Join us in our hunt for housing! We actually only toured 3 homes and chose one of them. I'm so glad we were able to find one that would work for us so quickly. I took pictures of the other 2 homes we saw to give anyone who is considering moving here and idea of what to expect. You can browse rentals on https://www.vivanuncios.com.mx/ but it's always good to use a realtor as not all of the rentals you see are updated when they get rented.
House #1:
This one was $25,000 pesos/month ($1,266 USD). It was a 3 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath and fully furnished. It had a covered parking area and a small pool and grassy area. It had a 2-in-1 washer dryer. This was a very quiet neighborhood and had really pretty landscaping. It didn't work for us as a family of 4 with smaller children, but I think this would be perfect for a family with older children or a couple. It's 3 stories and the finishes were nice. My children just would have got lost on those 3 stories I'm sure! There was a nice balcony with an area to plant some things in the front and one of the bedrooms had a balcony-which also had a ladder leading to the roof and I just imagined my kids trying to go up there and said NOPE.
House #2
This one was in the northern part of Merida in Temozon Norte. It was $24,000 Pesos/month ($1,215 USD) 3 Bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms, fully furnished, washer/dryer combo. It had some nice finishes and was nice an open. It had a pool and grassy area as well.
It had a community area with tennis courts and a lounge area. The grounds were well kept and it was a nice place. It just didn't work for us personally because Hubby didn't have a designated area he could work in and there was nowhere for guests to stay. Definitely a cute place though!
Points and tips to keep in mind:
-Mostly every rental place requires, upfront, 1 month's rent, 1 month's deposit, and a third month's deposit if you don't have someone you know(who owns a home in Mexico) who can sign and vouch for you. Plus they charge anywhere from 6,000-22,000 for the lawyer and rental agreement.
-Be sure to ask if they allow pets. I haven't seen any that charge an extra deposit for pets(thank goodness) but they do seem to prefer smaller pets vs. larger and some none at all.
-Check to see if there are A/C units in the main living area and all of the bedrooms because it gets hot and it's pretty much a must.
-Check water pressure. Older places have iffy water pressure so make sure that the showers and faucets have a good flow. I have heard there is a pump that can be bought to help with water pressure but I don't know the details.
-Ask if toilet paper can be flushed! Unless you don't mind putting your dirty tp in the trash, be sure and ask this little tidbit of information. I have heard mixed things from people. The pipes in the older parts of town are very small and cannot handle the tp. Some of the newer places have the larger pipes. I have also been told if you are in the northern area outside of the Periferico(main highway around the city) that it is ok too. Just be sure and ask!
-Be sure and clarify what is included in your rent and how you can pay. They go over this in the rental agreement and walk-thru but better to know before that. Some include water, internet, garbage, guard facilities, and gas. Others only include basic internet, garbage, and guard facilities. They never include electricity. That's always on you and it's always the most expensive bill.
-The landlord won't always be agreeable to fix things so they often say once you start renting that you are on your own for repairs. However, some will allow you to keep the receipt and deduct it from that month's rent. Others will go ahead and take care of it for you. We were told this is a verbal exchange and does not go into the agreement.
-It's a good idea to take pictures of everything that is included in the home during the walk-thru and take pictures after you move out. Just to cover all your bases.
So what does our new place look like?! Stay tuned for a future post!
~Bee
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