Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 2:29 pm Post subject: How safe is Mexico
The few times i have been in Mexico i am always keyed up, wary of danger. The longer i stay the more comfortable i get. But i havent been there in a number of years. In the places where Americans and Canadians live in Mexico, is it relatively safe? I would hate the idea of having the feeling that i am living in a fortress - i.e.; a gated community with armed guards. Anyone who could advise me on this issue, i would be very grateful.
Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 9:17 pm Post subject: Hottest retirement real estate markets in Mexico
Regarding the original post here, there has been a lot of publicity here in late 2008 about kidnappings, specifically of wealthy people in the cities. There appears to be a lot less of that in the communities normally used for retirement.
Market Watch just had an interesting article about the hottest places in Mexico to retire to. The places you fly in to - Puerta Vallarta, Mazatlan, and La Paz are appreciating at "8-10" per year, according to Tom Kelly, a Seattle-based real estate author with a specialty in foreign property. He is an author of "Cashing in on a Second Home in Mexico". He warns to stay away from the drive-in corridor of Ensenada, which is dangerous, and Puerto Penasco which is overbuilt. http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/fly-locales-offer-best-mexico-second-home/story.aspx
There was an editorial in the Clovis New Mexico paper recently that talks about the danger to U.S. retirees living in Mexico.
http://www.cnjonline.com/opinion/live_32539___article.html/fear_south.html
Here is what it said in part:
"Increasing numbers of U.S. citizens are choosing to move to Mexico when they retire. According to the Mexican Association of Retirement Communities, about 1.2 million American and Canadian retirees already live in Mexico, and as the U.S. economy worsens even more are expected to head south, where their retirement income can go farther."
The article goes on to say that increasing violence in many parts of Mexico could be unsettling to these retirees, and that there is nothing the U.S. could do to protect them.
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:24 pm Post subject: Violence is bad in Mexico
My 20 something nephew just got through telling me how bad the violence is Mexico. He is a big surfer and has driven many times down the Baja through Tijuana - says it has never been worse. Today's paper had a story about how the violence is even extending into the US in Tucson and southern Arizona. From my point of view i wouldnt drive anywhere in Mexico right now and i would steer completely free of 100 miles of the US border. Towns like San Miguel de Allende, Aijic, and Puerto Vallarta are probably positive exceptions until the current crisis is over.
Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 11:59 am Post subject: Mexico Safety
I have been going to Mexico since 1966 for a total of about 33 trips of lengths varying from 1 week to 6 weeks. Initially I found it very important to be at least 300 miles into Mexico and now I would say more like 500 miles. I avoid towns that the government has built as tourista towns (Cancun, Zihuantnejo, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo, etc and spend my time in towns like Mazatlan on the coast or Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, Morelia, (Colonial towns), etc.
I have never been threatened (last year was there for 4 weeks) and have always felt safe, but in part this is because I ALWAYS consider myself a guest and am respectful of their way of life. I am currently looking at property between Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende to buy and build on. I know that it will be a 3+ year process before the home is "finished" but that is to be expected as that is Mexico.
RE:Drug gangs and violance mnetioned by others. I would suggest they publish the US statistics for murder in the US of families and gang violance. There are as many here as there!
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