Best time to move to Mazatlan

[Linda Clark]

I had set a date to move to Mazatlan (permantly) on March 1, 2010. However, it occurs to me that because it is the time of year for the best climate, and I won't find as large an assortment of rental houses; that I should consider moving down later in the year - say May?

[Senor Marcos]

Greetings Linda,

I'll try to be as concise here as possible, but there are a lot of points to consider. To begin with, I've been visiting Mazatlán since 1991, and have lived here on and off during those years. Since you want to move here permanently I'll address the concerns of someone looking for a long-term rental.

(1) be very attentive to the weeks of Semana Santa ( the week leading up to Easter ) and the week following which is a weeklong festival of motorcycle enthusiasts, as well as the week of Carnaval. The exact dates here change from year to year, but you certainly want to avoid dropping into town ( Mazatlán ) during those times. Semana Santa will almost certainly be booked solid throughout the town, and the week following still at high capacity. Same thing applies for Carnaval, perhaps even more challenging to find a room.

(2) the best approach to renting long term is to approach this in several steps ( assuming of course that money is a consideration ).

(2a) find an affordable hotel room, or short term rental that is agreeable to you. This is where to stay while you are looking for your rental at the next level - most likely at 3 to 6 months. There are many furnished and unfurnished rentals available towards El Centro, ranging from 2000 pesos through 3500 pesos, but they take a few days to find.

(3a) take a few days to get to know people around town. If you speak spanish it will be very helpful, as all the best deals are handled in that language - after all, we are in México. The locals know where the deals are at. Also, you can drive around and look for signs saying "Rental" or even better "Se renta". Again, the operative concept here is to think like a Mexican. Expats tend to think in dollars and will pay prices that a Mexican would never consider. Mexicans think in terms of the local economy, and are generally ashamed to charge prices that are unreasonable.

Note that most rentals at a decent price will require a "contract" ranging from 6 months to a year. However, if you break the contract you simply lose your deposit - equal to a full month's rent. Noone will get angry. Nothing will go on record. You simply lose your deposit. I generally like to explain that I might be breaking the lease early, and as long as they get there last month's rent that there won't be any hard feelings.

(4a) When searching for a long term ( permanent ) rental, I often take 6 months to a year to find my dream rental. Many times this involves speaking with the owners months before a vacancy actually appears. Building this relationship beforehand is the key to locking in that ideal apartment or house. I once score an apartment in Olas Altas on the beach for 800 pesos a month using this approach. I kept that apartment for several years. I mean - it was less than $1000.00 USD for the entire year.

(5a) Consider whether you want something furnished or unfurnished. If you are willing to furnish the place yourself, you can save lots of cash in the amount of rent. Most unfurnished apartments ( outside of Olas Altas ) in the Centro district rent for 2000 to 3000 pesos a month. However, furnishing an apartment in México can run from $1500.00 USD to $2000.00 USD. Remember that an unfurnished apartment generally includes a toilet, shower and not much else. No refrigerator, no stove, and even sometimes no water heater. Appliances and furniture are more expensive in México than in the States or Canada. Buying used is often the way to go, but this is slow going. Quality used stuff is hard to find, as most folks simply keep working stuff within the family, rather than selling it at a loss.

(6a) renting directly from the owners is always the most affordable way to go. My apologies to the realtors and rental agents, but this is simply a fact of life. If money isn't an object, then using a rep can save you a lot of time and energy. If money does matter - I highly recommend going directly to the owners. They don't mind. They just want to rent their properties. Knowing the owner on a personal basis goes a long way to securing a long and happy experience with your place of residence.

I hope this helps and that I didn't assume to much. Perhaps you are one of the fortunate ones who doesn't need to worry about money. One thing I can tell you, Méxicans enjoy folks spending their money freely as much as anyone else, but they respect more the folks who know the value of a peso. They can relate to you more if they see your situation is more similar to theirs.

Sincerely,
mark young - [e-mail]

[Linda Clark]

Mark,

Thank you so VERY much for all the information. I'm sorry I haven't responded before this; but I am having trouble with my computer shutting off when I least expect it. After I hook up my new computer this next week, I hope to continue talking to you - if you don't mind - about other questions I have.

thanks again, Linda