We recently bought a home in SMA and I am interested in hearing from year-round as well as part time residents. We will be there in mid-July for ten days and then return in August/September for a longer spell. Gracias.

I live on Relox and am building a second house above El Mirador.
[email protected]
M

Hola casaj,

Your e-mail was on my blocked domain and I got an illegal address trying to contact you.

M

Sorry. I do not understand why that is. I will try again right now to reach you.

Hola. I just emailed you again. If you cannot retrieve it, please let me know on this board. Thanks.

My wife and I will be in SMdeA - next hurricane permitting - for the Fiestas in late September and would like to meet people who are seriously thinking in moving to town in order to exchange information. We have bought a lot in Colonia Los Frailes and will not built until we get used to the new environment. We have visited SMdeA twice and intend to make our final move early in November. We already love SM yet we believe that you get one impression while you are on vacation and another one when you are confronted with the daily routine. Any input will be highly appreciated.

peluche,
You are welcome to pick our brains.
[email protected] (or earthlink.net).
You are welcome to visit if you are near El Mirador some day.
M

Thanks for your early response Mikemo.

We are looking for an early retirement and after visiting several cities in Mexico, we came to the conclusion that SMdeA, in spite of its size, is the place that has most to offer from different angles. We still would like to visit Morelia and Patzcuaro and find out how they compare with SM. We also would like to browse the Pacific coast. Any suggestions? We have preferred to rent a small casita in Atascadero for $500 a month which appears to be a great deal although we don't know the place. It seems to be cheaper to build than buying a property in spite of the hassle. Am I right? I have read almost every book about the city and browse the Internet from top to bottom and according to some "experts" a couple could live very confortably with not less than $2,500. Is this true? Would this figure exclude housing? I think some "writers" mention lower figures to incentivate people. In any event, any help will be greatly appreciated and, yes, we would try to visit once we get there. Could you provide us with address/phone perhaps?
Many thanks

peluche,
send me an e-mail and I'll foward my tel # and address.
Atascadero is just to the NE.
Residential property is expensive and getting bubble-like more so.
If you own a house, expenses are fairly small:
I had a very nice 2000+ ft2 house on Reloj with 3 BR, 3 BA, LR, DR, Sunporch, K, two patios and a small garage. I needed my housekeeper only 3 days a week ($335. MXN - about $30.50 US). The property taxes were $137. a year.
Tel $16.80.; Electric $15.; water $15. + bottled drinking water @ $1.35 for 20 L; gas $30. per month annualized.
Auto liability insurance is required ($180. a year), but there is effectively no H/O, fire or other liability insurance (risk).
Food prices in the markets run close to low US, but the fresh fruit, produce and meats are better quality.
M

mikemo,
Could you please give me an idea about house prices in San Miguel de Allende. Not the most expensive and not the cheapest, but the average cost of a house that a typical expat lives in? It's hard to tell from the hundreds of sites on the internet.
thanks.

Does San Miguel de Allende have nice fitness centers with a pool, bike & hiking paths, and english language bookstores?

marigold,

As usual, location is paramount. The Centro is expensive overall, but there are occasional bargains. San Antonio, Los Frailes, and the east ends of Balcones and Atascadero are more reasonable.
There is so much variability that there really is no easy answer.
Additionally, many really great houses are available only by "word of mouth" as no multiple listing equivalent exists and some agents are reluctant to let others know that a house is available - not great for a seller.
I think the only way to fully comprehend the real estate market is to spend a day with each of about 5 or 6 agents from both MX and gringo r/e agencies. www.selectrealestate.com.mx has a mix of properties, but is by no means "complete".
I would guess that today one might expect to spend $250 - $500K for a nice place in a desireable area, but there are many on either side of those #'s. Additionally, lot prices are not quite so expensive and there are 2 or 3 quality architects/general contractors who do exceptional construction work. Many expats go that route.
degas,
English language bookstores are essentially nonexistent and most (all)US online companies don't ship to MX. Best way to get books is to buy on line and ship to someone in the US who travels to SMdA.
I would suggest you get a copy of Joseph Harmes' "The Best of SMdA" for the other questions. Basically yes, but the fitness centers, hiking and biking are dispersed.
M

mikemo, thank you for the info.