# Hi [email protected] Soon to be Puerto Vallartan soon!



## radmichelle (Nov 5, 2012)

lol just thought i'd say hello and see if anyone has had any luck in finding a home on craigslist, i ended up finding a wonderful lady (so far through emails) who is willing to help us find a place as i just missed out on a holding deposit for the perfect property for us by a day because her internet went down lol, but i'm still hopeful we will find a place! 

Name is michelle i'm 26 and my husband and i are currently living in oceanside, ca (north san diego county) he just got out of the marine corps and is recieving schooling money so well be studying abroad and we have money saved, our story leading up to the decision to move is long and a crazy one, ill probably post a blog about it some time-

now we arent moving because we dont like life here, and arent happy hear- i actually love my little place and all my on goings in life but its time to on carry, i've moved a lot, i actually live a few years in the philippines with my mother when i was younger too so itll be interesting feeling that humidity again lol. I think its more along the lines of ... next step in our "life story" is to settle down buy a house have 2.5 kids etc... lol so instead.. were going to explore a bit and learn to appreciate new ways of life, i mean cmon- we live in one of the best places in the world being san diego.. ya know and its just not that great lol- let amierca solve its issues out, getting worse and worse here and harder for the middle class lol.. 

im not sure if i sound crazy to yall, i know i do to my friends and family. but life is about living i suppose! anywho, were going to drive down from san diego, i think well be able to have a decent amount of usd savings before going down and a steady income of around 1800 hopefully from gi bill and online businesses, and i guess selling all buying permits and driving down (taking a chevy full size... jeep wrangler.. and hauling 2 dirt bikes and a buggy) thank goodness for Teresa willing to help us with our ridiculous load. 

anywho! any feed back critical or not would be greatly appreciated! and no, i havent been down there, i know i should visit first, but were pushing for the end of the year move and i would rather have 1000$ in pocket after the move than a couple of plane tickets and hotel bill... though we adapt fairly easy, my life requirements and little to zero luxuries in them, i guess im a tom boy ha ok XO


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## radmichelle (Nov 5, 2012)

lol! sorry for the typos, writting novels isnt easy on a tablet lol


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

Schooling money used to be the GI Bill (put me thru 5 years of college) but what school in Mexico would qualify. It used to be a monthly check and attendance and grades were important. Is it different now?


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

radmichelle said:


> lol just thought i'd say hello and see if anyone has had any luck in finding a home on craigslist, i ended up finding a wonderful lady (so far through emails) who is willing to help us find a place as i just missed out on a holding deposit for the perfect property for us by a day because her internet went down lol, but i'm still hopeful we will find a place!
> 
> Name is michelle i'm 26 and my husband and i are currently living in oceanside, ca (north san diego county) he just got out of the marine corps and is recieving schooling money so well be studying abroad and we have money saved, our story leading up to the decision to move is long and a crazy one, ill probably post a blog about it some time-
> 
> ...


Other than a 180-day tourist card, I'm wondering if you'll meet the immigration qualifications for a visa which allows you to reside in Mexico. I believe you'll have to show bank statements for maybe the past year, and continuing forward with at least US$2,000 monthly income.

Apartments are best found after you arrive. Craigslist and other online websites are likely to offer the most expensive selections. In Mexico, the better deals ... apartments and prices ... tend to be found via word-of-mouth and by networking. Think about locating an inexpensive hotel room or short-term furnished apartment until you get your feet wet and acclimated in Vallarta.

Do some homework on the visa quesiton, though. The rules are changing as we discuss this and maybe the requirements will be reduced. But you don't want to get to the border or to Vallarta only to find that you'll have some difficulty staying beyond 180-days. Also too, Sparks comment about use of the schooling money requires some verification ... if you haven't already done that.

Best of luck.


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## radmichelle (Nov 5, 2012)

well i'm hoping with our current around 1800$ steady income deposited into our chase banking acct that itll give us enough leverage to obtain residency there, but i'll go tourist first then check out the local place to handle paperwork down in nuevo vallarta once we get there, i've a friend who manages a hotel who had offered to help with work if we needed too, 

i've been researching a lot, i know and am anticipating my networking abilities down there lol at least in the sense of making friends and words of mouth deals i'm fearless about, but a two bedroom with yard for 545 usd down there will be suffice enough for us to pay maybe two months worth of rent and get settled to see if we can find a more permanent spot, i'd love to get a cheap hotel room, but i've 4 dogs (two dog under 3 lbs lol) and the bikes and buggys and vehicles, i'm a difficult one i know lol


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## radmichelle (Nov 5, 2012)

sparks said:


> Schooling money used to be the GI Bill (put me thru 5 years of college) but what school in Mexico would qualify. It used to be a monthly check and attendance and grades were important. Is it different now?


yes the post 9/11 is paying the schooling, and its still based on grades attendance and etc, but they do offer studying abroad, your bah is paid depending on the cost of living at the location of the school, here in ca its 1929$ a month, and i know its around 6-800 down there, we did a little research on it and aim to do more once we get down there :ranger: ha


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## Souper (Nov 2, 2011)

What school is there in Vallarta?


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## radmichelle (Nov 5, 2012)

lol well we always have the option of online schooling for half bah lol


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Is all that 'lol' cureable?


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## radmichelle (Nov 5, 2012)

of course it is i would offer it as my sign of a smile


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## JRinPV (Jul 2, 2012)

Nuevo Vallarta isn't the cheapest place to live, much better areas in Puerto Vallarta proper.
The Insider's Guide to Vallarta


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## StevenO (Oct 18, 2012)

My last post was deleted because -Violates Rule 10, Bullet 2, unsolicited link
Sorry, I was trying to be helpful. I thought she was asking how to find a place so I told her how I found a place.
Well, you can start at the beginning, we found the lady that I posted the link to by searching in Spanish and found a nice clean place for 1/4th the prices that we found in English.


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## radmichelle (Nov 5, 2012)

oh perfect, any one been to the mismaloya beach area, the one by the privately owned zoo lol i found a place right by the river and ocean there about 6 miles south of pv


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

radmichelle said:


> oh perfect, any one been to the mismaloya beach area, the one by the privately owned zoo lol i found a place right by the river and ocean there about 6 miles south of pv


Mismaloya was the site for the 1964 movie, Night of the Iguana, by John Huston, starring Ava Gardner and Richard Burton.


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## radmichelle (Nov 5, 2012)

i actually read about that too when i was researching


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## cuylers5746 (Mar 19, 2012)

*Moving to PV to attend College*

Hi Radmichelle;

Just a couple of suggestions to make your adventure more successful and less costly for you just starting out in Mexico. That is until you're able to settle in with a house rented, school for your husband and go to INM and settle up exactly what Immigration Status you will be able to qualify for?

1.) Leave most of the toys and 2nd vehicle at home. Just one vehicle will cost you around $80.00 USD equivalent on the Toll Roads to get to Puerto Vallarta. I think they charge extra for your trailer with dirt bikes etc. Now you double that for the second vehicle and gas you'll be paying over $500.00 USD equivalent to get down there without Motel Costs, Food, etc. Oh add in another $1000.00 USD equivalent (maybe this high when you include for trailers too) for yearly Mexican Insurance on your two vehicles with trailers. So now you're approaching $1500.00 -$2000.00 just to get to PV with all your stuff.

Really cheap to store stuff in Oside. We know, we lived there off an on twice and enjoyed the community immensely. Still have a few friends there.

2.) Does your husband Speak Spanish? Probably the best school down here in Mexico for Technical Degrees is Institute Technological de Monterrey. It makes a huge difference in employability on where you got your degree from in Mexico. The above school is recognized Internationally for it's excellence. I've even seen students come in from Germany to attend there, BUT the classes are all given in Spanish. Your husband would have to be proficient.

I would like to hear how your husband pulls off getting Govt. housing allowance while attending school abroad? My son is in the Army and when he get's out that would be great to hear about.
Oh, and I thought that housing allowance was only for one year? Is it paid for 4 years?

So, in summary. Take the one vehicle with a couple of toys in one trailer and your kids (hounds), and come get set up. Then depending on what INM Immigration tells you, what schooling settles out for your husband and how comfortable you are with your rental home. Well, then on a return visit pick up the rest of your vehicles and toys and bring them back with you.


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## radmichelle (Nov 5, 2012)

Cuylers, Thanks so much for the response! i really appreciate information like that as i'm trying to round it all up. Unfortunately, leaving anything behind here isnt an option, so i was somewhat anticipating the cost of moving down, both vehicles are 2002 and 2003, so i'm looking at 600 total for the vehicle permits i'm assuming, around 800 for gas as far as high end cost, and then the insurance...

As far as your son getting out of army, he can study abroad and take online classes. BUT since there is no physical attended class your only entitle to HALF the NATIONAL average (around 700) Here in CA he is getting paid 1929$ for housing because of the location of the school, the VA is a real real pain in the butt, so when he is ready to get out make sure he is enrolling the day he gets his dd214. also, the GI Bill will cover his schooling for 36 months depending on how long he served, so if the location of his school is in a higher living cost hell get more money for bah, every month that he attends. BUT tell him DONT COUNT on his bah income and book stipend, to save money before hand for those fees because they pay you after you have started school. we were in a whirlpool of hurt depending on it a few months back. ANY questions feel free to message me, i feel i'm a VA expert now, because that whole scene is a nightmare!

I'm also under the impression there are special requirements with students and applying for a more permanent visa... as the plan is to go down with our FMM or whatever they now call it, and apply from there after our bank statements at 6 months consecutive now that we are depositing all into a chase acct.


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## kcowan (Jul 24, 2010)

I would check with your embassy. The rules have changed.


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## dlockesf (Jun 7, 2008)

radmichelle said:


> i'll go tourist first then check out the local place to handle paperwork down in nuevo vallarta once we get there,
> 
> lol


Check the new visa requirements carefully. I understand that the only way to stay more than 180 days is to get a permit in your home country, or at least outside of Mexico. If your source of advice includes the term "FM-3", it's obsolete. 

Here's a good source of info: My Life in Mxico - Main Directo


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## newpvrguy (Jun 5, 2011)

*Moving to PV*

The link posted above describes the new laws very well, and there are many other articles which have been written recently about them. The advice to consult the Mexican consulate to discuss your situation would be well worth your time.

Having lived in Puerto Vallarta for more than 2 years, I can tell you it is a beautiful place with wonderful friendly people. As has been stated, PV is not an inexpensive place to live in relation to many cities in Mexico due to the tourist economy. You will find grocery store prices very near US grocery store prices.

Being a former USMC (Vietnam era) I am certainly happy to see your husband's decision to pursue his GI Bill educational benefits. I love living here and would welcome another former Marine (there are a few of us here), but there are several hurdles you need to clear in order to be successful and happy in the adventure of living in a foreign country. 

Do you and your husband speak Spanish? This will make your transition easier even though there are many English speaking locals due to the high number of tourists. If not....this should become a priority.

If you have read the new immigration laws, from the narrative you have provided, I don't believe you would qualify for anything but a 180 visitor visa, which does not allow for you or you husband to be employed in Mexico for that period. Also, to change your status, you must leave the country and apply.

I am afraid that if you appeared at a border crossing with 2 vehicles with trailers, a significant amount of other possessions, and four dogs...they may be slightly sceptical of your being a "visitor". 

You mentioned Mismaloya....it is a beautiful area, but somewhat remote in relation to PV. Being a dog owner, I understand that a yard is on your checklist, but they are few and far between in PV. You can certainly find more in Nuevo Vallarta, but also higher prices.

Money well spent in pursuing this adventure may well be a 5-7 day trip in advance of your move.

I wish you all good things in this move, and would be happy to respond to any specific questions about PV you may have.....but be assured I don't have all the answers !


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## fjack1415 (Nov 4, 2011)

Hi Michelle & husband, 

I think you will love Puerto Vallarta, and if you can take the heat and humidity of the summers (June thru September) then you will love it here year round. A few thoughts: 

If you want a house you can affort to rent with some land and parking for your vehicles and dirt bikes, you might want to look at *Bucerias*, which is another beach town just north of Nuevo Vallarta. Yes, I agree that Craigs List is biased toward gringoes and will have higher prices. But another online resource you can check before you leave San Diego is *VivaStreet.* Generally has more and at better prices. When you get here pick up a copy of Mano a Mano, which comes out on Fridays and is available at most minimarkets etc. 

The only school I am aware of the is University of Guadalajara Extension, which is not far from the airport.

Yes, your joint income will be right around the minimum required for (non tourist) visas (FM-3). But something you need to check on now. I got my FM-3 after I was already here on a tourist visa. But I do not think you can do this anymore under the new immigration rules. A friend of mine went to get his visa (FM-3 or equivalent) and was told he had to apply for it in the US! So you might want to go the the Mexican Consulate in San Diego right now to check on this. 

I am living on the South Side of PV, which has a nice mix of gringos and a large gay community, but the town is *definitely *Mexican. Except for Nuevo Vallarta, which is very ******, most of PV will have you feeling at home living with Mexicans, but meeting enough Americans and other foreigners to make you feel very comfortable. 

And the beaches are great! 


Frederick


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