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Hola,

I'm looking into (and looking forward to) moving to Baja in a few months and staying 5 or 6 months. Probably the Ensenada area. I'm not new to living in Mexico, having spent a year in Bucerias on Bahia de Banderas. But I don't want to go that far again (2700 mile drive each way) or be that far from the border so I thought I'd try Baja Norte. I'm currently back in the Seattle area and starting to freeze!

I've been reading a few threads on here and I know there's something for everyone, their tastes and budgets. My starting requirement is I want to be at, on or near a beach. In Bucerias I was about a 10 minute walk from the beach and that wasn't bad, but I'm getting lazy in my old age and would like to shorten that up.

If anybody has suggestions for a more specific place to stay, feel free to pass it on.

I would suggest the Punta Banda area. Plenty of rentals and many near the beach. Especially on "the spit" and in campo LaJoya (LaJolla)

You may want to subscribe to the Punta Banda newsletter:

puntabandanewsletter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Lots of possibilities to consider but I will give you the same advice I give to everybody in your shoes. Don't expect to find the place you want to rent based on an internet search - your best bet is to plan on spending several days getting to know the area and neighborhoods - only then should you do any serious looking. Once you know the neighborhood where you want to be, start asking around in that area. A lot of places for rent (especially the good ones) don't advertise or put up any signs.

This is a good resource for other questions about life down here including how to get your passport, where to register your car, phone, internet, satellite, border crossing, etc.

And welcome to the forum!

Big Time culture shock. Might be tuff to just pack up and move but it is a beautiful place with wonderful people, But it is way different than the states with a different culture and a whole new set of laws. If ya can come and hang out, rent a few places and you will find your spot. Best of luck and it is very doable!!

Originally Posted by kboy24

Big Time culture shock. Might be tuff to just pack up and move but it is a beautiful place with wonderful people, But it is way different than the states with a different culture and a whole new set of laws. If ya can come and hang out, rent a few places and you will find your spot. Best of luck and it is very doable!!

As I said, I lived a year in Bucerias, Nayarit. So I doubt I'd experience much culture shock. And to your point about 'pack up and move' it's just what I did when I moved there. Got rid of literally everything that wouldn't fit in my Ford Taurus. It actually felt good unloading almost all my past to move into the future.

Originally Posted by BajaGringo

Lots of possibilities to consider but I will give you the same advice I give to everybody in your shoes. Don't expect to find the place you want to rent based on an internet search - your best bet is to plan on spending several days getting to know the area and neighborhoods - only then should you do any serious looking. Once you know the neighborhood where you want to be, start asking around in that area. A lot of places for rent (especially the good ones) don't advertise or put up any signs.

This is a good resource for other questions about life down here including how to get your passport, where to register your car, phone, internet, satellite, border crossing, etc.

And welcome to the forum!

I don't know where you got the idea I was looking for something to rent on the internet. I just wanted suggestions as to areas or neighborhoods where I assume some expats live. That's how I chose Bucerias and went with just a recommendation for a cheap motel to stay in until I found a place to live. And I found a great rental by word of mouth. As I said, this isn't my first move to Mexico, just going for a different area this time.

Thanks Teniente for a suggestion I was looking for. I knew from reading numerous posts here that Punta Banda might be my best bet but didn't want to eliminate anything else if someone wanted to talk up their neighborhood.

BTW, I did subscribe to the newsletter.

Originally Posted by owenrjohnson

I don't know where you got the idea I was looking for something to rent on the internet.:???

Sorry, I was only speaking in general terms. This forum is averaging 4-5 thousand visitors daily who are looking for information and I posted that for those reading this thread over our shoulders.

No offense intended...

Touchy Touchy.......
I'll just keep my suggestions to myself.

"No offense intended... "

Oh, I wasn't offended. Just surprised that anyone misinterpreted what I wrote; I thought I was pretty clear. As I said, I'm not a rookie when it comes to relocating to Mexico and wouldn't rent anything sight unseen by shopping on the internet.

Originally Posted by DENNIS

Touchy Touchy.......
I'll just keep my suggestions to myself.

And I might just keep my questions to myself!

The Rosarito Beach area has a large population of Expats. and is only 15 miles from the US border.

Originally Posted by larry

The Rosarito Beach area has a large population of Expats. and is only 15 miles from the US border.

sadly, many of the expats in Rosarito (living outside the gated communities) seem to be anchored to support a deportee in their family. These families live on both sides. There aren't quite BCC material and not ideally who you would want for neighbors, trust me on that. They can make American white trailer trash look downright elegant and with the cheap rents in Rosarito I can't blame them for being here. There are less than 3,000 registered expats in Rosarito (with local issued Visas), the other 9,000 expats are either dual-citizens or just don't bother to register (if you accept as accurate the 12,000 expats living in Rosarito number they throw out there all the time). If you are looking to get away for social problems- the further from the border the better. I actually think Playas de Tijuana is a better expat choice than Rosarito Beach today.

If you like the Ensenada area there are many areas north and south of town that should work. Are you looking for a house or would a condo/apartment work? Punta Banda is SW of town, offers reasonable rents and has a large ExPat community living out there...

Originally Posted by Woooosh

sadly, many of the expats in Rosarito (living outside the gated communities) seem to be anchored to support a deportee in their family. These families live on both sides. There aren't quite BCC material and not ideally who you would want for neighbors, trust me on that. They can make American white trailer trash look downright elegant and with the cheap rents in Rosarito I can't blame them for being here. There are less than 3,000 registered expats in Rosarito (with local issued Visas), the other 9,000 expats are either dual-citizens or just don't bother to register (if you accept as accurate the 12,000 expats living in Rosarito number they throw out there all the time). If you are looking to get away for social problems- the further from the border the better. I actually think Playas de Tijuana is a better expat choice than Rosarito Beach today.

Since Playas de Tijuana is much closer to the border than Rosarito, this contradicts your statement that if you are looking to get away from social problems-the further from the border the better?

Originally Posted by larry

Since Playas de Tijuana is much closer to the border than Rosarito, this contradicts your statement that if you are looking to get away from social problems-the further from the border the better?

So it would seem. But it's the demographic makeup in this case, not proximity to the border. The deportees call Rosarito Beach "Santa Monica South", no lie. They love it here and their friends and family are by-passing Playas de Tijuana to land and do business here. Just our luck.

Originally Posted by Woooosh

The deportees call Rosarito Beach "Santa Monica South", no lie. They love it here and their friends and family are by-passing Playas de Tijuana to land and do business here. Just our luck.

There are some serious heavy hitters in Playas who wouldn't appreciate the scum oozing into the neighborhood.

Originally Posted by Woooosh

So it would seem. But it's the demographic makeup in this case, not proximity to the border. The deportees call Rosarito Beach "Santa Monica South", no lie. They love it here and their friends and family are by-passing Playas de Tijuana to land and do business here. Just our luck.

I can relate to Santa Monica South since I was a police officer in Santa Monica in the mid 60's. The South area near the beach was full of hippies and drug addicts.

Well, welcome aboard anyway ...

Originally Posted by wessongroup

Well, welcome aboard anyway ...

Yeah, I know. Reality bites. Relocating is a big event and everyone has their own comfort zones for neighborly love and personal safety. I think Dennis means the "real" Mexicans in Playas aren't taking kindly to the wave of "immigrants" being deported back into Tijuana. They left Mexico for the USA and for that Mexico has turned its back on them for the most part. The lucky ones live in Rosarito Beach and have a family in the USA to support them.

Originally Posted by Woooosh

I think Dennis means the "real" Mexicans in Playas aren't taking kindly to the wave of "immigrants" being deported back into Tijuana.

"Real?" Is that what you think?? You know what I mean.
Ohhhh yeah.....they're real alright....."cuernos de chivo" and all.