth rate of 37.4%. We lead Baja California Sur, Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Guerrero in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th place. Following far behind and in the last 3 places are Nuevo Leon, Mexico City, and Chihuahua.

Estado de Yucatan is also the state with the 3rd highest rate of employment and participation in IMSS. One of our best characteristics, it seems, is that 63.7% of our population falls within the working age group. (el Diario).

We were also excited to discover that Merida is the driving force behind much of the growth throughout the state. Not to rest for a moment, the Mayor of Merida, along with the mayors of 50 municipalities, got together to acknowledge that Merida funds 42 free cultural and artistic events each week, as well as other projects throughout the other municipalities to ensure that tourism continues to grow at a constant rate. (el Diario)

Add to all of that the fact that the State of Yucatan is the only state in Mexico with zero (!!!!) drug-related murders last year. Add that Merida is the safest large city in the country, has world class medical care facilities and personnel (approved, if ever necessary, to treat an American President) — we did mention the low cost of living, didn’t we? — and what you have is the best place on Earth in which to live, work, and play!

WHY BUY PROPERTY IN THE YUCATAN?

Doug and I left the US a little over six years ago, off on the great adventure! We lived in Playa Del Carmen for 3 1/2 years and it was wonderful! The ocean is gorgeous, 5th Avenue was always exciting and fun with lots of shopping, restaurants and bars. However it grew faster than we did, we loved it when it was smaller and had a more close knit community, but being of the baby boomer generation we were looking for something slower, with a strong expat community, great medical care and a more laid back atmosphere. So.....we thought we would try out Cozumel. When we moved there I remember saying, "I'm living the American dream, everybody wants to live on an island." Sounds good doesn't it? Well believe me after awhile I had island fever, I wanted to be able to get in my car and drive, and not just in a circle, so back to Playa. But when we moved back we remembered why we had left, there were condos springing up on every corner, the rent was twice what it was when we left and driving into town and parking was a thing of the past. The cost of living was comparable to what we had left behind in the states, Playa had gotten too big, too fast. So while sitting around having a few cocktails we decided to try another country, how about Belize? It was still close to Mexico which we loved, they spoke English, and it's beautiful. We took a couple trips across the border and discovered Ambergris Caye, another island. Our first few months there were idyllic, no cars, only golf carts on the island. No problem with communication, wide beaches with swaying palm trees and magnificent rum. However we were still in the "honeymoon" stage. Soon we realized that when it rains, and it rains alot, golf carts get stuck, they throw mud all over you, every article of clothing I had was mud stained. The crime was much worse than Mexico, people were getting stabbed, robbed and raped on a regular basis. By the time we left I wouldn't even walk around after dark by myself.

Thats when we grew older and wiser, we had bought a house in Chelem years ago. Why keep paying rent and moving around? Lets put down roots, fix up our home and live a peaceful safe life. I want to give you a list of all the reasons why this is now my permanent home. I wish that I had someone that would have done this for me originally, I could have saved alot of time and money......So here goes:

It is safe here! The state of Yucatan has one of the lowest crime rates per capita in Mexico. Violent crime a rarity almost nonexistant. A sense of tranquility and safety pervades the community. I haven't seen or don't know anyone that owns a gun, except the police. Neighbors watch out for each other here, just as we used to do back home when I was growing up. There are nights that we forget and leave the keys in the car and the back door unlocked. We have never had a problem, nor have any of my friends.

The people- The Yucatean people embrace foreigners, they aren't like many of the locals in tourist areas that have learned to prey on Americans and Canadians. They are fascinated by us and want to learn our culture and want us to experience theirs.The Yucatan is that it is primarily a family and community oriented society and there is very little juvenile crime and delinquency. For example: on weekends, instead of the youth driving around, drinking and looking for trouble; they go to the town square with their parents and family. In Merida, you can see teenagers escorting their Grandparents and even dancing with them in the Zocolo.

There is a huge expat community here in Chelem and Chuburna, we have all moved here because it is a warm and welcoming place to call home.

Health Care- Merida is only 30 - 35 minutes from the beach,

DOES MERIDA HAVE GOOD MEDICAL AND DENTAL FACILITIES?

YES! Merida has numerous hospitals that are staffed by well trained physicians, most of whom were trained in the United States. The hospitals in MeridaMexico. Wonderful, inexpensive dental work is also available in Merida. Many Americans and Canadians have been taking advantage of this for years. Also within the past five years, a growing number of Americans and Canadians have been coming to Merida for plastic surgery. We would be more than happy to refer you to competent doctors, dentists and plastic surgeons in Merida. Also Progreso, just 10 minutes from us has a hospital, Centro Americana, as well as many doctors and dentists.

Culture - If you need to get away from the beach, go to Merida! It boasts of many malls and stores that you are familiar with, Sams Club, Home Depot, Costco, Bennigans, TGIFridays etc.

Merida today has about 950,000 residents and is a very cosmopolitan city with Mayan and Spanish descendants and is an extremely cultural city with many museums, libraries, theaters, numerous universities, etc. The economy that was once based on the henequen industry is now based on tourism, agriculture and fishing plus Merida´s export business is increasing every day. Some of the items exported are honey, sisal rope, petroleum products, hammocks, fine jewelry, concentrated orange juice, fish etc.

Residents call Merida "the Paris of the West" because of it´s tree lined boulevards, colonial mansions and estates of the henequen barons of the 1800¨s. There are many things to see in and around Merida. It is an easy drive from Merida to beaches, Mayan ruins, haciendas, etc. One of the nicest things about Merida is its people. The Yucatecan people are hospitable, honest, easygoing, hard working and make wonderful neighbors.

About 2 hours from the beach is one of the new 7 wonders of the world, Chichen Itza, there are many Mayan Ruins even closer.

Properties - buying a home here along the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico is much less expensive than buying back home. There is an increasing demand for beach living, baby boomers are moving to the area, whether to the beaches or to Merida "the Paris of the west." Americans are being priced out of US markets and are losing money on their homes, here the property value has gone up approximately 30% in the past year, but are still priced within reason. There is tremendous untapped potential in Mexico. Prices are very low compared to inflated US home prices. Even the heavily developed markets have areas with opportunity for strong appreciation. It is easy to buy here, we work with English speaking attorneys and walk you through every step of the process. We have a US phone line installed in our home, you can call us directly with any questions or concerns. If you are seriously interested in making a move give us a call, 302-200-0461. Check out our website: www.mayanliving.com . Take advantage of your opportunity to live in paradise before the prices get any higher.

Warm breezes and cold beers coming at ya!

Everyday Life in the Yucatan, and How Safe is it Really?

Before I get started on crime and everyday life here in the Yucatan I want to wish my son Justin, a very Happy Birthday! This time 25 years ago he came into my life and changed it forever. I am a bit sad today, wishing that I could be with him. What a wonderful son he is....love you Justin! This is my handsome son with his girl, Chrissy!


Now on to the meat of the matter! I am getting more and more questions and emails about the safety here in Chelem. I guess that it is being blasted all over the news back in the states and Canada that Mexico is crime ridden and land of the drug cartel. Mexico certainly does have it's problems as do all countries, but the Yucatan is the safest state in Mexico. Last year there were only 2 murders in the entire state. The Yucatan is very different than the border towns where violence is rampant. Here we walk the streets and beaches after dark with no fears, we don't always lock our doors and never lock our windows. Many nights I have left the keys in the car and never remembered until morning. I have absolutely never heard of rape, murder or armed robbery in my area. People please remember that there are good places and bad places everywhere, I have found one of the good ones! We are in a small town with no industry except fishing and construction, the people here are good hearted and happy with the little things in life. Here is a map to show you where Chelem is:


Here is a map of Mexico, do you see how far away the Yucatan is from the border towns?

Okay, I'll get down off my bandstand now, originally I was going to show you what I see when I take a morning walk, so here goes:

An amaryllis blooming this morning in my garden


A sea bird sunning himself on some rocks. Is this a Blue Heron?


View of the harbor from the new bridge connecting Chelem and Progreso.



And finally a sight that always makes me smile, my dog Julio after a swim and a roll in the sand!