Many newcomers or potential newcomers ask me “What is there to do in Ajijic, Lake Chapala?

I can honestly tell them that in over 15 years I have never been bored and there is indeed plenty to do.

You can be as busy or as idle as you would like,

In Ajijic, Lake Chapala there are two garden clubs, The Garden Guild and The Garden Club. There are cooking competitions and lessons available. There are bridge clubs and cribbage clubs.

There are all types of cultural events such as symphonies, plays both local and imported and I can honestly say my children have been more exposed to culture than they ever were in Toronto.

We have the Auditorium in La Floresta which stages many events and also the Little Theatre in San Antonio Tlayacapan and they are always looking for people who wish to get involved in theatre.

There are local golf clubs and tennis clubs in Ajijic, Lake Chapala as well as many more in Guadalajara. Lessons in both sports are available and tournaments to participate in.

There are many very worthwhile charities to get involved in and churches for all (more…)

This time of year there are many opportunities to give back and
Steffany Arnoldi’s 3rd Annual “Dressy” Christmas Party to benefit the Lakeside Spay & Neuter Center which saves, feeds and shelters homeless animals is one of the best.

This is your chance to step out of the shadows and be a shining light to animals in need.

The cost is $250.00 pesos per person which includes a sit down dinner of roast turkey and roast ham with all the trimmings, all drinks, music by our very own Noe and a chance to win one week in a fabulous Beachfront Condo in Puerto Vallarta. It is said of this 2 bedroom condo, with a palapa on the terrace, that if it was any closer to the ocean you would be in it.

Party starts at 6:00 p.m. and the draw for the condo will be held at 8:00 p.m. on December 8th.

This amazing dinner will be held at the beautiful private home of Steffany Arnoldi at Del Manglar #166 in Villa Nova and for tickets please call Steffany at 766-0008. This gives us all yet (more…)

There are many reasons to retire in Ajijic, Lake Chapala and certainly one of the most attractive reasons is the lower cost of living.

We will explore some of those lowers costs today.

The cost of a very nice rental is between $800.00 – $1,500.00 US depending on the degree of luxury you are looking for. The price range to buy a house here is from $250.000.00 – $500,000.00 US again depending on your taste. This will buy you a very nice home with two or three bedrooms, 3 baths, and various other very attractive amenities.

Many people buy homes here in Ajijic, Lake Chapala and then rent them until they are ready to retire. Your real estate broker can manage your property for you and help you find renters. Prices are very good at the moment and will only go up as the economy improves.

Food is cheaper too and the selection of year round fresh fruits and vegetables locally grown is a wonderful option.

At the supermarkets you have the choice of buying local brands which are extremely (more…)

I have blogged about the wonderful retirement opportunity in Ajijic, Lake Chapala but I thought it is well worth blogging about again.

There have been three things that lately have, to some, put a damper on travel and retirement in Mexico and I would like to address those three issues.

First, there was the global economic crisis that hit in September 2008. We opened Collins Real Estate in July 2008 and have received lots of comments about our brilliant timing. I am happy to say, however, that we have had a steady stream of clients and sales since opening albeit perhaps not as many as we might have had without the economic crunch.

People are still retiring in droves as the Baby Boomers move through the market. Good deals are available and people are still buying here even though there are some cheap deals in Arizona and Nevada it is still not Mexico and when the economy recovers even slightly as it already has our weather and cost of living will remain very attractive for those seeking ideal retirement locations.

Second, there was a lot of buzz about the “drug wars” on the border of Mexico and the U.S. Both Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Obama have visited our Mexican President (more…)

People look for different things when they are thinking about a suitable location for retirement. I think many of these requirements we might have in common.

Here are a few of ours in no particular order:

International Airport
Access to a large city
Excellent Medical Care
Good Schools
All denominations of Churches
Good Shopping
Good Restaurants
A wide variety of activities and cultural events
Climate
Warmth of the people
Good Housing Prices

All the above can be checked off your list in Ajijic.

We are 40 minutes or less (depending on your driving speed) from the International Airport in Guadalajara. (more…)

Many people in the US are having to think about delaying retirement due to the global economic crisis.

One of many pluses about retiring in Mexico is that your dollar goes further and never more so than at the moment. For example you would receive 14.38 pesos for l US dollar today.

You can buy a bigger house for your money here and your expenses are lower. You have no heating or air conditioning charges for instance as our climate is second to none in the world.

Food is less expensive as is the cost of eating out. Golf and tennis are cheaper than up north and live entertainment and cultural events are readily affordable to all. (more…)

I first came to Ajijic, Lake Chapala in 1979 with my husband to visit his friend at what was then the Old Posada.

We arrived and met people at the airport who were going to the Old Posada so we shared a cab. My first impression of Ajijic was not the best. Although the inn was charming the pool was stagnent and in the village there was garbage everywhere.

The first morning my husband’s friend knocked on our door very early in the morning to take him into Guadalajara to buy shrimp. They returned home at 7:00 pm and, needless to say, I was not amused. His friend’s father took pity on me and invited me to lunch where we had hamberguesas. The rest of the day I sat on the pier and looked out over the not too clean Lake Chapala. (more…)

There is a lot of unrest in the economic community north of the border. This situation, of course, not only affects the US but the entire global community.

While the lawmakers are trying to pass a piece of legislation to alleviate the shaky market we all are wondering about our financial futures.

Things are cyclical and we will survive as we all did after 9/11. If your dream is to retire to Ajijic/Lake Chapala this may still be possible. Perhaps if you are having difficulty selling your home because your buyers cannot get financing renting it could be a viable option until the markets rebound. Today there will be another vote to try a pass a rescue package to get the market moving again. (more…)

If gardening is your passion welcome to paradise.

We have year round flowers and flowering shrubs and trees flowering in every color of the rainbow to delgiht even the most discerning of gardeners. Also the Mango, Avacado, Lime, Lemon, Orange, Grapefruit and many other fruit trees are in every garden.

For example Ficus Benjamin which is tricky to grow up north abounds here in Ajijic/Lake Chapala and people have hedges and arbors of them.   (more…)

“They” say that retirement or the “Golden Years” can be a state of mind. If you are lucky enough to chose Ajijic/Lake Chapala, Mexico as a place to retire that can truly be the c

Moving away from your home and family can be a scary proposition, however, let us take the fear factor our the equation for you and if you come to Ajijic/Lake Chapala from the cold north having family visit will not be an issue. (more…)