# Looking for quiet and convenient location at Lake Chapala



## wanghaozhi (Nov 9, 2017)

My wife and I will be visiting the Lake Chapala area this coming spring for about 1 to 2 months with the idea that we want to retire there full time. We have not been there before. We want to research neighborhoods or developments before we go.

Our ideal place is:
1) quiet (no barking dogs right next door, and not too close to cohetes)
2) within walking distance (10 minutes or so) to a food market (permanent or tianguis)
3) within walking distance to bus to Ajijic
4) looks down on the lake
5) gated or not gated

We're open to buying an existing house, or building a house on a lot. Our max budget would be about USD$300,000.

Thanks for any ideas.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

researching before you go is a waste of time IMO. Each village is different and within the various villages you have a little bit of everything so first you have to see which village fits your lifestyle better and then explore that village.

barking dogs come and go and there is no guaranty.

there are plus and minuses to everything. Up on the hill
you become prisoner of your car as you get older but you get nice views.
sound goes up so you will hear the barking dogs and cohetes just as much as if you were in the village. If you walk you have to go back up the hill carrying whatever

The buses run on the carretera that crosses the towns and it is more and more congested...
the smaller buses run in lower Ajijic on Zaragosa and Ocampo in Ajijic 


gated or not gated is a question of choice. Gates in our area usually means foreigners enclaves, but not always..

within a walking distance of the markets or tianguis
puts you in more congested area 

Cohetes are usually set off by the churches so see where the churches are, also look for salons de eventos which are the places people rent for fiestas.

If you live in a village there is basically no enforcement on noise or construction if you live in a gated community some have enforcement.

All locations have pluses and minuses...there is no perfect place so it all depends on your priorities.

Have fun exploring and I would advise you to rent and not buy to start with.

It is easy to buy and not so easy to sell.


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## wanghaozhi (Nov 9, 2017)

*Thanks, citlali*

Thanks, citlali. Your reply is very helpful. My wife and I have some thinking to do. And I can see that we have to be there to see there.
Regards.:tongue:


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

Citlali, who lives in Ajijic, has given you some very good information. I'll add this part:

IF all of the things that you have mentioned are very important to your happiness Lakeside, I suggest that a 1-2 month visit will barely be enough time for you to choose a place. Why? Because for every house you look at that has promise.... and theoretically this will be a large number....., you will want/need to 'hang close to it' early in the morning, during the day and at night to see if it really meets (mostly) your noise criteria. 

To escape cohetes, of which the loudest ones are only prevalent a few times a year but week-long and starting a 5-6:00 AM when they do, you will find yourself living quite a distance outside of the village(s) and even then they will be heard. 

"Walking distance of the markets or tianguis" is going to severely limit your house location/choices. And remember you will be walking a bunch on narrow sidewalks and/or cobblestone streets.

And although many folks have not taken this particular recommendation and have been happy with their location/home choice, I wholeheartedly concur with citlali's recommendation to rent for a year before buying/certainly building. And if you build, ask "10 people who did" for their recommendations of a builder. 

Above all.... enjoy your reconnaissance trip down in the Spring.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

The problem is: Where it is quiet, it is not convenient, and vice versa. Also, "quiet" is relative. I live on a residential street a block from downtown. It couldn't get more convenient, and my street is quiet. However, I get the full benefit of fireworks set off downtown during every "event".

Many people here are dog lovers, so they have at least one; some with 5 or 6 or more. You never know when that will be next door or within hearing distance.

Best advice has already been given: Rent, don't buy for at least 6 months. A year would be better.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Look at Chapala Centro. It has all the shopping, nice residential areas, convenient to the lakefront malecon, parks, restaurants, banks, etc. Bus to either Ajijic or Guadalajara every few minutes, etc.
We found it quieter than Ajijic and less expensive, too. Walking was easier on better streets. Barking dogs were not a bother, but that could happen anywhere. We did hear a braying donkey in the early morning hours, until it was fed.


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

_ We did hear a braying donkey in the early morning hours, until it was fed.
_

.... and don't forget the roosters, everywhere!


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## wanghaozhi (Nov 9, 2017)

Thanks a lot, all. Your answers and a conversation with my wife is leading us from the 'ideal' to real. As my wise wife said, "It's the people that you have a relation with that makes a place." And convenience trumps views from the tops of the mountains.

I think we'll first concentrate on Chapala this first trip. Chapala seems to have a lot. This was also the opinion of a lady on another forum.

I feel encouraged by all your help. I'm sure I'll be needing more.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

RVGRINGO said:


> Look at Chapala Centro. It has all the shopping, nice residential areas, convenient to the lakefront malecon, parks, restaurants, banks, etc. Bus to either Ajijic or Guadalajara every few minutes, etc.
> We found it quieter than Ajijic and less expensive, too. Walking was easier on better streets. Barking dogs were not a bother, but that could happen anywhere. We did hear a braying donkey in the early morning hours, until it was fed.


A few years ago, I spent the Día de muertos holiday as a guest of RV and his wife in his lovely home in Chapala. I also spent time in Ajijic. While I enjoyed both places, I could more easily picture myself living in Chapala than in Ajijic, for the reasons mentioned by my former host.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Well centro Chapala does not have views from the mountains which one of the things the OP wanted.

Fear not it will not take you long to get a feel of the various villages. settle on 2 and if you stay here a couple of months you will know pretty fast what is good for you.

I came 17 years ago and it took me a week to figure out where I wanted to live.. actually it took me less than that. I took one look at Chapala and I knew it was not th place I would live, same with Jocotepec. I like El Chante and some areas around San Juan but after going around with a real estate agent and talking to a few people I decided to buy in a place where it was easier to sell a house.

Like you I had a list of want..

I wanted flat, within a walking distance of stores

I wanted a big garden, one storey house, 3 bdrooms

In the village

did not want any gated community

After 17 years here, I am looking at the walking part less important as stores are spread out and not close to banks and supermarkets and doctors etc.. so we drive way more than we thought we would.

We live one and 2 blocks from bus stops and rarely take the bus..

Also as we get older we realize that walking on the streets is hell so we drive more and more ..

I like being in the village , the area where we live is pretty quiet and we do not have a whole music. we hear the rockets and cohietes and we look at it as part of the downside of living in Mexico.

Did not get 3 bedrooms so we added one and life is good and we are super happy we do not have to climb any stairs and that the doors are wide.. My husband had to use a wheelchair for a while and the no stairs and the flat became super important.. It is interesting to see how your needs change as you get older.


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## wanghaozhi (Nov 9, 2017)

*You're making me think, citlali*

Hi, citlali
Thanks for the thoughtful and thought provoking reply. :happy:
I think a lot will be more clear when my wife and I are actually walking the streets. Before we bought our house in Seattle, we walked and walked and walked. Google street view is good, but it's not the same as being in a place.

I have a couple of questions for you. When you wrote that the stores, banks, etc are spread out, did you mean in Chapala? I see from your info that you're in Chiapas, which is far from Chapala.

Is the reference to being easier to sell also for Chiapas vs Chapala?
:confused2:


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

citlali said:


> …
> After 17 years here, I am looking at the walking part less important as stores are spread out and not close to banks and supermarkets and doctors etc.. so we drive way more than we thought we would.
> 
> We live one and 2 blocks from bus stops and rarely take the bus..
> ...


Just a comment on walking. Unlike the US, there are lots of places you can live in Mexico where everything you need is within a short walk, a block or two. That may not be a priority for everyone, but for those that care, it makes life a lot more pleasant to never have to deal with traffic and parking for everyday needs like groceries, banks, restaurants.


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## mattoleriver (Oct 21, 2011)

wanghaozhi said:


> This was also the opinion of a lady on another forum..


FYI you may not be seeing as many different opinions as you think you are. At least three of the women who have responded to you on this board are active on other boards under other names. I do not mean to imply that there is anything odd or sneaky going on, it is just the way all webboards work. The similar opinions that you read on two different boards could easily be posted by one (good, honest, helpful (or not)) person with two screen names.


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## wanghaozhi (Nov 9, 2017)

Thanks, mattoleriver. I didn't know that. I'm new to this forum business, and new to looking abour info on Mexico.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

wanghaozhi said:


> Thanks, mattoleriver. I didn't know that. I'm new to this forum business, and new to looking abour info on Mexico.


It's common for posters to use different "handles" on different boards, and it sometimes amusing when someone asks the same question on three boards under three different handles and gets responses from the same person on the three boards under his or her three different handles.

Comment on walking to everything in Mexican towns: walking on a good paved street in a U.S. town is a whole different animal than walking on the "quaint" but treacherous cobblestones so common in Mexican towns. There are a lot of "fallen women" hereabouts, me among them. Many able bodied people take to carrying hiking sticks for safety's sake. There is a cottage industry of beautifully decorated sticks and canes being sold, too. Adjustable hiking sticks are more practical, of course.

Then, there is the problem here in the Lake Chapala area where the places people need to go are spread out over several towns. The main shopping mall is in one, the supermarket is in another, the most popular grocery store in another, the farmers' market in another, some of the banks are in another, and so on. Restaurants are all over the place. Happily, buses run everywhere and frequently. You can get by without a car, but it's challenging.
There is a fellow who will rent you a car by the day, week or month. The price depends on level of car, from tired old lady cars to zippy newer ones.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Yes every town is different, the other place we live is San Cristobal de las casas.. there the streets are gangerous as well because many of the sidewalks are mde of stone that become very slippery with age and worst with rain.. but otherwise we walk everywhere and take buses or cabs. We live one block from a huge market area so there is no need for supermarket there which is away from that area..
The streets in Chapala are better for walking than those of Ajijic or San Antonio but you get more choice and more imported goods in Ajijic or San ANtonio so if you live in Chapala yand cook Asian food for exemple you end up going to San Antonio or Guadalajara..

I like walking and walk a lot , I have no problem having no car in San Cristobal de las Casas but I do not see living in the Lake Chapala area without a car. Many people do it but this is nnot the ay I want to live. 

If you live in Guadalajara I would think it would be way easier to live without a car and the walking is also much easier..

There is no perfect place..or maybe there is but I have not run into it yet.


To the OP you will see, you will have very little problem finding the right vilage or town the minute you get here.. You will naroow down the choices very quickly forget the internet about narrowing down the place.. I tried that 17 years ago when there was a whole lot less forum and information..and the place was nothing like I had imagined.. Actually I had made up my minf that I would not move here..


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## wanghaozhi (Nov 9, 2017)

Thanks, lagolooi. I surely don't want to be in a "bubble", news, political or Mexico info.
And thanks also, citlali. I don't mind having a car. My wife and I do here in Seattle. We don't use it every day. We can and do walk for an hour every day in our beautiful Ravenna neighborhood. We walk to our local library, to Whole Foods to get a couple of things that I carry in my backpack, to my wife's PCP doctor, or to the pharmacy. And I can walk to a bus stop to catch either a bus or a Light Rail Link train to go to the airport. We drive once weekly to go to church and to go to Costco for the big grocery shopping. That's quite different from my two sisters who live in suburbs in Birmingham and Newnan, Georgia; they MUST have cars to do anything and go anywhere. That's what we want to avoid. It seems that we can have that same type of lifestyle at Lake Chapala if we don't live too far up a mountain. I think I wasn't very clear in my initial post, but my wife says that I'm often not clear when I talk with her either.

Thanks again to all. I think that I have to disagree a bit that we should forget the Internet for this part of the process, since we're getting invaluable info and help from people who've gone ahead of us.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

A further comment about walking. It definitely depends on 1) Choosing your life style. If you want to shop at Walmart for some things, Costco for others, go to a mall for clothes, Home Depot for housing needs, and generally live a life style that is common north of the border, you are never going to be able to walk every where in Mexico anymore than you can in the US, Canada or Europe or anywhere. However, if you are willing to buy your groceries in a mercado, eating foods that are traditionally available in Mexico, then there is the possibility of freeing yourself from frequent use of cars. 2) The second requirement is giving priority to a car-free, or less-car lifestyle when you choose where to live. If you live in a gated compound miles from anything, you will have to drive everywhere. If you live in an urban center with lots of facilities in close proximity, you can get by without driving everywhere. If you live near the plaza in a small town, you may not need to drive so much, but if you live out in the country, a car will obviously be a necessity.

As a side comment, I find it surprising how people in general, including me, are willing to put up with really unpleasant situations in the name of convenience. Air travel and commuting/driving in stop and go traffic are two of the most flagrant examples to my mind. Life today in some aspects is much more unpleasant than it was a few decades ago, but we still call it progress.


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## wanghaozhi (Nov 9, 2017)

Thanks, TundraGreen and others. In just a short time, your replies to my posts have helped my wife and me understand the situation more clearly, and going forward we can consider more realistically the salient points to consider about where to live in the Lake Chapala (and really any area in Mexico), and our eyes will be more informed when we are actually walking the streets in Chapala, San Antonio, etc.

On our daily walk yesterday, we discussed views versus convenience. Our walk ends up at a high point on 50th Ave overlooking Mt. Rainier, Lake Washington, and the Cascades. It was particularly beautiful yesterday with the snowy peaks in contrast against the bright blue sky. Our home on busy arterial 25th doesn't have that view, but we don't pine for that view. We enjoy it when we see it. I think we'll do the same at Lake Chapala.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

TundraGreen did a good job of describing choices, but many of our choices are limited to what is actually possible, based on chosen location and our physical capabilities. Somewhere between a "NOB lifestyle" and Mexican reality lies what expats work with. Personally, I wouldn't want to be totally limited to grocery and dining within my own walking distance. I like Mexican food, but it's nice to have some variety beyond that. Ironically, Mexican food in California was much better than most of what's available locally. Why? Mystery.

If the OP moves to the Lake Chapala area, Home Depot and Costco are both located in Guadalajara and to get there, one must brave a daunting traffic situation. My tiny car feels like the filling in a truck sandwich on the occasions when that trip's a must.
Fortunately, Costco runs are being done by some locals who set up a delivery to your door service.
You order from their website on Monday and your stuff is delivered on Wednesday. Many of us have Amazon deliver goods we can't find here or which are hella costly in Mexico. Since we never make trips to the U.S., it's a good option.
When the OP and his wife finally arrives, there are several local web boards which will be helpful in finding what they need.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

lagoloo said:


> TundraGreen did a good job of describing choices, but many of our choices are limited to what is actually possible, based on chosen location and our physical capabilities. Somewhere between a "NOB lifestyle" and Mexican reality lies what expats work with. Personally, I wouldn't want to be totally limited to grocery and dining within my own walking distance. I like Mexican food, but it's nice to have some variety beyond that. Ironically, Mexican food in California was much better than most of what's available locally. Why? Mystery.
> 
> If the OP moves to the Lake Chapala area, Home Depot and Costco are both located in Guadalajara and to get there, one must brave a daunting traffic situation. My tiny car feels like the filling in a truck sandwich on the occasions when that trip's a must.
> Fortunately, Costco runs are being done by some locals who set up a delivery to your door service.
> ...


Well said. The other trade off you can make in Mexico (not an option in the US) is to use public transit instead of driving. It will take longer, maybe much longer, but you can spend the time reading, sleeping, looking out the window instead of fuming about the traffic or getting lost. To get to Costco from Ajijic is an easy trip requiring just two buses with short walk in between. But it makes Costco into an all day trip: maybe 15 minutes waiting for the first bus, an hour on the bus, 10 minutes walking to the second bus, 45 minutes on the second bus, so more than two hours each way. Even from my house where I can get to Costco with one bus ride, it is at least a 2 hour round trip to Costco. Consequently, I rarely go.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

The other option is not to shop at Costco or any of the big box stores i Guadalajara. We never go there and survive without any problem..


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

citlali said:


> The other option is not to shop at Costco or any of the big box stores i Guadalajara. We never go there and survive without any problem..


That is my solution as well. I have been to Costco once in the last 5 years and it was a social occasion keeping a friend company on his trip to Costco. (And I live in Guadalajara.). The same can be said for all of the big box stores, never use them.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

I do most of my shopping at my local Superama and the Sunday tianguis (also a great place for barbacoa tacos!). The couple of times a year I go to Soriana or Wal-Mart, I take public transportation, subway or Metrobus, and the trip takes a little under an hour each way.


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## rmajijic (Jul 15, 2017)

wanghaozhi said:


> My wife and I will be visiting the Lake Chapala area this coming spring for about 1 to 2 months with the idea that we want to retire there full time. We have not been there before. We want to research neighborhoods or developments before we go.
> 
> Our ideal place is:
> 1) quiet (no barking dogs right next door, and not too close to cohetes)
> ...


This is a very 'doable' list for under $300.000 especially if you like and move to Chapala. The only wild card is barking dogs but for that kind of money you will have no problem finding a nice home. It is just a matter of what area you like best. Chapala is very Mexican and Spanish is almost a must have and even though Ajijic is congested with traffic I feel that Chapala is worse but that's just my opinion. As the other posters suggested, it is always a good idea to rent in different areas first. There is a wide variety of housing and neighborhoods here from country living to village life. You need to find out what's right for you.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

It is nice to speak Spanish but Spanish is not a must anywhere Lakeside and that is why the area is overcrowded with non Spanish speakers.j There are 3 communities , the Mexican locals , the foreigners, and the part.timers from Guadaljara ( The Tapatios) and there is very little social interaction between the 3 groups.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

citlali said:


> It is nice to speak Spanish but Spanish is not a must anywhere Lakeside and that is why the area is overcrowded with non Spanish speakers.j There are 3 communities , the Mexican locals , the foreigners, and the part.timers from Guadaljara ( The Tapatios) and there is very little social interaction between the 3 groups.


Interesting. Are the part-timers from Guadalajara people with a second home near the lake or are you talking about day trippers. I know a lot of Tapatios go down there for the day once in awhile. I seem to get there about once a year for one reason or another.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

Chapala has many positives, but every time we drive there, the main street not only has almost NO parking, but people double park as well. The parking situation in Ajijic is bad, but there's no room on the main street to double park, so people don't.

It's all well to suggest people live car-lessly, but it isn't likely to happen. Many 2 person families think they need more than one car. Many people in this area aren't mobile enough to get around far on their feet. So, they have become "auto-mobile".

Once upon a time, when these towns were first settled, there were no cars, so it wasn't a problem. Horses and burros don't take up that much room, and it wasn't so densely settled with humans. What both places need is what San Miguel de Allende finally did: Erected a multi-storey parking garage in a reasonably convenient place. Of course, all the convenient places around this area are already occupied. Solution? None. Coping mechanism: Lots and lots of patience.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

TundraGreen said:


> Interesting. Are the part-timers from Guadalajara people with a second home near the lake or are you talking about day trippers. I know a lot of Tapatios go down there for the day once in awhile. I seem to get there about once a year for one reason or another.


A significant number of Guadalajarans have second homes near the lake, but the main influx is day trippers. In Ajijic, they close off one of the main streets on Saturday and Sunday and have tables in the streets for dining provided by nearby restaurants, along with spaces for vendors selling their wares. The town is mobbed every weekend now. Further west, there is a row of restaurants catering to the out of towners for Sunday Brunch and more. It's very successfully drawing Guadalajarans enjoying dining next to the lake with cleaner air than home
.
There are several yearly events that draw large crowds of both locals and visitors: the November craft event showing work from all over Mexico; the Chili Cookoff and the local artists' Open Studios in February. The last includes both expat and Mexican artists and draws hundreds of people visiting the various studios.

It's busy. Very busy. Annoying to some residents, but fun for others.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

As I mentioned in a previous post, getting Costo's 40 roll pack of toilet paper and enough frozen food to minimize cooking hours need not take a multi-hour trip on the bus or a perilous drive. A nice couple has "found a need and filled it". You merely tote up a list of your desired goods from Costco from their website, whisk it to them on the 'net on Monday, and on Wednesday, they bring it to your door for a reasonable fee. I love it. The only problem is finding places to put the stuff. The service is popular, and eliminates a goodly number of cars on the highway. 

A local mini-supermarket has a delivery truck arriving weekly bearing goods from Costco which they proceed to mark up heavily. But, it's there, and walking distance for many living nearby.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

no I speak of the Tapatios who have homes here and many of them and come for week.ends, vacations and holidays and have been doing so for several generations... They tend to stick together and so not mix much with the foreigners or the locals.


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## Jim from Alaska (Feb 20, 2017)

A lot of what goes on 'lakeside' has already been said but let me see if I can add a few things. Barking dogs, lakeside is home to many street dogs and they're everywhere so take it for what its worth. You want to live up high, just remember sound travels up and what goes down must come back up(Las Brisas and Chapala Haciendas)but yet you want to be a few minutes from Ajijic? The public transportation system here is very good and is always on the go along the carretera from Chapala and Jocotepec. Chapala is about 3.5 miles from Ajijic but Joco is about 12.5 miles from Ajijic and you have to deal with all the topes. I ride my bike to Chapala all the time. Chapala has the best tianguis and malecon but you had better brush up on your Spanish to live there. Traffic is killer here especially when the snow birds come down, there is road construction in Ajijic right now and like somebody already said, Chapala traffic has all the cars double parked but you just go with the flow and give and take what you can get. If you have a home built, make sure the contractor pays for permits and IMSS or is included in the price that he pays and you had better be very flexible and be willing to be on site during construction. Educate yourself on the fault lines of the area. I live in an area called lower La Floresta and once again educate yourself on the area because if you don't you wont like it during the rainy season. Dont forget about the Lake Chapala Society(LCS) and right now the weather is very boring, cold at night but the days warm right back up into the 70s with clear blue skies, ya gotta love it(hopefully your smiling ear to ear).


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## wanghaozhi (Nov 9, 2017)

*Thanks, Jim from Alaska*

Thanks, Jim. I continue getting nuggets in every reply. They're helping, so I can't agree totally with citlali that research by Internet is useless.

We lived in Taipei for about 25 years, a city that can be very noisy. We had to keep our bedroom window closed because the motorbikes, cars and buses turned the corner right where our apartment was.

We're now on a busy street in Seattle; we need to have our bedroom window closed because of traffic. I'd like to be able to have my windows open at night, especially on warm nights. My question about dogs was in regard to that.

One thing you wrote puzzled me. Did you mean that I wouldn't like La Floresta during the rainy season, or that was just a comment in general? I saw a video of La Floresta made by Sid Grosvenor, and La Floresta looked quite attractive.

Our temperature this morning was 5 degrees centigrade, and made it all the way up to 5. We were in Taipei at the end of September and it got up to a humid 38 for a week. I think Lake Chapala's temperature will be very easy to take. My wife has just about had it with the damp, rainy, chilly winters in Seattle. Summers are beautiful, though.


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## rmajijic (Jul 15, 2017)

La Floresta is the premier neighborhood in the Ajijic area. What Jim was referring to is that some streets in Lower La Floresta suffer from flooding during the rainy season. So just be aware as to where you end up buying. A good realtor will inform you of this. 
This problem can happen on the hillside too. I know certain streets in Raquet Club for instance which can be a river for a week or two or three during the rainy season


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

If the home above yours has a lawn that abuts one of your walls, you may have problems in the rainy season; mildew, salitre, or even water in your house. Beware of such details; especially in lower La Floresta. Note the condition of the streets and the walls of nearby homes. Cracks and heaving are signs of active fault lines, which are common in the entire area of Lake Chapala and many other parts of Mexico. No; realtors will not generally disclose such details.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

Your realtor, unless he or she is an exception to the rule, with take advantage of the "no disclosure required" in Mexico and will tell you NADA about any negatives relating to the property! It's buyer beware all the way. How do I know this for certain? I found out the hard way. The seller's wife was also the real estate agent. Even the "required" items, like separating utilities, were not done and the office stonewalled us. So: watch your back. Same with rentals. I know of one house in the area that separated in the middle due to unstable ground and the owner stuck it together again and sold it to some unsuspecting buyer. 

Be aware that many landlords expect the renter to fix anything that goes wrong. That's the advantage of dealing with a rental agency. You'd get a contract outlining the landlord's responsibility. If the agency is doing property management, they usually have workers lined up who will do the repairs needed.

Also, any streets running north from the hills down to the lake will turn into running streams during the rainy season. For this, you need galoshes. The water table is very close to the surface in lower La Floresta, which can be a problem.

Whatever you do, do not rent or buy a place where the garage is on the same side of a one way street where parking is allowed. Many people do not care about anything but plonking their vehicle right in front of your driveway when it comes to parking. Get a place on the OTHER side of that street. If it's a two way street where parking is allowed on both sides, don't hesitate to add a tow truck warning to your "no parking" sign, in English and Spanish.

Just a couple of minor cautions. Hope they help.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Not sure if La FLoresta is The premier neighborhood in Ajijic, Las Salvias is not bad and there are quite a few nice neighborhood but it is a pleasant and convenient neighborhood depending on the neighbors of course..
I have to laugh when I hear about the barking dogs,,,and I recall that story from a year or 2 ago of the old lady walking her chihuahua in La Floresta when the chihhuahua was violently pulled back and when the lady turned around she was confronted by a jaguar who had just killed the chihuahua..
Somebody had a jaguar for pet and as usual the gardener had left the door to the property open.. barking dogs are sometimes the least of the problems..!
Streets running down to the lake can become and do become rivers during downpours..anywhere I can think of..beware of streams that have been detoured or just ignored, they come back with vengeance during the rainy season.

Lots of things to learn when you move here..


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## Jim from Alaska (Feb 20, 2017)

wanghaozhi said:


> We had to keep our bedroom window closed because the motorbikes, cars and buses turned the corner right where our apartment was.
> 
> One thing you wrote puzzled me. Did you mean that I wouldn't like La Floresta during the rainy season, or that was just a comment in general? I saw a video of La Floresta made by Sid Grosvenor, and La Floresta looked quite attractive.


First of all, the living in La Floresta questions have been answered and I'll add, during the rainy season when the streets stay wet(emphasis on WET)keep in mind the mosquitos, no Bueno. And I'll even say it one more time, real estate agents or home owners(cause its a sellers market right now)wont tell and don't have to tell you SQUAT as far as disclosure. And yes, La Floresta is considered the place to live if you want to be close to Ajijic and or centrally located.

Your question about windows open. Traffic will always be here especially right now(so your going to have to use due diligence and common sense)but in the summer most and I mean most houses here don't have air conditioning and heat so during the summer windows stay open(air conditioning)which will bring me to another subject. When looking at houses here look for as open a floor plan as you can so as to get the most air movement from the breezes and have north and south exposures(am I right RickS?)so come winter time you can heat the place cause windows etc get closed.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Jim from Alaska said:


> First of all, the living in La Floresta questions have been answered and I'll add, during the rainy season when the streets stay wet(emphasis on WET)keep in mind the mosquitos, no Bueno. And I'll even say it one more time, real estate agents or home owners(cause its a sellers market right now)wont tell and don't have to tell you SQUAT as far as disclosure. And yes, La Floresta is considered the place to live if you want to be close to Ajijic and or centrally located.
> 
> Your question about windows open. Traffic will always be here especially right now(so your going to have to use due diligence and common sense)but in the summer most and I mean most houses here don't have air conditioning and heat so during the summer windows stay open(air conditioning)which will bring me to another subject. When looking at houses here look for as open a floor plan as you can so as to get the most air movement from the breezes and have north and south exposures(am I right RickS?)so come winter time you can heat the place cause windows etc get closed.


I would add one suggestion. Pay attention to the orientation of the rooms when considering where to live. If the bedrooms face south, they will get sun in the winter (and be warmer) and they will be in the shade in the afternoon in the summer (and be cooler). A little attention to the sun can eliminate the need for heating and cooling.


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

Right on _Jim from Alaska_... and TundraGreen just explained why.

With respect to Lower Floresta, which I like (there is an upper which is north of the careterra).... IMO it is mostly the lower part of lower Floresta where one should be most aware. The whole area has big trees but/and the ones in the most lower part are huge and during the winter not much sunlight gets down to the house level. And we all know that in the winter the sun is much lower in the southern skies so really not a lot of sun can get through the trees to the house. Once a 'stone' Mexican house gets cold..... it stays cold!


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

Oh, does a stone or brick house ever get COLD here, but that's what most of the older homes are made of. Fortunately, the flip side is that they are cooler in the hot months.
Right now, I'm hiding in the office with the doors closed, clustered next to my little gas heater. Outside.....it's' nice. Welcome to Mexico!


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## rmajijic (Jul 15, 2017)

All excellent replies to the OP's question. Bravo to all the comments. For sure, a Realtor doesn't have to disclose anything and that is why I stated "A good Realtor". An honest and good Realtor will tell it like it is to the best of their ability and work for the buyer. And there are some good ones. Don't be dissuaded by some of the comments.
As stated, Upper La Floresta is more desirable than Lower. Las Salvias on the other side of Ajijic is another option but there is less available as it is a smaller area. 
Lots to consider in your purchase. I think we are only covering the tip of the iceberg so to speak.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I have seen some remodelling around her and workers sometimes tell me about situations..and I can tell you for a fact that some owners find out about problems , do not fix them and turn around and sell the house. In one of these houses the main beam was rotten and an house inspector did not see it and the house sold.. so I suspect that even the real estate do not know about many of the problems. The realtors are not liable for anything here so no one is looking too hard for defect.

I like lower La Floresta way better than upper La Floresta so it is like everything else, there is a trade off in everything.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

I like lower La Floresta, too, mainly because of the many trees and lush landscaping, but I'm seeing a serious problem that nobody is taking care of: the many trees on the central strip are infested heavily with a yellowish parasite and will, inevitably, be killed by it. Why the Homeowners' association isn't addressing this problem is a mystery, since the many beautiful trees are one of the most attractive features of the area.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Yes and since all you have to do is cut off the branches affected.. If they took care of it when the mal ojo starts it would be a minor problem..I love what I call the ramblas in the center and the horses and the nice lawns and shady trees. I also love the proximity to the tianguis, Torrito and San Antonio.. I looked for a house when we moved here but at the time there were few houses for sale there and the ones for sales were too large for us otherwise I would have bought in lower La Floresta .

Today I intended to go and see the CHinese lady from upper la Floresta but they now have a guard at the entrance and all the entrances are closed except for one so I did not stop.. Upper La FLoresta is now a gated community?


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