Just the Messenger Once Again

From today's EL ECONOMISTA: http://eleconomista.com.mx/estados/2011/09/07/estadounidenses-se-van-chapala

GOOGLE Translation of Above:
Title: AMERICANS ARE CHAPALA

Guadalajara, Jal. The escalating violence and rising crime rates in the country have caused an exodus of U.S. citizens living in the towns surrounding Lake Chapala, where sits the colony of largest U.S. citizens outside its territory.

In Ajijic, San Juan Cosala, Jocotepec and Chapala, there is an increase in home sales of foreign residents estimated at 18% and an auction of properties, as said Sergio Dueñas, president and current national director of the Mexican Association of Real Estate Professionals (AMPI).

"They have formed gangs have assaulted Americans Chapala, there have been deaths, and of course nobody wants to talk about it but it should be pointed out, if there is to say that corruption reaches all levels. It seems there was a murder recently and police were involved and this warning to foreigners who can no longer trust the police and prefer to return to their country, "said Duenas.

While acknowledging that other factors have caused Americans to return home as the economic situation and lack of adequate health services, the real estate expert said that insecurity "is a terrible trigger and strong."

Dueñas Jiménez said that among the many cases of real estate auctions that occur in the area, highlights of a property that went on sale at $ 800.000 and eventually sold 400,000.

"There are many foreigners that some properties are finished and others are being sold to when and what is happening in the housing market especially in the Ribera del Lago".

According to the president of AMPI, the departure of U.S. citizens have not felt so much because new colonies of Canadians are settling in the area and allowed to "balance" the market.
Problem is a national

Councilor AMPI said growing insecurity and violence that affects mainly the northern states of the country have "inhibited completely" real estate activity, while in some destinations such as Puerto Peñasco in Sonora state, the value of property fell 50% in the last four years.

"Puerto Peñasco is a dramatic case. Many were truncated developments, there were Americans who fled developers and the city was very precarious, "he said.

"Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa, Tamaulipas all the cities of Nuevo Leon and have been badly affected. There are very dangerous places and that it inhibits the housing market. Throughout this stretch of the country, the housing market has settled completely, "he continued.

In counterpart, said the upsurge of violence in the northern states of the real estate sector has benefited in Guadalajara that immigration records of families from Nuevo Leon, Sonora, Sinaloa and Tamaulipas who have decided to settle in the city, which has raised the price of housing in some colonies.

Appears to me that there may be way too many generalizations and some questionable data?

Yes Neil, I'd say that it's probably a bit sensational. One of the key balancing factors at lakeside is not only Canadians, but Guadalajarans who want to escape the city. As for foreigners getting assaulted and killed, it has happened but very very rarely. Usually the foreigner has failed to take adequate precautions, or was out wandering around where they shouldn't have been, and just maybe had a few too many tequilas.

A mass exodus and property auctions? So, they're saying 'high end' property that was $800,00 has been going for 1/2 price????? Wow! Way to go Canada! I've been here the entire time and this is news to me. Americans have been killed???? Really??? American/Mexican??? Aside from the incident w/the 2 brothers, who are guilty until proven innocent, I know of none.

and of course nobody wants to talk about it

You've read a published story, now the doubters will suddenly consider it. heh

I haven't heard about anything other than that one incident in Ajijic last year and it certainly didn't seem "cartel" related. You have to wonder where these reporters get their information from. Perhaps I will send an e-mail inquiring about it.

A friend of mine is putting her house up for sale and moving back to the states. Let's see; her sons are bugging her to move nearer so they can help her when she needs it: she can't get any affordable health insurance here and thinks IMSS won't be there for her if she needs it; so she thinks going NOB makes sense. She's not at all worried about crime in Mexico.
I wonder what category they'd put that in?
AKA.......never let the truth spoil a sensational story.
Most of the people I've heard of moving NOB are doing so for health or family reasons, not from fear of crime.

CanuckBob wrote:I haven't heard about anything other than that one incident in Ajijic last year and it certainly didn't seem "cartel" related. You have to wonder where these reporters get their information from. Perhaps I will send an e-mail inquiring about it.

Please do and if they can convince anyone this to be true, I have a few pesos I wouldn’t mind investing into Lakeside cheap properties.

Not that I can believe. It would seem to me that there was a mass migration of retirees to the lake about 10 years ago. Most were probably in their 60's at the time. Now that they are in their 70's and 80's they are heading back for the better medical (or at least perceived to be better) and family support.

gringal wrote:A friend of mine is putting her house up for sale and moving back to the states. Let's see; her sons are bugging her to move nearer so they can help her when she needs it: she can't get any affordable health insurance here and thinks IMSS won't be there for her if she needs it; so she thinks going NOB makes sense. She's not at all worried about crime in Mexico.
I wonder what category they'd put that in?
AKA.......never let the truth spoil a sensational story.
Most of the people I've heard of moving NOB are doing so for health or family reasons, not from fear of crime.

Wow, she's going north to become an unpaid babysitter, and thinks she can get cheaper insurance NOB. What is she smoking? Maybe she would like to offload her stash before leaving town.

The very first thought that I had was: how much involvement does AMPI have in actual home sales in the Lake Chapala area? I am not up on the current state of affairs with realtors in the area but back when we were selling our home, the only realtors listing on AMPI were the outcasts from GIL or those who chose not to pay to play with GIL. I just went to their website and they show 17 properties for sale in Ajijic.

Parker wrote:

CanuckBob wrote:I haven't heard about anything other than that one incident in Ajijic last year and it certainly didn't seem "cartel" related. You have to wonder where these reporters get their information from. Perhaps I will send an e-mail inquiring about it.

Please do and if they can convince anyone this to be true, I have a few pesos I wouldn’t mind investing into Lakeside cheap properties.

Ditto, where are the auctions? I've never seen one.

raqueteer wrote:

gringal wrote:A friend of mine is putting her house up for sale and moving back to the states. Let's see; her sons are bugging her to move nearer so they can help her when she needs it: she can't get any affordable health insurance here and thinks IMSS won't be there for her if she needs it; so she thinks going NOB makes sense. She's not at all worried about crime in Mexico.
I wonder what category they'd put that in?
AKA.......never let the truth spoil a sensational story.
Most of the people I've heard of moving NOB are doing so for health or family reasons, not from fear of crime.

Wow, she's going north to become an unpaid babysitter, and thinks she can get cheaper insurance NOB. What is she smoking? Maybe she would like to offload her stash before leaving town.

WRONG. Every single one of your assumptions is way off, starting with the babysitting and proceeding on to the "stash".
IMSS is giving the back of their hand to gringos these days. She's eligible for Medicare.
See if you can find reasonable health insurance for a lady just over 70 with a few health issues. Good luck on that.

My only point in telling the story was to illustrate that the crime issue is not necessarily the most important.
to you, too.

Sorry to have responded to you at all gringal, even in jest. I won't make that mistake again.

Jest? Sounded more like a lame try at recovery from a hoof in mouth event, R-clubber.

Meanwhile.........adios. Just as well.

Sounds like a lot of doom and gloom but we have 3 guests who are each looking to buy homes and just sold a property across the street to another couple. You know, stuff you won't read about in the papers.

As a contributor to TripAdvisor, I receive weekly stats for areas where I have posted recent reviews. This week's stats provide some interesting info on just how many people have done research on a given area over the last week:
Patzcuaro: 1340
Ajijic: 2162
San Miguel: 10,266

No matter how one looks at these stats, it would appear to me that interest on Central Mexico remains at a decent level.

oncesubtle wrote:Sounds like a lot of doom and gloom but we have 3 guests who are each looking to buy homes and just sold a property across the street to another couple. You know, stuff you won't read about in the papers.

Doom & Gloom, Inc., along with their paper girl, Chicken Little, sells more articles than the Fact Sheet.
My ill fated earlier post about the friend who's moving north without concern for Mexican crime is pretty typical of what I hear from others making the same decision. Health problems; family issues and sometimes, budget squeezes that even the lower cost of living here can't cover are the major reasons for leaving.

On TOB (slap ma hand) the health thread concerning IMSS was enough to scare the britches off some folks who were relying on it for their needs. Seems the Chapala office is "disappearing" people from their rolls; people who've been signed up and paying up for years. Answers to that one? Don't have any. Others have taken a huge hit on their pensions, 401K plans and general life savings. Mexico doesn't have a "safety net" to cover the people who came here thinking they were set for life....and aren't. The U.S. financial disasters have crossed the border for them.

People who've lived here a long time don't buy Chicken Little's papers. I've noticed that if they last 5 years, they tend to stay unless the problems noted above hit. Otherwise..........most sensible people know that there's no real physical safety anywhere in today's overcrowded and mean streets world.

Home buyers will continue to move south for the wonderful climate, the beauty, and the (mostly) relaxed attitudes. They, like my spouse and I, will be glad they did.