Economic Refugees

I noticed that as well.  Not young as in 40ish though some are, but definitely younger than average retirement age.  Whatever, I hope they find their niche and too bad they wasted some of what is a tight budget  apparently money bing here but better to find out early.

Some of the cheap rents discussed are "descuentos por parientes", live on caretakers, house sitters, or other factors that as memtioned, take a lot of scouring or near impossible for aged retiring foreigners to find.

Trailrunner wrote:The woman didn't have a car so I gave her a ride home. She had walked there but bought too much stuff and couldn't carry it home due to the fact that she broke her back falling over the cat.

She said she had been looking for a house on FB and they were too expensive so I gave her the advice on how to find a cheap rental from a Mexican family. Said she really couldn't pound the pavement due to her broken back.

Did she forget about her 'broken back' while she was filling up her shopping cart?

Kiri wrote:The economic refugees are not all newbies by any means. Some of them are from years ago, when immigration financial requirements were much lower. Now, with the higher financial requirements and the boom in the economy, wirh prices to match, many of these people can no longer afford to live here.   Not having a car, as many of these people don't, severely limits your choices. Many are good people, artists, free spirits and Bohemian types. They just got priced out. It's sad.

If you get priced out of Ajijic, that's bad luck. If you get priced out of Mexico, that's bad planning. If you can't afford Mexico you may need to think about greeting at Wal-Mart.

Kiri wrote:And without a car, how do they scout out rentals in these far flung areas. I suggest you try going without a car, and go to some of these areas to try it out for yourself.

gringal wrote:I can't imagine what people will do who have no vehicle and are priced out of the lakeside area, since the COL is higher in general NOB.  

Believe it or not, Mexico has lots of cities and other states, and many don't require vehicles. The choice isn't just between Lake Chapala and 'go home.'

The last time we lived in San Cristobal de las Casas we were paying $285US in rent. We now live in a studio in lower Ajijic. It's smaller than our San Cris apartment, and our rent is about to go up to $625US - after next year's renovation, it will be $775US to match the two other units in this building. Guanajuato is also cheaper than Ajijic and is actually easier to walk in than drive in. There are also Tequisquiapan, Patzcuaro, etc.

Gamina wrote:My niece was in Guadalajara last year when she found cheap rent.  Her brother and his wife and baby have a rental house on Bandera in SAT that is 2 bedrooms unfurnished for 400 pesos(no dirt floors).  These rents are out there but you have to scour around for them.

Did you mean 4,000 pesos? Who rents an apartment for $20US a month???

dixonge wrote:Did you mean 4,000 pesos? Who rents an apartment for $20US a month???

Someone who doesn't live in Ajijic. ;-) Many places in Guadalajara. Many places in Ixthualacán. Many places in Hacienda La Labor, Santa Cruz or St. Nicholas. Some places in Chapala. I'm pretty sure you could pick nearly any small town not on the north shore of Lake Chapala and throw a dart and hit one.

merry wrote:

dixonge wrote:Did you mean 4,000 pesos? Who rents an apartment for $20US a month???

Someone who doesn't live in Ajijic. ;-) Many places in Guadalajara. Many places in Ixthualacán. Many places in Hacienda La Labor, Santa Cruz or St. Nicholas. Some places in Chapala. I'm pretty sure you could pick nearly any small town not on the north shore of Lake Chapala and throw a dart and hit one.

Cheaper, yeah - but still - ya *gotta* add a zero or that's just crazy talk! Unless we really are talking dirt floors and no toilet...

I'm quite certain a $20 per month place isn't anything I would live in.

CanuckBob wrote:I'm quite certain a $20 per month place isn't anything I would live in.  

That's a completely different subject. ;-)

CanuckBob wrote:I'm quite certain a $20 per month place isn't anything I would live in.  

You would if you had no other choice. Count your blessings, amigo.

merry wrote:

dixonge wrote:Did you mean 4,000 pesos? Who rents an apartment for $20US a month???

Someone who doesn't live in Ajijic. ;-) Many places in Guadalajara. Many places in Ixthualacán. Many places in Hacienda La Labor, Santa Cruz or St. Nicholas. Some places in Chapala. I'm pretty sure you could pick nearly any small town not on the north shore of Lake Chapala and throw a dart and hit one.

400 pesos a month????

You can't even rent a parking space or local for a puesto for that amount anywhere in Mexico, unless it's inaccessible.

Trailrunner wrote:

CanuckBob wrote:I'm quite certain a $20 per month place isn't anything I would live in.  

You would if you had no other choice. Count your blessings, amigo.

I guess my point is "why would anyone move here if they have to live in such a place"?

Maybe they would be homeless and on the street in the cold USA. Not many opportunities to get tortillas and beans for a daily meal on the street there.

400 pesos a month places abund outside of the gringo communities?? In your dreams not even in Chiapas..

RVGRINGO wrote:Maybe they would be homeless and on the street in the cold USA. Not many opportunities to get tortillas and beans for a daily meal on the street there.

Tongue in cheek, RV? No matter, but one thing for certain: to stay in Mexico permanently requires an income sufficient to pay rent SOMEWHERE in Mexico.

dixonge wrote:

merry wrote:

dixonge wrote:Did you mean 4,000 pesos? Who rents an apartment for $20US a month???

Someone who doesn't live in Ajijic. ;-) Many places in Guadalajara. Many places in Ixthualacán. Many places in Hacienda La Labor, Santa Cruz or St. Nicholas. Some places in Chapala. I'm pretty sure you could pick nearly any small town not on the north shore of Lake Chapala and throw a dart and hit one.

Cheaper, yeah - but still - ya *gotta* add a zero or that's just crazy talk! Unless we really are talking dirt floors and no toilet...

Yeah, add a zero. Lo siento.