May 31, 2009
‘Men at work’ build homes in Mexico
By Teresa Howell
For The Signal
First Presbyterian Church, in Newhall, sends group of volunteers to Tijuana on mission trip.
Sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church of Newhall, six men left on their Amor Ministries trip April 24 and returned April 27.
Characterizing the all-male work group as “the finishers,” John Favalessa, one of six, said, “It was the best trip ever. We finished three homes. We hand-mixed stucco and applied two full coats to one home and one coat of stucco to two homes. Now three families have snug, warm homes. The roofs and walls are solid and do not leak.”
Don Trammell, the group’s leader, explained they were among the first groups heading for Tijuana after spring break to work. According to Trammell, Amor took thousands of eager, inexperienced youth volunteers over spring break and threw them into starting as many homes as they can. read more »
May 28, 2009
By Keith Darcé, Union-Tribune Staff Writer
TIJUANA — About 1 million adult Californians seek health care in Mexico each year – and that figure is likely growing as the recession expands the ranks of the uninsured who are drawn to cheaper care south of the border, said the lead researcher of the first major report on the topic released Tuesday.
These people live from the Bay Area to San Diego County. Most come to Mexico for prescription drugs and dental care, and a smaller number go for surgeries. Beyond finances, other factors prompting individuals to head south include language and cultural barriers.
Living within 15 miles of the border also greatly increases the likelihood of someone obtaining health services in Mexico. read more »
May 26, 2009
House Search
So you finally find your dream beachfront home within one of the best Baja Communities and what’s better, at an amazing price. Here are a few tips that can help you gain the upper-hand when negotiating the price on that special Baja property.
- Keep in mind that there are no perfect homes in the market unless you are prepared to pay the price for them, fix some details or better yet, construct your own.
- Write down your necessities, features and things that you want, on that same list mark things down that you can live or do without. This will get rid of uncertainty, indecision and evade buyer’s guilt.
- Act swiftly when you come across a good Baja real estate deal. Waiting will only craft more opportunities for contending offers.
- Once you’ve found what you want, get a market analysis (CMA – comparable market analysis) of properties sold in the last three or six months, your Baja real estate Agent will be more than happy to help you get this information. The nearer the comparables are to the existing market the more precise your offer will be.
- Resolve your financial reach – how high are you prepared to go and be at ease with the payments.
- Write down your best offer, price and stipulations. Stay away from multiple offer situations by being the first to take the advantage and get it under contract. This isn’t the time to be undecided and play guessing games.
See more Baja real estate and Mexico real estate. Look here for a trusted Baja Real Estate Agent.
May 23, 2009
Palacio Del Mar
AMPI stands for Asociación Mexicana de Profesionales Inmobiliarios (Mexican Association of Real Estate Professionals). It is pretty much the Mexican version of NAR. Its Agents like to keep themselves up to date on the local market and follow the same ethical standards as in the US.
Last Wednesday May 20 about 30 AMPI Professional Agents gather to tour Baja real estate along the Rosarito coast and refresh their knowledge on what is readily available on this market. The tour started at Whales Tale coffee shop inside Bajamar where Mona Key served complimentary coffee and donuts. After touring Bajamar Golf Course with Mimi Mills, the group continued north to La Mision, Plaza del Mar, Marena Cove and ended at Palacio del Mar where they were greeted by the Developers and the Sales Team. read more »
May 16, 2009
Boomers Buying Baja Lots
Since the early days in Baja, US Citizens have been buying residential Beach Front and Ocean View lots , building their dream Beach House, and for an increasing number, their retirement homes. Many of the older and more stable communities in Playas de Rosarito such as Las Gaviotas , Real Del Mar , San Antonio Del Mar and Mission Viejo and Punta Piedra all started out selling lots, most of which had very good building restrictions in place.
These Baja communities have established a reputation as a great place to live or buy a home. Over the last few years, with the increase in demand along the coast, many Americans had given up the idea of building and went with new condo construction. However, once again retirees are looking at their future and they are opting to cash in now for the perfect location and buying a lot while taking advantage of the current pricing advantage here in Baja. read more »
May 16, 2009
Club Marena Villas
In 1989 the partners of the Club Marena Development decided to take beautiful strip of the Baja coast in a well know cove, south of Rosarito, to create some of the most premium Baja Real Estate that the area had ever seen. The land was originally owned by the Cota family and was a popular camping spot from as far back as the 1940’s. Surfers from around the world would set up camp to sample the smooth pealing point waves. Surfing Legends the likes of Skip Fry, Corky Carrol and Jerry Lopez would dawn the point for pleasure and even a few completions.
Marena’s decision to transform this idyllic piece of Baja into the Coast’s first true luxury development turned out to me a monumental one. Twenty-Seven luxury villas & one custom home-site were planned, for phase one, of what would become one of the coasts most successful residential resorts. An impressive clubhouse, a spectacular spa and an infinity edge pool were all part of the plan. read more »
May 16, 2009
Rodolfo Elizondo
The Head of the Tourism Secretariat in Mexico, Rodolfo Elizondo and the Quintana Roo State Governor, Félix González Canto, announced this Friday May 15th that the United States Center for Disease Control lifted its restriction for traveling to Mexico.
Both personalities informed the measure before local entrepreneurs and celebrated it as the first step in lifting the travel alert issued by the United States due to the Swine Flu outbreak in Mexico.
Elizondo Torres, who held a similar reunion with entrepreneurs from the tourism sector in the Riviera Maya, indicated that the lifting of such restriction will suppose the possibility of accelerating the second phase of the promotional campaign targeting mainly tourists from the US and Canada. read more »
May 15, 2009
Linda Ellerbee
Sometimes I’ve been called a maverick because I don’t always agree with my colleagues, but then, only dead fish swim with the stream all the time. The stream here is Mexico.
You would have to be living on another planet to avoid hearing how dangerous Mexico has become, and, yes, it’s true drug wars have escalated violence in Mexico , causing collateral damage, a phrase I hate. Collateral damage is a cheap way of saying that innocent people, some of them tourists, have been robbed, hurt or killed.
But that’s not the whole story. Neither is this. This is my story.
read more »
May 12, 2009
I guess lot of people that are undecided to move full time to Baja wonder what they will do down here to keep on been productive? Well there are a few options for you Guys.
Baja is a land of opportunities and especially for entrepreneurs, here a lot of things are still to come and you can be part of that change, many Americans refer to Baja today as the Miami of the 50’s with the benefit that the weather is better all year long and no hurricanes.
Now if you are not an entrepreneur you can be employed by an American company to work from home; actually US lead this modality with more than 25% of the productive population (according to John Daniels- www.Monster.com) in different parts of the chain, from a consultant (free lance) to telemarketing.
Depending on the position and responsibilities that you have in the company work can be flexible with your new Baja lifestyle, here you can be watching the dolphins in the comfort of you’re terrace wile you work on the laptop or be available to take a call next to the pool. read more »
May 2, 2009
El Mirador in Ensenada
The Santa Anita town is once again the middle of territorial dispute between the governments of Ensenada and Rosarito; this after Ensenada built a welcoming message to the city in the conflicting sector, claiming the territory which has been in quarrel for almost fourteen years.
Rosarito City Mayor, Hugo Torres Chabert, pointed out that he will file a demand to the Baja California State Congress so the city limit between Rosarito and Ensenada is settled once and for all, this to avoid further conflicts like the ones happening.
read more »
