[prone_to_wander]

So we have the opportunity to buy a small piece of land in Mexico near Puerto Vallarta. My best friend and her husband have already bought a bit and are living in Mexico. This is undeveloped land that would be perfect for off the grid living. It has a river beach and is beautiful. There are lots of development possibilities. There is a luxury development down the road from this place and they are selling at much much higher prices.<br><br>
PROS:<br>
I am really interested in off the grid/ sustainable living and we have dreamed with this friend (and others) about doing some of this together.<br><br>
The price is right. We could totally pull this money together. Easily. It may mean further down the road we have a bit less to put down on a house.<br><br>
We probably wouldn't live there full-time. But work out some sort of mish-mash of living in Canada and in Mexico.<br><br>
It would mean I'm much closer to my family. Right now we are in Hong Kong and it is so expensive to fly here. Our families would see us more if we lived in Mexico.<br><br>
CONS:<br>
I've never actually been to Mexico. This isn't a huge deal in my mind as I am already and expat and very flexible as far as where I live.<br><br>
We probably would have to buy the land sight-unseen. (But my best friend and her Mexican DH, who I trust, has already bought land there (right across the river) and could help us). We could send my DH to Mexico but the ticket there is like 1/3 of the price of the land AND he'd have to leave like...tomorrow and come back immediately. I'm 37 weeks pregnant and can't go.<br><br>
I'm 37 weeks pregnant and really not good at making decisions like this. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/redface.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Embarrassment"> I usually am better at making impromptu decisions that involve little to no money.<br><br>
It doesn't completely fit in my plan for life...but I feel like I'm being unflexible. Here an opportunity has presented itself and I'm dragging my heels because it isn't 100% what I expected.<br><br>
We can't ignore the opportunity much longer. This month is the best time to buy it due to a better highway/new airport and other developments that are going to push up the price.<br><br>
What would you do ladies? Jump at the adventure? Or wait it out and see? Or let it pass you by?

 

[krisnic]

I would do it if I still felt the pull to go forward after sleeping on it for a night. If it's something you planned on doing anyway. It would be a good investment regardless.

 

[eclipse]

You really need to make sure you understand how Mexican laws work with regards to foreigners owning land. It's my understanding that foreigners cannot actually own land within 50 miles of the coast or national borders. There are mechanisms for foreigners sort of having a proxy ownership via bank trusts that last 99 years (I think) and are renewable and transferable and allow you to build as long as you follow local permits and building codes, but they involve annual fees, and I'm not sure what happens if, in the future, the Mexican government wants the land. It's a little different for your friend, if her husband is a Mexican citizen, as he can own the land outright. You also have to make sure you're dealing with lawyers and real estate agents that are on the up and up. A lot of foreign nationals "own" land in this way and do it successfully and without any problems, but there have been horror stories about people losing their dream homes because the bank/lawyer/agent didn't dot all the i's and cross all their t's, or were out and out scam artists. I say this as an American who lives in Mexico and might buy land here someday - it's not a decision that I would make rashly, and you need to make sure you do due dilligence on everything involved. It does help that you have someone on the ground who speaks the language that you can trust. If you do decide to go for it, some advice - EVERYTHING here is negotiable, particularly real estate. If you make an offer, low ball it.

 

[StarJune]

This thread is interesting to me. Thinking of buying some land down south, not necessarily in Mexico.<br><br>
Subbing.

 

[echospiritwarrior]

I have some friends who had some land in Mexico. They hadn't been there in quite a while and when they went back there was a family living there.<br><br>
Things work quite a bit differently there.

 

[bender]

I'd also be worried about using the water nearby and pollution. Mexico was a lot more lax on littering and pollution than the states when I visited. This is especially true if the land is near a resort or planned resort.

 

[zebra15]

I wouldnt do it.

 

[lookatreestar]

im mixed on this. we own a house in MX but my dh was raised there (his childhood home) and obviously speaks the language. if he was born here i would have a few more reservations about it...

 

[phathui5]

How is your overall financial situation? Do you have any debt? Do you have a good sized emergency fund?