A SUMMER OF TRAVELING AND REFLECTIONS

During our busy season I dream of summer when then pace is slower and I imagine that I will slowly savor our life in paradise. Then when our slower season of summer arrives I find that we stay busy catching up on things we didn’t have time for earlier.  This year, a friend of mine had posted about a book called “The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubin, and I started reading it, a few pages every morning before I started my day.  There was a line in the book that really caught my attention and I will loosely quote it here, “the days are long, but the years are short.”  It wouldn’t leave my mind…..so I decided that this summer I wouldn’t worry about catching up on all my little projects, I would truly experience the paradise that we live in, we would travel the Yucatan, going places that were a few hours away and do things that we had either never done or hadn’t done in a while.  I didn’t want to be one of those people that live their last years in regret of things that they didn’t do, simply because they “couldn’t” take the time.

We started our summer of experience by taking a free vacation that we had won to Playa Del Carmen.  Those who know us will remember that we lived in Playa for 3 ½ years, but once again we were working and did little else.  This time I wanted to do and try things that I had only seen as a spectator, this time I wanted to be a participant.

We began with taking a Discover Dive course at our hotel, Doug had been diving before and totally loved it, however, I had always been happy to lie on the beach or go snorkeling. It took me 2 days to work up the courage to and “take the dive.”  Of course it was an amazing experience that introduced me to another aspect of living and playing in paradise.

The next day we went para sailing, another thing that Doug had always wanted us to do, but my fear of heights had held us both back.  Taking a few deep breathes I stepped on board, strapped up and gently floated up towards the heavens, fantastic!

The next morning while we lazily sipped coffee on our terrace we noticed a band of coatimundis underneath us. They were making chirping noises and playing together, much like kittens.  These friendly little creatures were very tame, eating grapes out of our hands.

Soon the coatis were joined by some Yucatan Jays one of my favorite birds here in the Yucatan.  What a lovely way to start the morning.

Next we were off to Mahahual (sometimes spelled Majahual) about 2 hours south of Playa, heading towards Chetumal.  We were going there to visit a friend of ours from Playa that had moved there a few years back.  We hadn’t been to Mahahual since 2004 and were eager to see the changes as well as catch up with our friend, Jaime.  Jaime is well known in Playa, he had owned and managed many of the top restaurants there and I couldn’t wait to have some of his shrimp tacos and secret sauce again from his new restaurant Nohoch Kay.  There through out the course of the days spent there we stuffed ourselves with his great food including, burgers, burritos, ceviche and a couple of sweet, freshly caught lobster.

Mahahual was even better than anticipated, a small Caribbean village with a cool, funky vibe. The town had been devastated by Hurricane Dean in 2007 and recently been rebuilt and improved. There was a beautiful new pedestrian only Malecon (beachfront walkway), palm trees on the beaches and an assortment of great restaurants with local seafood, burgers and fantastic Italian food.  We had one of the best pizzas we have had in 10 years from Pizza Papi. There is a large influx of Italians in the area so it was easy to get homemade pasta with an array of delectable sauces.  It was an enjoyable experience spending time in a slower more laid back atmosphere after leaving the hustle bustle of Playa, Mahahual is the Caribbean at its unspoiled best.

Nohach Kay

 Sitting at Jaimes' restaurant, looking out over the Caribbean

 In front of another fabulous restaurant Luna de Plata

 View from hotel

 Dos Amigos- Doug and Don Pedro

What a great trip and all within driving distance of our little piece of paradise here in Chelem !

Beautiful Home for Sale, Yucatan Mexico

This is an unbelievable price reduction on a BRAND NEW HOME! Are you dreaming of a slower lifestyle in sunny Mexico? This is a must see, it is new construction, not a reno and offers spectacular views and a large outside living area. There are 3 spacious bedrooms and 3 baths, large kitchen with cabinets and a 16 sq meter pool. The American style kitchen and dining area open directly to the courtyard allowing for easy entertaining

The home is designed to take advantage of tropical living here in paradise, it is designed around a lanai area, landscaped with royal palms and there is plenty of room for entertaining family and friends. The 2 upstairs bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms and private balconies that offer stunning views of the Gulf of Mexico and the lagoon that is known for its pink flamingos. Imagine, sitting on your private balcony with a frosty drink watching flocks of Yucatan flamingos flying over! The terraces also overlook the lovely courtyard and pool area. Downstairs is a studio bedroom with bath, which could easily become an office area.

The home has pressurized city water throughout and a separate well for the pool. There is 220V electricity installed in case you want to add air-conditioning. Is air important to you? Let me see if we can make a deal with the owner! The 12 meter by 40 meter double lot affords plenty of room for parking and more landscaping, whatever your dreams may be. There is already a trust in place for easy transfer. This well thought out home is designed to be open and airy and allow natural light.

This stunning home is the best in beach living, very close to the beach, but with no beach maintenance. Only 30 minutes away is the beautiful "City of Peace" Merida, the safest city in Mexico. Merida offers world class health care, culture, theatre and shopping. If you are looking at living a more tranquil, peaceful life in a small fishing village of friendly locals and ex-pats, this is the home for you!
Call or email today, this one won't last long.
US/Canada: 302-200-0461
Mexican Cell: (011-521) 999-178-3606

                                    

Come and live the relaxed life in the Yucatan today! Don't forget to look at other beautiful homes on our website.

Thinking of Buying a Yucatan Beach Home?

Don’t leave your brains at the border!  Buying a home is one of the most expensive purchases that you may make in a lifetime.  Even here in the Yucatan where homes are much more reasonable you want to enter the process with your eyes wide open.

If you are dreaming of a vacation home or a full time residence in the sun with views like this, keep reading.

Before you make your purchase here are a few questions that you will want to ask your realtor;

·        How many years has your company been in business?  New real estate “companies” open every day, do you want to work with an established company or a “newbie?”

·        How many sales does your company average in a year? It goes without saying that the more experience your realtor has, the smoother the buying and closing process is for you.

·        Can you provide me with referrals and phone numbers of satisfied and repeat clients?

·        How many years have you lived full-time in the Yucatan? A realtor that has only been here for a year or two is not going to have the knowledge of an established company.

·        How many properties do they have listed, a few of their friends and neighbors?  Or, do they offer homes in all areas and price ranges?

·        Is your company a registered company in Mexico? In order to do business legally in the Yucatan a company must be registered with the government, pay an accountant monthly and report all income received.  Our company is registered as an S. A. de C. V. so that all of our business transactions are legal and recorded.

·        Do they recommend a lawyer or a Notario?  All real estate deals must be researched by a Notario Publico.  This is very different position than a Notary in Canada or the US.  My next post will go into that more in depth.

·        Are they a full service company? Will they be there only for the sale? Or will they have a plan for aftercare assistance including bi-lingual concierges, airport pickup, rental car advice, property management, rental assistance; aid you in purchasing, food, furniture and decorative items?

The Mayan Living Real Estate team is composed of American and Canadian owners and is committed to helping you find the best home at the best price possible and ensuring a seamless transition.  For more information on our listings please go to www.mayanliving.com. Please feel free to drop us an email at yucatansandman@gmail.com or call us on our US landline: 302-200-0461

 Experience the magic of Mexico today!

Our clients are happy to speak to you. Here is a picture of Donna and Joe at their closing last year.

Hoping to hear from you soon!  Until then we are just “Chillin’ in Chelem.”

BUYING PROPERTY IN YUCATAN, MEXICO

Doug and I get many phone calls and emails asking us what the home buying process is here in the Yucatan.  The area is receiving more and more interest for many reasons; it is the safest state in Mexico, properties are still affordable, there is excellent and inexpensive health care, there is great infrastructure and the local people are friendly. If you purchase at the beach, the capitol city of Merida is only 30 minutes away, there you will find many stores that you are familiar with, Home Depot, WalMart, Sam’s Club, Costco and more.  There are also many fabulous restaurants.  Here at the beach, we have seafood restaurants, small grocery stores and fresh fruit and vegetable markets, all of the basics.

Most people who buy here are looking for a more laid back and simpler lifestyle.  They want their money to go further while still enjoying a comfortable lifestyle. We live in a 2 story home with a nice backyard and pool, our annual property taxes are $36 a year!  We have a maid come in once a week who works  6-7 hours for $250 pesos, less than $25 USD. We have 2 gardeners that come monthly to cut grass, weed, plant flowers, trim the coconut palms and clean the pool for $400 pesos, less than $40 USD for both of them! Actually at today’s exchange rate of 12.9 that is $31 USD.  It is easy to get spoiled here…

When you arrive here to find your dream home you will need to bring a few things with you, your passport, a copy of the tourist visa that you were given on the plane and a utility bill from your country.  Nearly all homes are on a cash only basis with no financing so please have your finances in order before you arrive. When you have found your home a contract will be drawn up stating the purchase price, address of the property, yours and the owners name and all the pertinent information on the home.  Both buyer and seller will sign and receive a copy. The owner of the property will take all the paperwork pertaining to the home to our Notario/lawyer and he will review to make sure that there are no liens, no back taxes or utility bills and ensure that the title is free and clear.  When you return home you have 3 days to send 10% of the purchase to the Mayan Living Escrow account. If the home is Mexican owned you will need to also send $1450 for a fideicomiso.  This is a trust allowing you to own your home, rent it, renovate, tear it down, anything that you want to do with it.  I will be covering the fideicomiso more completely in my next post.

The entire closing process takes 30-45 days from start to finish.  After all paperwork has been verified to be clean and clear you will be notified of the actual closing date.  The remaining balance 90% plus closing cost must be in the escrow account 72 hours before closing. If returning to Mexico in 30-45 days is a problem we can arrange to do a limited Power of Attorney for you, otherwise you will need to return to Mexico to sign the final closing documents. In less than 6 weeks you can be the proud owner of your own piece of paradise in Yucatan, Mexico.

Our home:

 View from "my office."
 

Until the next time, we are just "chillin' in Chelem."