# Buying a holiday home in Mexico



## cufcgr66 (Mar 12, 2010)

I know there is an interesting thread about the pros and cons of condo ownership but what about owning a house in Mexico? Our son lives there and we are thinking of buying a house near him so we can spend maybe 3 months there during the European winter and then trying to rent it out for the rest of the time- or some of it with him managing any lets.
Any thoughts?


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

cufcgr66 said:


> I know there is an interesting thread about the pros and cons of condo ownership but what about owning a house in Mexico? Our son lives there and we are thinking of buying a house near him so we can spend maybe 3 months there during the European winter and then trying to rent it out for the rest of the time- or some of it with him managing any lets.
> Any thoughts?


You asked for reactions, these are mine. 

Having your son manage it solves one of the major problems, that of finding a trustworthy person to manage it. I had a friend who rented a house in Panama City. The manager told him it was empty for an extended period of time when it wasn't.

If you want to use it a few months every year, you are restricted to short term tenants. Would it be located in an area where there is demand for that? And is your son willing to invest the time required? Would it put him in the hotel business?

A long time ago, a friend of mine gave a Mexican friend the money to buy a house on the beach. He would use the house a few weeks a year for a surfing vacation. The rest of the year his Mexican friend would live in it. While he was there the Mexican would move in with family in the area. It was a good arrangement for them, but somewhat unique. He didn't charge the Mexican any rent.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

Just as in France, the rentability of a home in Mexico is dependent, in part, upon where it is located. For instance, you wish to live in Mexico for three months during the European winter which is the high season in much of Mexico, while renting during the rest of the year on a short term basis which might (or might not) prove problematic. Tell us where you are planning to buy this house in Mexico because that is a critical point we (who live in Mexico) need to know before we can respond to your inquiry.

I must say that you certainly chose, in Pyrenees Orientales, a nice part of France in which to live but I can understand the desire to move to Mexico for the winter months. It is important, if you make this investment, that you have someone you can trust managing your property during the nine months or so annually you will be back in France. Horror stories about dishonest property management and squatters asserting rights over seemingly abandoned homes abound both in France and Mexico. 

Good luck to you.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Hound Dog said:


> …
> It is important, if you make this investment, that you have someone you can trust managing your property during the nine months or so annually you will be back in France. Horror stories about dishonest property management and squatters asserting rights over seemingly abandoned homes abound both in France and Mexico.
> …


Surely you are not implying that the Original Poster cannot trust his son!


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## cufcgr66 (Mar 12, 2010)

We're thinking of Queretaro with the Uni's and new factories/foreign firms or Ixtapa for beach clients but not really sure yet.
Thanks for your comments so far.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

cufcgr66 said:


> We're thinking of Queretaro with the Uni's and new factories/foreign firms or Ixtapa for beach clients but not really sure yet.
> Thanks for your comments so far.


I am confused. In your original post, you mentioned buying near your son. If he is going to be an absentee manager, then you or he will need a local manager and all of the problems with finding that person occur.


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## cufcgr66 (Mar 12, 2010)

He's in Queretaro so yes, it would probably be there. Just thought Ixtapa might be a possible alternative.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

cufcgr66 said:


> We're thinking of Queretaro with the Uni's and new factories/foreign firms or Ixtapa for beach clients but not really sure yet.
> Thanks for your comments so far.


Well, Querétaro and Ixtapa are some distance from each other both in kilometers and lifestyle. Querétaro is a large and bustling industrial city at 7,000 feet +/- with a bit of a raw mountainous climate while Ixtapa is a moderately successful beach town at sea level adjacent to more established Zihuatenejo and a construction largely of the Mexican government in its search a few years ago for tourist oriented beach communities to develop including such places as Cancun and Huatulco. Some of these endeavors were unsuccessful or only moderately successful. Querétaro sounds more promising but can be relatively expensive for a Mexican city but the point TG made is, your son can´t live in both Querétaro and Ixtapa so make up your mind.

Posted after your response to TG but before I saw that response. Querétaro it is. Forget Ixtapa. A poor choice on any index.


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## cufcgr66 (Mar 12, 2010)

Ok. I can see your point. We'll go with Queretaro and maybe have a trip to Ixtapa for a quick break. We've had two holidays in Queretaro and know we like it, and of course it has to be there for our son to oversee things easily.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

cufcgr66 said:


> Ok. I can see your point. We'll go with Queretaro and maybe have a trip to Ixtapa for a quick break. We've had two holidays in Queretaro and know we like it, and of course it has to be there for our son to oversee things easily.


Good thinking in my opinión. If we had retired to France, (probably in the Loire Valley where we have extended family), we would be coming to Mexico in the winter when the winter drear sets in up there. Also to get away from the family. 

Welcome to Mexico. A fine idea and Querétaro is a fine city..


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