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Saludos! I have been visiting Rosarito area for many years in a
Worldmark timeshare. Will be retiring end of this year from the central valley
and considering living there half time. Really appreciate the wealth of
info from this forum, also the sense of humor :). Do you have any advice
for which condo to buy. Budget is up to 175k . Need a walking beach,
can walk to town. There seems to be lots of choices. Just need good
recommendations and advice. I don't know if there are condo owners
in the group.
Gracias! Imelda

Hi Imelda,

and to the forum!

Considering Rosarito in particular, I'd have a read on a long, long thread on another forum about known problems with title in the area.

For sure it's a good idea to rent first, and then if you are certain you want to buy, employ a good attorney with plenty of solid references.

Welcome to the pueblo!

I second Marty's advice. It takes a while to get familiar enough with an area, and it's residents, to make what hopefully will be a lasting home ownership decision.

I understand the desire to get settled, but moving twice is a small price to pay for getting it right.

Congratulations on your retirement!

I don't have any information on condo purchases, but can refer you to the Realtor I used to rent my place in Cantamar. She is very nice and more important has a great reputation. I have found her to be excellent in every way. She is also a native of Rosarito and a long term Realtor.
I tried to work with several others before I found her and most didn't even respond to email or calls.

As far as Rosarito is concerned, I can only tell you that my experience has been great. I have been all over the city and have never felt uncomfortable or threatened in any way. The people are friendly, especially if you make the effort to say hello first. i have never heard a gun shot or even heard an angry word from anyone.

While I don't think anyone should stick their head in the sand (or anywhere else) regarding the problems down here, my experience has been that unless you are out running around at 2:00 in the morning or looking to buy drugs, I feel safer here than I would driving down Pacific Blvd. in Compton or Huntington Park. I just moved from Seattle and there are plenty of areas there that I wouldn't think of going after dark and some not in broad daylight.

I definitely agree with the advice to rent first before buying. I originally thought I wanted to be here in Cantamar but once I got my horse, I realized that La Mision was the best place for world class riding trails and one of the prettiest beaches in all of Mexico.

Good luck with your research and as you already know, this forum is a great place to get answers and advice.

Originally Posted by Marty Cortez

Hi Imelda,

and to the forum!

Considering Rosarito in particular, I'd have a read on a long, long thread on another forum about known problems with title in the area.

For sure it's a good idea to rent first, and then if you are certain you want to buy, employ a good attorney with plenty of solid references.

Marty, if you are talking about Maggie's Madness, I am not sure what her agenda is, but I keep reading things on her blog about stuff that supposedly happened in Rosarito, when I was actually there and saw nothing like what she posted. One of her postings said that Rosarito was deserted on a particular day due to violence in the streets. Funny thing is that I was in town shopping that day for over 4 hours at Home Depot, Calimax, Banamex and Commercial Mexicana. All were busy and downtown certainly looked normal to me.

I certainly understand that the violence does exist, but the statistics are pretty clear that 99% of that is drug related and does not effect people who are minding their own business.

Originally Posted by TravelPro787

Marty, if you are talking about Maggie's Madness, I am not sure what her agenda is, but I keep reading things on her blog about stuff that supposedly happened in Rosarito, when I was actually there and saw nothing like what she posted.

Maggie pretty much quotes local newspapers, and gives references. That's not her agenda at work.

I certainly understand that the violence does exist, but the statistics are pretty clear that 99% of that is drug related and does not effect people who are minding their own business.

Speaking of references....do you have any for that statistic?

Originally Posted by TravelPro787

Marty, if you are talking about Maggie's Madness, I am not sure what her agenda is, but I keep reading things on her blog about stuff that supposedly happened in Rosarito, when I was actually there and saw nothing like what she posted. One of her postings said that Rosarito was deserted on a particular day due to violence in the streets. Funny thing is that I was in town shopping that day for over 4 hours at Home Depot, Calimax, Banamex and Commercial Mexicana. All were busy and downtown certainly looked normal to me.

I certainly understand that the violence does exist, but the statistics are pretty clear that 99% of that is drug related and does not effect people who are minding their own business.

Rosarito is about as scary as a chihuahua with no teeth.

Originally Posted by DENNIS

Maggie pretty much quotes local newspapers, and gives references. That's not her agenda at work.





Speaking of references....do you have any for that statistic?

I recently read a report that was published by a US research group. I will see if I can find it again. I think the total number of foreigners killed in the period they studied (mid 2010 through mid-2011) was less than 30. They were specific about the difference between those killed who were clearly involved in the drug trade versus those who were not.

The Maggie's Madness report I spoke of was strictly an observation on her part, not a news release.

While i do understand that she usually quotes news sources, I don't think there is much doubt about which way her blog leans. Not a lot of positive information about Baja.

Originally Posted by Zoesterone

Rosarito is about as scary as a chihuahua with no teeth.

That has certainly been my experience and I hope more tourists will begin to realize that.

I did see a caravan of RVs heading south on the toll road yesterday when I went down to La Mision to feed my horse. 10 or 12 total and some very high end rigs included in the mix. If they would have stopped along the way, I would have stopped and thanked them. The locals have suffered greatly due to a lot of one sided reporting in the states. I have my own opinions on why the reporting and travel advisories are so one sided.

I do know that the 4th. of July and Labor Day weekends were the best in a long time down here. I talked to a lot of local merchants who were caught completely off guard with the increase and on the 4th you were lucky to find a lot of staples in the mercados here in Primo Tapia.

Originally Posted by TravelPro787

While i do understand that she usually quotes news sources, I don't think there is much doubt about which way her blog leans. Not a lot of positive information about Baja.

Not at all positive, but it still reflects the news of the day in the area and just because it's unflattering doesn't mean she's putting her twist on events as reported.
Why do you try to assign the negativity to her rather than the reality of the events? Seems a bit disingenuous and misleading.
I'm thankful that we have a source of local news that doesn't confine itself to restaurant reports and tourism "smoke 'n mirrors."
I'm guessing by your screen name that you have a different agenda.

I read Maggie's blog from time to time and I have to give her credit for the amount of effort she makes and the information she digs up. Here on the forum we have a news feed that works off a keyword search that picks up narco/violence related stories and posts them. Stories that need translation are not picked up and many of these stories never make the news media north of the border so in that regard, Maggie does provide a useful service.

Some acuse her of having an "anti-Baja" bias but if you read her blog you will find out that just isn't so. Her focus however is not to promote Baja / Mexico but to publish the stories that don't make the mainstream news. And like it or not, she does a good job of that.

Years ago I had a business in Long Beach and my work would take me on occasion to areas bordering South Central LA. That was literally a war zone in every sense of the word and yet several blocks away one would have little clue as to what was going less than a mile away.

My guess is that the same thing happens down here...

BG, Get with the times. Per L.A. City (F.D./P.D.) policy, "South Central..." shall NOT be used! It connotates a negative view of the area. That same area is now "South L.A.". And even futher, it's broken up in sub-sections: "Manchester Square, Vermont Meadows, etc.

Originally Posted by BajaGringo

I read Maggie's blog from time to time and I have to give her credit for the amount of effort she makes and the information she digs up. Here on the forum we have a news feed that works off a keyword search that picks up narco/violence related stories and posts them. Stories that need translation are not picked up and many of these stories never make the news media north of the border so in that regard, Maggie does provide a useful service.

Some acuse her of having an "anti-Baja" bias but if you read her blog you will find out that just isn't so. Her focus however is not to promote Baja / Mexico but to publish the stories that don't make the mainstream news. And like it or not, she does a good job of that.

Years ago I had a business in Long Beach and my work would take me on occasion to areas bordering South Central LA. That was literally a war zone in every sense of the word and yet several blocks away one would have little clue as to what was going less than a mile away.

My guess is that the same thing happens down here...

The problem I have is what would the average citizen think of any place in the world if they based their judgements on only negative news reporting. I get the feeling from reading her blog that if someone gets a hangnail in Rosarito it will lead to infection and most likely amputation or death. (To exagerate a bit!)

Originally Posted by DENNIS

Not at all positive, but it still reflects the news of the day in the area and just because it's unflattering doesn't mean she's putting her twist on events as reported.
Why do you try to assign the negativity to her rather than the reality of the events? Seems a bit disingenuous and misleading.
I'm thankful that we have a source of local news that doesn't confine itself to restaurant reports and tourism "smoke 'n mirrors."
I'm guessing by your screen name that you have a different agenda.

And you would be wrong. My screen name is a reflection of 15 years of hard core travel when I managed business operations in Latin America and Asia Pacific. I have no business interests in Mexico or anywhere else. I am simply a retired gringo who is tired of seeing the local people suffer for things that are out of their control.

Two weeks after I moved from Seattle, 13 people were killed at an antique car show that had gone on for 35 years. I don't recall any travel advisories for Tacoma. Detroit and Washington DC are two of the most dangerous cities in the US. When was the last time you saw a travel advisory for Detroit or DC? I have spent a lot of time in DC and I can assure you I would feel much safer walking down Avenida Revolution in Tijuana at 10 pm than I would 4 blocks from our nation's capital at 10 am.

Originally Posted by TravelPro787

My screen name is a reflection of 15 years of hard core travel when I managed business operations in Latin America and Asia Pacific.

Sooo...you immortalize your suitcase in that memory. Interesting.

I am simply a retired gringo who is tired of seeing the local people suffer for things that are out of their control.

Sooo...with that altruistic goo in mind, you decide to isolate a news messenger, a foreigner at that, and brand her as a source of negativism in the area.

Detroit and Washington DC are two of the most dangerous cities in the US. When was the last time you saw a travel advisory for Detroit or DC?

Good point. One you should be addressing to the State Department.
Ok....that said, what does it have to do with the crime rate in Rosarito? let's stick to the point so these red herrings don't dilute it.

Hey Calirn, welcome aboard ... maybe next time you could ask about riding bicycles down MEX 1...

While i do understand that she usually quotes news sources, I don't think there is much doubt about which way her blog leans. Not a lot of positive information about Baja.[/QUOTE]






I think you get the wrong picture of Maggie, she reports it like it is I dont question her love of Baja I think she despises the people that come here and try to change the Baja she loves

Originally Posted by J.P.

While i do understand that she usually quotes news sources, I don't think there is much doubt about which way her blog leans. Not a lot of positive information about Baja.

I think you get the wrong picture of Maggie, she reports it like it is I dont question her love of Baja I think she despises the people that come here and try to change the Baja she loves[/QUOTE]

Fair reporting would be comparing and contrasting what happens in Rosarito/Tijuana to the other areas where Mexico is having problems. If those problems are happening on the Mainland or 200 plus miles away is that an indication of whats happening here in Northern Baja. Maybe Maggie should compare and contrast to the types of crimes that have been happening in San Diego to whats happening in Baja. She's getting more attention because of the sensationalism. If someone gets robbed at gun point in Baja she makes it sound like this is happening every fifteen minutes.

Welcome new newbie. We were new in April. Down from Toronto. As to where to buy in Rosarito, I agree you should rent first and get a feel for different areas. I can recommend a very hard-working honest Realtor who hails from Canada as well, if you PM me.

As to the violence, haven't seen anything not drug related in our short time here, BUUUUUTTTTT, we can't believe the number of violent crimes we've seen on the San Diego local news every night!!!! Holy mackerel! We're not sure if we should be going NOB very often.

Forgot to mention we love Baja and love living in Rosarito. Don't let the nervous nellies get to you.

Thanks for the welcome mat. I am familiar with the blog of Maggie. If you read it, you would never set foot in Baja but like a lot of you me encanta Baja.
I know the wise thing to do is rent for 6 months before you buy but you
want to catch the right wave in real estate also.I bet a lot of people regretted
buying those overpriced condos 3 years ago when the market was hot.
I will PM some of you who had recs for good realtors. Also thank you
Teniente for going out of your way to send me info.