TalkBaja.com » Baja Mexico Forums » Moving to Baja Full/Part Time

I'm new to this forum. Been exploring Baja Sur as a possible place to move to, it will be a few years away but doing as much research now as I can with some trips in the planning stages. I read the other couple of forums on the net to get other takes on it. Grew up in SoCal and want to get back to the ocean. Been looking at taking a trip to Todos Santos as both of us want a place that is as casual as possible, laid back with some other gringos around . But real estate is high there it seems. Has it gone down any since the recession? We live in the NW for the 25 years and need to get back to the sunshine.

Welcome to the forum daydreamer. Todos Santos does have a reputation as being expensive. Is that the only area you would consider???

No, just seeking a laid back place near the ocean, with "some" amenities like power, internet, a place for some groceries. You know, looking to simplify a bit. Don`t really want to be up north.

Oh, and thanks for the welcome

Welcome aboard!!!!

Are you "stuck" on Baja Sur, or would you consider other areas???

I have some friends that have relocated to San Carlos,Sonora. They enjoy the heck out it. That was the first investigation, but both of us want to be near the ocean. Seems like any place on the ocean nob is a 1% kinda thing.

How's about Baja (norte)???

May sound lame, but I have been thinking it would be safer the further south of the border we go.

Daydreamer, check your private message box

Hola daydreamer!

Each of us is attracted to the areas we end up in based on our own unique personal criteria & which place speaks to our heart. As BajaGringo said, Todos Santos is $$$$ & being billed as an "Artist Colony", IMO, it tends to attract a higher than normal ratio of monied folks.

I believe in the end, it'll boil down to finding an area that satisfies all or most of your requirements. Do you need to be within reasonable distance to a hospital, or would a country clinic suffice for your current medical needs? Do you care how near/far the closest international airport is? Other than on-grid, ocean & gringos in the area, what else is on your must have list? Does heat bother you? Wind? The occasional hurricane? How picky are you about food? Will you die if the corner tienda doesn't stock the brands of things you're used to? There are many different degrees of roughing it!

Most areas have either a local forum or at minimum, a lot of online information about different areas. Just Google Todos Santos, La Paz, Loreto, etc. to get an idea of the kind of local amenities & lifestyle, area by area. That's a good way to start your research, as well as talking with people who live in any areas you might feel drawn to based on your research. There are several different forums which address expats wanting to relocate to different areas, members run the gambit of full time to varying lengths of time spent NOB & SOB. This particular forum has a broad range of members from Northern Baja all the way to Southern Baja. There's a wealth of information available just for the asking!

No, the economy has not shown any appreciable corresponding drop in real estate prices, but the market hasn't come to a total screeching halt either. Homes & properties in all price ranges continue to sell, just takes a little longer now than a few years ago.

As far as safety, Teniente may attempt to dissuade me of my thoughts, but I do feel that the further south you go, the further away from the border, the lower the crime rates. Not a lame thought at all! I doubt if anywhere is going to be totally crime-free, but I'm totally comfortable living outside of La Paz. I've lived in the area since 1999 & have never personally experienced any problem with crime (beyond a builder I'm taking legal action against, but that's a tale for my construction thread!). Do I know, or know stories of people who have had problems? Of course! But the numbers are low & in most cases involved break-ins in homes which aren't occupied full time, as opposed to violent crime against a person. I actually feel safer living here than I did when I was in the Pacific Northwest.

So research, research, research the hell out of areas you may feel would appeal to your & your spouse, then narrow down your search & make a few visits. Keep in mind that a week or two vacation will never give you the full flavor of an area, like actually living there will, but it's a good start toward getting a feel for different areas & what amenities are available.

As your departure date gets closer, feel free to post more specific inquiries. Happy hunting for your own personal little hunk of paradise!

PS Teniente, you know I'm jist

Hoping to get down to Todos Santos in the fall and check out the area. We are doing a lot of research, reading etc. going to be a few years before we can move into retirement, but the grind in the Pacific Northwest is getting greyer and colder every year. Will take the advice to have a few longer term rentals in different times of year and different areas to really see if it fits. Brush up on my meager Spanish as well.

Greetings Daydreamer! Sounds like we have lived parallel lives; I too grew up in SoCal, and have lived in the PNW for 23 years. We're north of Seattle, and spend most of the summer in SE Alaska. So for us, winter in NW WA and summers in SE AK look pretty much the same!

We have also begun our search for an affordable retirement location SOB. We really like the area around Todos Santos, but the "Puebla Magica" schtick puts me off and bit, and as LongLegs says, the arty crowd jacks the prices for both housing and amenities.

We did a road trip down Baja last winter, and had some great visits in towns like La Bocana and Bahia Asuncion. We had been drawn to San Quintin, and wanted to check out alternative small coastal towns to make sure of our choice, and San Quintin remains at the top of our list.

Far enough south to feel "safe", Close enough to the border that a run to San Diego for solar panel parts or an MRI are feasible, and with virtually NO tourist related businesses.
It's all either farming (if you're long the highway) or fishing (if you're in the tiny settlements along the bay and beach)

Enjoy the search and planning. For me, that's often the best part of a new direction!

Hasta.

Hola, We live about 1 hr N. of Seattle. I have spent a bit of time on San Juan Is. being the electrical inspector for the state out on the San Juans for a year, but don't hold that against me.

Originally Posted by daydreamer

Hola, We live about 1 hr N. of Seattle. I have spent a bit of time on San Juan Is. being the electrical inspector for the state out on the San Juans for a year, but don't hold that against me.

hmmmm? I was a contractor here until 8 years ago. I wonder if we crossed paths? I never had any conflicts with the inspectors, so I'm not too scared at the thought that you inspected any of our jobs.
I hung up my hammer (along with an elbow) in 2005, were you out here before that?

No,my assignment out on the islands was for 1 year only, I think it was 2007. I'm back to contracting now after the recession many inspectors were laid off, myself included.
I grew up in Costa Mesa, where abouts in Socal you from?

Originally Posted by daydreamer

No,my assignment out on the islands was for 1 year only, I think it was 2007. I'm back to contracting now after the recession many inspectors were laid off, myself included.
I grew up in Costa Mesa, where abouts in Socal you from?

North San Diego County. A beautiful place, but too crowded for me. Heck, it was too crowded when we left in the late 70's!

What are your requirements for a place in Mexico! Have you checked out BajaGringo's list of criteria? I think that it's on his posts in the"Where will retire in Mexico?" thread (or something like that?) Very helpful stuff!
Basically a list of questions, or statements, such as: How far off of pavement do you want to be?, For him, and for us, the answer is: More than 5 miles and less than 25. How far from the border are you willing to live? I like the idea of being able to do a round trip to SD in daylight, so 4 to 5 hours each way. That sets the limit at about 250 miles.
On or off grid? The true limits here are that if you're off grid, you will have trouble supporting air conditioning, and that means that you wouldn't be able to live on the SOC side in summer. (at least I know I couldn't).
Is this a full time place, seasonal, or vacations? For each choice there are differing criteria. For a vacation you may want more recreational options, for full time living, medical care may rise toward the top of your needs list.

That sort of stuff.

There are a lot of wonderful people on this board, and some very useful resources to draw from. I have found that even my most stupid questions are answered with patience and grace, qualities lacking on some other Baja forums......

Good luck!! Have fun!!