Ajijic Real Estate

The season of the snowbirds is approximately from after US Thanksgiving in November to just before Easter in April.

This is a very busy time in Ajijic with lots of traffic and lots of people looking for properties to buy or rent and business in general is very good.

A lot of these snowbirds occupy the time of the various Ajijic Real Estate Agents without any real desire to make a decision but rather just having a look around as it were. This is fine as often they need a first visit to decide whether or not Ajijic is the place for them to either retire or to have a second home to rent out during their time up north.

The summer, however, can be a very good time for serious buyers as the Ajijic Real Estate people have more time to spend with them and also sellers can be more motivated as the bulk of the prospects for their properties have left and they are left with the sense that nothing might happen with their properties until November and the return of the snowbirds.

Ajijic realtors particularly like the summer as they know the potential buyers are serious or they would not be here during these months.

This is a very good time to get a good deal on purchasing a home in Ajijic, Lake Chapala.

The traffic is less, restaurants are available without reservations and other local businesses are delighted to see you. It is possible during the summer and fall months to get a real sense of what life in Ajijic, Lake Chapala would really be like.

To date there is no H1N1 flu in Guadalajara or Ajijic so this would be a great time to come to Ajijic, Lake Chapala. to see if this is the place for you and to have the total attention of the Ajijic Real Estate Broker of your choice.

The weather is beautiful and the rainy season (the most beautiful season of the year) starts around June 15th and runs to October 15th mas o menos (more or less). Most snowbirds don’t have a chance to experience this fantastic time of year in Ajijic, Lake Chapala until they do retire or move here permanently.

Once you have experienced the rainy season (it only rains at night and the days are warm and clear and filled with the scent of flowers and flowering trees and the mountains turn a lush dark green) you will understand why we say we are lucky enough to indeed live in paradise.

Mexico = Paradise

Would I rather be in Iraq even with the “surge” being successful? No, I would not.

Would I rather be in Afghanistan where the Taliban are making a comeback? No, I would not.

Would I rather be in Pakistan where the Taliban are 60 miles outside the capital of Islamabad? Here the Taliban are pushing themselves forward as Robin Hood like figrues to protect the poor. Really? No, I would not.

Would I rather be in the United States hurricane belt which is approaching hurricane season? No, I would not.

Or California where your house can slip into the Pacific Ocean or burn to the ground in a wildfire? The same answer applies.

Or Louisiana where they are still trying to rebuild after Katrina? Even with their annual Jazz Festival tourism is still way down and help is slow to come.

What about my home of Canada? The taxes are too high and the climate is too cold.

Europe is very exciting but very expensive. London, a wonderful, city, has regular terrorist threats and is even more expensive than its counterparts on the continent.

Africa whose country of Kenya is said to rival our exquisite climate here has a rather bothersome political situation at the moment.

Australia is too far away from friends and family but is very beautiful.

Again in South America there are some dodgy leaders with ideas not quite on a plane with my own.

For some inexplicable reason I have never had any desire to visit or live in Asia even though many have said its beauty is unrivaled in the world and its culture very interesting.

Here is Ajijic, Lake Chapala, I am 40 minutes from an International Airport which can fly me swiftly to Canada to see friends and family and Guadalajara is a world class city having all the amenities of my native Toronto, Canada.

Everything I could ever want is right here in Ajijic, Lake Chapala. I even found Lemon Grass at Superlake the other day. I was thrilled as it was a necessary ingredient in my green curry.

So even with the swine flu outbreak in Mexico City this is still the best place on earth. Mexican and American health authorities are working together with health officials worldwide to contain this virus as quickly as possible.

If you have any flu like symptoms go to your doctor, wash your hands frequently, and be alert. I think President Obama put it best when he said “this is cause for “concern” not for “alarm”.

Ajijic Real Estate in Lake Chapala, Mexico

This was a beautifully built house on two floors and was fully and very tastefully furnished. The views from both floors were lovely of Lake Chapala.

One of the bedrooms our daughter called “the princess room” as it had twin canopied beds which she loved and claimed as her own on sight.

The master suite had a balcony overlooking the garden and pool and a very modern bathroom with Jacuzzi tub and separate walk-in shower, a granite counter top with two sinks and a huge walk-in closet that I still dream about

The living room, dining room and kitchen were an open concept and there was a nice outdoor patio and swimming pool area. The kitchen had all the modern amenities.

There was a very comfortably furnished den.

The only drawback of this house for us was our 3 dogs had no where to run and play and the gardener was kept very busy with their other needs as it were.

The location of this house in Villa Nova suited us perfectly but the children still needed to be driven back and forth to school.

Villa Nova is a very nice area of Ajijic with beautiful old and new homes, excellent views and the resale is very good in this upscale area.

We were also very handy to The Waffle House which we enjoyed often.

There is some security but it is not really a gated community so to speak but it is quiet and well kept.

I remember one incident when our son and I were walking our 3 dogs along our street and just ahead we saw several bulls not cows bulls. I must admit this gave me pause and although I do love living beside various and assorted animal life here in Ajijic I was not sure how the dogs would react or, for that matter, how the bulls would react. So we quietly turned around and scampered home.

That is the beauty of all areas of Ajijic adventure is never far away.

Judy Wallis

Real Estate in Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Mexico

The Racquet Club also has a community centre affair with 10 newly topped tennis courts, a hot spring and regular pool, hand ball courts and a nice little snack shop that used to have wonderful fresh juices such as orange and carrot.

We enjoyed living in The Racquet Club but for us there were a couple of down sides.
At the time our children were going to school in Chapala so that was a bit of a hike and also when it rained we might have been living in a sieve. We did not have enough towels to put up against the doors to keep the water out but I am sure this is not a problem for everyone.

Coming from Canada we traveled many miles to get where we wanted to go but we are spoiled here and the ride back and forth to Ajijic was not what we wanted. Particularly, as I am not a fan of driving at night.

We had an empty lot in front of our house and 2 burros only brayed at night on the other side of our wall which made sleeping a bit of a challenge as their hee- haws would invade ones dreams.

The upsides of The Racquet Club are the panoramic views of Lake Chapala, the tennis club and the large lot sizes. Of course, you are also very close to the thermal springs baths in San Juan Cosala which are purported to have very healing effects for a myriad of ailments.

We had an interesting incident happen to us while we lived in The Racquet Club. One day our son was at the computer in the den which was as the front of the house. He looked out the window and saw a man leaving through our front gate with our daughter’s bicycle. My husband and son went chasing after him but he was long gone. The next day the man came to our front gate with said bicycle and said he was a Catholic man and felt very badly about stealing the bicycle but had stolen it to practice for a race. He then asked if he could borrow it. We said no and sent him on his way with thanks for the return of the bicycle. The incident has always stayed with us as to the innate goodness of the Mexican people.

Judy Wallis

Real Estate in Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Mexico

This was a magnificent home. It had a casita with separate living room, bedroom and bath.

Four other large bedrooms and three baths completed the sleeping quarters. Three of these four bedrooms looked out onto a patio with mature trees and a beautiful stone wall. The master suite, of course, had a Jacuzzi and a solarium filled with plants in the bathroom. The walls in the master suite, guest bath and casita were fabric lined which was a very elegant touch.

There was a large dining/living room area with a stone fireplace and a central atrium with skylights and an indoor fountain. Very posh indeed. There was a paneled den/TV room with a bar. The only view of the lake was from the front sunroom inside the front door but as the property contained three lots the view of the garden, mountains, and Upper Chula Vista from the master bedroom window was spectacular.

There was an outdoor covered entertainment area with two more bathrooms, built in BBQ, swimming pool and a five car covered car port was at the end of the garden. Simply but nice.

The rent for this amazing property was $800.00 US per month but sadly those days are gone.

There was an outdoor laundry area and maid’s room where 2 days a week our girl did the ironing. We subsequently found out she was also carrying on a courtship with the gardener’s son and is now happily married to him with two beautiful daughters.

We like Lower Chula Vista and are very happy here. Although the views from Upper Chula Vista are magnificent the long climb up to them is not for me. I imagine being in the middle of cooking dinner and not having any basil.

In Chula Vista there is a wonderful and very pretty Golf Course with two tennis courts. The services are excellent and the staff at the office are very pleasant and helpful. We are also close to Superlake, Tony’s Butcher Shop, La Paz Liquor and Wine Store, Mail Boxes Etc. a splendid little bakery beside Superlake, dry cleaners and a wrought iron store. What else could you possibly want?

We are also on the east end of Ajijic close to Maskaras Clinic, Puritan Poultry, The Animal Shelter and our wonderful vet, Antonio Ladrone.

Chula Vista is quiet most of the time with the possible exception of when the local church, in the village of San Antonio Tlayacapan, set off rockets for several days at 5:00 am. Fireworks are big in this part of the world but I must admit where else could you lie in your bed and watch them through your window.

Judy Wallis

Real Estate in Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Mexico

We were on the last street in front of the mountain and the view of them was fantastic.
The down side of being next to open fields however, was the scorpion population which we soon had under control thanks to the scorpion resistant chalk available at the tiangis (Wednesday market).

The garden had mature fruit trees and we could not consume fast enough our supply of avocadoes, limes and wonderful small sour oranges which were great for marmalade. It had a lovely covered area for outdoor entertaining and barbequing.

The house itself was clearly of the minimalist period with the ever popular cement couches in the living room.

La Floresta is very well kept and the security and services are good. Upper La Floresta has a beautiful church and medical clinic and the homes are a combination of new, renovated and old Mexican design. There are not many views of the lake available but the mountain views are spectacular.

Lower La Floresta is also very beautiful with very wide cobble-stoned streets. These streets are so wide (as local legend would have it) as to enable the carriages of our forefathers to turn around. There are many old homes with large lots, some right on the lake.

The hotel The Real de Chapala is in Lower La Floresta, which has a very nice newly renovated bar and 2 tennis courts, .as is the Club Nautico which has 4 tennis courts and slips for ones yachts and Lower La Floresta also it used to be the home of La Percha which was a popular disco for young people.

It is quiet in Upper and Lower La Floresta and the mature tree lined streets are very pretty.

La Floresta is one of the oldest suburbs, if you will, of Ajijic and some of the architecture is amazing. It is located right next to the village of Ajijic and, therefore, is easy walking distance to all the amenities of the village.

We were very happy for the short time we were in La Floresta and so were our children and dogs.

Ajijic Lake Chapala, Mexico Real Estate

The Village of Ajijic

We first lived right in the village in a beautiful 4 bedroom home with a garden that was full of mature fruit trees and 3 fountains. This house was very Mexican with a hacienda feel. It had a lovely outdoor terraza area where we spent most of our time enjoying the garden.

If you came to the front gate you would have no idea of what was behind the walls. It was very private with all the amenities. We did not have a view but the garden which went the full block offered hours of pleasure along with mangoes, limes, avocados, oranges, grapefruit and many other succulent wonders including assorted birds and flowers.

We loved the proximity to everything. We could walk to the centre of Ajijic where the bank is and at that time it was the only ATM in town. We could also walk to the restaurants and shops and art galleries or down to the lake to walk the dogs along the beach.

Kitty corner to our house was a small hole in the wall (literally) store which had milk, bread and other daily staples along with the best oranges we had ever eaten. The vet was 2 doors away from us which was a plus as we had inherited a mother dog and her 5 puppies with the house.

Many people love being in the heart of things but for us the one drawback was the noise.

We had a shouting gallery off the master bedroom which overlooked the street and when the vendors went by selling their wares with a hearty “Que quieres?” or the Mariachis decided to play in the street on most evenings it sounded like they were in the bedroom with us. The last 9 days of November are the Fiestas de San Andreas and fireworks go off last every night along with very loud music.

Now this music of the Mariachis or the bands on the Ajijic Square is wonderful but the party usually gets started just as were getting ready for bed.

The village of Ajijic is a wonderful place to be but if you are an early to bed type it might not be the best choice for you.

Although a lot of people really do enjoy the interaction with the Mexicans who are a warm and welcoming people and who will be your neighbors. There is no better way to learn Spanish than to live among the natives whose country we are lucky enough to enjoy.

Judy Wallis

Real Estate in Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Mexico

However, here in Ajijic although it may not be flourishing, there is still money to be made in real estate.

If you buy a home in Ajijic now you will still get a good return for your dollar and the resale factor is still intact.

What a lot of people are doing is buying a home now and renting it out until they are ready to move here full time. You can expect a rental of approx. 8-12% of the purchase price. A reputable realtor will help you find renters and even manage your property for you for a reasonable monthly fee.

People are always looking for a rental in Ajijic as many like to rent before they buy and there never seems to be enough rentals available.

If you are having trouble selling your house up north but still have some money to invest and are afraid of the very unstable stock market buying a home in Ajijic and renting it out could create $1,000.00 – $3,000.00 US dollars a month in rental income. This is most attractive as the stock market is certainly not offering a yield like this at the moment and probably will not be for some time.

There are certain types of houses that are better for rentals than others. Most people are looking for a newer home with 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, possibly a pool and a beautiful view are always in demand.

When you are ready to retire here in Ajijic if this rental home is not quite what you want for yourself you can sell it and buy the home of your dreams having earned a year or two of rental income.

Whatever you decide to do a good realtor can be your best friend in putting this plan into action.

It is comforting to know that there are still deals available and money can still be made even though the economic crisis rages up north and around the world, a home in Ajijic is and will always be a great investment.

Lake Chapala Real Estate in Ajijic, Mexico

From there we rented a four bedroom house in upper La Floresta which had a tennis court and soccer field which was great for the kids. We were on the last street in front of the mountains and our house teemed with insect life. It was a very nice quiet community with good security. The house was very basic, however, and not particularly comfortable.

Thanks to friends we heard about a rental in lower Chula Vista which was a 5 bedroom house with a beautiful pool and large garden and we were extremely happy with this house as the rent was a virtual steal.

Over the years the rent did increase to properly reflect the grandeur of the property and we moved to a 4 bedroom rental in the Racquet Club in San Juan Cosala. This suited me fine as my son and I were avid tennis players the 10 court club was very well run and the views from the house and the tennis club were magnificent. Again it was very quiet with the possible exception of the donkeys just over the wall from our house who brayed happily only in the dead of night for some reason known only to them. We did find the drive back and forth a bit of a challenge and our children were going to school in Chapala at the time.

We next found a beautiful new 3 bedroom house in Villa Nova. This house was extremely well constructed with views both from stories and a pool, however, there was no garden to speak of and by this time we had three dogs.

Our old house in lower Chula Vista became available again and we happily moved back into it and we and our dogs were very happy.

It was about this time that I had come to the decision that renting was not the best way to go in any market so we looked for a property to purchase. I had thought that the house we needed without the 2 children would be very different than the house we needed with them being at home. Silly me! By then I realized that I children would never really leave home and if they did they would always come back to our magical village in the sun of Ajijic. For a few years we also had my father coming for several months every winter to get out of the frozen north.

Finding a house that gave us the bedrooms we needed was not easy but we finally found a house right down the street in Chula Vista from our dream rental. It had five bedrooms, a den, a pool and a garden for the dogs to play. . We bought it in 2000 and have been very happy every since.

Although I loved every area we lived in I was very happy to finally settle in Chula Vista. The kids could walk to school and were very close to Superlake, La Paz (liquor store), Tony’s Butcher Shop and Mail Boxes Etc. We were also on the right side of Ajijic for easy access to Puritan Poultry, The Animal Shelter, our wonderful vet, Antonio Ladron and Maskaras Clinic and, of course the beautiful Chula Vista Golf Course. What else could anyone ask for?

Buying a Home in Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Mexico

The first step is, of course, to come to Ajijic, Lake Chapala and see for yourself if this is the perfect place for you. It is not for everyone but if you like the beauty and peace of the area looking at a few properties with a reputable realtor makes total sense.

You might think renting makes some sense before deciding to buy but perhaps you may decide to buy as in this depressed market there are many very good deals to be had. If you are not ready to make the plunge to be here full time your realtor can assist you in renting your purchased property until you are ready make the move to be here full time. It is always good to have money coming in as opposed to paying it out in rent.

You will want to check out the various areas available in Ajijic, Lake Chapala and make a selection depending on what is important to you. (Such as view, pool, # of bedrooms, location, re-sale advantages, and whether or not you wish to move in and hang up your clothes and pictures or whether you are looking for a handyman’s delight.)

There are gated communities for those looking for enhanced security and some of them have communal pool and club house areas. Perhaps you want a traditional Mexican home in the village of Ajijic or a brand new home in a development with all the services in place.

In Ajijic, Lake Chapala there is truly something for everyone and we are sure you will find the exact property that fits your pocketbook and personal requirements.

Maybe you will do what we did which was to sell and city and country houses in Canada before we came to Ajijic. However, we had been here several times and knew this was where we wanted to be.

Once you have made the decision to buy in Ajijic, Lake Chapala your realtor can assist you with everything else. Finding your perfect property, helping you with immigration paperwork, recommending a trusted person to bring down your personal effects and all the legal ins and outs of owning a home in Mexico. They will also show you the infrastructure that is in place in Ajiic, Lake Chapala and we are sure this infrastructure will meet the needs of even the most discerning of buyers.

Usually you will stay in touch with your realtor for the first few months until you find your sea legs as it were. In some cases buyers and realtors become firm friends.

So your part is to decide whether or not Ajijic, Lake Chapala is the place for you and leave the rest to your realtor. A respectable and trusted realtor can make the entire process painless for you and your family.